Is Twenty-Five (25) Years to Life Gratuitously Harsh and Grossly Excessive?

On June 18, 2004, after a trial by jury, Mr Jackson was convicted before the Hon. Judge Berkman (NY Supreme), of Enterprise Corruption, Conspiracy 4th, Burglary 2nd, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 2nd, Grand Larceny and Perjury.

Mr. Jackson was alleged to be the leader of a commercial burglary ring operating throughout the NYC area.

Mr Jackson was sentenced as a discretionary (nonviolent) persistent offender to (7) twenty-five to life sentences.

A persistent felony offender is a person found guilty of a felony after 2 or more past felony convictions. Judge Berkman used her discretion to enhance Mr. Jackson’s sentence to life imprisonment.

For perspective, this is a murder-style (A-1) sentence, for burglary. Mr. Jackson has no violent felony convictions.

Such sentence should be reduced in the interest of justice. Had Mr. Jackson been sentenced to fifteen (15) years to life, the minimum for a discretionary persistent felony offender, he would have been eligible for parole. Instead Mr. Jackson is to remain in prison until he is at least 61 years old.

Mr. Jackson is now 54 years old, has suffered two (2) strokes and has lost the feeling and function on the right side of his body. Mr. Jackson has lost his father and wife while in prison.

In the present time, 20 years after his conviction, the harsh realities of how the unjust criminal justice system disproportionately sentence people of color have come to the forefront, Mr. Jackson’s case must be examined and corrected.

Mr. Jackson is a state prisoner and falls under the jurisdiction of the Governor of New York (Kathy Hochul). He is not seeking to change his conviction or erase the choices in his past, only that his sentence be commuted in the interest of justice. Support his efforts for clemency, sign and share his petition.