I want to see justice for Victoria Martens. I watched the James Boyd trial and even knowing the story as well as I did, I was able to become confused by the testimony and cross-examinations for the defense of both officers. There was no rhyme or reason to the defense side of the trial, which may have allowed the jurors to be confused as to which officer played which role. I was abused as a child and I want justice for these children today.

I am starting this petition because although I have been an American citizen for more than 50 years, my refugee experience clearly recognizes the unmistakable signs and actions of an aspiring dictator. I also recognize the ambitious opportunists and deluded supporters who, like the ones in my country, ignored the warnings of those who had fled previous dictatorships. Trump's insults, lies, illegal activities, and criminal endeavors have gone too far with scant repercussions. He must be stopped.

The death penalty has been proven to be more expensive than life sentences due to the appeals process. Research also shows that it is not an effective crime deterrent in states it is used. It is a punishment that cannot be taken back and does not belong in New Mexico.

I'M LOOKING TO OVERTURN HIS CONVICTION OF 43 TO LIFE. LOSING MY SON TO THE SYSTEM HAS EFFECTED ME SO BADlLY, NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE HIM AS HE IS NOT IN AN NYS FACILITY BUT IN AN OHIO STATE PRISON. THIS PAIN I FEEL LOSING MY SON IS WORST THEN IF HE WOULD'VE BEEN DEAD BECAUSE I HAVE LITTLE TO NO COMMUNICATION WITH HIM BECAUSE I'M SO FAR AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO TRAVEL TO OHIO. HE WAS DENIED ON TWO APPEALS BECAUSE WE HAVE A PUBLIC DEFENDER AND NOT A PAID LAWYER BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD ONE. MY FEAR IS TO NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE MY SON BEFORE I DIE; 43 YEARS IS A LONG TIME. PLEÀSE HELP ME GET MY SON'S SENTENCE OVERTURNED, PLEASE. FROM A BROKEN-HEARTED MOTHER AND FRIEND, THANK YOU, CARMEN L. CORREA

To get my brother out of prison. He has been wrongfully accused.

I believe whistle-blowers should be protected, not punished. Chelsea gave Wikileaks the "Collateral Murder" video showing two unarmed journalists being killed and the video of the "Granai massacre", which showed US troops killing 86 to 147 civilians, most of whom were children. Chelsea, as a transgender, has been punished excessively. She was given solitary confinement after a suicide attempt. Access to the gym, library or outdoors has been taken away for having a prohibited book and misuse of medicine, i.e., she had a copy of Vanity Fair and an expired tube of toothpaste. She has suffered enough and should be pardoned.

North Carolina has passed a law, HB 972, that prohibits police body camera and dash camera footage from being released to the public. This goes against efforts toward police transparency and accountability. We must enact legislation that addresses police violence and resist that which promotes secrecy and injustice.

Nanon McKewn Williams grew up in Los Angeles, California amid the violence and poverty that plagued the city. As a teenager, Nanon stood out for his academic and sporting achievements and dreamed of a career as a football player. He was an All-American and a recipient of more than 17 athletic scholarships. In 1992, when Nanon was only 17 years old, he was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death by the state of Texas. As a young man on death row, Nanon discovered a passion for writing and committed his life to bring a voice for those silenced. Although he began his imprisonment as an angry teenager, prone to fight any and everything, Nanon spent over a decade in complete solitary confinement rising above the ashes of dead men. He began writing poems, which he published in 2000 under the title The Ties That Bind Us and continued to write numerous essays as well as several other books. With his autobiography, Sill Surviving, his words exploded across the country and Nanon suddenly found himself further punished for daring to speak out against Texas Death Row, its brutal killing machine, and his awareness of mass incarceration. In fact, when he published The Darkest Hour book of death row stories and interviews, those who supported Nanon feared for his life. The things Nanon endured was far worse than most people could ever imagine, yet he pushed forward relentlessly. A newsletter, The Williams Reports that Nanon created in 1997 was banned by the Texas prison system, as was some of his books. In 2005, as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Roper V. Simmons, Nanon was one of the juveniles studied that led to the nation banning execution for juveniles. His sentence was commuted to capital life. Despite Nanon enduring years in solitary confinement and mind boggling acts of punishment, although knowing over 300 men executed, somehow Nanon continued to excel. Nanon was able to complete his G.E.D in 2007. He then began college courses offered at Trinity Valley Community College. He earned his Associate Degree in Liberal Arts and Science, and also completed trades in Horticulture and Cognitive Intervention. He began tutoring other young men and inspiring them to reach higher. He led by example. In 2009, Nanon desperately tried to pursue higher forms of education, he fought to be transferred from the biggest prison in Texas to another to attend a special program that offered a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences through the University of Houston-Clear Lake. It wasn’t surprising to anyone that Nanon graduated with high honors. He is now completing his Masters in Humanities and enrolling to pursue his Masters in Literature. Through writing, Nanon has found a way to endure life in prison, but he has now connected with countless people around the world. One of his books has been translated, he works with many universities around the country, his story is in a play called Lyrics Form Lockdown, and he teaches classes about segregation. He is now a Certified Peer Educator for sexually transmitted diseases and he recently published The Darkest Hour: Shedding Light on the impact of isolation and Death Row in Texas Prisons with Dr. Betty Gilmore, as well as a Children’s book called Peace People co-authored by Robyn Short. Nanon continues to work on booklets that show prisoners how to get resources, the need to recreate culture and his ability to educate other juveniles. Nanon has become one of the most inspiring people in the world from the most unlikely place. Many of us push for his freedom, but we all know that somehow he has found that in ways few people can ever understand!!

Although his administration signed the UNCRC, President Bill Clinton never pushed the Senate for ratification. Nor did George W. Bush. At a debate on youth issues a month before the 2008 election, then candidate Obama said: “It’s embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia, a lawless land. I will review this and other treaties to ensure the United States resumes its global leadership in human rights.” (At the time there were only two countries that had not ratified because South Sudan was not yet an independent nation. These two nations have since ratified the treaty.) It is now 2025. Thirteen years have passed. Unfortunately, President Obama has not acted, despite this campaign pledge. President Trump has not acted, as well. The Convention outlines the basic human rights that children everywhere should enjoy, among them the rights to survival, to develop to the fullest and to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation. How am I affected? I am a German citizen who is the father of two young children who are US citizens. Because of US immigration law, I must periodically return to my home country. While I was abroad, in 2014, I was neither able to write to my children or to talk to them via telephone or Skype for over nine months. I am back in Germany again, only to find myself in the same situation. No contact for three months now. Among many essential rights outlined in the convention, there are two articles who could help my girl and my boy since they emphasize the importance of frequent contact between children and their parents: Article 9 (Separation from parents): Children have the right to live with their fit parents. Children whose parents do not live together have the right to stay in contact with both parents, unless this might hurt the child. Article 10 (Family reunification): Families whose members live in different countries should be allowed to move between those countries so that parents and children can stay in contact, or get back together as a family. There is a troubling lack of awareness of and education on child protection issues. However, these issues do not receive any media attention in the U.S. Our leaders like to say the U.S. is the world leader on human rights. That claim is undermined by its failure to join the rest of the world in ratifying this convention. This needs to stop. We owe it to our children. President Obama, please ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child .. because it is the most successful human rights treaty in human history! https://www.facebook.com/UNCRCPetitionUS/ https://www.twitter.com/UN_CRC/

Recently, along with millions of other New Yorkers, I received an emergency text message alert that left out any details of a suspect--other than name and age--asking for the public's help: WANTED: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-year-old male. See media for pic. Call 9-1-1 if seen." As a New Yorker, I am deeply concerned for our public safety--and criminals threatening our immediate well-being must be caught. But by only providing a name and an age, I was left with the impression that any brown or Muslim man between 25-35 years old could be mistaken for the suspect. Will you join me in holding the federal government accountable for reinforcing dangerous profiling in the Wireless Emergency Alerts system? As a Muslim, I face my own personal dangers from profiling. And with one presidential candidate actually advocating for police to begin racially profiling Muslims living in the United States--sowing fear of all Muslim people into this election--I am compelled more than ever to put an end to this dangerous trend. The WEA system can be critical in giving the public a platform to help catch wanted suspects who may be an imminent threat to public safety, but the potential is there to create a dangerous situation for any person loosely matching a description. The government could build in training requirements for all certified "Alert Operators" of the WAE system--typically federal agencies, as well as state and local government authorities--to avoid language that would lead to dangerous racial profiling and to provide clearer guidelines for when and how the WEA can be used. Join me in holding the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Homeland Security, and Federal Emergency Management Agency accountable for risking dangerous profiling.

Increasingly, county jails are replacing in-person visitation with video visitation. At least eighteen counties in California have eliminated, plan to eliminate, or severely restrict in-person visitation in at least one of their jails. SB 1157 would require facilities that elect to use video visitation to also provide in-person visitation and would require that facilities that do not offer any in-person visitation to offer in-person visitation by January 1, 2022. Being able to have an in-person visit with their loved one who is incarcerated is crucial for family members, many of them children. Please ask Gov. Brown to sign this important bill.

After being cleared of wrongdoing and getting the charges dismissed, AZ DPS is now retaliating against Leslie Merritt Jr and his family by visiting them at their homes and jobs threatening and harassing them to give in to their demands to admit wrongdoing that was never done by them!! This is wrong and needs to stop and the State of AZ and DPS need to be held accountable!!