Please support the effort to free an innocent former 15-year-old Latino honor student sentenced to die in prison!

[Velia Koppenhoefer]

Please support the effort to free an innocent former 15-year-old Latino honor student sentenced to die in prison!

E-MAIL, FAX AND PHONE CAMPAIGN
FOR EFREN PAREDES, JR. TO THE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN

For the past several months we have been obtaining petition signatures and postcards supporting Efren's release. We have been very successful with this endeavor. The time has now come for us to expand this campaign to include other methods to convey our appeal to the Governor. The next phase of our campaign will now include sending e-mails, faxes, and making phone calls to the Governor's office.

At the end of this message you will find a sample letter you can copy and paste into e-mails or faxes you would like to send the Governor to express your support. The only modification you need to make is to the information at the end of the letter that reflects who it is addressed from. You can, of course, add more things if you wish. The letter is only intended to assist you frame a letter of your own. You can use the entire letter or only use parts of it. The decision is yours.

Fill Out Governor's Online Opinion Form

If you would like to fill out the Governor's online opinion form you can do so by clicking on the following link:

http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21995-65331--,00.html

In the box labeled "Issue" please insert "Efren Paredes, Jr. Commutation Request." Underneath that box click the option "For" and then copy and paste the sample letter that appears on the next page into the "Message"section.

Leave Phone Message for Governor

If you would like to leave a telephone message for the Governor you can do so by calling one of the available phone numbers: 517-373-3400 or 517-335-7858 (Constituent Services).

If you choose to call either of the listed phone numbers you are urged to tell them you are calling to express your support for the "pending commutation request of Efren Paredes, Jr. #203116." Please leave your contact information as well and ask that your support for the commutation go on record.

Send Fax Message to Governor

If you would like to copy and paste the message and send it as a fax you can do so by faxing it to the Governor's fax number which is: 517-335-6863.

Efren feels the warmth of our embrace, the strength of our solidarity, and passionate call for justice. The more people involved in our e-mail, fax and phone call campaign the stronger our voice will be.

Sincerely,

Efren's mother, Velia on behalf of
The Injustice Must End (TIME)
www.4Efren.com

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR

Dear Honorable Gov. Granholm:

I write to express my support for the pending commutation request that was submitted to your office on behalf of Efren Paredes, Jr. on 2/28/08. The request was submitted by The Injustice Must End (TIME) Committee to Free Efren Paredes, Jr.

Religious leaders, community leaders, and other respected and knowledgeable people across the state strongly support this request. Support for Efren's release is vast and includes citizens across the nation, as well as members of the international community.

This urgent appeal for clemency seeks the release of Efren Paredes, Jr., a Latino former high school honor student, who has been imprisoned nearly two decades for a 1989 crime that occurred in Berrien County. He has been incarcerated since age 15 and will turn 35-years-old on April 4, 2008.

If Efren had been sentenced as a juvenile he would have been released over 14 years ago at the latest, and as early as 18 years ago. The three individuals who pleaded guilty in the same case Efren was charged with have all served their prison sentences and been released. They were all older than Efren and admittedly guilty. Efren is the only person charged who remains in prison.

Efren has exhausted all his court appeals. His only hope for release now is by seeking a commutation from your office. If Efren is not granted a commutation he will die in prison never having experienced a single day of freedom in society in his adult life.

The prosecuting attorney from the time Efren's case was in the Berrien County court, is now a judge in the same county. The assistant prosecuting attorney who represented Berrien County, is still in that same position. Their influence, coupled with their many years of service in that county is deeply entrenched and part of the reason Efren has not received any relief sought in the county.

Society will benefit much from Efren's release. It is my prayer that you grant Efren's commutation request and provide him the opportunity to experience freedom for the first time in his adult life.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
E-mail Address



--
The Injustice Must End (TIME)
P.O. Box 858
Battle Creek, MI 49016

Web Site: www.4Efren.com
Online Petition: www.petitionspot.com/petitions/4Efren
MySpace Page: www.myspace.com/4Efren
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/people/Efren_Tlecoz_Paredes/665781653
Blog: http://4Efren.blogspot.com
MiGente Page: www.migente.com/Efren_Paredes_Jr