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Fair Sentencing for Youth
Learn, get support, and take action for justice.
Join families and friends of youth sentenced to prison.
Dear Friends and Families-
Take action!
Let's never send a 14- & 15-year-old to adult court again.
Two easy things you can do to help change California's law.
Dig up a picture of yourself at age 14 or 15.
Support SB 1391 by finding a picture of yourself at age 14 or 15 and help remind Californians just how young kids sentenced as adults can be. We're asking people to post pictures of themselves at age 14 or 15 with a statement of support for SB 1391 and hashtags: #LifeAt14 / #LifeAt15, #CareNotCages, #PassSB1391. Ask others to join in! Please let us know - click here - if you can find a photo of yourself by May 17. We'll send a reminder when the campaign starts the following week, along with suggested tweets, Facebook, etc.
Make a 30-second call to your senator, and ask others to do the same.
Right now is the time to send in letters or just make a call. You can find who represents you and an easy sample letter or instructions on
making a 30-second call to your senator by clicking here. >
http://fairsentencingforyouth.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/SB-1391-Sample-Support-Letters-Individual-multi-to-SEN-ASM-FINAL.pdf
With gratitude for you all,
Elizabeth Calvin
Human Rights Watch
and
Dennis Flynn
CARES for Youth
LEARN ABOUT SB 1391.
They can't get a driver's license, buy a lottery ticket, go to an R-rated movie, or purchase a beer or cigarettes. Yet, if they commit a crime, they can be treated just like an adult and lose the real chances to grow and mature in the juvenile system.
Read about the bill here. Take two minutes out of your day, and write a letter to your Senator and Assembly Member, or, take 30 seconds to call! Get a sample letter by clicking on this link, or click here for a script and instructions for a 30-second call to your senator.
Watch this video of Daniel, who is a successful college student now, but at age 14 he was facing 35-years-to-life in prison.
Help us get the word out! Tweet or post these on Facebook and link to: www.fairsentencingforyout h.org/take-action/
A 14- or 15-year-old is #NotAnAdult #PassSB1391 @FairS entencing
Prison sentences are #NotRightforaChild #PassSB1391 @FairSentencing
Our youth deserve #CareNotCages #PassSB1391 @FairSentencing
GET YOURS!
THE UPDATED
YOUTH OFFENDER
PAROLE GUIDE
For people inside and
their families and friends.
Click here to get yours!
http://fairsentencingforyouth.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Youth-Offender-Parole-Guide_Working_v9-oct-4-2017-final.pdf
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
14 Yrs Old Doing 25-Life
Clemency for 14 year old sentenced in 2007 to 25 years, serving a mandatory time of 100%.
What were you doing at the age of 14? Now imagine facing a 25 year to life prison sentence at this age? Do you feel a split second should determine your whole life? And are you the same person now that you were then? This was the case for one young man 10 years ago, a child being punished as an adult.
In 2007 Brian Harrington Jr. was 14 years old when he found himself in an inexplicable situation with the law for the first time in his life. An older relative of Brian had set up a gun sale with another young man, who he had brought into the neighborhood where Brian resided. On this day a split second changed the lives of those involved forever; ultimately the unfortunate loss of a life and the imprisonment of Brian. In the process of the sale, the gun was handed to Brian by an 18 year old relative, and without the knowledge that the gun was loaded, Brian reached in to display the gun. In this moment the buyer attempted to drive away. Brian's instinctive reaction to pull back from a moving vehicle caused the gun to discharge. This was the moment that changed everything. Later Brian would be in custody along with the others involved. He was facing involuntary manslaughter charges in juvenile court. Brian was interrogated without representation or even the presence of a legal guardian. He was told he was lying, this was not an accident, and the goal was to rob the young man. The three other young men also involved were all questioned and had consistent stories of a gun deal and the accidental discharge of the gun. Subsequently police offered all the young men the option to admit to a robbery, thereby promising leniency in their sentencing in return placing all fault on Brian, they complied. Brian however, maintained all along that it was an accident and thereby being the only one refusing to change his statement to suit the desired narrative of the detectives, he thus became the target of a felony murder charge. Brian was transferred to adult court and tried as an adult. At 14 years old Brian was sentenced under the same previsions and guidelines as an adult would if found in the same situation. Facing a 25 to a life sentence, Brian took a plea of 25 years and was placed under Illinois's Truth in Sentencing law. This TIS is a mandatory 100% time given by the court to be served, no possibility of parole.
Now 10 years in to his sentence, Brian still thinks of the young man and his family. He wishes the best for them, and would hope for them to know he never intentionally meant to hurt anyone. Brian has seen 7 different facilities, and has made the decision to make the best out of his situation and self educate. He has achieved his G.E.D, he received his Associate Degree with honors, studies law, active in the basketball team and coaches the baseball team, is an extremely talented portrait artist and writer, and works within the facility as an art instructor. Our goal is to have his sentence revisited and clemency granted by the governor of Illinois, in hopes of bringing Brian home sooner. If Brian receives no relief he will return to the world as a 40 year old man after completing his entire sentence for something that was ultimately an accident, 14-40? By bringing attention to this inequity, and with your support we hope to reach our goal. Thank you.
Instagram: @kingmoosaproject Facebook: King Moosa Project
What were you doing at the age of 14? Now imagine facing a 25 year to life prison sentence at this age? Do you feel a split second should determine your whole life? And are you the same person now that you were then? This was the case for one young man 10 years ago, a child being punished as an adult.
In 2007 Brian Harrington Jr. was 14 years old when he found himself in an inexplicable situation with the law for the first time in his life. An older relative of Brian had set up a gun sale with another young man, who he had brought into the neighborhood where Brian resided. On this day a split second changed the lives of those involved forever; ultimately the unfortunate loss of a life and the imprisonment of Brian. In the process of the sale, the gun was handed to Brian by an 18 year old relative, and without the knowledge that the gun was loaded, Brian reached in to display the gun. In this moment the buyer attempted to drive away. Brian's instinctive reaction to pull back from a moving vehicle caused the gun to discharge. This was the moment that changed everything. Later Brian would be in custody along with the others involved. He was facing involuntary manslaughter charges in juvenile court. Brian was interrogated without representation or even the presence of a legal guardian. He was told he was lying, this was not an accident, and the goal was to rob the young man. The three other young men also involved were all questioned and had consistent stories of a gun deal and the accidental discharge of the gun. Subsequently police offered all the young men the option to admit to a robbery, thereby promising leniency in their sentencing in return placing all fault on Brian, they complied. Brian however, maintained all along that it was an accident and thereby being the only one refusing to change his statement to suit the desired narrative of the detectives, he thus became the target of a felony murder charge. Brian was transferred to adult court and tried as an adult. At 14 years old Brian was sentenced under the same previsions and guidelines as an adult would if found in the same situation. Facing a 25 to a life sentence, Brian took a plea of 25 years and was placed under Illinois's Truth in Sentencing law. This TIS is a mandatory 100% time given by the court to be served, no possibility of parole.
Now 10 years in to his sentence, Brian still thinks of the young man and his family. He wishes the best for them, and would hope for them to know he never intentionally meant to hurt anyone. Brian has seen 7 different facilities, and has made the decision to make the best out of his situation and self educate. He has achieved his G.E.D, he received his Associate Degree with honors, studies law, active in the basketball team and coaches the baseball team, is an extremely talented portrait artist and writer, and works within the facility as an art instructor. Our goal is to have his sentence revisited and clemency granted by the governor of Illinois, in hopes of bringing Brian home sooner. If Brian receives no relief he will return to the world as a 40 year old man after completing his entire sentence for something that was ultimately an accident, 14-40? By bringing attention to this inequity, and with your support we hope to reach our goal. Thank you.
Instagram: @kingmoosaproject Facebook: King Moosa Project
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