Deceit runs deep

As citizens, we’re told that accountability exists at every level of our justice system. Accountability prevents bias, abuse of power, and promotes public trust in our system. If a state judge acts improperly, there are clear pathways to file a complaint. Of course, when Michael’s case for compassionate release was submitted and I read the US attorneys response I was absolutely floored at the level of dishonesty in her reply. When the Judge wrote his denial and stated that the reason he will keep Michael in prison is to be an example to others, though he is rehabilitated and has not one but two reasons for compassionate release been recognized by the court, I felt compelled to submit a grievance in Mecklenburg County. But when I tried to follow that same process for the federal judge in Michael’s case—after being advised by the Lieutenant Governor’s office to do so—I discovered something alarming: there is no accessible way for the public to file a complaint against a federal judge. I called the courts. I called the appeals court. I searched every official channel. There is simply no mechanism for ordinary people to report misconduct or bias at the federal level.

At the same time, the U.S. Attorney handling Michael’s case has repeatedly made statements in official filings that are factually untrue—claims about crimes he was never tried for, never convicted of, yet still used to poison the narrative around him. And when prosecutors can repeat falsehoods without consequence, those lies don’t just stay on paper. They shape public opinion. They convince everyday people—people who trust the justice system—that Michael must be a murderer, when the truth is that he was a child who fell in with older men committing robberies and made terrible decisions he has spent decades paying for.

This lack of oversight doesn’t just harm defendants. It breaks families. It destroys futures. It allows a false narrative to harden into a life sentence, even after a person has long since paid their debt to society. And we have to ask: If there is no accountability for those in power, how many more human lives will be disregarded and destroyed by stories that were never true to begin with?

Ways to help

Your voice matters, and your advocacy can help bring long‑overdue justice to a man who has already paid far more than his share. If you believe in fairness, transparency, and the right to be judged on the truth—not on a false narrative—we ask you to take action to help us push for Michael:

Contact your representatives in North Carolina using the official directory:
👉click for legislators

For federal clemency requests, you may contact the Office of the Pardon Attorney through their public portal:
👉Click to send support letters for Michael’s Clemency

And if you wish to respectfully request that Michael’s appeal be heard, you can contact the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals through their public clerk’s office page:
👉Click to send support to appeals court