Community support for the paroled release of Muhammad Al-Mahdi

In 1998 Muhammad Al-Mahdi, at age 19, was sentenced to a prison term of 20 years to life for the crime of manslaughter and a single gun offense. Now 41, by March of 2020, Muhammad will have served his twenty-second year behind bars. On March 25, 2020, the U.S. Parole Commission will grant him a chance at Parole.

Since the beginning of his incarceration, Muhammad has dedicated his time to evaluate the circumstances and errors that ultimately landed him in prison through rigorous education. He has believed since the start of his sentence that developing an acute understanding of both the effects of his actions and concrete reasons why a young man would make such poor choices was the only way to forge a path toward atonement. Victim Impact, Cognitive Thinking, and Anger Management are just three of the 19 Psychological programs he has completed as well as dozens of vocation and education courses.

Muhammad has acquired a layered foundation of marketable skills over the years in preparation for his Parole. First, earning an apprenticeship then professional certifications in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC & R). Also, earning his Paralegal Studies certificate through the Blackstone Studies Program, an accredited school by the U.S. Department of Education, and is currently a matriculating student at Thomas Edison State University, NJ.

Completed Psychology Programs:

1) "Decide! How To Make Any Decision".........2019
2) "Stand! Choosing To Be Self-reliant"..........2019
3) "Attitude! For Your Best Lived Life"...........2019
4) Learning How To Live...........................2017
5) Cognitive Skills..................................2017
6) CBT & Criminal Thinking.......................2016
7) Freedom From Drugs...........................2015
8) Living With Depression........................2014
9) Victim Impact Class............................2012
10) Anger Management Group...................2007
11-15) Code/Challenge Aftercare 1-5...........2006 to 2010
16) Hepatitis C Seminar..........................2006
17) Code............................................2005
18) Choices: Conflict Resolution Group........2005
19) A Framework for Breaking Barriers.........2004

Completed Education and Vocational Programs:

1) College Algebra (Thomas Edison State University)..........2019
2) Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning &
Refrigeration (HVAC&R) Apprenticeship...........2019
3) Motor vehicle Refrigerant Recovery &
Recycling 609 Certification (Esco Institute).......2019
4) Blackstone Paralegal Course.........................2019
5) Lockout Tagout for Authorized Workers...........2019
6) VT Electric Level One (NCCER)......................2018
7) National Federation of Personal Trainers
Program (FCI McDowell)..............................2017
8) VT Core Curriculum (NCCER)........................2017
9) Fire Extinguisher Maintenance and Inspection....2017
10) Solar Panel Installer Curriculum
(Green Collar Zone)....................................2016
11) Mock Job fair Information...........................2016
12) RPP5 Release Requirements.........................2016
13) Finite Mathematics (Adams State University)....2015
14) Communication Arts I (Adams State University)...2015
15) Business Marketing Office Assistant Program.....2013
16) VT Brick Masonry.....................................2013
17) Single man Aerial Lift Safety and
Operational Training.................................2013
18) Creative Writing (Stratford Career Institute)....2012
19) Mozilla Firefox Internet Navigation
A.C.E. Program.......................................2012
20) Touch Typing Keyboarding A.C.E. Program........2012
21) Intro To Computers...................................2012
22) Green Building HVAC.................................2012
23) SHU CDL (Commercial Driving).....................2012
24) SHU Budget............................................2012
25) Refrigerant Transition and Recovery
Certification Program (Pennsylvania College
of Technology)........................................2010
26) Intermediate Urban/Industrial IPM
(Purdue University)...................................2009
27) Pest Management Technology
6th Edition (Purdue University).....................2008
28) Internet and Computing Core Certification
(Certiport)............................................2007
29) Art For Leisure........................................2007
30) Job fair Information..................................2007
31 - 36) Parenting Support Groups I-VII.............2005-2007
37) OSHA 10-Hour General Safety & Health
Outreach training Program..........................2005
38) Principles of Marketing..............................2004
39) RPP - Personal Finance/Consume..................2004
40) RPP - Employment Skills.............................2004
41) Parenting Skills Program Level I....................2004
42) Leather Class.........................................2003
43) Independent Language Learning Program
(Moroccan Arabic)....................................2002
44) Independent Language Learning Program
(French)...............................................2002

Other notable accomplishments:
**Fluent in Spanish
**Intermediate Level Classical/Media Arabic
**Intermediate Level Somali

Matriculating student at Thomas Edison University, NJ

Suicide Watch Cadre as an inmate companion from 2/09/2018 to 8/13/2019. Training Dates: 2/09/2018, 2/21/2018, 3/22/2018, 5/10/2018, 7/19/2018, 8/16/2018, 12/06/2018, 2/28/2019, 3/27/2019, /5/07/2019; and 7/03/2019.

Muhammad has an incomprehensible regret for his actions and the pain he caused the victim and the victim's family. In addition, Muhammad understands that his actions also made victims of his own family. He believes that if a boy makes a mistake, it is the responsibility of the man that he becomes to correct that mistake, and hopes that the community will now support his bid for a grant of Parole by signing this petition.

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We, the undersigned, in support of a grant of Parole for Muhammad Al-Mahdi, Reg. no. 08488-007, ( "Mr. Al-Mahdi") do request from the United States Parole Commission a grant of Parole for Mr. Al-Mahdi, at his March 2020 Parole Rehearing and his return and release to the community. Furthermore, we believe that Mr. Al-Mahdi will be a productive and responsible member of the community and that he does not pose a threat or danger to the community.