Petition for Commutation of the Juvenile Life Sentence of Patrick Kinney
- av: The Family and Friends of Patrick Neil Kinney
- mottagare: Governor Jennifer Granholm
We, the undersigned, respectfully request that Governor Jennifer Granholm commute the life sentence of Patrick Neil Kinney (#253729) because:
1. In 1995, when Patrick was only 16 years old, he turned himself in to police, confessed, and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
2. In April, 2010, a member of the Parole and Commutation Board (PCB) personally interviewed Patrick and voted (along with at least one other member) to move Patrick forward for parole, but the full PCB has not yet voted.
3. If the PCB votes for parole, Patrick's sentencing judge could veto it, and he has indicated he would, simply because such a crime by someone so young was "shocking."
4. In April 2010, Patrick filed an application for commutation with the PCB, but the commutation process can take over a year, and Gov. Granholm will leave office in January 2011.
5. The next governor may not agree with Gov. Granholm, the US Supreme Court, scientific studies, and the majority of Michiganians, that juveniles are less deserving of the worst punishments because they are less capable of making rational decisions then are adults. See Graham v. Florida (2010), and www.secondchancelegislation.org
6. Patrick has served over 15 years in prison and has become a different person, as evidenced by our own personal contact with him and by the following:
a. Education: He earned a Masters Degree in business and certificates in computer office skills, business planning, and advanced business. He taught himself the law and many other subjects, reading over 500 books.
b. Experience: His prison work evaluations are all excellent. He authored and published many stories and poems and an autobiography (which helped him examine his past and understand and correct his thinking and behavior). He served as Warden's Forum Representative and as secretary and chairman of a prisoner charity organization.
c. Treatment: He completed substance-abuse counseling, Thinking for a Change group therapy, and all the coursework for the Assaultive Offender Program (even though his life sentence prevents him from formally participating), including a relapse prevention plan and a parole-planning manual.
d. The MDOC's "COMPAS" evaluation says he is a "low" risk of violence and recidivism and that he has "an unlikely criminal personality". His parole-guidelines score is 6 (high probability of parole), and his commutation guidelines score is 14 years.
e. he has expressed deep remorse for his crime and the pain he caused everyone, the many lessons he's learned, and his desire to live a law-abiding and productive life in the future.
7. Patrick has a large base of family and community support, including two home-placement offers, two job offers, and many other written offers of support.
8. Statistics show that people like Patrick (over 30 years old, serving for homicide, college graduate, strong family support) have a low risk of recidivism. See www.Capps-mi.org
9. We believe our tax dollars would be better spent imprisoning people who are a present danger to society, rather than Patrick, who has learned his lesson, served many years in prison, and demonstrated that he has changed and would be a productive member of society, contributing to Michigan's economy and tax base instead of being a burden on it.
Therefore, we the undersigned respectfully request that Governor Granholm commute the sentence of Patrick Kinney.
1. In 1995, when Patrick was only 16 years old, he turned himself in to police, confessed, and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
2. In April, 2010, a member of the Parole and Commutation Board (PCB) personally interviewed Patrick and voted (along with at least one other member) to move Patrick forward for parole, but the full PCB has not yet voted.
3. If the PCB votes for parole, Patrick's sentencing judge could veto it, and he has indicated he would, simply because such a crime by someone so young was "shocking."
4. In April 2010, Patrick filed an application for commutation with the PCB, but the commutation process can take over a year, and Gov. Granholm will leave office in January 2011.
5. The next governor may not agree with Gov. Granholm, the US Supreme Court, scientific studies, and the majority of Michiganians, that juveniles are less deserving of the worst punishments because they are less capable of making rational decisions then are adults. See Graham v. Florida (2010), and www.secondchancelegislation.org
6. Patrick has served over 15 years in prison and has become a different person, as evidenced by our own personal contact with him and by the following:
a. Education: He earned a Masters Degree in business and certificates in computer office skills, business planning, and advanced business. He taught himself the law and many other subjects, reading over 500 books.
b. Experience: His prison work evaluations are all excellent. He authored and published many stories and poems and an autobiography (which helped him examine his past and understand and correct his thinking and behavior). He served as Warden's Forum Representative and as secretary and chairman of a prisoner charity organization.
c. Treatment: He completed substance-abuse counseling, Thinking for a Change group therapy, and all the coursework for the Assaultive Offender Program (even though his life sentence prevents him from formally participating), including a relapse prevention plan and a parole-planning manual.
d. The MDOC's "COMPAS" evaluation says he is a "low" risk of violence and recidivism and that he has "an unlikely criminal personality". His parole-guidelines score is 6 (high probability of parole), and his commutation guidelines score is 14 years.
e. he has expressed deep remorse for his crime and the pain he caused everyone, the many lessons he's learned, and his desire to live a law-abiding and productive life in the future.
7. Patrick has a large base of family and community support, including two home-placement offers, two job offers, and many other written offers of support.
8. Statistics show that people like Patrick (over 30 years old, serving for homicide, college graduate, strong family support) have a low risk of recidivism. See www.Capps-mi.org
9. We believe our tax dollars would be better spent imprisoning people who are a present danger to society, rather than Patrick, who has learned his lesson, served many years in prison, and demonstrated that he has changed and would be a productive member of society, contributing to Michigan's economy and tax base instead of being a burden on it.
Therefore, we the undersigned respectfully request that Governor Granholm commute the sentence of Patrick Kinney.
Dear Governor Granholm,
We the undersigned respectfully request that you commute the sentence of Patrick Neil Kinney (#253729). Patrick was sentenced to Life at 16 years of age and has served more than 15 years. He has accomplished many things during his time of incarceration, and we believe that he should have the chance to be free and contribute to society for the following reasons:
1. In 1995, when Patrick was only 16 years old, he turned himself in to police, confessed, and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
2. In April, 2010, a member of the Parole and Commutation Board (PCB) personally interviewed Patrick and voted (along with at least one other member) to move Patrick forward for parole, but the full PCB has not yet voted.
3. If the PCB votes for parole, Patrick's sentencing judge could veto it, and he has indicated he would, simply because such a crime by someone so young was "shocking."
4. In April 2010, Patrick filed an application for commutation with the PCB, but the commutation process can take over a year, and Gov. Granholm will leave office in January 2011.
5. The next governor may not agree with Gov. Granholm, the US Supreme Court, scientific studies, and the majority of Michiganians, that juveniles are less deserving of the worst punishments because they are less capable of making rational decisions then are adults. See Graham v. Florida (2010), and www.secondchancelegislation.org
6. Patrick has served over 15 years in prison and has become a different person, as evidenced by our own personal contact with him and by the following:
a. Education: He earned a Masters Degree in business and certificates in computer office skills, business planning, and advanced business. He taught himself the law and many other subjects, reading over 500 books.
b. Experience: His prison work evaluations are all excellent. He authored and published many stories and poems and an autobiography (which helped him examine his past and understand and correct his thinking and behavior). He served as Warden's Forum Representative and as secretary and chairman of a prisoner charity organization.
c. Treatment: He completed substance-abuse counseling, Thinking for a Change group therapy, and all the coursework for the Assaultive Offender Program (even though his life sentence prevents him from formally participating), including a relapse prevention plan and a parole-planning manual.
d. The MDOC's "COMPAS" evaluation says he is a "low" risk of violence and recidivism and that he has "an unlikely criminal personality". His parole-guidelines score is 6 (high probability of parole), and his commutation guidelines score is 14 years.
e. he has expressed deep remorse for his crime and the pain he caused everyone, the many lessons he's learned, and his desire to live a law-abiding and productive life in the future.
7. Patrick has a large base of family and community support, including two home-placement offers, two job offers, and many other written offers of support.
8. Statistics show that people like Patrick (over 30 years old, serving for homicide, college graduate, strong family support) have a low risk of recidivism. See www.Capps-mi.org
9. We believe our tax dollars would be better spent imprisoning people who are a present danger to society, rather than Patrick, who has learned his lesson, served many years in prison, and demonstrated that he has changed and would be a productive member of society, contributing to Michigan's economy and tax base instead of being a burden on it.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Signera petitionenSignera petitionenWe the undersigned respectfully request that you commute the sentence of Patrick Neil Kinney (#253729). Patrick was sentenced to Life at 16 years of age and has served more than 15 years. He has accomplished many things during his time of incarceration, and we believe that he should have the chance to be free and contribute to society for the following reasons:
1. In 1995, when Patrick was only 16 years old, he turned himself in to police, confessed, and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
2. In April, 2010, a member of the Parole and Commutation Board (PCB) personally interviewed Patrick and voted (along with at least one other member) to move Patrick forward for parole, but the full PCB has not yet voted.
3. If the PCB votes for parole, Patrick's sentencing judge could veto it, and he has indicated he would, simply because such a crime by someone so young was "shocking."
4. In April 2010, Patrick filed an application for commutation with the PCB, but the commutation process can take over a year, and Gov. Granholm will leave office in January 2011.
5. The next governor may not agree with Gov. Granholm, the US Supreme Court, scientific studies, and the majority of Michiganians, that juveniles are less deserving of the worst punishments because they are less capable of making rational decisions then are adults. See Graham v. Florida (2010), and www.secondchancelegislation.org
6. Patrick has served over 15 years in prison and has become a different person, as evidenced by our own personal contact with him and by the following:
a. Education: He earned a Masters Degree in business and certificates in computer office skills, business planning, and advanced business. He taught himself the law and many other subjects, reading over 500 books.
b. Experience: His prison work evaluations are all excellent. He authored and published many stories and poems and an autobiography (which helped him examine his past and understand and correct his thinking and behavior). He served as Warden's Forum Representative and as secretary and chairman of a prisoner charity organization.
c. Treatment: He completed substance-abuse counseling, Thinking for a Change group therapy, and all the coursework for the Assaultive Offender Program (even though his life sentence prevents him from formally participating), including a relapse prevention plan and a parole-planning manual.
d. The MDOC's "COMPAS" evaluation says he is a "low" risk of violence and recidivism and that he has "an unlikely criminal personality". His parole-guidelines score is 6 (high probability of parole), and his commutation guidelines score is 14 years.
e. he has expressed deep remorse for his crime and the pain he caused everyone, the many lessons he's learned, and his desire to live a law-abiding and productive life in the future.
7. Patrick has a large base of family and community support, including two home-placement offers, two job offers, and many other written offers of support.
8. Statistics show that people like Patrick (over 30 years old, serving for homicide, college graduate, strong family support) have a low risk of recidivism. See www.Capps-mi.org
9. We believe our tax dollars would be better spent imprisoning people who are a present danger to society, rather than Patrick, who has learned his lesson, served many years in prison, and demonstrated that he has changed and would be a productive member of society, contributing to Michigan's economy and tax base instead of being a burden on it.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Se fler petitioner:
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