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For 36 years, I have marked the time between prison walls. Due to my life sentence, I missed my son’s first day at school, my daughter’s wedding, my mother’s funeral – All The crime I did not commit And the actual murderer walks freely.
What’s the difference My story is not a false imprisonment – This is a rare gift for early freedom. In 2017, the Missouri governor granted leniency in his first year, rejecting the traditional wisdom that mercy is the safest politically at the end of the semester.
President Donald Trump The recent second early pardon echoed that principle – in contrast to convention as usual: Obama retained 61% of pardons in his final year, Biden concentrated 90% of his people, and Trump’s first semester gathered 84% during the administration’s shutdown moment.
Trump pardons Nicholas’ founder convicted of fraud
The president can not only save the last few years of leniency, but in the last few hours: Trump with 116 pardons, his term expires, President Barack Obama at 330 on the last day, while Bill Clinton walked out the door with 177 photos.
President Donald Trump has signed many pardons since the start of his second term, unlike his predecessor. Document: Trump signed an executive order in the East Room east of Washington on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Why such a delay? Political survival instinct. Republican President Gerald Ford’s pardon for Richard Nixon may have put him in the presidency in 1976, while Democratic Gov. Michael Dukakis’s Willie Horton derailed his 1988 presidential election. The course becomes clear: only when the electorate can no longer punish precisely, only assign mercy.
Trump’s early pardon is exactly what executives usually wait for – they fear a rebound. His January 6 buffer sparked intense criticism, with critics seeing loyalty rewards rather than rehabilitation recognition. These concerns are worth debate, but to obey who gets mercy, hiding the key truth about when – justice is rejected.
I witnessed this reality in prison every day. Women with basic education become college graduates. The broken spirit becomes a mentor. Yet, the cruel irony of the system remains: clear recovery has no meaning for political calculations.
My case proves this. Despite the recommendations issued by multiple parole boards, six governors have not touched my documents. When I received my seventh leniency in 2017, I took back the politics that was almost stolen – born with four great-grandchildren rather than viewed through photos of the cross-jail table.
This artificial cost of fiscal peers is amazing: Taxpayers spend more than $42,000 per federal prisoner per year and $33,274+ per state prisoner. According to the Institute for Justice Research and Development, the U.S. prison burden is close to $1 trillion a year, which includes “costs for incarcerated people, families, children and communities.” Timely mercy can turn these billions to education, health care and community updates.
The vast majority of Americans agree: 80% of support expanded the president’s commute, and the two political camps had nearly the same support, including 84% of Harris supporters and 80% of Trump supporters. This consensus spans criminal justice reform, with 81% of Americans favoring it. Reducing sentences and eliminating mandatory minimums also has strong bipartisan support.
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This rare harmony reflects how reform resonates among values: fiscal conservatives reject wasteful spending against nonviolent criminals; progressives address racial inequality; faith leaders value redemption; constitutionalists defend legal protection. All paths lead to one conclusion: mass incarceration fails morally, financially and practically.
This extensive protocol has produced tangible results. The first step bill of 2018 passed overwhelming bipartisan support, reducing sentences and expanding rehabilitation programs. Signed by Trump, it blends with the voices of New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker and conservative Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa.
I witnessed this reality in prison every day. Women with basic education become college graduates. The broken spirit becomes a mentor. Yet, the cruel irony of the system remains: clear recovery has no meaning for political calculations.
Further progress requires rethinking the broad path as a moral imperative rather than a political responsibility. Practice reform will implement a quarterly leniency review, prioritizing older prisoners, non-proportional non-violent sentences, and prisoners who show rehabilitation.
A diverse group – including victim advocates, legal experts and judicial experts – will provide ethical guidance and political isolation, shifting the focus to avoiding disputes and turning life into rebuilding life.
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I embodies this repair. Today, I support myself through work, advocate for those who are still restricted, and cherish the simple rhythm of life – homework help, unsurveilled holidays, gardening. Every morning, when to go out and when to go out, a miracle of tranquility will be provided.
For thousands of people who are still waiting for freedom, I hope leaders can act bravely when justice demands, not when politics allows. In our divided nations, the second opportunity offers a rare common ground – undermining traditions not only serves justice and family, but also our shared belief in America’s ability to accountability and grace.
