Action Left

On Monday, I published a post called Innocent Latino Youth Imprisoned for 20 years – Take Action! both here on Action Left and on my Diary at DailyKos. Several folks at DKos demanded more information about Efrén’s case. Ask and you shall receive:

Who is Efrén Paredes, Jr?

Efrén Paredes, Jr is a 35 year old Michigan man who has been in prison since age 15 for a murder he did not commit. Not only was he wrongfully convicted, but he received a mandatory life sentence without parole before he was legally able to drive or vote. During the past two decades that he has spent in prison, he has advocated tirelessly to end Juvenile Life Sentencing in Michigan and across the country. He is a talented poet and accomplished writer. In 2006, he was nominated as Poet of the Year by the International Society of Poets. He is one of the most dedicated and passionate advocates I have encountered.

Why Support the Free Efrén Paredes, Jr Campaign?

He Is Innocent

Paul Ciolino is the chief investigative advisor to Northwestern University Law School’s Center on Wrongful Convictions, the Medill School of Journalism, and DePaul University Center for Justice in Capital Cases. He is a certified legal and forensic examiner. According to Ciolino:

There is not one shred of credible evidence to suggest that Paredes was involved in the murder. No weapon, no eye witnesses, zero physical evidence, no motive, no prior conduct to suggest that a 15 year old student athlete and honor role student with no criminal background would have planned, participated [in] or committed this murder.

Efren was at home with his parents and siblings during the time of the robbery and murder. Other people plead guilty to the crime, some of whom the FBI found to have weapons, ammunition and narcotics.

His Trial Was Unjust From Start To Finish

In my previous post, some folks expressed doubt that a trial could be so stacked against any particular individual. In order to comprehend how this could be, its important to understand the background of Berrien County, Michigan where Efren’s trial was held.

Berrien County is one of the top 25 most segregated metropolitan areas in the country. St Joseph, where Efren was tried and convicted, is 95% white. The neighboring town, Benton Harbor, averaging a household income of $20,000 less than St. Joseph, is 92% Black and is literally separated by a physical barrier – a bridge – from St. Joseph.

Efren was convited by 11 White jurors and one Black juror. The judge, prosecutor, and all the investigating police were also all white. To say that the deck was stacked against him from the beginning because of his race is not an exaggeration.

In fact, All of the youth in Berrien County who have received life without parole (LWOP) sentences have been children of color.

As Nezua writes at the Unapologetic Mexican,

UNFORTUNATELY, all- or mostly-white juries and in mostly-white towns aided by white lawmen who institute their own type of justice disproportionately against people of color have a long history in the US. From Rubin Carter to Luis Ramirez; from Amadou Diallo to Billey Joe Johnson, the names change, but the stain of a dark refrain refuses to fade.

Some other unjust aspects of Efren’s trial:

- The prosecutor delivered false and misleading statements to the press prior to trial, introduced misleading evidence during the trial and failed to disclose that the jury foreman worked with the aunt of the victim of the crime.

- The case against Efren is circumstantial and the prosecution’s main arguments hinged on the testimony of other youth who received lesser sentences in exchange for their testimony against Efren.

- Three other people plead guilty to conspiracy, armed robbery and/or murder in this case. Two of them, 16 and 17 year old Asian males, were sentenced to 18-24 years. The other, a 16 year old white male, spent six months in a juvenile detention center and was never charged for any crime by the prosecutor, even though an FBI search found weapons, ammunition and narcotics that tied him to the crime.

Mandating That Children Be Sent to Prison for Life Is A Moral Stain On Our Country

Forgive the preachy subheading, but its true. This is terribly inhumane and has been categorized as such by Human Rights Watch, Amenesty International and entire countries all around the world. It disgusts me that our country lectures others about the responsibility to uphold human rights while sentencing children as young as 12 to spend the rest of their lives behind bars. Efren was 15 years old. After over two decades, he deserves his freedom.

To learn more about Efren Paredes, Jr, Mario Rocha, and other victims of Juvenile Life Without Parole sentences, visit Abolish LWOP Sentences for Children in the US

Who Else Supports Efrén’s Cause?

In addition to Paul Ciolino, below is a list of some of Efren’s distinguished supporters:

- Dr. Elizabeth “Betita” Martinez, Director, Institute for MultiRacial Justice

- Dr. Carlos Munoz, Jr., Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley

- Dr. Rodolfo Acuña, Chicano studies scholar

- Dr. Jorge Chinea, Director of Chicano-Boricua Studies Department, Wayne State University

- Juana Alicia, muralist, printmaker, educator, and activist

- Favianna Rodriguez, political printmaker, digital artist, activist

- Dr. Martha Grace Duncan, Professor of Law, Emory University

- Dr. Walter Garcia-Kawamoto, Journal of Adolescent Research

- Elena Herrada, Director of Centro Obrero

- Elisha Miranda aka E-Fierce, filmmaker, writer, and activist

Earlier this year, the Berkeley (California) City Council voted to condemn Efren’s sentence as a human rights violation. The National Lawyers Guild has endorsed Efren’s bid for freedom. He has been featured in studies by the ACLU, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Efren Paredes, Jr was wrongfully convicted and cruelly sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison while the guilty parties now walk free. He has amassed an international following of people convinced of his innocence and outraged at this miscarriage of justice.

What Can We Do?

Efrén has petitioned Michigan Governor Granholm to commute his sentence. Efren, his family and the entire TIME committee are calling for as many people as possible to contact the Governor through letters, fax, email or phone calls. They are also asking that we educate others about how to get involved.

Contact Governor Granholm and urge her to grant his request here.

For other ways to get involved and to learn more about Efren’s case, visit:

Free Efren Paredes, Jr Blog
The Injustice Must End

Efren is a talented poet, writer and social justice advocate. And most of all, he is someone’s son. And husband. Someone’s family member. Why is it so easy to forget that people in prison have loved-ones who care for them and suffer greatly when they are incarcerated.

The United States of America imprisons more of its own people than any other country in the world. It would be nice to believe that our criminal justice system is fair and humane and exempt from making mistakes, but to believe this is to believe in myth and fantasy. Wrongful convictions and terribly unjust punishments occur all the time.

Punishment may be necessary, but so is justice. And someone who has vigorously maintained his innocence and garnered an international following of people who believe him including a certified forensic examiner and well-respected organizationsl deserves the care and action of those of us on the outside.
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Cross-posted at Daily Kos