On behalf of Kelly Hale, he writes in his own words:

One night, I made a fatal mistake that I am genuinely remorseful for and there's not a single day that passes that I don't regret the pain I have inflicted on the Williams family.  I have been incarcerated for 19 years, and I honestly needed this time to slow down and reflect on my reckless lifestyle.  This prison sentence has given me a lot of time to do soul searching and work on myself.  I have completed a lot of positive things in the past 19 years, such as my G.E.D, electrical vocational classes, computer literacy class, horticultural class, and breaking barriers; this is an anger management class.  I'm currently taking a road to recovery class and was just enrolled at Adams State University to major in accounting and minor in sports management.  I have maintained employment throughout the entire time I have been incarcerated.  I have worked in a woodshop for nearly ten years of my current incarceration, and I am employed now.  

There's no excuse for my actions and I take full responsibility for this tragic mistake.  I overreacted and at the time I thought that I was doing the right thing by protecting my mother.  To the people who know me, know my character.  I'm not and have never been an evil person.  I come from a beautiful religious family with a religious background.  I have two children, a daughter that was four years old and a son that was one year old when I got incarcerated.  Now, my daughter is 23 and my son is 19 years old.  I also have grandkids who do not know their grandfather because I have been incarcerated.  I have been blessed to meet my future wife while being incarcerated.  She has played a vital role in my life and has made me change my way of thinking.  I was so selfish and self-centered before my incarceration and immature.  I have gotten a lot older and had so much time to evaluate myself. 

I'm genuinely remorseful for the pain and disappointment I have inflicted on everyone affected by my actions, and I would like for everyone to know that I am genuinely sorry.  I'm asking everyone that is familiar with my story and the people who are not, you are welcome to look up my story to sign this petition, I'm from Suffolk, VA.  I have served almost twenty years of a seventy-three-year prison sentence. I was sentenced as a career criminal with no prior criminal history.  Please do not think I am downplaying what I have done because I deserve to pay for what I did.  I am just asking for a second chance at life.  People commit way worse crimes with way worse records, that are way more heinous than I have committed and get far less time and serve far less time.  I have had a conditional pardon with the governor's office for almost five years now and still haven't received an answer.  This petition can help me, and I need the signatures of as many people as possible. If there is someone that does not want to sign it, I understand.  I want everyone to feel free when they sign, do what God places in your hearts to do and God bless you, thank you!