Every taxpayer in Michigan shares the burden of an unjust sentence when their dollars keep an undeserving man behind bars. Jamie Meade is more than a number; he's a son whose aging mother, at 77, needs him by her side. A nation's character is reflected in its treatment of prisoners. Today, we have the opportunity to uplift that character by standing with Jamie, whose potential lies dormant in a cell, and with every individual whose circumstances echo his own.

The specter of mass incarceration haunts our state, and with it, the urgent need for legal reform. Michigan stands out for the lengthy terms its prisoners serve, a testament to a system in need of compassionate review. When the very judge who handed down Jamie’s sentence advocates for its commutation, citing fundamental unfairness, we are presented with a stark choice: correct this injustice or let it erode the integrity of our justice system. Jamie's continued imprisonment is a glaring injustice that we have the power to rectify.

Why is now the time to act? The time for action is upon us. Jamie has served 31 years—nearly two decades more than the actual shooter. His sentence as an accessory starkly contrasts with the shooter's 12-year term, despite Jamie’s lack of intent to harm. At 50, having spent the majority of his life in prison, Jamie's case is a rallying cry for all who believe in second chances and the principles of equity and redemption. We must not delay in righting this wrong. Let our collective voice be the catalyst for Jamie's freedom and a beacon for the overdue reform our system desperately needs.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

Read Judge Finch's letter (below). 

Sign & share this petition.

Write Governor Whitmer, your representatives and tell your friends!

READ JAMIE MEADES SENTENCING JUDGES LETTER HERE

Go to freejamiemeade.com to read the letter, his commutation and other information about Jamie.

TO:
PAROLE BOARD, STATE OF MICHIGAN

FROM:
SHARON TEVIS FINCH, SENTENCING JUDGE
CIRCUIT JUDGE, THIRD CIRCUIT COURT, MICHIGAN (RETIRED)
1300 Broadway, Suite 800
Detroit, MI 48226
313-204-2144
sfinch2004@gmail.com

RE:
JAMIE L. MEADE, #232516
APPLICATION FOR PARDON OR COMMUTATION OF SENTENCE

DATE:
8/7/2022

TO THE PAROLE BOARD:

I am writing in support of the Application for Pardon or Commutation of Sentence of Jamie L. Meade, #232516. I was the Trial and Sentencing Judge on his case in 1993 in the Wayne County Circuit Court, 3rd Judicial Circuit. I retired from the bench in 2000. I have never forgotten this case because the outcome troubled me. The law we served, but fundamental fairness was not. Mr. Meade went to prison when he was 19 years old. He is now 48 years old. He has been in prison for 29 years.

This is the only time I have ever written to the Parole Board on behalf of an inmate. Mr. Meade's case was very unusual, and in my opinion, the sentence, though mandatory, was unjust. I had no choice in sentence under the law for the crime of Felony Murder. Felony Murder is a crime which occurs when someone is participating in a felony, and another person dies, whether or not the defendant does the killing himself. In this case, Mr. Meade did not do the killing.

Mr. Meade was young, and acted stupidly and impulsively. A young man was fatally shot and a young woman injured. Mr. Meade was NOT the "triggerman". The shooter, who testified that he shot accidentally was (the killing) and a second time in fear (the injury), was convicted of a lesser offense and was sentenced to only 12 years in prison, though it was he who actually did the killing. Mr. Meade first convicted of Felony Murder (which I believe was a just conviction under the law though not in equity) and sentenced to life without parole. (As I recall, if he had any prior offenses, they were minor juvenile matters.)

I have been told that Mr. Meade's file (which I have not seen and am not entitled to see) may have an error in it, and may indicate in some documents(s) that HE actually shot the gun and killed the victim. He did not. The "triggerman" was someone else, who has been out of prison for almost 17 years. If that error does exist in the file, it should be corrected, since it may be influencing your decision. PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT BEFORE YOU DECIDE THIS APPLICATION.

Since his conviction, Mr. Meade has achieved educational and in-house community service accomplishments beyond that of any inmate I have ever seen in my 25 years on the bench. He lists all this in his Application. He obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentrations in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. He is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity in an online program from the Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) through a unique collaboration between MDOC and CTS. His goals are to mentor troubled youth as an ordained minister, complete law school, earn a Ph.D., and teach criminality at the university level. Certainly few would understand these social challenges more.

In the last two years, he was admitted to divinity school on a scholarship and is studying long-distance to be a minister. In the midst of this COVID time, he maintains a B average, which I find impressive under his circumstances. Covid has prevented him from seeing his mother for over 2 years. She is getting older and this is a great hardship to them both.

He is remorseful, has taken responsibility and apologized to the living victim and the family of the deceased victim. He has had no misconducts for many years in prison. He has become an educated adult. He has never had a wife, a child, a home of his own. He worries about his mother, who is getting older, and wants to be able to support her so she doesn't have to work.

It is ironic that, considering the direction Mr. Meade was heading at age 19 when this crime was committed, he probably would never have achieved this level of education, focus, and aspiration in later life absent the crime and sentence. But life is like that. Things happen, and things – and people – change. I think the time has come to change the sentence, though a judge would have no power to do so. Only you can perform this miracle for him.

At this point, he has served 29 years in prison. I believe that is more than sufficient for this crime, and I ask that his Application be granted. If I were sentencing today, had discretion, and was not bound by the mandatory sentence, I probably would have sentenced him to no more than his co-defendant, who was convicted of the lesser offense, and Mr. Meade would have walked out of prison 17 years ago. I was bound by the felony murder law. The Parole Board and the Governor, however, are not so bound, and you can right this injustice by recommending commutation.

Thank you for your consideration. I hope that you, the Parole Board and Governor, can see your way toward giving this now 48 year old man the second chance which he so richly deserves.

HE HAS PAID HIS DEBT TO SOCIETY. HE IS A CHANGED PERSON. HE CAN DO GOOD IN THE WORLD. I believe he should be given a chance to live a responsible adult life "on the outside." I hope you agree.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

[Signature]

SHARON TEVIS FINCH P13420
CIRCUIT JUDGE, THIRD CIRCUIT COURT OF MICHIGAN (RETIRED)