My husband (Antonio Lanier) has been serving an unjust and excessive sentence of three consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. This sentence was imposed when he was merely 18-19 years old. His co-defendants received much lighter sentences in exchange for testifying against him. For 14 years, he has been incarcerated in a supermax prison, demonstrating exemplary behavior and never accumulating a disciplinary record. Despite facing violence, having been stabbed by an unprovoked inmate, he remains committed to reform.

Throughout his incarceration, my husband has not wasted a moment. He has earned multiple certifications and achieved three professional degrees. His transformation is undeniable and yet, his prospects for release remain obsolete under the current system.

We, the undersigned citizens, families, faith leaders, professionals, and community members, strongly urge the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to implement safety-based clemency and conditional release review for individuals, like my husband, serving life sentences and life without parole in the state of Georgia.

These individuals have expressed to me thaf if they are too good "They are manipulating the system". If they get a DR, they are denied parole or any other oppurtiunity.  They are stuck on what to do or how to even act! 

Studies indicate that lifelong imprisonment without the possibility of parole often disregards essential elements such as age at the time of the crime, maturity, and rehabilitative progress. According to the Sentencing Project, Georgia holds one of the highest prison populations in the nation, with disproportionate impacts on individuals who committed crimes as juveniles.

Implementing such reviews aligns with justice reform efforts shown to reduce recidivism and encourage rehabilitation, as seen in programs from other states that have effectively reduced their lifer populations without compromising public safety. These reviews could focus on an individual's conduct, positive contributions, and potential to contribute to society if released.

This petition demands a transparent, fair, and systematic process for evaluating lifers' cases on a safety and reformative basis. With this process, deserving individuals may hope for a chance at redemption and reintegration into society, thereby alleviating the burden on the correctional system and enhancing overall public safety.

Join us in urging the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to take this crucial step towards a more just and equitable future. Help ensure that individuals who demonstrate rehabilitation and potential for societal contribution can have the chance to lead productive, fulfilled lives outside prison walls.

PETITION FOR SAFETY-BASED CLEMENCY & CONDITIONAL RELEASE REVIEW
FOR GEORGIA LIFERS AND LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
TO: Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles
CC: Governor of Georgia, Georgia Department of Corrections Commissioner, Georgia House and Senate Judiciary Committees

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

We, the undersigned citizens, families, faith leaders, professionals, and community members, respectfully petition the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles to exercise its constitutional and statutory authority to expand and prioritize safety-based review for individuals serving life sentences and life without the possibility of parole. This petition is submitted in response to documented increases in violence, deaths, and staffing shortages within Georgia’s correctional facilities.

LEGAL AUTHORITY

The Georgia Constitution vests exclusive executive clemency authority in the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, including the power to grant reprieves, pardons, paroles, commutations, and remissions of sentences after conviction (Ga. Const. Art. IV, Sec. II, Para. II). Georgia statutes further direct the Board to personally study cases, maintain records, conduct investigations, and impose parole or conditional release with appropriate supervision and restrictions (O.C.G.A. §§ 42-9-20, 42-9-41, 42-9-42, 42-9-44).

PUBLIC SAFETY AND HUMANITARIAN JUSTIFICATION

Georgia prisons are experiencing a well-documented crisis involving violence, homicides, contraband, and critical staffing shortages. Federal findings and investigative reporting have concluded that conditions within Georgia prisons pose unconstitutional risks to incarcerated individuals and staff. Continued incarceration of low-risk, rehabilitated lifers under these conditions strains limited resources and increases the likelihood of preventable injury or death.

REQUESTED ACTION

We respectfully request that the Board establish or expand a Safety-Based Clemency and Conditional Release Review pathway for:
• Individuals serving Life sentences eligible for parole review
• Individuals serving Life Without Parole through executive clemency consideration

This process should involve individualized review and impose strict supervision conditions, including but not limited to electronic monitoring, intensive parole supervision, mandatory programming, curfews, geographic restrictions, and immediate return to custody for violations.

SUGGESTED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• 10–15+ years of clean or near-clean disciplinary history
• Documented rehabilitation and accountability
• Completion of educational, vocational, therapeutic, or faith-based programs
• Advanced age or medical vulnerability (where applicable)
• Verified housing, employment, and supervision plans
• Evidence of low risk to public safety

CASE LAW SUPPORTING BOARD AUTHORITY

Georgia courts and federal courts have consistently recognized the broad discretionary authority of the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. In Georgia State Bd. of Pardons & Paroles v. Turner, 248 Ga. 767 (1982), the Georgia Supreme Court reaffirmed the Board’s independence and discretion in clemency decisions. Federal courts, including Slocum v. Georgia State Bd. of Pardons & Paroles, 678 F.2d 940 (11th Cir. 1982), have likewise acknowledged that parole and clemency determinations rest within the Board’s lawful discretion.

BENEFITS TO GEORGIA PRISONS, OFFENDERS, FAMILIES, AND THE PUBLIC

This petition seeks outcomes that benefit all stakeholders involved in Georgia’s justice system.

Benefits to Georgia Prisons and Staff:
• Reduces overcrowding in high-security facilities, allowing staff to better manage remaining populations
• Lowers rates of violence, contraband activity, and institutional instability
• Decreases strain caused by chronic understaffing and excessive overtime
• Allows the Georgia Department of Corrections to reallocate limited resources toward higher-risk individuals

Benefits to Rehabilitated Offenders:
• Provides a meaningful incentive for rehabilitation, accountability, and good conduct
• Recognizes demonstrated transformation and moral development over decades of incarceration
• Allows elderly and medically vulnerable individuals to receive appropriate care in the community
• Supports successful reintegration through structured supervision and accountability

Benefits to Families and Children:
• Restores family stability and parental support where appropriate
• Reduces intergenerational harm caused by permanent separation
• Allows families to assist in supervision, housing, and reintegration efforts
• Strengthens community-based support systems that reduce recidivism

Benefits to Georgia Citizens and Taxpayers:
• Enhances public safety by focusing incarceration on individuals who pose the greatest risk
• Reduces long-term incarceration costs associated with aging and medical care
• Promotes a justice system that balances accountability with rehabilitation
• Reinforces public confidence in a fair, evidence-based, and fiscally responsible corrections system

Please sign this petition to bring essential change to our justice system and offer new hope to those who have demonstrated true reform.