Last November I wrote a post about Bobby Bostic. Earlier last year I read about his case in an article on BBC News. Bobby was sentenced to 241 years in prison for armed robbery and other non-homicide/non-sexual offences when he was 16 years old, effectively giving him no possibility of parole. For a mistake made as a child, Bobby will never be able to re-enter society, no matter how much he rehabilitates. Even the judge who sentenced him, Evelyn Baker, has written about how she regrets giving him such a disproportionate punishment. By comparison, Bobby's co-offender, who was an adult, only received 30 years for the same crimes.
I found Bobby's case so unjust that I wrote him a letter of support. It wasn't long before I received a reply. He has now become one of my regular pen pals in prison, with our correspondence continuing for over a year. Bobby had an appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States last year, which was, like many appeals to the court, unfortunately denied without reason. He is now in talks with lawyers and lawmakers regarding his options to get released. Following the cases of Cyntoia Brown and Alice Marie Johnson over the past year, it has become apparent that public support certainly doesn't go astray when it come to obtaining clemency for prisoners given unjust sentences.
I'm proud to announce I've initiated a social media campaign to raise awareness and support for Bobby's case. You can now follow the handle @FreeBobbyBostic on Instagram and Twitter, though I must admit you'll have to bear with me while I teach myself how Twitter works. There are also two petitions for Bobby's release, one on Change.org (which is now run by myself having revived and taken it over from its previous creator who had abandoned it), and one on DIYRootsAction run by other friends of Bobby. Please follow the accounts for more information on Bobby's case and sign the petitions if you haven't already. If you're interested in getting involved further, please get in touch.