"My name is TERREALL MCDANIEL. Currently, I'm sentenced to DIE in the Federal Prison. I'm one of many who have been disproportionately trapped in the new JIM CROW era. I have a 51-year sentence for a NON-Violent drug possession crime; at that time, no one was hurt. I was simply pulled over in a vehicle by myself that had a small amount of drugs and a gun. Law enforcement confiscated those items, and I went to jail. This incident occurred in 2015.

In the United States, studies show that sentences are often disproportionate to the crimes committed, particularly for NON-Violent offenses (source: The Sentencing Project). The pain and hardship that comes with this reality is unbearable. Ten months after my sentencing date in 2018, Congress decided to pass the "FIRST STEP ACT," which significantly lowered my count 5 924(c) sentence from 25 years to just 5 years. Unfortunately, I didn't benefit from that change because it was not made retroactive (they didn't want to open the flood gates), so I had to keep my 25-year sentence.

However, the "FIRST STEP ACT" did create an avenue in the sentence reduction/compassionate release motion 3582(c)(1)(A) to give wide discretion to judges for people who showed extraordinary & compelling reasons, to give them sentencing reductions. But a ruling in my circuit (and every other circuit, come to think of it) blocked that discretion with this case "U.S. v. Crandall." Consequently, my pending motion was denied to reduce my dramatic sentence on count 5 (THE 25 years to 5 years).

Then, my court circuit made another ruling that changed my guideline sentence from 262 months to just around 24 months with this case "U.S. v. Myers," in dealing with the ACCA enhancement I received. But because of the CRANDALL case that blocked my first motion, I can't get relief with this issue either.

So, I stayed down with my chin up (words from a homegirl), and then a glimmer of hope came on November 1st, 2023! The Sentencing Commission made a law that an "unusually long sentence" can be considered for a reduction where a non-retroactive law like the passing on the 25-year sentence and the 262 guideline sentence I got can now be used to reduce my sentencing, and the Crandall case CAN NOT block it anymore!

I have a lawyer who's willing to help file the motion as I get closer to that time to do so. I created all of this in hopes of gaining additional support. WE NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR A FAIRER JUSTICE SYSTEM WHERE SENTENCES ARE PROPORTIONATE TO THE CRIME COMMITTED. BY SIGNING THIS PETITION, YOU WILL BE SUPPORTING A CAUSE THAT STRIVES FOR FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE IN OUR LEGAL SYSTEM. PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TODAY AND HELP ME TO HELP US ADVOCATE FOR SENTENCE REDUCTIONS IN DISPROPORTIONATE CASES! THANK YOU."