PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Governor Granholm Please Reverse Denial of Efren's Commutation Request
  1. Signatures
    213 out of 1,000,000
    Petitioning
    1. Michigan Office of the Governor (+ 2 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Michigan Office of the Governor (Honorable Governor Jennifer Granholm)
      • Deputy Legal Counsel (Suzanne Sonneborn)
      • TIME Committee
  2. Created By
    Velia Koppenhoefer
    St. Joseph, MI
About this Petition Petition Letter

Efrén Paredes, Jr. received a denial of his Request for Commutation of Sentence on March 12, 2010. The letter from the Governor's Office was dated March 8, 2010. The decision came two years after the initial filing of Efrén's request.

A two year intense nation campaign for Efrén's freedom has been waged by Efrén's family, friends and supporters that has garnered national and international attention. To learn more please visit http://4efren.com or http://tinyurl.com/freeEPJ.

Hundreds of people have mailed the Governor letters, postcards, and emails of support asking her to grant Efrén's Commutation of Sentence Request and release him. This includes organizations, community leaders, legal scholars, clergy, and a world reknown wrongful conviction expert.

Please sign this petition asking the Governor to reconsider her decision and grant Efrén's Commutation of Sentence Request for the reasons outlined in the letter below. When you sign the petition an email with the letter will be sent to the Governor's office and to a member of her legal counsel.

We will not allow Efrén's life and freedom to be thrown away and we are committed to pursuing justice until he is free.

In Solidarity,

The Injustice Must End (TIME)                                                                             Committee to Free Efrén Paredes, Jr.

Recent Signatures

Please Reconsider Efrén Paredes, Jr. Commutation Request

Dear Honorable Governor Granholm,

I am writing to request that you please reconsider your recent denial of the Efrén Paredes, Jr. #203116 Commutation of Sentence Request and grant his request.

The denial of Efrén's commutation request is inconsistent with your goal to release 7000 prisoners who will be able to transition to society and be productive citizens.

I believe denying Efrén's commutation also contravenes recent studies that imprisoning people for long periods of time is not making the state any safer, and a Wayne State University study that found 95% of Michigan residents polled oppose the imposition of Life without Parole Sentence for Youth.

Efrén is equally deserving of the chance for release as the other candidates who have been granted commutation. He has a stable home to be released to, employment opportunities awaiting him, and strong support from family and friends. His accomplishments while imprisoned are numerous, he poses no danger to society, and he is equally deserving of release as anyone who has been previously granted a parole or commutation.

This is realistically Efrén's last meaningful opportunity for release. There is no guarantee another Governor will have the courage you have exhibited to exercise the extraordinary power of granting commutations in the near future.

If you are unwilling to commute Efrén's sentence so he is released now, I ask that you minimally commute his sentence to a term of years in the future so that the Parole Board can release him at some point.

I strongly urge you to not close the door on any possibility of release. After 21 years of imprisonment, since he was 15, Efrén is deserving of a second chance to return to society. If people convicted of crimes when they were youth do not deserve a second chance, who does?

As a mother, woman of faith, and one who believes in the concept of redemption, please consider taking another look at Efrén's Commutation Request. If not now, later before you leave office then.

Sincerely,

[Your name]

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