SUPPORT EFREN PAREDES JR.’S REQUEST FOR COMMUTATION! hit link:
https://amnesty.quorum.us/campaign/158629
VOD EDITOR DIANE BUKOWSKI: Efren Paredes was 15 when he was given three life sentences for a murder in Benton Harbor, MI that he did not commit. The racist and criminal injustice system there and in Berrien County repeatedly denied his requests for re-sentencing as a juvenile lifer pursuant to U.S. Supreme Court rulings in Miller v. Alabama (2012) and Montgomery v. Louisiana (2016). VOD has covered Efren’s story since 2010, carrying on coverage by the MICHIGAN CITIZEN previously. BE SURE TO HIT THE LINK TO SIGN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S DIGITAL PETITION TO GOV. WHITMER:
https://amnesty.quorum.us/campaign/158629
Dear @GovGretchenWhitmer @GarlinGilchristMI & @MiCorrections
Rally at Michigan State Capitol against life without parole not only for juvenile lifers, but for all prisoners.
Many people in communities of color and other marginalized neighborhoods see the story of Efrén Paredes Jr. (MDOC #203116) as something bigger than one person. It speaks to the struggles so many families know — growing up in places where opportunity is limited, where bias shapes outcomes, and where young people are often punished more harshly than they deserve.
Children of color make up approximately 34% of Michigan’s children, but comprise 82% of people initially sentenced to die in prison over the last 13 years. This makes life-without-parole sentences a clearly unconstitutional racialized punishment policy when applied to children. (Children’s Defense Fund, “The State of America’s Children in Michigan: 2023 Factsheet” (2023)).
Those who have followed Efrén’s nearly four-decade-long journey behind bars since age 15, have witnessed his enormous growth, reflection, and tireless commitment to lifting others up through education and advocacy. People who support him say that mercy isn’t just a legal idea — it’s a moral one. They point out that justice should include redemption, healing, and the chance to rebuild a life. Supporters often share that Efrén’s transformation reflects the kind of hope our communities fight for every day: the belief that no one is beyond change, and no one should be defined forever by their worst moment.
Illustration from In These Times article on Efren Paredes Jr.
Today, Efrén is a college student in his junior year attending Western Michigan University’s Higher Education for the Justice-Involved (HEJI) program, where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree and majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies.
He is also a journalist and social justice changemaker who works to support racial justice, conflict resolution, and empower members of marginalized communities. A list of Efrén’s impressive accomplishments during his incarceration can be accessed at: https://EfrensWords.home.blog/Efrens-Accomplishments.
Many community members across Michigan are calling on the Honorable Governor Gretchen Whitmer to consider what granting Efrén a commutation of his 1989 sentence would mean. They see it as an act of courage, compassion, and leadership that honors the dignity of every human being. They believe it would send a message that Michigan values fairness, second chances, and the voices of the people who are too often unheard. This would promote a more equitable and humane criminal legal system.
Gov. Whitmer signs law creating a commission on criminal justice reform in April, 2019.
According to a 2020 report by the Urban Institute (How Governors Can Use Categorical Clemency as a Corrective Tool) eighty percent of voters polled support using executive clemency to achieve reductions in prison populations. I add my voice to the 80% of individuals who support Governor Whitmer’s use of clemency and urge her to bestow mercy upon Efrén by granting his request for commutation of sentence.
It is my fervent prayer that the Governor will allow Efrén the opportunity to one day become a productive member of society. Without a granting of clemency, he could die in prison never once having experienced freedom during his adult life.
Thank you for your time and thoughtful consideration.
#FreeEfren #JusticeForAll #CommunitiesRise #SecondChancesMatter #HumanDignity #RedemptionIsReal #EndMassIncarceration #AbolishJLWOP #EndDBI #JusticeForYouth #HumanRights
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