In 1999 our mom, Carolyn  was arrested and charged with the brutal murder of our  father, along with her former boyfriend and accomplice in the heinous crime.  Our father, Bill Exum was brutally beaten to death in our home office while my brothers and I slept upstairs. Our mom was charged with 3 counts of of aggravated murder, 2 counts of murder, 1 count of attempted murder, 1 count of tampering with evidence, 1 count of burglary 1, 1 count of assault 2, and 1 count of kidnapping 1. She took a plea agreement in 2001 and took the lesser charge of 1 count of murder with a sentence of 25 years to life. 

Recently it has come to our attention that our mom, Carolyn, has again filed for Clemency. Through the Criminal Justice Reform Clinic at Lewis and Clark College, spearheaded by Aliza Kaplan. Clemency is an umbrella term that includes commutations, which reduce a person’s sentence. A commutation can mean the immediate release of a prisoner or it can make someone eligible to pursue release through parole. Clemency also applies to pardons, an act of forgiveness for the crime a person committed. A state law passed in 2019 ensures that those who receive pardons have their convictions sealed from public view. Under the Oregon Constitution, the governor can grant clemency for any crime except treason (oregonlive.com, Feb 17,2022). Clemency is usually reserved for convicts who are reformed, non-violent offenders, and disadvantaged individuals. 

This is her fourth attempt at clemency, her previous attempts have been denied. The idea of clemency hurts our heart and the heart of our family so much.  We stand here yet again, reliving trauma and pain from all those years ago. Waiting for a decision by Governor Kate Brown. A decision that can be made any day, at any time with total disregard for us children who are the surviving victims of this crime. Oregon Governor Kate Brown has granted more pardons and commutations than any other governor in recent history (opb.com, July 18th, 2021) This is super concerning as we feel victimized by the possibility of our mothers release under the parameters of clemency. 

We, the Exum family, are asking for your support for us! Our words have been manipulated and taken out of context for years. We have stayed quiet for over 20 years and now we feel we have been backed into a corner and must make a plea on our behalf. 

We are asking for letters and signatures from anyone who knows us now, knew us, or knew my parents. 

Please contact the Governor's Office, your local representatives, and post on social media. 

We feel like we are being silenced. We deserve a voice. We deserve to be heard!