This petition is designed to gain signatures from all those interested in seeking justice for William Thomas, who was falsely accused of kidnapping his own son with a firearm. William's accuser plead the 5th at his trial, forcing him to plead guilty in order to not face a de facto life sentence should he be convicted, which was virtually a certainty without her testimony. She was then found guilty of perjury for framing William. He moved to withdraw his plea and called his accuser to the stand. At that testimony, she stated under oath that not only did she lie about the kidnapping, she spiked William’s drink with Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and hid the firearm in question in her vehicle; which she knew William would be driving their son in to the babysitter's, in order to have him falsely arrested. The Court then used her perjury conviction to deny William an opportunity for a real trial by claiming all that she said couldn't be believed by virtue of the very same perjury that resulted in William's false arrest. Basically, the lie was enough to arrest him, but the truth not enough to set him free. The Appellate Courts by rule do not touch credibility determinations of lower Courts and denied William's Appeal also. Then, as if by providence, the accuser's own mother came forward with information related to where exactly the firearm did come from, a man William's accuser was cheating on him with, and that the weapon was stored in the mother's home unbeknownst to William. She wrote a sworn Affidavit detailing these facts, but tragically was killed in a motorcycle accident only weeks before William's hearing,  which was then held without her testimony. Again William was denied based on a technicality. It seems an Affidavit of a deceased person is considered hearsay and inadmisible, as well as, the statement was on paper, and credibility could not be determined. This again leaves William with no recourse in the Appellate Courts due to "credibility"
   The only solution left to William now is to seek Clemency with the Governor of Illinois, who is not constrained by local court rule or Appellate caselaw. William must present a fact based timeline and evidence to support the claims herein. He will also present this petition of signatures in support of justice. The accuser received probation for her crimes, but William was sentenced to eighteen years to be served at 85%. Ten of which he has already served in prison. If William were to succeed in gaining Clemency, he could return to the community, regain a relationship with his children & the son he was accused of kidnapping, and through no fault of his own, lost his father to the system. William could become an integral part of the community rather than an outlaw from it. Should he lose; his children will lose another six years of their life without their father; he will be succeptible to COVID and other pandemic viruses while inside communal housing; he will serve 16 straight years for a victimless crime he DID NOT commit; his son will continue to be abused/neglected by the accuser as DCFS drops the ball repeatedly. Even now, there is an open case against her for neglect. The consequences have always been severe, but now more than ever. PLEASE consider taking part in this Justice initiative, and sign today. Thank You