Sign the Petition

To the Government of the United States,

We, the undersigned citizens, support relief for Reynolds Wintersmith. He is the only nonviolent juvenile, first-time offender in the United States who is serving a mandatory federal LIFE SENTENCE for a drug offense. He has been in federal prison since 1993. Mr. Wintersmith was just seventeen years old when he joined a drug ring. He was a first-time offender with zero criminal record when he stood before the federal judge who sentenced him to die in prison. He has served 18 years in prison on the life sentence imposed. Without some sentencing relief, there is no chance that Mr. Wintersmith will ever be released.

We the citizens do not advocate the use or sale of illegal drugs in our community. We do recognize that Reynolds Wintersmith made a great mistake and his crime harmed our community. We agree that some punishment was deserved. But life in prison is greater than necessary for a non-violent teenager with no criminal record. We, the community, believe in the power of rehabilitation and maturity in our young people. Reynolds Wintersmith has made exceptional strides to improve himself during his nearly two decades in prison. He has completed many college courses. He is certified by the U.S. Department of Labor as a Teacher’s Aide. He tutors other inmates about how to further their education. He is a certified victim impact counselor. He is a prisoner companion for the federal inmate suicide prevention program. He is a federal community reentry mentor who counsels prisoners about how to be productive members of society when they are released. We believe that it is time for Reynolds Wintersmith to be released, so he can repay his debt to society through restorative and healing work within our community. He has apologized to us and asked that we forgive him. In acceptance, we sign this petition on his behalf today.
We do hereby petition, on behalf of Reynolds Allen Wintersmith, for relief from his life sentence.

I wish to allow my comment on this page to represent that I am in agreement with the cause above.




Sign another petition for Reynolds on Change.org here.

17 comments:

  1. You can make a change! We can make a difference!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mr. Wintersmith has paid a heavy debt back to society, but he has shown remorse and the ability and desire to be a positive influence on others. Under the legal precedent of Graham v. Florida and obligations of human decency to each other, Mr. Wintersmith should be given a second chance.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The story of Mr. Wintersmith makes my blood run cold, to know that a court could be so heartless to remain deaf to the cries of the public for justice. Keeping him in prison is an injustice to mankind, especially considering that his age should have trumped any and all possibility of serving time in a federal prison. Today, there are 17-year-olds charged with marijuana possession who only receive community service in some parts of this county... Mr. Wintersmith deserves a second chance, and he deserves to have his life back. This disparity NEEDS to be formally recognized by the courts, as they are supposed to check and balance the lawmakers who have deemed it appropriate for Mr. Wintersmith's conviction - not follow Congress to the letter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. When I heard this story it made me want to cry. I give my blessings and prayers to Mr.Wintersmith. I believe he has served his debt to society and more then should have been given. I wish him luck and I to am doing my part for him and collecting signatures, I believe he has been wronged by the government and justice needs to take affect.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is another example of egregious, illegal, vengeful, genocidal action taken against an AFRIKAN Man by a racist society.

    We see this relentlessly in our communities. Something like this would not EVER happen to a white teenager!

    Oscar Grant III was murdered in Oakland, a crime witnessed by thousands and millions, yet his killer cop assailant is now free after less than 2 yrs in prison.

    Kenneth Harding was shot dead in San Francisco for not having a $2 light rail ticket.

    Troy Anthony Davis was just murdered in Georgia for a crime that everyone from the Pope to the former head of the FBI says he was innocent of.

    Now this - in the face of monstrous rulings such as these, is it any wonder that AFRIKAN people have absolutely NO faith in this system? There are those who say they still do, but there is a VERY thin line between talk and belief...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yet ANOTHER punishment that does not fit the crime!!!!!!! Why is this the norm, in of all places
    ............ AMERICA? SMGDH

    ReplyDelete
  7. Keeping this young man and his situation in my prayers, as well as society. There definately needs to be some changes and hopefully this will be the start to helping us all.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is too sad. As the judge stated, you can keep positive and from what I can tell, that is just what Reynolds did. Several college degrees, a mentor for fellow inmates, and a great role model for those that are locked up and ones out in the streets. Justice was served well over 10 years ago. Please let this man free.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Mr. Wintersmith has served his debt to society. He deserves another chance to be a productive member of society. If the court continues to let child molesters, rapists and murderers go free after serving less time than this young man, where is the humanity and justice in the sentencing? The laws that he was sentenced under has been overturned so it makes sense that his conviction should be overturned as well! Time served and let this young man live...

    ReplyDelete
  10. I know Reynolds, he mentored me, shared his story with me, and helped me grow to mentor and inspire others. We spent hours togehter everyday for the three years we were incarcerated together in federal prison. There is no one I know more deserving of a second chance than him. He is a loving father, a dutiful brother, a faithful man of the creator, but most of all he is my friend. I pray for him and his loved ones that he is released today.
    Much Love and Respect
    Lucas

    ReplyDelete
  11. Lucas,

    Can you call the Federal Defendes of Chicago soon? Mr. Wintersmith's lawyer would like to speak with you and hear your thoughts. Her name is MiAngel Cody. The office phone is 312-621-8300.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This makes a mockery of our "justice" system.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This child (okay, so maybe he's no longer a child, but he's still very young) needs help and education - not life in prison.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am in agreement with the cause above.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am one who has been blessed to have had the oppertunity to meet Mr. Wintersmith, I have seen his growth as well as his contribution to those who have an ear to hear his wisdom and have a desire to change their life for the better. He offers the challange of accountability to all who will accept it. I will continue to pray for his release as well as his family who loves, misses and needs him.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So many of our young men, are thrown away, due to the lack of support of our own families, if we don't care, why should we expect the system to care. We always care when its to late. Well its not to late for Reynolds, if one person tells another person, the word will spread across the world about how unjust his sentence is, he deserved some time, but life, NEVER! According to the blog, he has a lot to offer his community, give him an opportunity, to give back, what he took.....

    ReplyDelete
  17. I found this through an ACLU petition seeking review of all cases of life imprisonment of non-violent crimes. What was done to you was wrong.

    ReplyDelete