A Detroit native known online as @shaniiman is opening up about the arrest and conviction that changed the course of her life — one that came while she was thriving academically and pursuing her dream of becoming a neurosurgeon.
In a viral video shared by Detroit Rap News (@detroitrapnews), Shaniiman explained that she was arrested in Ohio after being pulled over by police who claimed to smell marijuana in her car.
From Honors Student to Inmate
At the time of the arrest, she says she was an exceptional student with multiple scholarships and a clear vision for her future in medicine. But that dream unraveled after police searched her car and discovered a large quantity of prescription pills.
“The dogs sniffed the car, scratched it, and they searched it,” she recalled. “They found the pills — about 600 to 800 of them. My first plea deal was eight to twelve years.”
Though she insists she was not a habitual offender, she chose to take full responsibility for the drugs rather than implicate her then-boyfriend.
“If I would have said something about him, he would’ve gotten in so much more trouble,” she said. “So I took everything. I had never been in trouble before.”
The Cost of a Conviction
Her conviction for aggravated possession derailed her medical ambitions.
“I get sad about not being able to be a doctor or go into the medical field,” she said. “That was something I’ve wanted since I was a child.”
Still, Shaniiman has continued to look for ways to reenter healthcare, even exploring nursing programs in Texas.
“I reached out to the Texas Board of Nursing to see if I could get licensed,” she explained, though she said her record remains a major barrier.
A Story of Resilience and Redemption
While her conviction closed doors in medicine, her story has sparked widespread attention on social media for its themes of redemption, accountability, and systemic inequality. Many commenters have praised her transparency and resilience, calling her a “voice for second chances.”
Her journey highlights the struggles faced by formerly incarcerated students trying to rebuild their lives and reclaim their purpose — and raises broader questions about how the justice system treats young Black women caught in its web.
