Two Georgia men who served federal prison under the infamous 1994 crime law have asked President Joe Biden for official pardons in their circumstances.
The men claim they served their time and paid their taxes, yet the stigma of a conviction accompanies them when they apply for employment, buy homes, or get a loan. They claim that convictions under the 1994 Crime Bill devastated their families and rendered them unemployed.
They are now requesting that the president, who wrote the bill as a senator 30 years ago, show pity and grant a complete pardon.
“As President Biden concedes, he should not have crafted this bill. “It was wrong then, and it is wrong now,” stated business owner Ricky Brown.
The 62-year-old claims he was convicted of narcotics conspiracy during the crack epidemic in 1994 and spent 13 years in federal prison after being sentenced under the now-controversial 1994 crime law.
The guys claim the legislation was discriminatory and targeted African Americans.
“You can lock a man up if you claim he has a gram of powder cocaine. If he alters it and adds baking soda, the ratio becomes 100 to one rather than one. You have sentenced us to it. “Men have received 30- and 40-year life sentences and are still there,” Brown remarked.
Brown, Eric Girault, who served six years and four months in prison, and others have spent most of their lives combating the criminal image.
“It was long-standing and widespread. This devastated not only my family but millions of other families and towns around the United States of America. “This is both sides of the aisle; no hands are clean,” Eric Girault stated.
They delivered their pardon paperwork to the federal courthouse on Wednesday. These men claim that they will listen to anyone who wishes to help.
“We’ve heard from the Trump administration. They are interested in our tale and what we are doing and may want to invite us to Mar-a-Lago to discuss it. It is not a black-or-white issue. It is not a Democrat or Republican thing. “This is to right a wrong,” Brown explained.
Both men claim they want to start a movement that will expand across the country.
FOX 5 Atlanta will continue to provide updates on their adventure.