IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM EFREN'S MOTHER

Dear family members, friends, and supporters:

As many of you know, in 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court banned mandatory life without parole sentences (LWOP) for juvenile offenders ("juvenile lifers") in its landmark ruling, Miller v. Alabama. After a long 8.5 year wait we recently learned that Efrén has finally been scheduled to begin the process of being re-sentenced this October.

The first stage of the re-sentencing process will include a three-day mitigation hearing. The first day of the hearing the Berrien County Prosecutor's office will attempt to argue that Efrén should receive a LWOP sentence again despite the impressive number of remarkable accomplishments he has made in his life and years of service to others.

The U.S. Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that only rare incorrigible juvenile offenders who are incapable of change or rehabilitation are candidates for LWOP sentences. Efrén is certainly not one of them by any stretch of the imagination.

The second day of the hearing Efrén's defense team will present expert and character witness testimony, and argue why Efrén deserves to receive a term-of-year sentence rather than a LWOP sentence. Finally, on the third day of the hearing, closing arguments will be offered to the court by both sides, if necessary. A subsequent re-sentencing date will likely be scheduled a few weeks later.

In preparation for Efrén's hearing we are asking you to please take a few moments of your time to share this petition widely and invite people in your social media network to sign and circulate it. A shortcut link people can use to access and share the petition is http://Bitly.com/FreeEfren

Each time someone signs the petition an email message is sent to Efrén's re-sentencing judge supporting a term-of-year sentence proportional to the average sentence other similarly situated juvenile lifers have received when they were re-sentenced.

Our family has been awaiting an opportunity like this for Efrén for over three decades. After 31 years of incarceration -- having spent two-thirds of his entire life behind bars -- it is well beyond time that Efrén receive a meaningful opportunity for release consideration.

You are also encouraged to read and share the final installment of an exclusive year-long interview series with Efrén available at https://EfrensWords.home.blog/Part-Eleven

In the interview Efrén shares aspects of his private life, fatherhood, marriage, and his thoughts and plans about the future, if released. He takes readers on a fascinating journey allowing them to see how he interprets the world, solves problems, and tirelessly works to push the boundaries to improve the lives of others inside and outside of prison.

This is a very important time in our campaign to help Efrén reclaim his well-deserved freedom. He needs our support now more than ever. If there ever was a time for you to help him, that time is NOW. The support he receives could make the difference between him receiving an unjust LWOP sentence again or becoming eligible for parole consideration in the coming months.

Our family is committed to continue generating support for Efrén until the day he is actually re-sentenced. We won't rest until he is able to rejoin our family again, be a full-time father to his school age daughter, and a productive citizen in the free world. Please join us by answering this important call to action.

Thank you for your time. Please keep Efrén and our family in your thoughts and prayers. #FreeEfren #AbolishDBI #JLWOP

Sincerely,

Velia Koppenhoefer
e: EfrenUncaged@gmail.com

Efrén Re-Sentencing Petition Link
http://Bitly.com/FreeEfren

Efrén's Facebook Support Page
http://fb.com/Free.Efren

Efrén's Accomplishments
http://Bitly.com/EfrenCV

Efrén Juvenile Lifer Interview Series
https://EfrensWords.home.blog