Author: Amy Ralston

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

Christopher Smith – 30 years – reduced to 20 years – Vicodin

NAME:  Christopher Smith – # 12310-041
DOB:  1/28/1980
RACE:  Caucasian
MARITAL STATUS:  Single
AGE:  39
CHILDREN:  1 Son
STATE WHERE HE IS FROM:   Minnesota
STATE INDICTED:  Minnesota
WILL RELEASE:  Burnsville, Minnesota
TRIAL OR PLEA:  Trial
CHARGES:  Conspiracy to Distribute … Read the rest

Jared Kushner helps First Step Act recipient get a job at Walmart

Catherine Toney began February in prison and ended the month with a job at Walmart after White House adviser Jared Kushner called company CEO Doug McMillon on her behalf.

Toney, 55, is believed to be the first woman freed by … Read the rest

Michael Thompson goes viral thanks to Tana Ganeva’s Intercept article

After Tana Ganeva’s article dropped about Michael “Meeko” Thompson, it has gone viral on twitter, thanks to Shaun King, Ava DuVernay, and many more…an attorney has been assigned to help Meeko file for clemency in the state of Michigan.

MICHAEL … Read the rest

Daniel Brown – 42 years – NOW FREE on Compassionate Release!

Read about Daniels story in Wall Street Journal by Sadie Gurman:

Name: Daniel Lynn Brown
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Widowed
Age: 43
Children: One Daughter
State Indicted: Iowa
Will release to: Council Bluffs Iowa
Trial or plead guilty: Plead Guilty… Read the rest

Joseph Wolcott – 23 years for pot is NOW FREE! Compassionate release!

Joseph Wolcott with his grand baby

We are elated that Joe walked out of prison after Brandon Sample of Prisology wrote a motion for his compassionate release. Congrats to the Wolcott family and Brando for such a spectacular job!

Name:Read the rest

First Step Act recipient Catherine Toney goes to the White House

Catherine Toney has been profiled on the CAN-DO website for many years. We thought she would get clemency from the Obama administration because she not only met all the criteria of the Clemency Project 2014, she was assigned a CP14 … Read the rest

America’s Voice News covers the First Step Act

America’s Voice News interviewed Amy Ralston Povah, Angela Stanton King and Topeka Sam about the First Step Act and the long road ahead for criminal justice reform. Watch the interview on American Voice News

The bill known as the First … Read the rest

Celeste Monette Blair – Clemency – 30 years for Conspiracy

Name: Celeste Monette Blair
Race: White
Marital status: Divorced
Age: 54
Children: One son. One granddaughter
Born and raised: Jacksonville, Fla
Indicted: Fort Worth,Texas
Will release: San Diego, CA or Nashville, TN (depending on years served)
Pled:  Guilty
Charges: Conspiracy
Read the rest

Monique Horton – First Step Act Recipient – FREE AT LAST

Monique Horton received an immediate release on February 4, 2019 due to the First Step Act. She served 184 months (15 years) and was re-sentenced to 168 months so she served 1 year and 5 months more than the reduced … Read the rest

Troy Powell – 20 years – First Step Recipient

Name: Troy Powell
DOB: 3/29/77
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Age: 44
Raised: LENOIR, NC
Will live: LENOIR, NC
Charges: CONSPIRACY TO SELL CRACK
Sentence: 20 Years
Served: 15 Years 6 Months
Started Sentence on: 9/13/03
Release date: 2/22/2019… Read the rest

Kimberly Robinson – 24 years – Now Free

Kimberly with son DeJuan

Name: Kimberly Robinson, (Kim) #64902-019
DOB: 10/2/59
Age: 66
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Single
Children: One son, one daughter
Grandchildren: One granddaughter 
Grew Up In: Anderson, SC
Case based In/Tried: Knoxville, TN
Will Live Post-Release:Read the rest

Ezralee Kelley – 16 years – First Step Act

Ezralee Kelley’s public defender has filed a motion on her behalf and is waiting for a response from the Judge.

Name: Ezralee Kelley
DOB: 02/27/1976
Race: Native American & Mexican
Marital Status: Single
Age: 42
Children: 4
Raised: Washington state … Read the rest

First Step Act snafu – but not for long! CAN-DO in Washington Examiner

“The recalculation of ‘good time’ credit is simply a data entry,” agreed Amy Povah, founder of the Clemency for All Non-Violent Drug Offenders, or CAN-DO, Foundation. “That should take 15 seconds.” 

The White House and Federal Bureau of Prisons did … Read the rest

The Appeal podcast with Amy Ralston and Craig Cesal

DEBUNKING THE STORIES ABOUT FEDERAL PRISONERS DINING ON STEAK

As the government shutdown drags on, a number of media outlets–from NBC News to USA Today to the Washington Post–have run stories claiming that federal prisoners are eating elaborate steak dinners … Read the rest

Wayne Pray – IS NOW FREE!!! after serving 36 years on a life sentence!

Congrats to Wayne Pray for receiving a compassionate release after serving over 36 years on a life sentence. We are thrilled for him and all his family members! 

Name: Wayne Pray
Race: African American
Marital Status: Married
Age: 76 years … Read the rest

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