Grant executive clemency for a second chance
The Issue
My name is Jesse Guthrie, and I am seeking support for my petition for executive clemency and commutation of sentence. In 2009, I was charged with a crime that I committed when I was just 17 years old. I take full responsibility for the choices I made and the role I played in the events that led to a tragic loss of life. I carry deep remorse for the pain caused to the victim’s loved ones, my family, and the community. No amount of time can undo the harm that was done, and I will continue to live with that responsibility for the rest of my life.
Over the past 17 years of incarceration, even through the highs and lows, I have dedicated myself to personal growth, education, and rehabilitation. The years have given me the opportunity to mature, reflect, and develop a deeper understanding of the consequences of my actions. Through educational opportunities, self-improvement programs, and positive contributions within the prison community, I have worked tirelessly to change the course of my life. The person I am today is not the same impulsive and immature teenager who entered prison in 2009.
Because I am serving my sentence under Illinois’ Truth-in-Sentencing law, an executive clemency is the only opportunity I have to earn time off my sentence despite years of demonstrated rehabilitation. While Illinois has increasingly recognized that youth have a greater capacity for growth and change, my sentence does not provide a meaningful way for my rehabilitation to be reflected. I have been incarcerated since 2009 and am not scheduled for release until August 8, 2036. By the end of 2027, I will have spent more than half of my life incarcerated for a crime I committed when I was 17 years old, despite spending nearly my entire adulthood working to become a productive and responsible individual.
I humbly ask for your signature and support. Clemency would not excuse my actions or diminish the seriousness of the crime. Rather, it would recognize that people, especially young people, are capable of change. I am living proof that rehabilitation is possible, and I hope to be given the opportunity to return to society and contribute positively to my community.
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The Issue
My name is Jesse Guthrie, and I am seeking support for my petition for executive clemency and commutation of sentence. In 2009, I was charged with a crime that I committed when I was just 17 years old. I take full responsibility for the choices I made and the role I played in the events that led to a tragic loss of life. I carry deep remorse for the pain caused to the victim’s loved ones, my family, and the community. No amount of time can undo the harm that was done, and I will continue to live with that responsibility for the rest of my life.
Over the past 17 years of incarceration, even through the highs and lows, I have dedicated myself to personal growth, education, and rehabilitation. The years have given me the opportunity to mature, reflect, and develop a deeper understanding of the consequences of my actions. Through educational opportunities, self-improvement programs, and positive contributions within the prison community, I have worked tirelessly to change the course of my life. The person I am today is not the same impulsive and immature teenager who entered prison in 2009.
Because I am serving my sentence under Illinois’ Truth-in-Sentencing law, an executive clemency is the only opportunity I have to earn time off my sentence despite years of demonstrated rehabilitation. While Illinois has increasingly recognized that youth have a greater capacity for growth and change, my sentence does not provide a meaningful way for my rehabilitation to be reflected. I have been incarcerated since 2009 and am not scheduled for release until August 8, 2036. By the end of 2027, I will have spent more than half of my life incarcerated for a crime I committed when I was 17 years old, despite spending nearly my entire adulthood working to become a productive and responsible individual.
I humbly ask for your signature and support. Clemency would not excuse my actions or diminish the seriousness of the crime. Rather, it would recognize that people, especially young people, are capable of change. I am living proof that rehabilitation is possible, and I hope to be given the opportunity to return to society and contribute positively to my community.
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Petition created on June 21, 2026