November 2016 Press Release Regarding Jens Soering

German native Jens Soering

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 10, 2015

Press stories in the past week have distorted the facts about Jens Soering’s efforts to be repatriated to his home country.

Mr. Soering has not sought a personal meeting with the Governor, or any other extraordinary privilege on grounds that he is the son of a man who, many years ago, had a job with the German diplomatic representation to the United States. Mr. Soering is a German national who has served more than 28 years in prison on a Virginia sentence. He seeks transfer to the German prison system pursuant to the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons (the “Treaty”).

The Treaty—to which the United States and Germany are signatories—commits countries as a matter of comity to assist one another in appropriate circumstances by transferring prisoners to their home countries in the interests of social rehabilitation. Not just any prisoner can seek action under the Treaty – only those who whose home countries signed the Treaty and whose home countries consent to their return. The Treaty had wide bi-partisan support when it was signed by the United States.

The Governor has the sole authority to act on behalf of the Commonwealth with respect to a request for transfer of a Virginia prisoner under the Treaty. Upon the Governor’s consent on behalf of Virginia, Mr. Soering’s application would then be considered for approval by the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”). Guilt or innocence, or the nature of the crime, do not factor into the repatriation decision.

We believe that Jens Soering’s renewed application for repatriation should be advanced for consideration by the DOJ under the terms of the Treaty because:

 Consent is in the best interests of the citizens of Virginia. The public safety of Virginians as well as their financial interests are well-served by transfer. Upon transfer, Mr. Soering would be removed to Germany immediately and could not return, as he is subject to a deportation order in the United States. In addition, the Commonwealth will be saving the costs of incarceration, future medical care, and any probation costs in the event of his eventual parole.

 Consent is in the best interests of the United States. The DOJ and our diplomatic corps regularly hear from US citizens in their families who are desperate to bring their loved ones home who have been incarcerated abroad. A 2013 report states that, each year, roughly 6,000 Americans are arrested in foreign countries (not limited to those countries involved in a prisoner transfer treaty or agreement). Given the broad geographic areas covered by prisoner transfer treaties with the United States, it seems likely that thousands of Americans have been convicted of crimes and are incarcerated in those jurisdictions. How can we expect them to be returned to the United States if we do not send prisoners like Mr. Soering home?

 Mr. Soering is not requesting special treatment. He is requesting that the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia approve his transfer pursuant to the Treaty, in accordance with the same procedures available to any other foreign national imprisoned in the United States whose home country has signed a transfer treaty. The United States is a party to prisoner transfer agreements with fifty-one countries around the world. As of September 2010, the U.S.DOJ had approved 2,203 applications by U.S. prisoners to be transferred to their home country. Between 2008 and 2010, transfers from the U.S. to members of the European Union accounted for 11% of the total approved international prisoner transfer applications.

 Mr. Soering’s transfer to Germany will advance his ongoing, remarkable social rehabilitation. Mr. Soering, has served 28 years in incarceration, and, perhaps is unique among Virginia prisoners in having not a single disciplinary demerit in all those years.

He has good Virginia Depart ment of Corrections evaluations and has used his time constructively, becoming recognized as an author, religious scholar, and zealous advocate for prison reform. If he is to see his father before his father dies and is to ever make a re-entry into his native country and culture, now is the time. To the best of our limited information there are only two or three German nationals incarcerated in Virginia in addition to Mr. Soering. We understand that German officials consider his case completely different from the others in that: the crime occurred when he was very young; he has served a very long sentence and without repatriation has many more years to serve; he has a stellar disciplinary record; and his talents and his support system bode well for his reintegration into German culture and his prospects for a productive life in Germany.

Gail Starling Marshall
7393 Shooter’s Hill Road
Rapidan, VA 22733
(540) 672 3506
gailstarlingmarshall@gmail.com

Richard B. Zorn
Mercer Trigiani
112 South Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 837-5000
rbzorn@icloud.com

Of counsel:

Hogan Lovells US LLP
Patricia A. Brannan
555 13th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 637-8686
patricia.brannan@hoganlovells.com

Express your concerns to the governor regarding this case:
https://governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/communicating-with-the-governors-office

Attorneys for Jens Soering

More Law Officers Urge Jens Soering's Release

I met Jens (Yens) some years ago (we've
since corresponded) and have read some of
the books he's written in prison.

One week ago, April 9, 2018, Albemarle County Sheriff J.E. "Chip" Harding held a press conference, featuring F.B.I. Special Agent Stanley J. Lapekas. Also in attendance were Detective Sergeant Richard Hudson and Senior Investigator Chuck Reid. Together, they issued a "Call of Pardon", addressed to Governor Ralph Northam.

Below is the "Call of Pardon", plus links to a video of their conference and other important media reports.

REMINDER:

Please write a letter of support for Jens' pardon to 
pardonjenssoering@outlook.com

Other links:

Call for Pardon:

http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2108258/f/Pardon/Call_for_Pardon.pdf

Letter from F.B.I. Agent Stan Lapekas:

http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2108258/f/Pardon/Letter_from_S._Lapekas_to_Governor_Northam.pdf

Video of press conference:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tvhjs7jrbjbxp9d/AAC0MocGQHkp-BbxQ1DM8XrFa/5.%20PRESS%20CONFERENCE%20FULL%20VIDEO?dl=0

local TV-reports:

http://www.newsplex.com/content/news/Former-FBI-agent-finds-new-evidence-in-Soering-case-479200393.html

http://www.nbc29.com/clip/14260380/experts-uncover-info-in-soering-investigation-despite-calls-to-back-off

http://www.wric.com/news/virginia-news/former-fbi-investigator-says-convicted-killer-jens-soering-should-be-pardoned/1109932262

radio WVTF:

Report:   http://wvtf.org/post/retired-fbi-agent-says-soering-should-be-freed

Audio:   https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ogcog8wojtr3ywo/AABHLQmc47Qt9Ipvxp85el3ya?dl=0&preview=Radio+WVTF.mp3

press reports:

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/fbi-agent-joins-soering-pardon-case/article_32b3376d-d7e5-567c-bf93-5b86f9d50fb6.html

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/tvhjs7jrbjbxp9d/AABIGVX6qvA0gmPGhVrMRCaAa/4.%20MEDIA%20COVERAGE?dl=0&preview=Bedford+Bulletin+-+Gardner+%27steadfast%27+in+integrity+of+investigation++BedfordBulletin.com.pdf

http://www.newsadvance.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letters-to-the-editor-for-thursday-april/article_5ebd9b82-3dc6-11e8-925b-9b858af20dec.html

See some of my own earlier posts at http://harvyoder.blogspot.com/search?q=jens+soering

Please Sign This Petition!

Jens Soering, at 47, facing life

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners"

Jesus (Luke 4:18)

After meeting and corresponding with Jens Soering at the Buckingham Correctional Center and reading his book "A Day In The Life Of 179212" I have started a petition asking Governor McDonnell to extradite Soering to his native Germany, with this introduction:

German citizen Jens Soering has been in prison for 27 years for a crime he foolishly confessed to at age 20 to prevent his U.S. girl friend from being convicted of murdering her parents. No DNA or other evidence links him to the crime, and outgoing Virginia Governor Kaine had agreed to return him to Germany in 2009, but incoming Governor McDonnell, in an unprecedented move, rescinded Kaine's action.

Numerous informative and supportive articles can be found on the http://jenssoering.com/ website. 

Here's some interesting data from his "A Day in the Life of 179212":

"Virginia, a state with a population of approximately seven million, has (if one includes all jails and correctional centers) roughly 60,000 inmates. This figure does not include the thousands of individuals incarcerated in military and federal prisons located in the state. In comparison, Germany, with a population of 80 million, holds approximately 80,000 inmates. This disparity is reflected worldwide. The U.S. has 751 prisoners for every 100,000 citizens whereas Germany locks up only 96 out of the same number. And Germany's incarceration rate is greater than the European average."

Here's a link to an earlier post on Soering, with a list of some of the books he has authored.

Please sign and help circulate the following:

Extradite author Jens Soering to Germany for a fair hearing

Urgent Call To Support Justice For Jens Soering

Jens Soering

"A life sentence is a hidden death sentence." 

- Pope Francis

I have been in frequent contact with German citizen Jens Soering since I was first introduced to him several years ago. Today he is in urgent need of our help.

Jens has been incarcerated since 1986 for a crime he insists he did not commit, and during this time has distinguished himself as a model inmate and a prize-winning author of nine books.

Now, over thirty years later, the chief investigator in his case, Chuck Reid, has gone on record stating he is convinced Jens is innocent, based on new evidence that became available this summer. And on November 5 an extensive documentary, "The Promise", premiered at the Virginia Film Festival, one which further strengthens the case for his exoneration.

A petition for pardon was filed in August and is currently awaiting response from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe. But so far it appears that the Governor is hesitant to act based on some of the controversy that has been associated with this highly publicized case.

Meanwhile a letter writing campaign has been launched, one that simply urges the Governor to carefully examine the new evidence and take an action before he leaves office. Those who write on his behalf are not expected to make a judgment regarding his guilt or innocence but to simply insist that his case gets a timely review by the current Governor.

I post a lot of blogs on criminal justice, and this is yet another of those about which I feel very deeply. Jens has no history of any kind of violence in his past, and deserves at the very least to be repatriated to his native Germany, something for which his government has repeatedly petitioned. Governor Kaine actually granted this request in the closing days of his administration, only to have the incoming Bob McDonnell, in an unprecedented move, revoke his action.

Please take time to familiarize yourself with Jens's story, using the links below, then send a letter to the Governor's office. Promptly.

http://www.jenssoering.com/home

http://jenssoering.com/contact

http://jenssoering.com/letter_campaign_movie

https://www.facebook.com/Soering.Jens/

http://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2015/11/todays-press-release-regarding-jens.html

While letters are best, here's a link to send an email to the Governor (check "Department of Public Safety" and ask for a response)

https://governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/communicating-with-the-governors-office

New Petition To Governor McAuliffe (And Some More Background) Please Sign!

Jens Soering, behind bars for nearly 28 years

I am launching this new petition with Change.org. addressed to Governor Terry McAulliffe, and urge all of you to sign it and share it with others.  Thanks!

You will find the links in the following Wikipedia article on former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli helpful if you want more information on this case. Cuchinelli's efforts to block Soering's extradition is listed as one of his signature achievements in the Wikipedia piece, as follows: 

 

Extradition of Jens Soering to Germany

Jens Soering, 43, the son of a German diplomat and former Jefferson scholar at the University of Virginia, was convicted in 1990 and sentenced to two life terms for the 1985 first-degree stabbing murders of his then-girlfriend's parents, Derek and Nancy Haysom, in their Bedford County home, and held at the Buckingham Correctional Center in Dillwyn, Virginia.

Former Gov. Timothy Kaine, on the last day of his administration in January, 2010, approved a request from the German government and asked the Justice Department to transfer Soering back to Germany to complete his sentence. Newly elected Gov. Bob McDonnell, along with Cuccinelli, adamantly opposed the transfer. McDonnell formally notified the Justice Department just three days after taking office that it was imperative that Soering serve his time in Virginia and not in Germany, where a US news report said that he could have applied for parole after two years, although parole is only applicable after a minimum 15 years according to the German penal code.^[76]

^{- Wikipedia} 

^{Here's the link to the post about the previous petition to Governor McDonnell.}

An Open Letter To Governor McAuliffe: Repatriate Jens Soering To His Native Germany

Governor McAuliffe

Dear Governor McAuliffe:

Jens Soering, 45, a former Jefferson scholar at the University of Virginia and the son of a German diplomat, was sentenced to two life terms in prison in 1990. He pled guilty to the first-degree murders of his then girl friend's parents in Bedford County in 1995, he insists, only in a misguided attempt to save her from getting a death sentence for the crime. As it turned out, they were both sentenced, she to serve a 90-year term.

There is no physical or DNA evidence linking Jens to the scene, and he says he was far from the scene at the time the terrible murders occurred. He says he naively assumed that he could plead guilty and would be extradited to Germany for a trial where he would be exonerated on the basis of a false confession or at least get a lesser sentence.

As you are aware, former Governor Timothy Kaine, at the end of his administration in 2010 and at the request of the German government, approved Soering's return to his homeland and asked the Justice Department to transfer him to Germany to complete his sentence there. Incoming Governor Bob McDonnell, however, at the urging of then Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, blocked the transfer, noting that in Germany he could be eligible for parole in two years.

Jens has no history of any kind of violent behavior in his background, and has maintained an impeccable record while incarcerated. During the nearly three decades he has spent behind bars, Soering has had nine books published, including The Convict Christ: What the Gospel Says About Criminal Justice, the first place winner of the Catholic Press Association's 2007 awards. 

Governor McAulliffe, whether you consider Mr. Soering innocent or guilty of the crime for which he was convicted, I call on you to demonstrate compassion for a fellow human being who has worked hard for for nearly three decades at demonstrating he can be a creative and productive member of society. 

Here's a link to an earlier post on Soering, with a list of some of the books he has authored.

More informative and supportive articles can be found on the following website:

http://jenssoering.com/

**********************************************

Express your concerns to the governor regarding this case:
https://governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/communicating-with-the-governors-office

The Growing Case For Jens Soering's Release

Newly released by Lantern Books

Everything about the Jens Soering case has been sensational and controversial from the start, but if attention were being paid to new DNA and other evidence related to the case, he should clearly be given a new hearing after serving 31 years behind bars.

The son of a German diplomat, Jens was the young Jefferson Scholar at the University of Virginia who says he confessed to the gruesome deaths of his girl friend's parents in 1985 in a misguided effort to save her from facing capital murder charges (hence the Dickens quote which is the title of his most recent book).

Soering admits to being irrationally obsessed with his older girl friend, Elizabeth Haysom, and to conspiring with her to deceive the court about the circumstances of her parents' deaths. He knows he is not without fault in the case, but growing evidence clearly supports his insistence that he was nowhere near the scene of the crime and had nothing to do with the murders.

Just this week the Albemarle County Sheriff, who has examined all the most recent evidence in the case, has become the latest prominent figure who has come out in support of Soering's release, and has made an appeal to Virginia Governor McAuliffe to that effect.

I had the opportunity of meeting Soering briefly while visiting another inmate at the Buckingham Correctional Center several years ago, have been corresponding with him on occasion ever since, and have read two of the numerous books he has had published since his incarceration.

For more links on this case, please go to
http://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2016/11/urgent-call-to-support-justice-for-jens.html

2013 Mobile Justice Tour Visits Harrisonburg

Lantern Books

The Virginia Alliance Against Mass Incarceration, along with four other state organizations, will conduct a forum at the Massanutten Regional Library from 1-3 pm Tuesday, August 13, as one of fourteen stops by the 2013 Mobile Justice Tour.

According to their flyer, among the issues highlighted will be legislation that restores the rights of qualified non-violent ex-offenders, fair hiring practices for those who have been incarcerated, earned sentence credits for prisoners who take advantage of therapeutic, educational and vocational class opportunities, and temporary public assistance for up to nine months for newly released persons.

According to a recent New York Times article, the number of people incarcerated in the US has actually begun to decline, not only because of the financial burden prisons place on state budgets, but because more and more people are seeing a need for alternatives to mass incarceration as a response to crime. While some people certainly may need some form of "time out" for their own or others' protection,  too often the prison system has become what author and 27-year inmate Jens Soering refers to as "An Expensive Way To Make Bad People Worse", the title of one of his books.

We need you to attend, and to help spread the word!

Click on this link for more posts on prison and criminal justice issues, including one on my brief meeting with author Jens Soering at the Buckingham Correctional Center.

On The Third Day Of Christmas--Pray For The Release Of Long Held Prisoners

read more on Virginia Public Radio website

"I, the Lord, have called you... to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV

Imagine spending half of your time every day confined to a space as small as a medium size bathroom. At meal times and some other times you live in equally crowded spaces surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire, never able to get away from the hundreds of fellow detainees with whom you share a concentration-camp-like environment for years on end. 

Whether detained for just or for unjust reasons, decades of such confinement result in an unusually cruel form of punishment.

So pray with me on this third day of Christmas for the humane release of three people such as the following:

Mr. A. Jefferson Grissette #1143033, currently at St, Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake was free on parole and doing well just three years ago. He had a good job, was working full time, paying off his debts and getting his life together. Unfortunately, he became a convenient suspect in a credit card theft case in Arlington because of some similar crimes for which he had been convicted earlier in his life. The only evidence against him was based on his resembling an obscure image caught on a surveillance camera. Without due process, he got another 18 years in prison after being urged to take a plea agreement rather than face a jury trial.

Also please pray for the release of men like Mr. Nat Painter #1009725, age 73, who is still incarcerated for a crime he committed 20 years ago, but who has consistently demonstrated good behavior in prison, and only wants a few remaining years of a normal life with his loved ones. He has repeatedly been denied parole in spite of his almost certainly not being any further danger to society. His address is Coffeewood Correctional Center, 12352 Coffeewood Drive, Mitchells, VA 22792.

Virginia Public Radio

Likewise, pray for the release of Mr. Jens Soering #1161655, age 48, to his native Germany. Jens, whom I met at the Buckingham Correctional Center a couple of months ago, has just spent his 29th Christmas in a Virginia prison for a crime he says he foolishly confessed to at age 20 to save his then girl friend from being convicted of capital murder. As a son of a German diplomat he assumed he would be sent to Germany for a trial and get a lesser sentence. When she testified against him he got two life sentences here and she got 90 years. Jens has had nine books published since his incarceration. His address is BKCC, P.O. Box 430, Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430.

For an excellent Washington Post column by George Will on mandatory sentencing, check this link.

And here's a good article on the increasing numbers of aging citizens in our prisons.

A Prayer for the Third Day of Christmas: Release for Long Held Prisoners

"I, the Lord, have called you... to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV

Imagine spending half of your time every day confined to a space as small as a medium size bathroom. At meal times and some other times you live in equally crowded spaces surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire, never able to get away from the hundreds of fellow detainees with whom you share a concentration-camp-like environment for years on end. 

Whether detained for just or for unjust reasons, decades of such confinement become an unusually cruel form of relentless punishment.

So pray with me on this third day of Christmas for the humane release of three people like the following:

Mr. A. Jefferson Grissette #1143033, currently at St, Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake was free on parole and doing well just two years ago. He had a good job, was working full time, paying off his debts and getting his life together. Unfortunately, he became a convenient suspect in a credit card theft case in Arlington because of some similar crimes for which he had been convicted earlier in his life. The only evidence against him was based on his resembling an obscure image caught on a surveillance camera. Without due process, he got another 18 years in prison after being urged to take a plea agreement rather than face a jury trial.

Also please pray for the release of men like Mr. Nat Painter #1009725, age 72, who is still incarcerated for a crime he committed 19 years ago, but who has consistently demonstrated good behavior in prison, and only wants a few remaining years of a normal life with his loved ones. He has repeatedly been denied parole in spite of his almost certainly not being any further danger to society. His address is Coffeewood Correctional Center, 12352 Coffeewood Drive, Mitchells, VA 22792.

Virginia Public Radio

Likewise, pray for the release of Mr. Jens Soering #1161655, age 47, to his native Germany. Jens, whom I met at the Buckingham Correctional Center a couple of months ago, has just spent his 28th Christmas in a Virginia prison for a crime he says he foolishly confessed to at age 20 to save his then girl friend from being convicted of capital murder. As a son of a German diplomat he assumed he would be sent to Germany for a trial and get a lesser sentence. When she testified against him he got two life sentences here and she got 90 years. Jens has had nine books published since his incarceration. His address is BKCC, P.O. Box 430, Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430.

For an excellent Washington Post column by George Will on mandatory sentencing, check this link.

And here's a good article on the increasing numbers of aging citizens in our prisons.

On This Third Day Of Christmas, We Pray For Release For Long Held Prisoners

John Bennie Williams, second from left, is 83 and legally blind

"I, the Lord, have called you... to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV

Imagine spending half of your time every day confined to a space as small as a medium size bathroom. At meal times and some other times you live in equally crowded spaces surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire, never able to get away from the hundreds of fellow detainees with whom you share a concentration-camp-like environment for years on end. 

Whether detained for just or for unjust reasons, decades of such confinement result in an unusually cruel form of punishment.

So pray with me on this third day of Christmas for the humane release of people such as the following:

Mr. A. Jefferson Grissette #1143033, currently at St, Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake was free on parole and doing well just four years ago. He had a good job, was working full time, paying off his debts and getting his life together. Unfortunately, he became a convenient suspect in a credit card theft case in Arlington because of some similar crimes for which he had been convicted earlier. The only evidence against him was based on his resembling an obscure image caught on a surveillance camera. Without due process, he got another 18 years in prison after being urged to take a plea agreement rather than face a jury trial.

Also please pray for the release of men like Mr. Nat Painter #1009725, age 75, who is still incarcerated for a crime he committed 21 years ago, but who has consistently demonstrated good behavior in prison, and only wants a few remaining years of a normal life with his loved ones. He has  repeatedly been denied parole in spite of his almost certainly not being any further danger to society. His address is Coffeewood Correctional Center, 12352 Coffeewood Drive, Mitchells, VA 22792.

Virginia Public Radio

Likewise, pray for the release of Mr. Jens Soering #1161655, age 50, to his native Germany. Jens, whom I met at the Buckingham Correctional Center a couple of years ago, has just spent his 31st Christmas in a Virginia prison for a crime he says he foolishly confessed to at age 20 to save his then girl friend from being convicted of capital murder. As a son of a German diplomat he assumed he would be sent to Germany for a trial and get a lesser sentence. Recent evidence supports his innocence. Jens has had nine books published since his incarceration. His address is BKCC, P.O. Box 430, Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430.

Here's a link to contact the Governor to express your concerns. Check the "Department of Public Safety" and ask for a response:
https://governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/communicating-with-the-governors-office/

And here's a link to other names of inmates deserving of consideration for parole: 
http://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2016/12/please-free-deserving-ex-offenders.html

On This Third Day Of Christmas--Pray For The Release Of Long Held Prisoners

Some good men at Buckingham Correctional Center

"I, the Lord, have called you... to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."

Isaiah 42:6-7 NIV

Imagine spending half of your time every day confined to a space as small as a medium size bathroom. At meal times and some other times you live in equally crowded spaces surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire, never able to get away from the hundreds of fellow detainees with whom you share a concentration-camp-like environment for years on end. 

Whether detained for just or for unjust reasons, decades of such confinement result in an unusually cruel form of punishment.

So pray with me on this third day of Christmas for the humane release of three people such as the following:

Mr. A. Jefferson Grissette #1143033, currently at St, Brides Correctional Center in Chesapeake was free on parole and doing well just four years ago. He had a good job, was working full time, paying off his debts and getting his life together. Unfortunately, he became a convenient suspect in a credit card theft case in Arlington because of some similar crimes for which he had been convicted earlier in his life. The only evidence against him was based on his resembling an obscure image caught on a surveillance camera. Without due process, he got another 18 years in prison after being urged to take a plea agreement rather than face a jury trial.

Also please pray for the release of men like Mr. Nat Painter #1009725, age 74, who is still incarcerated for a crime he committed 21 years ago, but who has consistently demonstrated good behavior in prison, and only wants a few remaining years of a normal life with his loved ones. He has  repeatedly been denied parole in spite of his almost certainly not being any further danger to society. His address is Coffeewood Correctional Center, 12352 Coffeewood Drive, Mitchells, VA 22792.

Virginia Public Radio

Likewise, pray for the release of Mr. Jens Soering #1161655, age 49, to his native Germany. Jens, whom I met at the Buckingham Correctional Center a couple of years ago, has just spent his 30th Christmas in a Virginia prison for a crime he says he foolishly confessed to at age 20 to save his then girl friend from being convicted of capital murder. As a son of a German diplomat he assumed he would be sent to Germany for a trial and get a lesser sentence. When she testified against him he got two life sentences here and she got 90 years. Jens has had nine books published since his incarceration. His address is BKCC, P.O. Box 430, Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430.

For an excellent Washington Post column by George Will on mandatory sentencing, check this link.

And here's a good article on the increasing numbers of aging citizens in our prisons.

Please Free Deserving Ex-Offenders

source

There is virtually no precedent in history for confining people in steel and concrete cages for life, a practice that is in many ways as cruel as a death sentence. The following was recently sent to me by an inmate at Buckingham Correctional Center:

Dear Governor Terrance McAuliffe:

Annually the President of the United States pardons turkeys. Why can't you as the Governor of Virginia pardon some humans who have proven that they are rehabilitated? Shouldn't it be considered unjust to continue to keep individuals incarcerated once they have successfully completed their DOC mandated education, programs, and vocational trades and are no longer a substantial risk to the community? 

Code of Virginia section 53.1-155 states that a thorough investigation will be made by the Parole Board of an inmate's history, physical/mental condition, character, conduct, employment and attitude while in prison. 

Here are just a few parole eligible prisoners who were sentenced prior to the January 1, 1995 implementation of Virginia's "No Parole" law and who continue to receive "Not Grant" reports from the Virginia Parole Board.

1). RONALD ANTHONY BLAIR, #1137599 - born, c. 1957 - incarcerated in 1987. Mr. Blair, housed in the Honor Housing Unit, has been a model prisoner throughout his incarceration.

2). ROBERT DAVIS FITCHETT, JR., #1035660 - born, September 29, 1963 - Mr. Fitchett was fifteen years young when he committed his crime in 1979 and was sentenced to two life sentences plus 21 years, but with the prospect of earning early parole release. The judge who sentenced him said that if he did well in prison he would "soon be able to walk the streets again". As you can see, this is not the case. Robert's family and lawyer saw the board on Tuesday the 5th of July and on Sunday the 10th of July their "Not Grant" decision was made which left only three working days to investigate his case. Robert has not received an infraction in approximately twenty-five (25) years, but each time the Board receives a victim impact statement, he automatically receives a three-year deferral (7-consecutive which equals 21 years) regardless of what Robert has achieved while incarcerated. Robert has been a model prisoner, having been housed for years in an Honor Housing Unit and has worked over twelve years for Virginia Correctional Enterprises at Buckingham.

3). RONALD GRIFFIN, #1165808 - born, c. 1962. Mr. Griffin has also been a model prisoner throughout his incarceration.

4). KENNETH RAY PACK, #1063808 - born, March 18, 1950, incarcerated since 1991. Mr. Pack has likewise been a model prisoner throughout his incarceration.

5). CLARENCE DUKE REYNOLDS, #1174999 - born, June 26, 1949. Mr. Reynolds committed his crime January 21, 1991. He has worked as the Chaplains Assistant and Clerk for numerous years, and is a model prisoner.

6). MINOR JUNIOR SMITH, #1158588 - born, May 3, 1946. Mr. Smith, legally Blind since the age of five, committed his crime in August 24, 1971. He is the author of an autobiography, "ABUSED", and writes poetry about his abuse as a child and his many years of mental, physical and sexual abuse since his incarceration. He is a certified Braille transcriber and has has been a model prisoner throughout the 45 years he has been incarcerated.

7). JENS SOERING, #1161655 - born c. 1966. Mr. Soering, originally from Germany is an award-winning author of nine books he's written while incarcerated  He insists he is innocence, and the primary investigator of his criminal case now agrees in light of recently uncovered new evidence. He too has been a model prisoner throughout his incarceration. 

8). ALLAN NOAH SPITZER, JR., #1110939 - born, June 20, 1949. Mr. Spitzer was arrested for aiding and abetting a murder and robbery in 1985. Allan is also a model prisoner and a trusted worker with Virginia Correctional Enterprises as a shipping clerk.

9). CHARLES EDWARD ZELLERS, SR., #1036758 - born April 10, 1968. Mr. Zellers accepted an Alford Plea and has been incarcerated since January 24, 1993. Charles is also a model prisoner and has worked for Virginia Correctional Enterprises for numerous years as a supervisor in the T-molding/Table Top and Open Plan Systems Department. He would like to have a statewide database kept with jail and prison inmates complaints and grievances listed. Charles has a passion for making Virginia a better state through the treatment and through computer, job and vocational training, and has educated school students about crime, laws and punishment. This is his first time in prison.

I pray that you will require the parole board members to have compassion and start granting parole to the old-law discretionary eligible prisoners who have successfully completed their DOC mandated treatment and have proven while incarcerated to no longer being a threat to their communities. The parole grant rate in 1994 was around 44% and now it is only 1 or 2 %. Why pay millions of dollars annually to keep "corrected" inmates in prison?

Sincerely,

A Virginia inmate

Note: The Parole Board's October release rate was a mere 8 inmates of over 200 cases reviewed for the state's Department of Corrections. A Department of Education with that kind of graduation rate would be considered a total failure.

Here's a link to contact the governor: 
https://governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/communicating-with-the-governors-office

An Appeal To Members Of Virginia's New Parole Board

Virginia Parole Board
6900 Atmore Drive
Richmond, VA 23225
(804) 674-3081 

Current members:
- Ms. Karen Brown, chair
- Mr. Algie T. Howell, Jr., vice-chair
- The Reverend Doctor A. Lincoln James (pastor of Trinity Church in Richmond)
- Mr. Sherman R. Lea (Roanoke City Council member, former VDOC head, Western District)
- Mr. Minor F. Stone (25 years in law enforcement)

Dear Parole Board member:

Congratulations on your recent appointment to the current Parole Board.

According to the Parole Board website,  "The Virginia Parole Board... continues to be empowered by Virginia Code Section 53.1-136 to make the following decisions:

• to conditionally release inmates who are parole eligible,
• to revoke parole and post release supervision of those under supervision found to be in violation of the terms of their release, and
• to investigate, prepare reports and advise the Governor, when requested, on Executive Clemencies.

The Board has the legal responsibility to act on geriatric requests for conditional release under Virginia Code Section 53.1 - 40.01."

I hope you will increase the numbers of prisoners who have been behind bars for many years and who could be safely released to their families and communities. A number of men with whom I have been in correspondence were incarcerated on the basis of plea agreements in which they were told that if they served some of their time and exhibited good behavior they would be eligible for parole in a reasonably short time.

Such promises were never kept for countless numbers of persons who, in spite of their best efforts, have been refused parole year after year because of "the severity of their crimes", something they are of course powerless to change. Many of these parole eligible inmates are over fifty, having passed the age where their being at risk for re-offending is dramatically reduced. Many of them would in fact qualify for geriatric release.

I offer the following names only as examples of good people I believe deserve to be given their second chance. As a taxpaying citizen, I fail to see the merits of detaining persons long after they have demonstrated that they have learned their lesson and are ready to become contributing members of society:

Mr. James E. Bender #1010837 (excellent prison record, seeks parole after spending years in prison under old law)
Greensville Correctional Center
901 Corrections Way
Jarratt, VA 23870-6914

Mr. Stephano Colosi #1037581 (excellent prison record, is an active advocate for geriatric release for aging prisoners)
Buckingham Correctional Center
P. O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430

M. Steven W. Goodman #1028377 (excellent prison record, active in doing legal research on restoration of parole)
Buckingham Correctional Center
P. O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430

Mr. Danny Haskin 1005852 (excellent prison record and has taken every educational opportunity available to him)
Greensville Correctional Center
901 Corrections Way
Jarratt, VA 23870

Mr. A. Jefferson Grissette #1143033 (wrongfully sentenced based on plea bargain and photo line-up, excellent prison record)
St. Brides Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 16482
Chesapeake, VA 23328

Mr. Nat Painter 1009725 (age 72, incarcerated 19 years, denied parole in spite of excellent prison record)
Coffeewood Correctional Center
12352 Coffeewood Drive
Mitchells, VA 22792

Mr. Jens Soering #1161655 (47-year-old who seeks return to his native Germany, has authored six books on prison life and prison reform since 1986, when he was incarcerated for a wrongful confession)
Buckingham Correctional Center
P.O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430

Mr. Jonathan D. White #1161021 (has exceptional prison and education record and has worked hard to earn parole)
Powhatan Correctional Center
3600 Woods Way
State Farm, VA 23160

Mr. Charles E. Zellers, Sr. #1036758 (excellent prison record, active in prison reform efforts)
Buckingham Correctional Center Bl-113-B
P.O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936

Sincerely,

Harvey Yoder, LPC
11345 Hamlet Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Reminder: Send A Card Or Letter To An Inmate

public radio photo

"Remember those in prison as if you were also in bonds, and those who suffer as though you were suffering with them."  

Hebrews 13:3

This year I've suggested that my friends and family members send a Christmas card to someone behind bars rather than to us, and that we sincerely wish them God's blessings and will do the same.

When (not if!) you send your card to one or more of the following (or to some other inmates you know) you can include an article, a photocopy of an inspirational piece, your Christmas letter, etc.. The total should be one ounce or less, and no more than four items:

James E. Bender #1010837 (seeks parole after spending years in prison)
Greensville Correctional Center
901 Corrections Way
Jarratt, VA 23870-6914

Stephano Colosi #1037581 (active advocate for geriatric release for aging prisoners)
Buckingham Correctional Center
P. O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430

M. Steven W. Goodman #1028377 (active in doing legal research on restoration of parole)
Green Rock Correctional Center
P. O. Box 1000
Chatham, VA 24531

A. Jefferson Grissette #1143033 (wrongfully sentenced based on plea bargain and photo line-up)
St. Brides Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 16482
Chesapeake, VA 23328

Nat Painter 1009725 (age 73, incarcerated 19 years, denied geriatric release in spite of good record)
Coffeewood Correctional Center
12352 Coffeewood Drive
Mitchells, VA 22792

Jens Soering #1161655 (German author, age 47, in prison since 1986 for a wrongful confession)
Buckingham Correctional Center
P.O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936-0430

Jonathan D. White #1161021 (has worked hard to earn parole, has been denied year after year)
Augusta Correctional Center
1821 Estaline Valley Road
Craigsville VA 24430

Charles E. Zellers, Sr. #1036758 (also denied parole year after year in spite of an excellent record)
Buckingham Correctional Center B1-113-T
P.O. Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936

If for whatever reason you prefer not to include your return address with your letter, you can have the person respond to me and I'll relay their message to you (assuming I have your contact information). In my 50-plus years of corresponding with individuals in prison I have never had any problems resulting from disclosing my address, but some people do recommend against it.

HARD TIME VIRGINIA, Volume 5, Number 1 (an occasional newsletter by and for incarcerated Virginians)

Its mission is to "grant parole to those whose
release is compatible with public safety."

2019 Parole Release Rate Low in Spite of New Member

Kemba Smith Pradia, whose 26 year sentence for being implicated in her boy friend's drug dealing was commuted in 2006 (after her serving 6 years of her time) was appointed to the Virginia Parole Board by Governor Northam in September. Pradia, a domestic violence survivor and a national advocate and consultant in the criminal justice arena for over 20 years, is seen as a welcome addition to the Board by most justice advocates.

     Parole grants remain exceptionally low so far through September of this year, as follows:

118 regular grants

21 geriatric releases

5 board reviews

36 continued back to parole (violations)

14 discharged (violations)

Overall Total Releases = 194 statewide.

     One recent dramatic development was the Board's release of Jens Soering to his native Germany. He had been incarcerated for over 30 years for a crime he insists he did not commit, but one he says he confessed to in an effort to save his girl friend from the death sentence, believing that as a German citizen he would be extradited to his home country for trial and acquittal.

Another Suicide at a Virginia Correctional Center
Sometime on September 23, 2019, Donald Edward Worrell, age 76, hanged himself in his cell at the Buckingham Correctional Center. According to a friend of his, Worrell, was a "tall, gentle, humble, soft spoken man" who had been denied parole for the 21st time for a crime he committed forty years ago. "He was just a humble, easy going guy,” he said.
     According to inside reports, Mr. Worrell had begun attending Sunday night church services several months ago, but failed to show up on Sunday, September 22, undoubtedly a sign that he had given up hope of ever being free.
     Suicides are an all too familiar tragedy in Virginia prisons, where even model prisoners are denied release time after time on the basis of "the seriousness of the crime," no matter how transformed they have become since their crime or crimes have been committed.
     The current chair of the Virginia Parole Board, is known to have said that the remaining prisoners legally eligible for parole under the "old law" (incarcerated before parole was abolished in 1995) are the "worst of the worst" in terms of the crimes for which they have been sentenced. But what if, due to an offender's personal penitence and thorough change of life, he or she may have joined the ranks of the "best of the best," having demonstrated the ability to be infraction free in the worst environment imaginable, a state prison?

Dental Care in a State of Decay in the DOC

Virginia's prisoners used to be able to see a dental hygienist at least once a year to have their teeth cleaned and checked, but it's become increasingly difficult to get an appointment for dental work of any kind, according to reports from those behind bars. 

     "All the dentists want to do is extract our teeth," one long time prisoner lamented, "For the ones who have gone so long without dental services, they have had to get the majority of their teeth pulled so they won't have constant pain and suffering."

     DOC dentists do not automatically put such people on a soft or liquid diet unless they specifically request it, so many eat what they can until their gums get hard enough to eat most foods, according to reports.  

     "I personally know men who have been waiting over a year to receive dentures, and many times once they receive them, they still don't fit," is a familiar complaint. In Virginia, dentures are made by prisoners. 

Please share this information with the Governor of Virginia who can be reached at:

> governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/communicating-with-the-governors-office

VOICE MAIL: (804) 786-2211

And contact the Virginia Department of Correction's Chief of Medical Services, Mark Amonette at:

P. O. Box 26963

Richmond, Virginia 23261-6963

As Prisoners Continue to Die, Virginia Appeals Federal Court Order Mandating Better Health Care

 Ned Oliver

Virginia Mercury, August 14, 2019

Inmates at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women weren’t particularly surprised when Margie Ryder died last month. Sad, yes. But sick inmates at Fluvanna die with frequency. In 2016, a judge approved a settlement of a lawsuit brought by inmates alleging medical care at the facility was so poor it violated inmates’ constitutional rights. The Department of Corrections promised to make improvements while denying any wrongdoing.Twelve deaths later, a federal judge ruled the prison wasn’t keeping up its end of the bargain and ordered the state to hire more staff and take inmate health complaints more seriously.“Some women have died along the way,” Judge Norman K. Moon acknowledged in a January decision. 

This year: at least three more deaths that raise concerns about medical care, according to the Legal Aid Justice Center, which is representing the women.Among them, Ryder, a 39-year-old who was serving a two-year sentence for embezzlement and was due to be released in October. Her friends at the prison say she was terrified her chronic medical condition was being managed so poorly that she’d die. After she was hospitalized three times following lapses in the delivery of her medication, she asked Judge Moon to intervene in her care. His ruling was still pending when she passed.

“When she did die, it didn’t surprise anybody here,” said inmate Shebri Dillon, who says prisoners at the facility resort to performing medical procedures on themselves when they can’t get prison staff to take them seriously. Dillon has her own horror stories, including cleaning out an infection in her gums with Q-tips before packing the socket with table salt smuggled from the mess hall. “So many people have died. It’s like, at this point, we almost practice Civil War medicine ourselves.”

State says nothing’s wrong

Officially, the state concedes no deficiencies in the quality of the care it provides to inmates at Fluvanna or any other state prison. Department of Corrections Director Herald Clark told lawmakers earlier this year that the legal setbacks were a result of court-room technicalities rather than a reflection of the care inmates receive. As for all those deaths, they argue that prison inmates are typically less healthy than the general population as a result of poor life decisions leading up to their incarceration. And prisons are difficult environments in which to provide health care. The state is in the process of appealing Moon’s January ruling, which, among other things, required the facility to provide “meaningful responses” to medical grievance requests and boost its medical staff to a minimum of 78 employees...

Here's a link to the rest of Oliver's piece:

https://www.virginiamercury.com/2019/08/14/as-prisoners-continue-to-die-virginia-appeals-ourt-order-mandating-better-healthcare/

HARD TIME Editor Faces Health Challenges (updated)
"My recovery from heart bypass surgery in July has been remarkable, but the tumor recently removed from my parotid gland (on the left side of my jaw) revealed a form of cancer known as mucoepidermoidcarcinoma (not adenocarcinoma as earlier thought). The surgeon believes it was all safely removed, but four of the seven lymph nodes he took out at the same time were also found to contain cancer cells, but thankfully those are no longer in my body. I will have a series of radiation treatments beginning in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, if I can fully recover the normal use of my tongue, the muscles of which have been somewhat affected by some nerve damage in surgery, I should be OK. 
Thanks for your love and prayers."                                                        - Harvey Yoder 11/29/19