[ [link removed] ]John Fetterman


John,

People in prison are people. They are our fathers, mothers, brothers,
sisters, children, and friends. Our community members and neighbors.



Right now, Pennsylvania has many wonderful people who are stuck with the
impact of serving sentences of excessive incarceration and community
supervision. Until recently, this included Dr. Paul Ezell.



[ [link removed] ]Portrait of Dr. Paul Ezell.

Dr. Ezell is a Black optometrist from Havertown, PA. More than seven years
ago he lost his freedom, all for growing medical marijuana for his sick
wife who was dying.

In April of 2014, police burst into Dr. Ezell’s house, arresting him and
confiscating plants he had grown to ease his wife’s pain. He pled guilty
and was served a prison sentence. He was stripped of his medical license,
his life and livelihood destroyed.

Just like that — a man without even a speeding ticket on his record — was
given a felony conviction for a medical plant that years later would
become completely legal in Pennsylvania.

John, the
harms that Black and brown people have endured under marijuana prohibition
and the War on Drugs are so deep. In fact, Black people are arrested for
violating marijuana possession laws at nearly four times the rate of white
people.

The upsetting truth is that Dr. Ezell’s case isn’t an outlier. Multiply
his case by tens of thousands each year, and we’ll scratch the surface of
good people who have unjustly lost their freedom.

John and I firmly believe that EVERYONE is better off when we invest in
people and second chances, instead of excessive punishment.

We need criminal justice reform. And along with legalizing weed for
recreational and medicinal use, it is urgent that we expunge all marijuana
records and release all those incarcerated for marijuana.

John’s dedication to second chances is one of the main reasons why I am
proud to serve as Political Director here on our campaign. In the two
years since taking office as Lieutenant Governor, John committed not only
to seeing Dr. Ezell’s case though — but to reimagining second chances in
PA in a way that hasn’t been done before.

After eliminating pardon application fees, Pennsylvania saw a 500%
increase in clemency applications. PA commuted more deserving lifers
(folks serving Life without Parole) in the past two years than in the
previous 25 years combined. John also helped establish an expedited review
process for low-level cannabis charges.

This work is making a real difference. In May, Dr. Ezell’s pardon was
approved and signed (though as John has made clear, while a pardon will
help Dr. Ezell get some measure of his life back, it should have never
been stripped from him in the first place).

That's why John and our entire campaign are dedicated to fighting for
second chances, dignity, and humanity for our incarcerated community
members and their loved ones.

[ [link removed] ]If that’s the kind of leader you want fighting for you,
John, will you chip in any
amount right now to our campaign to help elect John Fetterman to the U.S.
Senate where he’ll keep fighting for second chances for everyone? I
wouldn’t ask if it weren’t so important.

[ [link removed] ]Donate »

Thank you so much for your support,

Celeste

Celeste Trusty
Political Director
John Fetterman for U.S. Senate


 


This email was sent to [email protected]. Email is the most important way for us to reach you about opportunities to get involved. If you need to remove yourself from our email list, click here to unsubscribe: [link removed]

Paid for by Fetterman for PA.