Lieutenant Governor Fetterman Kemps His Word

On July 11, 2018 Let’s Get Free hosted a community dialogue on pardons and parole. Panelists included CADBI members Robert Saleem Holbrook, Carol Speaks, Liz Guyer, Marcie Marra, and Pittsburg based politicians John Fetterman, Ed Gainey, Sara Innamorato, Summer Lee.

During the discussion, the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman stated the following:

1.      He opposed the unanimous vote on the Board of pardons for lifers and believes it is an impossible burden for a lifer.

2.      He supports judges having discretion when it comes to sentencing prisoners to life, which is a tacit support of parole for lifers that we can use.

3.      He said he supports changes to the Board of Pardons.

4.      He would consider presumptive parole for prisoners.

His statements as well as the whole event were recorded and are on YouTube. If elected, he should be held accountable to his word. The video is linked through Let’s Get Free’s website – http://www.letsgetfree.info

In his first year as pardons board chair, Lt. Governor Fetterman has made clemency his highest priority. He’s traveled to state prisons to encourage aging prisoners to apply for commutations.

 

UPDATE - after my seventh denial, my application number 3367 0 has been granted a public hearing scheduled for June 2020 session.

Restorative Justice Workshops by Daniel Cummings

Saturday morning January 25, 2020... While on my way to my first Restorative Justice workshop I noticed the Department of Corrections policy hanging on the walls. Their policy principles caught my attention because the words are similar to Restorative Justice Principles.

“The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections operates as one team, embraces diversity, and commits to enhancing safety. We are proud of our reputation as leaders in the correction field. Our mission is to reduce criminal behavior by providing individualized treatment and education through accountability and positive change.”

I am now anxious to get into the room so that the facilitators could get the program started. “Let’s Circle Up” would begin at 8:00 AM and end at 3:45 PM.

In all of my programming over the past 48 years of my incarceration I can honestly tell you that Restorative justice is one of the best programs that the Department of Corrections has to offer.

If you are sincere about accountability, redemption, and healing for the communities that you will be returning to, I encourage you to get involved in Restorative Justice Programs. One of the things that surprised me was the number of young men participating in the program.

It is Saturday morning and there are so many other activities that these young brothers could be involved in, but they have turned off the TV, cancelled their weekend activities to discuss and share personal tragedies that have occurred in their lives with others who might be still grieving from the harm that they have caused others.

In listening to their stories, I became aware that many of them never had a childhood. They grew up literally from boys to men physically, emotionally, and mentally in dysfunctional households with families that had no idea of what it means to be a man. Their understanding of manhood was learned from the streets. Our communities need more long-term dedicated mentors.

-Daniel Cummings #AF4891

Remorseful...Justice Still Eludes Offender/Victim

Webster’s Definition of Remorse “A Deep moral anguish and regret for past misdeeds.”

I know the meaning of the word, but how does one find remorse in a case such as mine?

August 20, 1972, my wife was drugged and viciously raped...On August 23, 197 I entered the home that my wife’s rapist was hiding in, and I made the mistake of taking the law into my own hands

Over the years, I have wrestled with the burden of causing the death of another human being, for decades I struggled with the what if’s and the why me? And I often think of the family affected by my actions.

To the innocent people occupying the home that my wife’s rapist was hiding in... I give to you my sincere apology. Ruth, you and my wife was very close friends... Please know that I never had any intentions of harming you. My rage was only directed at the man who drugged and raped my wife.

Emotionally, the crime that I committed and was convicted of caused a great deal of pain, anger, hatred and suffering. People grieve in different way, but the grief is always there.

At my trial I could see that the pain was apparent from both of our families, I can’t describe the torment that the family of my wife’s rapist had to go through with their loss, but understanding that pain and suffering is not alien to any particular people, I know that they coped the best way that they could.

For a number of years I had no remorse. I felt that my actions was justified, my distorted religious views at that time conditioned me to believe that my actions of defending and protecting my family was what any real man would do.

However, my many years of spiritual growth, counseling, and therapeutic programs, I have now discarded all notion that such extreme actions are justified, and one of the first things that I did after I was baptized in 1988, was to write a letter expressing my remorse to the family of my wife’s rapist. I sent the letter to the commutation board to be forward on to the family.

I am deeply sorry for the pain that my actions caused not only the family of my wife’s rapist but my family as well, my remorse is genuine, it comes from the heart, and I take full responsibility for the actions that occurred during the early morning hours of August 23,1972.

My fate is now in the hands of the Pennsylvania Pardons Board... and my question to the commutation board members is... How long will justice elude the cry from a remorseful man?

 

Respectfully Submitted with sincerity 

Daniel Cummings

Urgent Message to African Americans and All Men of Color STOP THE KILLINGS

Many years ago during the era of legalized slavery, the African American women, and many women of color were beaten and forcefully raped by wicked slave masters and over-seers.

Decades up from that deplorable and horrible history that our ancestors were forced to endure, the African American woman and women of color are now willingly giving and selling their souls to strange men. And in many instances, it is the African American man and men of color who subjects our women to this degrading and shameful way of life.

African American and Latino men, the next time you step out the front or back door of your home, stop for a few moments and take a long look at our communities; observe the mentality of our people.

Stop the killings.

Stop selling drugs to our women.

Stop forcing our women to sell their precious bodies to strange men.

I am so tired of seeing our women running around acting like a fool on the Jerry Springer and Maury Show, and I’m tired of turning on the evening news and seeing men of color caught on camera doing stupid shit.

African American men and women, Latino sisters and brothers, we are the descendants of kings and queens. Royalty runs through our veins. Far too many of our people have fallen from grace. We can, and we must do better.

Please!

Please!

Please!

STOP THE KILLINGS