My Father, federal inmate #56382006 has been incarcerated since 2003 and is no longer a public safety threat, has matured into a grown man, wrote and self-published several books and deserves another chance in life.

Executive Clemency From President Trump can change my father's life with the stroke of a pen.

I started this petition because...
My father deserves a second chance at life.

My father, Andre Cooper is no longer the young, immature child he was decades ago. He is now a changed man who is very responsible and his continued incarceration in the federal system is a waste of tax dollars.

Andre should be strongly considered for Executive Clemency Now!

My name is Andre Cooper, Jr and I am starting this petition because my father has served enough time, he's changed and his track record proves it.

Hello! My name is Andre Cooper, and I'm a reformed juvenile lifer serving my sentence in the federal system. I'm a federal prisoner. My projected release date is life. Well, I'm asking for help and assistance with getting my current life sentence reduced. I'm asking this based on extraordinary circumstances because the life sentences are unconstitutional, in violation of the Eighth Amendment, as dictated by several Supreme Court decisions. Moreover, I could not benefit from these cases because the Supreme Court placed a limit on the age of what a juvenile was considered to be. The Supreme Court did this despite of the fact of what the renowned professor from Temple University named Dr. Laurence Steinberg studies show and said that a teenager brain does not fully develop until their mid 20's. Other studies even suggested that the age was closer to 30--- so therefore juveniles, like myself who was 16 years old when he joined the conspiracy/RICO enterprise and at 19, 20, and 21 when the violent crimes occurred, shouldn't receive life in prison without parole. But, I did and can't get any relief from the courts.

Accordingly, on October 23, 2003, I was indicted on a number of criminal charges. Amongst the charges were accusations of participating in a racketeering(RICO) offense, violent crimes in aid of racketeering(VICAR) and a drug conspiracy. The offenses set forth in my indictment was that, I joined the RICO enterprise/drug conspiracy at the tender age of 16 years old. Thus, based off of these conclusions, that were submitted as fact to the jury, and evidence supported by my co-defendants, who cooperated with the Government; I was to have joined the RICO enterprise and, or drug conspiracy as a 16 year old teenager. And, this enrollment lasted all the way up until I was 23 years old. I was arrested and the RICO enterprise and drug conspiracy came to a complete stop.

The Supreme Court decisions and several other cases, specifically the case of Luis Noel Cruz v United States, 2018 US Dist. LEXIS 52924 decided on March 29, 2018(granted his post-conviction motion). Luis Noel Cruz was a 15 years old when he joined the RICO conspiracy, and 18 year old when he committed a double homicide with a RICO conspiracy, and was sentenced to two life sentences without the possibility of parole. Cruz was arrested in 1991. On February 25, 2019 a federal district court sitting in Connecticut re-sentenced Cruz to 35 years in federal prison. Cruz sentence was reduced due to a Supreme Court decision called Miller v Alabama(2012), and by the district court Judge in Connecticut accepting the new science and research done by Dr. Laurence Steinberg who stated that the frontal lobe of the brain is not fully developed until 25 years old. Why can't I get the same relief, or a sentence that is similar or shorter? Based on this science-based facts of the brain development, I'm asking for public support in order to have my sentence reduced.

In addition, I've been in federal custody since February 26, 2003. Which comes to the tune of being incarcerated for 16 years. During this period I have become a changed man, model prisoner, and the community has seen this change also. This can be noticed by the more than a hundred community members who signed a previous petition on my behalf which was submitted with my current Clemency Petition.

I've done a lot of great programming in prison, and maybe have close to a thousand hours or more of programming. I have been apart of the Psychology department, inmate suicide companion program, with helping save inmates from committing suicide and mentoring them. I've taught several classes on business, screenwriting and paralegal studies. I kept a constant job in prison, around the education department and clerked in several law libraries in prison, as well tutored and mentoring younger inmates. I have showed respect to staff, inmates and towards my family and friends throughout my incarceration. All the while serving a life sentence, in some of the dangerous federal penitentiaries in America, and being very far away from my family. In addition to all of the above, I self-published five books.

I took advantage of almost every thing the Bureau of Prisons has to offer, at this point, and will continue to try to do better in life and become a productive citizen. I'm very remorseful and apologize for all the awful things I did, as a teenaged drug dealer, and wish that I could take it all back. I haven't been in trouble in 10 years and I only got one incident report after 17 years in maximum security prisons. I have numerous programs under my belt.

Moreover, based on the new science in juvenile brain development, I ask to be shown some mercy like other juveniles have been shown; and this is based on the fact that I was a juvenile through most of the time-span of the enterprise/drug conspiracy and violent acts. Without your help and signature, I won't be given a second chance to show America that, yes, I've been rehabilitated and can help other juveniles to change.

In the event that America accepts me back in to society, I have an idea on how to save other juveniles across America with my story so they won't follow the misguided juvenile that I once were prior to incarceration.. I have an idea to utilize reformed and rehabilitated offenders to speak, mentor and guide the juveniles from participating in gun violence and drug dealing to lead a better life. This expertise in these fields would come from the experience and educational background and values that were learnt through the long and hard years of incarceration.

I would like to thank you in advance for your time and help, patience and consideration in this matter.. I pray that these cries for help doesn't fall by the wayside, and you give me your signature which would help my petition that is currently sitting in the pardon office.

Thank you again......

Andre Cooper #56382-066
FCI - Cumberland
P.O. Box - 1000
Cumberland, MD 21501