Second Chance for David Sanchez serving Juvenile Life Without Parole

 Think about when you were a teenager….when you were trying to figure out life… hanging out with the wrong crowd, making rash irresponsible choices… now imagine if that one split second/bad choice landed you in prison for the rest of your life without the possibility of parole. 

My name is Alexis Loar. I have spent most of my youth without having the chance to create a bond with my brother, David Sanchez. He was sentenced at 17 to Juvenile Life Without Parole when I was 10 and all of the interactions I have had with him, have been while he has been incarcerated. I have never played a video game with my brother, I have never gone to the movies with him or even had to deal with him being an annoying older brother and picking on me, which is a luxury I wish that I could have had. When I graduated high school I remember looking into the audience at all of the people there to support their loved ones as they completed a milestone and were preparing  for another. I remember looking at an empty chair, sitting next to my parents and out of all of things I should have been focused on, I couldn’t help but to feel sad; sad that my brother wasn’t there and even more sad that he never got to experience walking across the stage to grab his diploma or feel the joy and relief of surviving high school. 

Change starts with us, here and now. We talk about the importance of youth and protecting our youth. We currently have 53,000 of our youth being held in facilities as a result of juvenile or criminal involvement. Nearly one in ten are being held in adult jails or prisons. Life without parole for youth is cruel and unusual punishment. You are tried as an adult and treated as one even though science tells us the mind is not fully developed until 25. The system is handing them a death sentence before giving them the opportunity to show that rehabilitation is achievable. The Supreme Court clearly stated that Juvenile Life Without Parole is reserved for the irrecorigible and unredeemable. My brother has shown that he is neither of those! The end result for prison should be rehabilitation, not a life trapped behind bars without the chance of at least being heard or reformed. 

My brother was 17 years old when he was sentenced to Life Without Parole in prison. He was a boy thrown into a prison full of men. My brother had to become a man and I can tell you right now, after 20 years of incarceration he has become one amazing man and I am proud of the man that he has become. He is kind, wise and has a big heart, he is certainly not the naive, angry, irresponsible boy he was at 17 when he let himself get mixed up with drugs and alcohol. Which ultimately put him on the path to committing a horrible crime which he is and has always been very remorseful for. He is just asking for a chance to be heard, a chance to show he is remorseful and that he is not that 17 year old boy anymore. Also, a second chance to watch his kids grow and sit down at the table with his family after a hard day of work,  to inspire youth and to let them know there are other paths that can be taken, to let them know they are not alone. A chance to bring light into a world so full of darkness. 

In June of 2012, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled it unconstitutional to sentence a Juvenile to Life without Parole (Miller v. Alabama). In January of 2016 the Supreme court also heard Henry Montgomery v. Louisiana in which the court held that its previous ruling in Miller v. Alabama that a mandatory life (LWOP) sentence does apply retroactively. After the ruling in Montgomery v. Louisiana in Virginia, Azeem Shakur Majeed whom was originally sentenced to a mandatory 2 Life sentences in 1997, was resentenced in May 2017 to 29 years. On that day Azeem was giving the chance to be heard, chance to show his remorse and rehabilitative state and given a second chance. He will be home by 2021. Many states in the US have addressed this ruling to correct over 2,600 now illegal sentences by resentencing or a legislative approach to assure a second chance for each individual. While Virginia has yet to make any initiative to comply with Miller my brother still remains positive that his day to will come. While incarcerated David has practiced religious studies and has obtained his Ordained Ministry credentials. He has also earned his GED, Paralegal Degree and has completed many programs to include; Substance Abuse Psyco-Education, TPC Training Systems in Floor and Floor care equipment, Cleaning Chemicals and maintaining floor and other surfaces. Also, Forklift Safety, Mediation group, Problem Solving group, Anger management group, Dual Diagnosis Program, Commitment to change, Marital Education course, Positive Psychology Group Therapy and is currently finishing up Commercial Arts & Design. 

My brother has taught me the power of forgiveness and what it means to look beyond the actions of a scared, young boy and judge him for his soul and character, not by his crime. I know if he is given a chance to be heard, he will do the same for you. Let us come together and pave a new road to hope and second chances. We ask that you join myself, his wife… his children… mom and dad, his entire family and support this petition. Help us show that David has a tremendous amount of support to be given a second chance. Thank you for taking the time to read this and God Bless!