A Penny saved is a Penny earned: a nice story!


Here’s a neat story about Penny. Actually, it’s about Penny and HUMANITY FOR PRISONERS. If you haven’t caught it by now, we’re the place prisoners go when they don’t know where to turn.

Penny got convicted of a non-violent charge in Detroit in 2008, and was given probation. In 2015, she apparently violated probation and was sent to prison for 3-10 years. But that was an error. The most she should have received was 3-5 years. Nobody caught it.

Nobody, that is, except Penny.

The state’s legal counsel helped her appeal, but the Michigan Court of Appeals said no.

Not one to just let things drop, Penny---a 63-year-old African American---spent her time in the prison’s law library, and all by herself went all the way to top. And wonder of wonders, the Michigan Supreme Court agreed with her! The order came down that she must be sent back for re-sentencing.

That was in May, 2017. Since then, nothing happened. No word from anybody, the five years  served, and she’s still behind bars. Still awaiting resentencing.

Not knowing where to turn, she came to HFP.

Now it’s very true that our daily workers are just common, ordinary people doing extraordinary work. But behind the scenes, we have an amazing panel of doctors and lawyers in all kinds of specialties, boasting all kinds of backgrounds, who have an infinite number of contacts, sources and skills. These men and women, who love and believe in what we do, are movers and shakers!

I’m not going to betray confidences here---not names nor methods used---but I can tell you that the story sliced through red tape and got to the right people in a heartbeat. This week Matt was pleased to pass along a message to Penny from the Michigan Appellate Assigned Counsel System: She would be assigned a lawyer to get this resolved, “right away!" 

 HFP: Quietly making things happen!

I use this story to explain the unique work that HFP does on a daily basis. There are many fine prisoner advocacy agencies in this state. We love all of them, we support them, and we work with them when and where possible. But no one except HFP is down in the trenches 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, helping “the little guy” with things that may seem like little cases, little problems, or insignificant issues.

Insignificant?

Just ask Penny.





Comments

Louise Reichert said…
Not insignificant AT ALL! Thank you, HFP!
October 5, 2018 at 4:55 PM
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