Quentin Stewart was wrongfully convicted of deliberately murdering 22-year-old Codi Allen McCann in a parking lot behind the East State Bar and Grill on Dec. 6, 2016. From the beginning, police zeroed in on Quentin, focusing all their energy and resources on building a case against him and failing to investigate any other theory of what actually transpired, other than that Quentin shot McCann in a robbery gone wrong. Despite substantial evidence supporting that the actions Quentin took that evening were in fact necessary to protect himself and prevent his own death, Quentin was convicted of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison.

Depending heavily on the ever-changing statements given by Zach Bailey, McCann’s best friend, who was also involved in the events of that night, and testimonies by unreliable witnesses, the police and the prosecutor spun the narrative that Quentin conspired with Dorrion Jefferson and intentionally shot McCann as a result of a botched robbery. Yet there was never any evidence collected that could support such claims, it was solely speculation. Police seized the cellphones of Quentin and Jefferson and were unable to show there was any communication between the two. Moreover, despite the prosecutor’s allegations that Quentin orchestrated with Jefferson to commit a crime, Quentin was the sole person sought after and charged.

Quentin’s first trial ended in a mistrial, with the majority of the jurors voting in favor of a not guilty verdict. Quentin asserted at both trials that he acted in self defense, which is strongly supported by the medical examiner who testified that McCann’s injuries supports Quentin recounting of the night, that McCann shot him first, leaving Quentin severely injured. Quentin had a reasonable fear that without taking some sort of action, he was at risk of losing his life. Quentin suffered three gunshot wounds, that left him in critically condition, resulting in him being in a three month coma.

Quentin’s case received a lot of negative pretrial publicity in large part due to a social media group co-founded by McCann’s mother. By her own admission she tracked Quentin online and at his home, essentially stalking him, in attempt to find information to feed homicide detectives and attorneys. Even during Quentin’s second trial, McCann’s mother made attempts to influence the jury’s decisions by making unauthorized contact with multiple jurors on the case. For her efforts to contaminate the jury, McCann’s mother only received a verbal citation to not make any further contact with them. Quentin’s second trial should have never been allowed to continue at that point, but instead should have at least been granted a change of venue.

Quentin’s case exhibits many miscarriages of justice. It clearly shows the justice system’s failure to uphold its standards. Therefore, he is seeking legal aid to take on his post-conviction representation. From the very start, the prosecution played on the role of prejudicial stereotypes. They painted the image that Quentin, a black man, maliciously gunned down McCann, an innocent white man. However, McCann was no stranger to the law. McCann had previously been arrested for carrying a handgun without a license. And what’s more, just months prior to the shooting, McCann had been charged with domestic battery, strangulation, and holding a women at gunpoint. He was bonded out and allowed to take possession of the gun used in said incident, the same gun he shot Quentin with. Which leads us to ask, had the roles been reversed and Quentin had died from the life threatening injuries he sustained from McCann, would the State’s Attorney had pursed any legal ramifications against McCann?

Quentin has now spent over 6 years in prison. He has missed precious moments with this loved ones he will never get back. Though being incarcerated has posed extreme challenges, Quentin remains a significant part of his children’s lives. He does all that he can to ensure he maintains a very close relationship with them. Returning home to help raise his children and be physically present in their daily lives’ is Quentin’s main driving force to exhaust every legal avenue he can. His legal options are limited. One of the remaining ways of providing him with long-overdue justice is through executive clemency by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. Please sign this petition, draw attention to Quentin’s case, and compel the Governor to correct his wrongful conviction of murder. Without clemency, Quentin will spend at least another 54 years in prison. Because of his lengthy sentence, he will not be eligible for release until he is 89 years old.

For the aforementioned reasons, we are asking the Honorable Governor Eric Holcomb to grant a full pardon to Quentin Stewart. In the absence of that, a commutation of sentence.