Joseph Willey has been incarcerated in Florida for 38 years, since he was just a 16-year-old boy. Despite being a model inmate and well-trusted within the prison system, his chance at freedom has been repeatedly denied. At the age of 55, he continues to serve time for a crime committed during his youth.

In the landmark case of Graham vs. Florida (2010), it was ruled that juveniles cannot be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. However, this ruling did not benefit Mr. Willey as he had already been granted a chance of parole after serving 25 years - an opportunity that proved futile due to the oversight by the parole committee regarding his age at the time of crime.

The U.S Supreme Court has recognized that children are constitutionally different from adults and should be treated differently in sentencing (Miller v Alabama). Yet Mr. Willey's case seems to have slipped through these legal protections.

We believe it is high time we address this issue and ensure justice is served by granting Joseph Willey his deserved freedom. His continued incarceration serves no purpose but only highlights an unjust system that failed him as a juvenile offender.

If Joe had been given LWOP he would probably be free now under Graham vs. Florida and Miller vs. Alabama, but because he was given a chance at parole  (Florida did away with parole in 1983) he did not qualify. Does that seem fair at all? He deserves to be resentenced and set free.

Mr. Willey and I are engaged to be married and after failed relationships, I found a kind hearted, loving man who tells me every day how much he loves me. Give us a chance to have a real wedding instead of behind those fences. He deserves a second chance. Give Mr. Willey the chance to be the father and grandfather he longs to be. Even though he has been locked up her whole life, his daughter Kristina thinks he is a wonderful dad. She wants her dad home so he can be in his grandchildren's lives. They love their Pee Paw. Believe me when I say this troubled young boy grew up to be a compassionate man. If released he will be a an asset to society. He has a worth ethic beyond belief to be in his situation. He works every single day and is a mentor to the inmates that know him. 

Join us in urging Florida's Governor and Parole Commission to reconsider Joseph Willey's case with fairness and humanity in mind. Sign this petition today!