When Phillip Pitney was sentenced to life in prison at age 19 in 2009, he was tried and sentenced with no evidence or witness testimony. He’s also one of many black teens living in low income San Francisco neighborhoods, who were targeted and labeled as gang members in order for the SFPD to win various California state grants, totalling upwards of $1.7 million between the years 2006 thru 2011.

Phillip Pitney was tried and prosecuted as a gang member although he has no history of gang affiliation, gang violence or gang related tattoos. 

The victim of the crime has publicly announced that Phillip Pitney was not the shooter and has petitioned by affidavit, twice to free Phillip, but the judge has ignored his petitions, leaving Phillip abandoned by the system.

If this isn’t horrifying enough, the investigator who was working on behalf of Phillip’s case was conducting witness tampering during the initial hearing. He was later disbarred. Even the prosecuting District Attorney Marc Anthony Guillory was disbarred in 2014 after badge flashing and multiple instances of driving under the influence. 

Philip needs your help in order to be heard by Governor Newsom and be freed for a crime he did not commit and have his name cleared! 

 

In 2009, black, teen males residing in housing projects and low income neighborhoods were targeted and labeled as gang members by San Francisco Police Officers and entered into the system forever. Being labeled a gang member leads to automatic harsher sentencing and to being treated with fewer rights than other humans, even for cases such as traffic violations. 

However, these young men have never been involved in gang violence nor do they conduct organized crime. They don’t even have gang related tattoos or flash gang signs. 

“San Francisco’s war on gangs has been bolstered by grant money. Since 2006, the city has received around $1.7 million in state and federal funding specifically for anti-gang initiatives. About a quarter of that money came from federal programs focused on educating youth (Gang Resistance Education and Training) and offering recreational activities (Project Safe Neighborhoods). More than half of the total, however, came from the state’s California Gang Reduction, Intervention, and Prevention program (CalGRIP).” 

- San Francisco Public Defender Newspaper (SFPDN).In the years 2009 - 2011, the San Francisco police department was competing for and awarded the CalGRIP grant. The submitted application criteria DRASTICALLY increased in number of gangs and gang members vs. what was submitted into the CalGang database.

“The department’s 2009 CalGRIP application declared that “In San Francisco there are roughly 41 identified gangs, estimated to have approximately 1,660 key members.” According to the 2011 application San Francisco gangs are “estimated to have approximately 2,500 key members.” Neither of these calculations resembles the data local law enforcement officials entered into the CalGang database, which states that San Francisco had 465 gang members in 2010.”

- SFPDN

Despite enduring the last 12 years in prison, Phillip Pitney has studied business and began his entrepreneurial journey by starting his own clothing brand. He has also partnered with Third Parent Family, a non-profit organization that helps underprivileged kids in San Francisco.

With the support of Phillip’s mother and friends, he’s been able to grow his business, Bands Before Riches clothing, and provide free t-shirts to children in these neighborhoods. 

Phillip’s experience is another example of the systemic racism that exists within our justice system. We need your help to bring attention to this matter and give Phillip and the others in his situation their lives back. 

Please sign this petition and share it on social media to help Phillip spread his message and reach Governor Newsom to set him free.