My name is Christy Simental I am a proud mother of three and a very proud grandmother of eleven grandkids whom I love with all of my heart. This is my story; I have been in prison for 25 years, I was sentenced to 50 years. I'm asking society to please give me a second chance in life to help my kids raise my grandkids. My youngest daughter was 16 months old when I was sent to prison, she does not even remember me holding her or bathing her. She would call me "jail mother" to separate me and my mother whom she has called mom for the last 25 years. Yes she knows I'm her mommy and I thank God that my parents received my kids with open arms when this occurred. I am not the shooter in this case but because of Arizona has the felony murder law I was charged as if I did commit this crime, as a mother I had no choice but to go that night my boyfriend at the time had a gun and put my oldest two children in the car and said "lets go"! I was offered a plea bargain to testify against my co defendants who happen to be my two brothers for 3,4, or 5 years probation available. However, the state did not just want my testimony they wanted me to commit perjury on the witness stand. I declined the plea for that reason and here I am 25 years later pleading with everyone including the Governor, The President, Oprah, Pro bono Attorneys, and Innocence projects but a lot of theses non-profit organizations are looking for DNA cases which my case does not have. The court made an error when they allowed two witness to commit perjury on the witness stand. Because of the states witnesses perjured testimony my youngest brother was acquitted of all charges. The court should have pulled their witnesses plea bargains and given me a re-trial due to this misconduct but I never received a re-trial. I have received my GED levels 1 and 2 in computers technology but I am limited because of my time. I just don't understand how a Judge and prosecutor could allow a witness to lie not once but three times just to get a conviction. Please help for me to receive a fair re-trial and may justice prevail. I have not only lost 25 years of my childrens lives I have lost my father and all of my grandparents as well. This a heartfelt plea from the bottom of my heart that my story reaches one person willing to be my voice and help me. Thank you.
