To: Wisconsin Parole Commission
ATI'N: Danielle LaCost
3099 East Washington
Avenue
Post Office Box 7960
Madison, Wisconsin
53707-7960
RE: AKILI K.A. EL—AMIN, Offender #203201
Commissioner LaCost,
I am writing this letter in support of the releasing of
Akili K.A. El—Amin, Offender #203201, on discretionary parole for the following
reasons:
1) Akili was 16 years old when he went along with his older
brother and the victim, Christopher was shot to death.
2) Although Akili himself admits that he bore some
responsibility for going along with his older brother when the crime was
committed, he was not the one who actually shot the victim, Christopher, even
by his brother's own admission.
3) Akili has demonstrated for quite a long time now that he
has been rehabilitated and has reformed his ways of thinking, acting, and
feeling which has been well—documented in his program completions, overall
Institution Adjustment, as well as in his work evaluations that he has received
from various D.O.C. staff members.
4) Lastly, even the United States Supreme Court Justices has
recently ruled that: "Because juveniles have diminished culpability and
greater prospects for reform, they are less deserving of the most severe
punishments. There are three significant gaps between juveniles and adults. FIRST,
children have a lack of maturity and an undeveloped sense of responsibility leading
to recklessness, impulsivity, and heedless risk—taking. SECOND, children
are more vulnerable to negative influences and outside pressures, including
from their family and peers, they have limited control over their own
environment and lack the ability to extricate themselves from horrific,
crime—producing settings. And THIRD, a child's character is not as
"well formed" as an adult's; his traits are "less fixed"
and his actions less likely to be evidence of irretrievable depravity."
—Miller v. Alabama, 132 S.Ct.
In conclusion, I support the release of Akili El-Amin
because I believe in second chances --- especially for individuals like him who
in their youth made poor emotional and irrational decisions. I support his
release because I truly believe that he has changed and that he has a lot to
offer today's society in terms of mentorship to the many misguided inner-city
youths since he once was just like them.
With that being said, I greatly appreciate you considering
this request and I thank you in advance for your time and consideration
regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
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