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Embracing Redemption: The Release of Robert George

September 10, 2024/0 Comments/in Alabama Prisons, News, Uncategorized/by Uche Bean

 

In a moment marking 31 years of perseverance and transformation, Robert George celebrated his long-awaited release from prison. Convicted of manslaughter in 1994 and sentenced to life with the possibility of parole, his journey reflects the complexities of the justice system and the power of ‘redemption earned’.

For George, this day symbolizes not just freedom but the chance to reunite with family and embrace the joys of life beyond confinement. His story is one of resilience, forgiveness, and the pursuit of a second chance. [Watch Mr. George’s release here]

The tragic incident that led to George’s imprisonment weighed heavily on the hearts of many, including Mary Dale’s mother, who expressed support for his release. In her affidavit, she acknowledged the accident that claimed her daughter’s life and affirmed that George no longer posed a threat to the community.

As George, now 85 years old, looks forward to spending precious moments with his loved ones in Florida, questions linger about the lengthy sentence he served for manslaughter. Despite being denied parole in 2022, his determination to seek redemption never wavered.

Former Alabama Governor, Don Siegelman, shed light on the challenges of securing a second chance within the justice system [see video], highlighting the need for reforms that offer hope to inmates who have reformed and shown genuine remorse.

George’s attorney, Lauren Faraino, emphasized the importance of instilling hope and providing pathways to rehabilitation for incarcerated individuals. She advocated for reforms that empower inmates to learn, grow, and contribute positively to society upon their release.

For George, faith was a guiding light throughout his incarceration, reminding him to hold on to hope even in the darkest of times. His story serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for redemption, not just for himself but for others who seek a chance to rebuild their lives.

As he rejoices in his newfound freedom, George extends compassion to his fellow inmates who continue to serve long sentences, believing that everyone deserves the opportunity to reconnect with their families and contribute meaningfully to society.

The release of Robert George is not just a legal milestone but a celebration of redemption earned through perseverance, transformation, and the enduring power of hope. At his release his daughter was there to excitedly greet him.

Mr. George will get to spend time with his family(including multiple grandchildren he has never formerly met) whom reside in Florida.

https://www.redemptionearned.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-25-at-11.23.05-AM.png 930 2155 Uche Bean https://www.redemptionearned.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Main_Reversed-300x300.png Uche Bean2024-09-10 19:49:422024-09-11 14:54:01Embracing Redemption: The Release of Robert George

Executive Director’s Corner: Leola Harris, a dying woman DENIED parole.

January 11, 2023/26 Comments/in Criminal Justice, News, The Executive Director's Corner/by Admin

As the Executive Director of Redemption Earned, I attended our first medical parole hearing before the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles. This week, the Parole Board denied medical parole to a dying woman, a Redemption Earned client, Leola Harris.

This denial by the Parole Board was a blatant violation of its role in the criminal justice system. The Alabama code sets out the high standard an incarcerated person must meet to be awarded medical parole.

According to the testimony of Felicia Hall-Grace, Ms. Harris’s severe health conditions warrant parole. Ms. Grace is a registered nurse who is also a nursing instructor and case manager with 28 years of nursing experience. Ms. Harris was convicted of the murder of a homeless man she had befriended who entered her home. Even though she had no criminal history, not even a parking ticket, Ms. Harris was sentenced to 35 years in prison. She has served 19 years of that sentence as a model prisoner. The Parole Board has limited prospective parolees to 4 minutes if they have no legal representation or advocate and 6 minutes if they are fortunate enough to have an advocate. After listening to 6 minutes of testimony and argument from two Redemption Earned staff attorneys and an expert witness, with no family present in opposition, the two Parole Board members denied parole and set her re-hearing off for a maximum of five years.

Leola Harris, Sentence Date 11/24/2003

Medical testimony revealed that this is a death sentence as Ms. Harris suffers from:

  • End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
  • Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM)
  • Hypertension (HTN)
  • AV Fistula and Dialysis

The Alabama Department of Corrections, based on Ms. Harris’s severe life-threatening medical conditions, her multitude of disabilities, and lengthy stays in the infirmary, certified her to the Parole Board as meeting the statutory criteria for medical parole.

Even though Redemption Earned was fortunate to secure a nursing home placement for Ms. Harris, the Parole Board ignored the certification.  The Parole Board’s responsibility is to ask and answer two questions: Has the prospective parolee been adequately punished and is the prospective parolee a threat to public safety? Any reasonable person would conclude that 19 years is a sufficient sentence for a 71-year-old woman who is dying in prison. No one would say that a dying woman, who is confined to a wheelchair, who cannot perform basic personal body functions unassisted, is a danger to the public. This Parole Board not only failed Ms. Leola Harris, but they also failed the taxpayers of the State of Alabama. This denial of medical parole to a wheelchair- bound, weak, and dying woman is an injustice that the people of Alabama ought not accept or be forced to pay for.

-Sue Bell Cobb

Executive Director of Redemption Earned and Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice

https://www.redemptionearned.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Untitled-design.png 687 589 Admin https://www.redemptionearned.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Main_Reversed-300x300.png Admin2023-01-11 09:00:452023-01-11 16:39:31Executive Director’s Corner: Leola Harris, a dying woman DENIED parole.

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