### **PETITION TO GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN AND THE VIRGINIA PAROLE BOARD: GRANT PAROLE TO JAMES L. HARDIN 

We, the undersigned, call upon the Virginia Parole Board and Governor Glenn Youngkin to review and grant parole to **James L. Hardin**, who has served over **31 years** of a life sentence after a first-degree murder conviction in 1994 (Case #CR05036429-00 and related charges). While we recognize the pain and irreversible impact of the loss of life, we also believe in the possibility of **redemption, rehabilitation, and second chances**—especially when the individual has demonstrated sustained growth, responsibility, and sincere remorse.

James was a 20-year-old young man living with a criminal mindset in 1994 when he made the worst mistake of his life, resulting in the tragic death of Mark Johnson. Today, he is a transformed man—no longer defined by the crime of his past, but by **decades of work** toward accountability, healing, and service to others.

Mr. Hardin has been **denied parole 19 times**, but continues to press forward—proof of his **commitment to growth regardless of outcome**. His rehabilitation journey is marked by:

* Completion of **all mandated and voluntary rehabilitative programs**, including *Victim Impact*, *Anger Management*, *Thinking for a Change*, *Domestic Violence Prevention*, and *Peer Mentorship Training*.
* Leadership in over **100 peer-led seminars**, serving as a role model for other incarcerated men.
* Attainment of multiple vocational trades (*Electrician Apprentice, Computer Technician, Upholstery, Drywall, Painting*) and his **GED**.
* A medical diagnosis of **Multiple Sclerosis (MS)**, which further heightens the urgency for humane review and release.

He has a **documented reentry plan** including guaranteed employment upon release at Total Building Solutions in Maryland, with strong community support. His life today is built on **accountability, emotional regulation, empathy, and service**.

Mr. Hardin has never wavered in accepting full responsibility for his actions. He has **publicly acknowledged the trauma inflicted** on the Johnson family and community and lives each day with the gravity of that harm. But we believe the time has come for society to recognize what the Department of Corrections itself asks incarcerated people to do: **transform**.

The parole process should be guided not only by past convictions, but by *current character, readiness, and risk*. Mr. Hardin is not the same person he was in 1994. He is a model for what rehabilitation looks like in action.

By signing this petition, we are urging the Parole Board and Governor Youngkin to consider:

* **James Hardin’s complete rehabilitative record and behavior for over three decades**
* **His health condition and the cost to taxpayers**
* **The success stories of others released under similar circumstances**
* **The importance of hope and justice balanced with mercy**

Virginia must not ignore redemption. The system must offer pathways home for those who have done the work, lived the change, and pose **no threat to public safety**. James Hardin is such a man.

Please grant James Hardin the opportunity to live the rest of his life as a free man, accountable and contributing to society.

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###  **Sign and share this petition. Help give James L. Hardin a second chance at life.**

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