Author: Amy Ralston

Amy Ralston Povah is a clemency recipient under President Clinton, an award winning filmmaker, and founder of the CAN-DO Foundation.

Reuters contacted CAN-DO for intel regarding Clemency Project 2014

Reuters reached out to the CAN-DO Foundation seeking the names and intel regarding specific cases of clemency applicants who were experiencing difficulties after submitting applications to President Obama’s Clemency Project 2014 (CP14).  We had become extremely concerned over several cases, … Read the rest

Huffpost Op Ed on conspiracy law by Amos Irwin

Amos Irwin reached out to CAN-DO for input regarding the conspiracy law for an Op Ed he authored for Huffpost.  He focused heavily on Barbra Scrivner, profiled on the CAN-DO site for years leading up to Barbra Scrivner’s long overdue … Read the rest

Kindland focuses on pot prisoners Craig Cesal and Michael Pelletier

CAN-DO provided Kindland reporter, Aimee Kuvadia with the cases of Craig Cesal, Patricia Albright and Michael Pelletier as potential subjects for the following article. Craig Cesal became the anchor story and both Patricia and Michael are profiled therein.  Read the Read the rest

Reason tackles the conspiracy law using case of CAN-DO President, Amy Povah

CAN-DO President Amy Povah was the focal point of an article in Reason that used her case as an example to emphasize what is wrong with this nation’s conspiracy laws and why there should be more scrutiny and oversight.  … Read the rest

Washington Post – Joy to the lucky and anguish to the disappointed

“It was a great day for those who won the lottery and one more disappointment for everyone in the pipeline who should be on the list,” said Amy Povah, a former inmate and the founder of the CAN-DO Foundation, a … Read the rest

U.S. News reports on pot lifers, Michael Pelletier and John Knock

CAN-DO Foundation founder Amy Ralston Povah, a clemency recipient herself who helped prepare Pelletier’s application, says she’s holding out hope that Obama will issue a final list of commutations on Friday.

“If a paraplegic serving life for pot is not … Read the rest

Vera Institute focuses on lack of clemency for women

Vera Institute reached out to CAN-DO for a statement about the lack of women receiving clemency, something we are very passionate about and have devoted countless resources and energy toward.  In this article:  “The consequences that face the children and … Read the rest

330 clemencies were granted on 1/19/17 by President Obama –

Here is the final list under President Obama:

President Obama Grants Commutations

WASHINGTON – Today, the President granted commutation of sentence to 330 individuals:

• Abdulmuntaqim Ad-Deen – Baltimore, MD
Offense: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; District of … Read the rest

Vice writes about Crystal Munoz; 19 years for pot!

“Crystal is one of the few women I’ve worked with that has an opportunity to reunite with her daughters before they become women, before they grow out of the stage where they need their mothers to be hands-on,” reflected Amy … Read the rest

Women Have Been Failed by Obama’s Clemency Program – The Establishment

CAN-DO Fondation cited in the following article entitled: Obama’s Clemency Program Has Failed Incarcerated Women

 

As of January 17, 2017, over 1,385 inmates had received clemency or been pardoned; only around 90 of those people are women, as far … Read the rest

209 Clemencies granted by President Obama on 1/17/16 – 3 from Top 25

Congrats to CAN-DO Members,  Deneise Quintanilla, Lazaro Moreno and Andres Torriente received clemency today!

WASHINGTON – Today, the President granted commutation of sentence to 209 individuals and pardons to 64 individuals:

The President granted commutations of sentence to the … Read the rest

Huffpost: Still a man’s world…especially for clemency

Published 01/12/2017 03:39 pm ET |

huffpost-reporter-melissa-jentsen

An alarming number of women, including first offenders have been denied clemency even if they fit all the criteria laid out by the Obama admin-istration, such as Lori Kavitz, Melissa Trigg and many more. … Read the rest

Michael Bryant – LIFE – NOW FREE due to First Step Act

michael-bryantWe are pleased to say that Michael was released from prison on Nov. 1st, 2019.
Name:
Michael Andrea Bryant
DOB: 5/14/79.
Race: Black
Marital Status: Single
Age: 39
Raised: Alabama
Indicted: Alabama
Sentence: LIFE
Charges: Possession with intent to sell … Read the rest

Bobbi Jo Wing – LIFE

Name: Bobbi Jo Wing
D.O.B: April 12th, 1980
Race: Native American
Marital Status: Married
Age: 36
Children: none
Grandchildren: none
State Raised: Montana
State Charged: Montana
Will release: Billings, Montana
Charge: First Degree Murder
Sentence: Mandatory Minimum Life sentence without … Read the rest

Lavonne Roach and Ferrell Scott in Raw Story

Lavonne Roach’s mother needs a liver and cannot survive much longer – will President Obama reunite this mother/daughter before it’s too late?  Tana Ganeva writes about Lavonne’s desperation to see her mother and Ferrell Scott – serving life for marijuana … Read the rest

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