HEADLINE....MENTALLY DISABLED HIGH SCHOOL TEEN SENTENCED TO DIE IN PRISON FOR 1997 ROBBERIES...

Ronald Davis now 40, was a high school teen when he and two other committed
several robberies throughout Hampton Roads area. If he serves the minimum sentence, he will be about 88 when he is released.

In his final days in office former Virginia Governor Bob McDonald failed to commute the sentence of Ronald Davis, a Portsmouth man convicted as a high school teen of armed robbery and sentenced to more than 80 years. The pardon denial leaves Davis, now 37, with less hope of ever returning home to his family. Davis was in high school when he and two young men and a young woman robbed several establishments through out Hampton Roads area. No shots were fired and no one was injured. Davis, a handicap special education student at the time, naively thought since he was not the primary robber and never possessed a weapon, he was somehow slightly responsible for the criminality of what they were doing. To such a notion he would receive a rude awakening. Before even graduating high school he would be sentenced to 80 years for his involvement.

Following his convictions and sentencing many cases similar to Davis' case that addressed extreme sentences imposed upon juveniles and the mentally disabled has been steadily moving through the Court's. In the case of Darryl Atkins the U.S Supreme prohibited the death penalty for the mentally disabled. Ruling that his disability made him less culpable for his offenses as it's relates to punishment. And in 2010, Graham vs Florida also addressed the culpability of juvenile defendants as it relates to punishment. The court placed a ban on life sentences for juveniles who committed non-homicide crimes.

In 2013 Davis's mother took action and petitioned then Governor Bob McDonald for Ronald's release. "My son's entire life has been taken away from him for simply grabbing some money our of a few cash registers." The ring leader of these crimes gets out in a few years." All we want is a reasonable sentence." In October 1997, Davis and one of his co-defendants entered the Red Barn Convenient store in Suffolk, and under the directions of the older man Davis grabbed the money out of the cash register. At no point during the robbery was Ronald ever in possession of a weapon. His role in the robbery was solely to remove the money from a second cash register. Nevertheless, he still received more time than his co-defendant. Following the same scenario, later that week Davis and his co-defendants also robbed several establishments in Newport news and Norfolk area. In obtained trial transcripts from Davis' Suffolk sentencing hearing, his mother testified that Ronald was special needs and declared handicap by the state and had the mind of a six year old. Records also shows that Davis was receiving Social Security disability monetary supplements for various mental and emotional disabilities. "I told the judge my son was declared handicap by the state and he simply ignored me." " Where is the justice in sentencing my son, "a handicap high school teenager at the time, to die in a prison cell for a crime where no one was injured or touched."

Davis's attorney Jon Shapiro has petitioned the Governor's office for his release in 2020." It's hard to believe that we live in a society where children lives are just being thrown away." We just want the state to do the right thing, 23 years is enough." One of his co-defendants has already been released and another is set to be released soon." Supporters of Davis are planning to contact state representatives to support his release and an online campaign is already under way. If you wish to add any additional support please contact myself or his attorney.

Attorney at Law

Jon Shapiro

ShapiroJ@wlu.edu