Clemency for Kenneth Young

Clemency for Kenneth Young

Greetings,

On December 9, the Office of Executive Clemency is scheduled to consider a petition for clemency for Kenneth Young, was is serving life in prison without parole for a crime committed when he was just 14 years old. I'm writing to urge you to grant clemency for Mr. Young.

As you know, Mr. Young had no criminal record before he was convicted of assisting an older drug dealer in committing a series of armed robberies. He was paid for his role in the crime: $50 cash, a pair of sneakers and a six-pack of beer. He has shown remorse for his role in the crime, but has been given no chance to redeem himself, as under his current sentence he will never be released from prison.

The judge who sentenced Mr, Young to life in prison has written to you to support this clemency petition. A victim in the case has said that Mr. Young is her "hero" for stopping his co-defendant from assaulting her during the crime. This young man deserves a second chance.

As you also know, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this year in Graham v. Florida that juvenile life without parole sentences are unconstitutional in non-murder cases. The vast majority of lifers convicted as juveniles are in Florida (including 116 of the nation's181 non-murder juvenule LWOP prisoners). Mr. Young is the kind of defendant Justice Anthony Kennedy was referring to when he wrote that states must constitutionally provide "some meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation.” Even the sentencing judge agrees that Mr. Young was sentenced too harshly for this crime. You have the opportunity today to grant mercy. Please grant clemency to Kenneth Young today.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

[Your name]