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First, I just wanted to remind you that FAMM president Julie Stewart will be on The Stossel Show tonight on Fox Business News at 9 pm eastern time. Make some popcorn and watch Julie go toe-to-toe with a mandatory minimum-lovin’ former prosecutor. Stay tuned because longtime FAMM member Peter Ninemire will also on the show. Remember that you don’t have to just watch – you can join in the action by letting the Stossel Show know what you think about mandatory sentencing laws. During the program, post a message post a message on John Stossel’s Facebook page or Twitter account.
Second, I wanted to share some exciting news we learned yesterday. According to a new story, the Obama Administration is heeding our (and others) calls to review the broken process for obtaining federal clemency!!! Let me share the news release I sent out yesterday:
According to the story by ProPublica investigative reporter Dafna Linzer, “Officials said there has been growing interest inside the White House for reforming the pardon process, specifically how recommendations are made to the president.”
Over the past few months, FAMM has helped to organize a growing, bipartisan campaign in favor of a congressional investigation into the Office of the Pardon Attorney (OPA) after two stories, also written by Ms. Linzer, revealed racial bias and possible misconduct in the evaluation of pardons and commutations. On May 24, 2012, FAMM hosted a panel discussion at the National Press Club, which featured the mother of Clarence Aaron, a first-time drug offender who received a life sentence. Panelists also included Ms. Linzer and a former federal prisoner whose pleas for a commutation were repeatedly denied. Mr. Aaron’s petition for a commutation, which was supported by the U.S. Attorney’s office thatprosecuted him and the federal judge who sentenced him, was rejected in 2008 after current pardon attorney Ronald Rodgers mischaracterized their support in a communication to the Bush White House.
According to Ms. Linzer’s story, the Obama White House has asked for a fresh review of the Aaron case. Ms. Stewart said, “Clarence Aaron should never have been sentenced to die in prison, and he should have been granted a commutation years ago. He has been an exemplary inmate while his family has suffered in his absence. I am confident that an unbiased review of his petition will lead to his release.”
“We and others have asked repeatedly for an investigation of the OPA because it is a complete disaster,” Stewart said. “This taxpayer-funded office has failed in its sole responsibility to help the president analyze requests for federal clemency. I am pleased that the administration is not waiting. By directing his administration to take a close look at the Office, the president has shown that he understands the magnitude of the problem. We are very encouraged by today’s news and see this a positive first step.”
The article also quoted unnamed sources in the Obama Administration who expect the number of pardons and commutations to rise significantly before the end of the year. “Clarence Aaron isn’t the only federal prisoner who has been denied justice,” Ms. Stewart said. “We hope President Obama will be bold and generous in granting clemency as his first term closes.”
We are so excited that some federal prisoners might finally get the fair shot at a second chance that they deserve.
Best wishes,
Monica
Monica Pratt Raffanel
FAMM Communications Director
Good call: It was on at 7::00 here. Stossel and O’Reiley were going at it on the subject but of course O’Reilly has his opinion and prefers to interrupt telling his side only. The one thing that was pointed out was the cops and the county attorneys make mistakes but none of them are prosecuted: Or even disciplined… Jim and Nancy Petro wrote a book called “False Justice”. In the text they pointed out they could only find where 5 county attorneys were prosecuted for Prosecutorial Misconduct. One of them being Mike Nifong from North Carolina and he spent one day on jail for trying to get 3 innocent men put in jail for 30 years. Not my idea of justice.
That is not my idea of justice either. When they knowingly are using misconduct just to try to get a conviction they should be prosecuted by the law just the same as any other person.