Currently, 18 men are serving life sentences in Arkansas's prisons for nonviolent drug convictions.
Meanwhile, certain violent felonies like second-degree murder are punishable by a maximum of 30 years' imprisonment, which means someone who knowingly kills another may be entitled to a term of years while these 18 men are condemned to die in prison.
Seeds is educating the public about these mens' plight, strategizing with their communities on how to remedy said plight and training people on how to effectuate these strategies.
In the Spring of 2014, the Arkansas Parole Board unanimously voted to commute Mr. Henderson's sentence of life without the possibility of parole to credit for the 41 years Mr. Henderson spent in prison. Shamefully, the Governor denied Mr. Henderson's appeal for commutation. Mr. Henderson died in prison in the Summer of 2015---alone. Thankfully we were able to record our conversation with Mr. Henderson shortly before his death. Learn more about Mr. Henderson's story and the need to press policy-makers to pass legislation to ensure that no more Arkansans will unnecessarily and unjustly be condemned to die in prison.
People directly impacted by incarceration are best situated to identify the shortcomings in Arkansas's criminal justice policy and administration, but are the least likely to be heard.
Over the next several months Seeds will be releasing videos of people directly impacted by incarceration discussing how their personal stories have given them an appreciation for the areas of Arkansas's criminal justice policy and administration that are most in need of improvement.
