Read full letter here: caldwellinstitute.org/tory-lanez/

Daystar Peterson, professionally known as Tory Lanez, is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence—despite what his legal team describes as overwhelming evidence of prosecutorial misconduct, missing forensic data, and politically motivated sentencing.

We, the undersigned, urge California Governor Gavin Newsom to issue a pardon.

According to Lanez’s attorneys, the conviction was not supported by conclusive physical evidence. Notably:

• No DNA belonging to Lanez was found on the magazine of the firearm.
• Gunshot residue was detected on both Lanez and Kelsey Harris—yet only Lanez’s DNA was tested.
• Sworn affidavits and eyewitness accounts that contradicted the prosecution’s narrative were ignored or suppressed.

Among the newly presented claims, Lanez’s legal team cites a sworn affidavit from a bodyguard stating that Harris allegedly admitted to firing the gun into the air before Lanez intervened. Additionally, an independent eyewitness—a neighbor with no connection to any party—testified that he saw two women fighting and that the shots came from the passenger side of the vehicle, where Harris was seated. Yet again, only Tory's DNA was tested against the magazine.

Despite having no prior record of violence, Lanez was sentenced to a decade in prison. His attorneys argue this was largely due to sentencing “enhancements” typically reserved for the most dangerous offenders—enhancements that former District Attorney George Gascón often dropped in cases involving gang members and repeat violent criminals, such as:

• Raymond “Danger” Gonzalez, a Mexican Mafia gang member involved in the premeditated murder of two young men in 2017. Despite the brutality of the crime, under Gascón’s directive the enhancements were dropped.
• The May 2024 killing of General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor in downtown Los Angeles. Prosecutors under Gascón initially declined to pursue sentencing enhancements, despite clear evidence of organized theft and fatal violence.

Lanez’s legal team further contends that key DNA evidence could not be re-tested and that the combination of shifting witness testimony and intense media scrutiny created an unfair trial environment.

Now, Tory Lanez is serving a 10-year sentence under deeply contested circumstances. Alarmingly, he also recently survived an alleged attempt on his life while in custody—raising urgent concerns about his safety and well-being.

This is not what justice looks like.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” This is one of those moments.

We respectfully call on Governor Newsom to:

• Grant a full pardon to Tory Lanez
• Remove politically motivated sentencing enhancements
• Order a full and impartial review of the case to ensure no one else is subjected to a similar injustice

Justice must be rooted in due process, fairness, and truth—not politics.

Let’s ensure California is not a state where headlines matter more than truth.

Sign the petition today.

Read full letter from the founder of the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety, Gianno Caldwell: https://caldwellinstitute.org/tory-lanez/

For more information on the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety, please visit: caldwellinstitute.org