To: The United States House of Representatives

Clemency for Ronnie Lauderdale

I’m asking for a clemency for my uncle’s non violent drug charges, in which he was sentenced to two life sentences.

Why is this important?

I am starting a petition for my uncle Ronnie Lauderdale, who was sentenced two life sentences for non violent drug charges. My concern is that he is expected to die in prison and not be able to look outside of prison walls ever again in life. He has a family outside of prison that needs him more than anything. He has served 10 years in prison already. During the arrest there were no guns found in the initial search in Ronnie's presence. There were no interrogation tapes nor videos, or no signed statements, but yet, allegedly he admitted to the crime. Two hours later after he signed a statement to search him the officer mentioned "Oh yeah we found a gun." A gun that he knew nothing about and that should have been mentioned before the statement was signed. His first trial resulted in a hung jury after four days of deliberation. The jury consisted of ten whites and two blacks. After a second trial he was found guilty. During the first trial the sitting judge, Reagan made statements off the record stating no blacks would be on the next trial. As if to state that the only reason why Ronnie Lauderdale's trial ended with a hung jury is because blacks were apart of the jury. This judge recused himself for the second trial. A speedy trial was violated and granted immediate release, which was never done due to without prejudice reasons for speedy trial. After the grand jury indicted Lauderdale, they searched for more evidence by recruiting two jail house informants; one was a convicted bank robber and the other one was a convicted pedophile, who molested a ten year old boy. During the trial, Judge Murphy made a clear statement that the two jail house inmates were the most damaging to Lauderdale's case, whom he never knew or met before the trial. There's so many people committing crimes that's getting off with less time than Lauderdale with no questions asked. For instance, Mary Winkler killed her husband and plead guilty but was out of jail before she was even booked. It's evident that Lauderdale could have been convicted from previous charges that he's already done time for, but ten years for drugs is a lot that he's already served so being sentenced to two life sentences is unethical considering the fact that these charges were only drug related with no violence involved . I don't condone in anyone breaking the law and I think everyone should pay their debt to society, but there's people out here killing others and they will be out of jail sooner than him. It's not fair that his freedom was taken and he's not able to see or be with his family like other people. The only thing that's promised to us is DEATH and to die in jail for a none violent drug charge is probably the lowest thing a person could go through. Statistics say that black males aren't suppose to live outside of their freedom and it's evident that minorities are incarcerated way more often than whites, but the judicial system can make a change by eliminating these long life sentences for none violent drug charges. Help me help my uncle get his freedom back. Help me be the change that the system needs to grant freedom to Ronnie Lauderdale. Just like any other man, his family needs him! Please help us get this case reviewed again. Thank you!