Honorable Gov. Ron Desantis,

“We, the undersigned, concerned friends, family, citizens and supporters of Jessica Delancy, submit this joint petition in support of her request and a plea for your compassion and grace, for a reduced sentence. 

We all believe that Jessica's sentence of 48 years in prison, with 40 years mandatory without the possibility of parole, is in effect a life sentence and is an excessively harsh sentence, taking into account the mitigating circumstances. 

Jessica was the least culpable defendant in the offense. 

We firmly believe that should Jessica be granted relief, Jessica will serve as an exemplary and productive member of her community. 
Jessica will foster positive change for everyone Jessica interacts with by imparting her life experiences and the valuable lessons Jessica has learned from them. 
In addition, we firmly believe that Jessica will be a law-abiding citizen with an upright, empathetic character. 

We humbly request that you consider our plea for clemency and mercy on Jessica's behalf and the following mitigating circumstances.”

1. Jessica did not commit the murders Jessica is accused of.

2. Jessica was 21 years old and 4 months pregnant with twins at the time of the incident. This situation increased Jessica’s vulnerability, leading to actions under pressure from Jessica’s then-abusive partner.

3. The young girl who fled into a life of drugs and getting mixed into the wrong crowd pales in comparison to the woman Jessica has become today.
Jessica lacked the proper education or resources to survive as a single mother to her then two-year old son. Jessica turned to stripping, which led to a life of sexual exploitation in the five-month relationship Jessica had with her co-defendant. 
Studies from the Center for Sexual Violence show the following:

"The consequences of sexual violence can manifest themselves in four areas: sexual, physical, psychological and social."

We want to focus on psychological violence, "which involves serious mental damage through coercion or threats, also called "coercive control" or "intimate terror"."

This is a serious form of intimate partner violence in which one partner strongly dominates and controls the other. Coercive control involves a combination of different forms of exercising control such as isolation from family and friends, humiliation and threats.

4. Jessica had no prior criminal record as a juvenile or adult prior to her incarceration.

5. Jessica's 48 year, with 40-year mandatory sentences, was the result of ineffective counsel in bargaining for a lesser plea in exchange for her assistance to convict her co-defendant and bring justice for the victim's families and end the threat of retaliation against her family. Jessica's co-defendant opted for three life sentences in lieu of a trial and her testimony was no longer needed, resulting in the heavy sentence imposed on her.

6. Jessica has been incarcerated for 17 years thus far. 
Due to the change in applicability and her mandatory sentence, Jessica isn't traditionally eligible for clemency until 2030. 
Therefore, we have commenced lobbying efforts to garner support of any elected officials or state representatives to help institute early filing by invoking rule 17 of the clemency procedure. 
Due to Florida not allowing individuals sentenced after 1995 to be considered for parole eligibility, it is deemed that Jessica will continue to serve day for day of the rest of her adult life and be expected release no sooner than 2056. 
Jessica understands the magnitude of the offense she was involved and has held herself accountable, understanding that a fair and just sentence was appropriate for her choices that caused irreparable harm to so many people.

7. It is marginally proven that black defendants (women) receive harsher sentences than white defendants for the same level of participation in said offense, whether it coming from impoverished communities, lack of finances to afford legal representation, ineffective representation and judicial bias.
According to the National Black woman's justice institute, black women account for roughly 13% of the general population yet account for 29% of incarcerated women. 
Black women are arrested and incarcerated more often because black women's survival strategies are criminalized, including self-defense or being forced to engage in illegal activities by intimate partners or others who have harmed them physically or emotionally.

8. Jessica has taken charge of her life and used her incarceration as an opportunity to several continuing education courses. 
Jessica also facilitates reintegration initiatives for women who are about to be released through her external mentors. 
Jessica has earned her G.E.D, law clerk certification and is currently enrolled in the HVAC technician program. Recently Jessica achieved yet another milestone - Jessica is accepted to Ashland University for a bachelor’s degree in business administration. 
Jessica has overcome tremendous obstacles during her incarceration, using her positive drive and strength. Her resilience and determination lead her to achieve her goals and become the best that Jessica can be.

9. Jessica has had a total of 3 infractions (disciplinary reports) since her imprisonment and has been free of violations for 11 years to date, Jessica makes a conscious and convincing effort to be a shining example to the women Jessica guides, supported by her Islamic faith. 
In addition, sharing her traumatic experiences ensures that sensitive topics become discussable.

10. On 12- 21- 2023 Jessica's hired attorney Jacob Grollman ordered a mental health evaluation and risk assessment for violent recidivism. It was performed by Nigel Poulton, LMHC stating that Jessica is not a violent inmate and Jessica poses low risk for violent recidivism.

We believe that, given all the evidence presented and the information about the mitigating circumstances, you will give our request to grant Jessica a second chance in good faith. Jessica has the support of her family, friends, advocates, and her Muslim brothers and sisters in the community. 
Jessica is a valuable and meaningful asset and deserves a fair chance to continue her rehabilitation efforts in society, as a contribution to this society. 
We kindly but urgently request that you show compassion and grant our request to reduce the excessive sentence Jessica has received. 
I thank you for your time.