One Down, 2,999 To Go!

Baron Walker has been released from prison!

For those who saw the movie "Milwaukee 53206," Baron is the husband of Beverly Walker, whose life and family were highlighted in the movie.  Beverly also chairs WISDOM's "Old Law Parole and Compassionate Release" workgroup.

Baron spent more than 22 years in prison.  He has been eligible for parole for many years, and has been denied by the Parole Board six times.

On Thursday, Baron's attorney argued that the judge who sentenced Baron back in 1996 assured him that he would be released if he completed programming and behaved well in prison.  Baron has been a model prisoner, has taken on a lot of responsibility and has done everything possible to demonstrate his rehabilitation.

Baron's lawyer showed that the Parole Commission acknowledged that he had done everything right, but they essentially changed the rules and did not honor the wishes of the sentencing judge.  The District Attorney's office agreed with the defense.  The prosecutor told the judge that the judge who sentenced Baron would not have envisioned that he would still be incarcerated today.

The judge revised Baron's sentence.  He is now a free man and will live with his family, and can resume his life.  He does face five years of Extended Supervision. Click here for coverage by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

This is a great day!
 

I wish everyone had someone like Beverly Walker in their family: she has been tireless and ever-hopeful as she has fought for her husband's release.  We are also very grateful that District Attorney John Chisolm's office was willing to support this effort to restore balance to the justice system.

Let us not forget that there are thousands more who are parole-eligible, but still languish in our prisons long after they should have been released.  We need to keep fighting for them.