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For 36 years I marked time between the prison walls. I missed my son's first day at school, my daughter's wedding and my mother's funeral, as I was living in prison for life.
What distinguishes my story is not illegal imprisonment. It is an unusual gift of early freedom. In 2017, the Missouri governor admitted tolerance in his first year, rejecting the traditional wisdom that mercy is politically safest at the end of the semester.
President Donald Trump's recent early second term pardon reflects this principle, in contrast to normal business. Obama reserved 61% of his pardon in his final year, and Biden concentrated his 90%.
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The president not only saved the last few years, but also the last time, but also Trump who pardoned 116 as his term expired, President Barack Obama at 330 on his last day, and Bill Clinton at 177 when he exited the door.
Unlike his predecessor, President Donald Trump has signed many pardons since the beginning of his second term. File: Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday, March 20, 2025 in the Eastern Room of the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Ben Cartis)
Why such a delay? Political survival instinct. Republican President Gerald Ford's amnesty, President Richard Nixon, cost him the presidency in 1976, but Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Willie Horton Farlow, Willie Horton Farlow, derailed the 1988 presidential campaign. The lesson has been revealed. Mercy is distributed only when voters no longer have accurate punishment.
Trump's early pardons highlight exactly why executives normally wait – they fear backlash. His January 6th tolerance sparked intense criticism, with detractors looking at the reward of loyalty rather than rehabilitation awareness. These concerns are debate, but sticking to who receives mercy obscures the important truth about when – justice is rejected.
I witnessed this reality every day behind the bar. The primary school-educated woman has become a university graduate. The broken spirit has transformed into a mentor. But the cruel irony of the system remained. Clear rehabilitation had no meaning for political calculations.
My case proves this point. Despite recommendations from multiple parole committees on releases, six governors left my files untouched. When the seventh time acknowledged tolerance in 2017, I reclaimed what politics had almost stolen.
This human cost has an incredible financial counterpart. Taxpayers spend more than $42,000 per federal prisoner each year and more than $33,274 per state inmate. The burden of incarceration in America approaches $1 trillion each year, according to the Institute for Justice Research and Development, which includes “costs for people, families, children and communities.” Timely Mercy can redirect these billions towards education, healthcare and community updates.
Americans overwhelmingly agree. 80% have expanded the presidential conflict and received nearly identical support from both political camps, including 84% of Harris supporters and 80% of Trump supporters. This consensus spans the entire criminal justice reform, where 81% of Americans support reform. Reducing statements and eliminating essential minimums also share strong bipartisan support.
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This rare harmony reflects how reform resonates beyond values. Fiscal conservatives refuse to spend futilely on non-violent offenders. Progressives address racial inequality. Faith leaders value redness. Constitutionalists defend legal protection. All routes lead to one conclusion. Massive incarceration fails morally, financially, and indeed our country.
This broad agreement has already produced tangible results. The first stage law of 2018 was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, reduced writing and expanded rehabilitation programs. Signed by Trump, it brings together a similarly different voice as progressive New Jersey Democrat Sen. Corey Booker and conservative Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley.
I witnessed this reality every day behind the bar. The primary school-educated woman has become a university graduate. The broken spirit has transformed into a mentor. But the cruel irony of the system remained. Clear rehabilitation had no meaning for political calculations.
Further progress requires rethinking tolerance as a moral obligation, not as a political responsibility. Practical reforms will conduct a quarterly tolerance review prioritizing older prisoners, people with disproportionate, non-violent sentences, and quarterly prisoners demonstrating rehabilitation.
A diverse panel of victim advocates, legal experts and judicial experts provides ethical guidance and political insulation, shifting the focus from avoiding controversy to rebuilding lives.
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I embody this repair. Today, I support myself through work, defending the simple rhythms of a still locked up treasure life, including homework help, unsupervised holidays, and seasonal gardening. It brings a quiet miracle every morning of what to eat, who to see, and when to go outside.
For the thousands of people still awaiting that freedom, I hope that leaders will find the courage to act when justice demands. It's not the time for politics to allow. In our divided countries, second chances offer a rare common foundation. There, breaking traditions helps not only justice and family, but our shared belief in America's ability to accountability and grace.
