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I support second chance hiring. I am grateful to the administration’s support for hiring people who leave prison. I really do. But it comes on a day when a man was killed in a federal prison he never should have been sent to.
Rick Turner never hurt a person in his life. Because he went to trial and was convicted a few months before the first step act passed, he received a 40-year sentence. I Mandy lobbied for the bill to help her brother and others.
Because Congress is too cowardly to make its sentencing reforms retroactive, Rick was sentenced to 40 years. If first step was retroactive, he would have received 20 years. He deserved only a couple years. He was an addict who sold drugs for a short period of time.
Judge Ellis said he didn’t want to give Rick 40 years but Congress has tied his hands. Because his sentence was 40 years, he was sent to a maximum security prison. He was threatened by white supremacist gangs from day one because he wouldn’t be part of them.
His family feared for his life. No one would help. Trust me we tried and I will go to my grave wishing I did more. This morning Rick Turner was found dead in his cell. He didn’t make it a year.
Everyone at @FAMMFoundation grieves for Rick and his family. Our prisons seems to be getting more dangerous even while we give lip service to 2nd chances. This is a travesty. Rick never should have been sent to Florence. Shame on BOP. Shame on Congress. Shame on us all.
