Life as a free man with his family, progressing in his career and all future goals came to a screeching halt for my husband Kassan on October 1, 1994 when my husband was arrested for a crime he didn't commit. The reality of him becoming the next world boxing champion became only a dream as the doors of justice continued to close at every level. Our lives would be changed forever.  In the shadow of OJ Simpson’s long trial, then-Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro sold the narrative of a violent Black man to an all-white jury. Without any physical or forensic evidence, having several alibi witnesses, many unanswered questions, a great deal of reasonable doubt and having twice passed a polygraph test, the verdict was still guilty.

No time to cry, my life went into overdrive. I had an infant, a toddler and a husband who was wrongfully convicted and given the maximum sentence to remain in prison for 37 1/2 years to LIFE. Kassan needed me more than ever now. I am Kassan’s voice beyond the prison walls seeking justice in a system that’s unjust for people who look like us. Decades have passed and we continue to fight. 

We are an incredibly tight-knit family. From prison, my husband is more involved than some of our kids' friends’ parents are who live with them. When family decisions are being made,  Kassan Sr. will be called to get his say in anything that includes the whole family.  When our kids were in school, the first hour of every visit was always devoted to schoolwork. Kassan Sr. studied and prepared each week to help  the children work on their homework and get ahead in school (learning times tables in 1st grade). This focus on education worked: Imani graduated Valedictorian, and Soigné and Kassan also graduated top of their classes in school. 

 Despite the incredible injustice he has faced, Kassan Sr. maintains a positive and loving attitude. He has helped so many people inside and out of prison, and our family would be so grateful if you could tell Gov. Hochul to grant my husband clemency and bring him home.

Kassan’s incarceration has been difficult but there isn’t a prison wall in existence that can destroy our family. Please help our family remedy this injustice.

For more information, go to freekassanmessiah.com and to get more involved, email freekassanmessiah@gmail.com.