The Michigan Battered Women’s Clemency Project Rally - October 7, 2005

 REMARKS IN SUPPORT OF MELISSA CHAPMAN

 

My name is Alan Weinstein and I'm here today in support of Melissa Chapman 

I want to thank Carol Jacobsen and the Clemency Project for all their hard work, their accomplishments toward our goals and for the opportunity for me to speak here today.

When I first met Melissa and as I was getting to know her, I said to her "you’ve accomplished more in 16 years in prison (she had been there 16 years at the point, nearly 18 years now) than I have in my whole life."

 And still, when I think about her today – I see, not the Melissa who long ago was physically, psychologically and emotionally abused; not the person who was angry beginning her sentence of life in prison – but the woman she is today. Strong, optimistic, spiritual, happy and full of love, and prepared for the opportunity to realize her dreams. The person who always has time to be a friend to someone having a tough time adjusting to prison.

And that’s how I think of Melissa when I think of her today. As an artist and a poet and a writer. An extraordinarily accomplished and talented person who has used the last 18 years to get her Associates Degree in Arts and Sciences, as well as a certificate in Creative Writing and Poetry Workshop; graduated vocational programs in Business Technology and Graphic Arts; and tutored graphic arts for eight years until its untimely demise due to budget cuts. She has been trained in the art of denture making and participated in on-the-job training in Warehousing. She’s a certified legal writer and currently works as a legal aide time in the prison law library assisting others.

In her spare time  (emphasis) she expresses her artistic talent by designing and making jewelry and creating her own greeting cards.

BUT even in light of her training and accomplishments, as long as Melissa remains in prison, it must not be forgotten that she has now spent nearly 18 years in prison – 18 years of her life sentence due to the actions of another. Let me repeat that. She is serving a life sentence - not for what she did, but for what someone else did. Melissa has been punished long past her moral responsibility for her own actions. What would our cultural landscape look like if we were all held accountable for what someone else did? What our spouses may have done, what our children may have done, our parents, our companions. The situation would not be tolerable. So why is it tolerable for this one woman to bear the responsibility for someone else’s offense? As long as Melissa remains in prison, we are all vulnerable to this injustice. 

I have actively been soliciting support for Melissa’s clemency for the past year. And everywhere I go, everyone I speak to – without exception – everyone believes in our cause. Everyone believes in the right of a woman to defend herself, her children and her family. But no one knows how to express that support. I tell them, just sign Melissa’s petition. That will be a big help. But no one knows that there is a Clemency Project sponsoring the women; no one knows about the clemency petitions sitting in the governor’s office – but they want to help. The over 1,000 people who have signed Melissa’s support petition want to help; thousands of people more; maybe even a million people – right here in Michigan. I have signs here today that say ‘Michigan Supports Clemency for Battered Women’  - because I know that to be true.

 But WE have to find these people; these silent supporters. All of us who care about anyone incarcerated for defending her own life. It’s not easy to transform the latent ocean of support and turn it into active support. It’s not easy making phone calls. It’s not easy sending out hundreds of letters. It takes work. Every day. Anything worthwhile takes a lot of work. But if we all work toward these goals we can make a difference. Not only for these women we support today, but for all women. We can show the governor and the governors of every state that people do care about battered and abused women who ultimately had only one terrible choice in life.

 One of our nation’s most respected jurists, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy spoke to the American Bar Association on August 9, 2003 in which he called for the reinvigoration of the clemency process.

In his speech Justice Kennedy expressed his concern (and I quote):

“When it costs so much more to incarcerate a prisoner than to educate a child, we should take special care to ensure that we are not incarcerating too many persons for too long.”

“Our resources are misspent, our punishments too severe, our sentences too long”

“In the United States the incarceration rate is 1 in 143; while in countries such as England, France and Germany, it is only about 1 in 1,000 persons.”

“Courts may conclude the legislature is permitted to choose long sentences, but that does not mean long sentences are wise or just.”

“The pardon process, of late, seems to have been drained of its moral force. Pardons have become infrequent. A people confident in its laws and institutions should not be ashamed of mercy.”

“A decent and free society, founded in respect for the individual, ought not to run a system with a sign at the entrance for inmates saying, ‘Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here.’”   

As Justice Kennedy said and I paraphrase and repeat now ‘Your Excellency, the Governor, this women has not served her full sentence, but she has served long enough. Give her what only you can give. Give her another chance. Give her a priceless gift. Give her liberty.’

I have the full text of Justice Kennedy’s speech posted on Melissa’s website: www.melissachapman.com So please feel free to log on and get to know Melissa. 

Finally, Id like to say that I am proud and honored to be here today to support and advocate for Melissa Chapman.

Thank you very much.