Dear friend,

One year ago today, we threw a Hail Mary pass. COVID-19 was spreading through our nation’s prisons, and we were feeling helpless. We knew people in prison couldn’t practice social distancing and that the virus would spread quickly once it got inside.

But we also knew the compassionate release reform we had added to the First Step Act could help get vulnerable people out of federal prison.

So, a year ago today, we sent an email to our members in federal prison, urging them to request compassionate release if they met the CDC criteria that made them vulnerable to COVID. We asked them to let us know if they needed a lawyer, and said that we’d try to match as many people with pro bono attorneys as we could.

The response was enormous. We received more than 5,500 requests for assistance. Our staff worked around the clock to handle the flood of responses. We were fortunate to have great partners at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Washington Lawyers' Committee, as well as at the Federal Public and Community Defenders. Hundreds of lawyers, social workers, and doctors all volunteered their time to help. We and our partners trained the lawyers, worked with the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) on protocol for sharing medical records, and tried to match as many people with lawyers as we could.

A year later, we know this effort was worth it. Nearly 3,000 people have been granted compassionate release by federal courts since we threw that Hail Mary pass a year ago today. Getting compassionate release saved their lives.

We wish we could have helped more people. It hurt when we weren’t able to recruit more lawyers. We were disappointed that the BOP worked against us, denying almost every application. And we were saddened that some judges took so long that people died before their motions were considered.

Yet we take satisfaction in the fact that we did everything in our power to save lives. We’ve loved meeting some of the people who benefited from this effort. Seeing them safe at home and reconnecting with their families has been a gift. And it has bolstered our belief that all states should have compassionate release programs as expansive as the one created by the First Step Act.

Thanks to everyone who helped and encouraged us over the past year.

Sincerely,

Kevin Ring
President, FAMM

P.S. Our efforts were also helped generously by donations from our members. Please consider giving a gift to FAMM today: https://secure.everyaction.com/UCT_4puDKkCSCL2maz23eQ2