Comes now, we the people hereby petition the honorable Governor of Virginia to grant clemency/conditional pardon for Anthony Fileds.

Back in 1997 Anthony Fields had a habit of hanging out with the wrong crowds as a neighborhood norm, and sometimes being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Although he himself was never the one actually committing acts deemed criminal in nature, a lot of the people that he was around were and as an end result...he was guilty by association.

In this particular case, Anthony Fields was caught up in two separate situations (of which occurred on different dates) while hanging out with friends. In the first situation Anthony Fields accepted full responsibility for being present while his friends committed a crime, and this resulted in a plea agreement.

In the second situation Anthony Fields was out with friends having fun at a residence known to be a gambling spot. Unfortunately, the residence was robbed while he and his friends were there. Everyone at the residence was victimized in this robbery including Anthony Fields and his friends, however, some how the residents were lead to believe that Anthony Fields and his friends were involved in the crime. At this point Anthony Fields was charged with several criminal offenses that were nol-prossed. Later the Commonwealth's attorney moved to prosecute several of the nol-prossed charges in connection with the crime committed in the second situation. Case numbers 96-2178, 96-2179, 96-2180, 96-2181, 96-2182, 96-2183, 96-2184, and 96-2185.

As an end result, Anthony Fields was prosecuted on four counts of robbery and four counts of use of a firearm. Although he pled not guilty, he was later found guilty and sentenced to a lengthy sentence totaling approximately forty (40) consecutive years.

In the first situation, Anthony Fields took responsibility for being present while his friends committed a crime, yet in the second situation he denied any involvement by all means. Why is that? It was because he actually did not have any involvement in the second situation. He was a victim plagued by the criminal convictions of his past, and was further victimized by our broken judicial system in light of the fact that his attorney had a transcribed interview with one of the actual victims, in which the victim confirmed that Anthony Fields was not involved in the crime.

Wherefore, we the people of the Commonwealth and abroad, feel as though Anthony Fields deserves a sense of relief, and therefore we approve and support a sentence commute to reduce the sentence of Anthony Fields in this case. We further call upon the family, friends, members of the community, and citizens abroad to sign, share, and otherwise support this petition to grant a second chance in this case. Thank you.