2023-06-02 15:13
by Necalli Ollin"Given the robust development of children's rights, it
is absurd to assert that, while juveniles have many rights, being treated as a
juvenile i… Read More
Blog Directory > Politics Blogs > Government Blogs > The Injustice Must End (TIME) government Blog >
The Injustice Must End (time) Blog
4efren.blogspot.com
Tags:
sentence
court
juvenile lifers
interview
efratildecopyn
prison
episode
berrien county
juvenile
risk
Justice for Efrén Paredes, Jr.
2023-04-03 03:05
by Necalli Ollin
Efrén Paredes Jr. is a 50-year-old Latinx man serving a life
without parole (LWOP) sentence for a 1989 homicide and robbery that occurred in
Berrien County, Michigan… Read More
2023-01-23 14:30
by Efrén Paredes, Jr.A decade after the U.S. Supreme Court banned mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences for justice-involved children under age 18 ("juvenile lifers"), Michig… Read More
2022-01-05 21:25
by Necalli OllinThe Injustice Must End (TIME)During the last month Efrén Paredes, Jr. responded to questions regarding being resentenced to life without parole (LWOP) for a homicide a… Read More
2021-07-19 16:50
by Efrén Paredes, Jr. "[T]his is how social death works: You become a nonperson, someone whose existence is superfluous. You're invisible, hidden in some cage just outside the city or… Read More
2021-07-19 16:42
by Efrén Paredes, Jr. In 1993 a 17-year-old Flint youth named Victor Polk was charged, along with four other juveniles, for the armed robbery of a store and shooting death of a man. H… Read More
2021-02-23 22:56
by Necalli Ollin(This is the first in a series of posts analyzing the prosecutor's arguments in recent court hearings regarding the case of Efrén Paredes, Jr.) Friday, January 15, 202… Read More
2020-09-02 17:52
Efrén's case is the subject of this week's episode of the podcast series "Abuse of Power." The title of the episode is "State of Michigan v. Efrén Paredes, Jr." You can listen… Read More
2020-05-30 19:10
by Necalli OllinFor the past year-and-a-half Efrén Paredes, Jr. has been participating in an interview to provide the public with a detailed portrait of what life looks like for someo… Read More
2020-05-30 19:05
by Efrén Paredes, Jr.http://Bitly.com/FreeEfrenAs Michigan leads the nation in the chilling number of COVID-19 deaths occurring inside its prison, 196 incarcerated people sentenced to… Read More
2020-03-27 19:41
I want to begin by expressing my gratitude and appreciation to the people who have been reaching out to me and expressing their concern about my health and well-being as the nation grapples… Read More
2020-03-16 12:00
by Dr. John MastersonEmeritus Professor of MathematicsMichigan State UniversityThe evidence strongly suggests that Efrén Paredes, Jr.'s version of what actually occurred during the ti… Read More
2020-03-15 12:00
by Dr. John MastersonEmeritus Professor of MathematicsMichigan State University"Almost all police lie about whether they violated the Constitution in order to convict guilty defendants." (Al… Read More
2020-01-24 21:46
by Necalli Ollin"Government improprieties should not find an oasis within the court system." (Robert M. Bloom, "Judicial Integrity: A Call for Its Re-Emergence in the Adjudication of Crimina… Read More
2020-01-09 21:04
[The following is a proposal sent to Berrien County Prosecutor, Michael Sepic, from Efrén Paredes, Jr. in September 2019 inviting his office to participate in the creation of a youth… Read More
2019-12-12 15:12
by Necalli OllinToday Efrén Paredes, Jr. completed the class "Education and Human Flourishing," taught at the Lakeland Correctional Facility (LCF) by Dale Brown, a Western Michigan Un… Read More
2019-09-03 15:54
by Efrén Paredes, Jr.Wednesday, August 7, 2019, prisoners at the Lakeland Correctional Facility hosted DJ Hilson, Muskegon County Prosecutor and President of the Prosecuting Attorneys… Read More
2019-07-22 20:01
by Efrén Paredes, Jr.http://fb.com/Free.EfrenJuly 19, 2019A federal judge from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan recently ruled that prison sentences are un… Read More
2019-03-04 21:36
You are cordially invited to the reception for the film installation "Half Truths and Full Lies.""Half Truths and Full Lies" is a multi-channel documentary film installation that depicts the… Read More
2019-02-06 20:39
by Efren Paredes, Jr.A new book titled "The Meaning of Life: The Case for Abolishing Life Sentences" by Marc Mauer and Ashley Nellis was recently released. In the book the authors provide a… Read More
2018-12-27 17:13
by Carlos VicarioThe following is the first in a series of interviews conducted with Efren Paredes, Jr. during the past six months. The first installment shares his views about America's cur… Read More
2018-12-10 21:16
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Day TwoSaturday morning I woke up at 4:30 am and could not return to sleep. I had a difficult time getting to sleep the previous night eagerly anticipating what the foll… Read More
2018-12-10 21:16
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Unpacking the DayAfter the conclusion of the camp I returned to my housing unit and called my wife to tell her about the day. When we spoke she told me my daughter was r… Read More
2018-12-10 20:58
by Efren Paredes, Jr."Our greatest natural resource and most valuable asset are truly our children." --Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, Louisiana Supreme Court--Day OneOctober 5-6… Read More
2018-09-27 14:56
A collaboration film project between nonfiction filmmakers Tirtza Even and Meg McLagan and multimedia producer Elyse Blennerhassett.The installation is part of the Faculty Projects Exhibitio… Read More
2018-05-22 13:09
by Efren Paredes, Jr.The afternoon of 5/15/18 I was conducting legal research in the law library at the Oaks Correctional Facility (ECF). A short time after my arrival Librarian Leah Berean… Read More
2018-05-14 20:40
by Necalli OllinThe Wyoming Supreme Court recently handed down an important ruling in the case of Davis v. Wyoming regarding prisoners who received life without parole (LWOP) sentences when… Read More
2018-04-16 20:08
by Necalli OllinAcross Michigan trial courts are approaching how they sentence juvenile lifers who are eligible for resentencing hearings in different ways. Two areas of particular concern i… Read More
2018-01-09 20:33
by Efren Paredes, Jr.The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals (COA) recently made an important ruling on behalf of Michigan prisoners who received mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentenc… Read More
2017-09-13 19:07
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Attorneys for an Idaho prisoner recently petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court seeking a national ban on life without parole (LWOP) sentences for juvenile offenders. The U.S… Read More
2017-08-10 18:29
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Today the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) issued a memorandum notifying prisoners and members of the public about new changes being made to the "Prisoner Mail"… Read More
2017-06-22 14:37
by Necalli OllinAfter thunderstorms barreled through the state Sunday morning, clouds dispersed later that day to create a sunny backdrop for the widely anticipated "Juvenile Lifer Rally for… Read More
2017-05-16 16:27
by Necalli OllinAdvocates working to abolish life without parole (LWOP) sentences for juvenile offenders ("juvenile lifers") are hosting the "Juvenile Lifer Rally for Justice." The event wil… Read More
2017-05-11 18:53
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Feliz Cinco de Mayo to everyone celebrating this day in Mexican history.It isn't often we find people of every cultural and political background in our nation so widely… Read More
2017-03-20 14:38
by Efren Paredes, Jr.In a positive step in the right direction the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) has made it possible for Michigan prisoners to begin purchasing 4.3-inch screen m… Read More
2017-03-20 14:38
by Efren Paredes, Jr.After several months of production the moment finally arrived this past Friday for playwrites at the Handlon Correctional Facility to perform a play they produced titled… Read More
2017-03-15 16:33
MAR 15, 2017 — Dear Friends, Family and Supporters,Today marks 28 complete years Efren Paredes, Jr. has been incarcerated. It is a total of 10,220 grueling days or 245,280 hours… Read More
2017-01-10 17:41
by Efren Paredes Jr. My Brother's Keeper Program (MBK) is a Michigan State University mentoring program for at-risk African-American boys, Grades 6-8, in the Detroit Public Schoo… Read More
2017-01-05 15:45
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Six weeks after beginning a Free Verse Arts poetry workshop at the Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan, prisoner participants are feeling a renewed sense of… Read More
2016-12-16 17:05
by Efren Paredes, Jr.A recent series about prisoners being resentenced who originally received mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences when they were juveniles ("juvenile lifers") has… Read More
2016-11-01 14:07
by Necalli OllinThe following is a recent interview conducted with Efren Paredes, Jr. via phone from the Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan.Necalli Ollin (NO): The U.S. Supreme… Read More
2016-10-28 18:24
The documentary film "Natural Life" by Tirtza Even which features the case of Efren Paredes, Jr. is now available for viewing on Google Play, VuDu, and by visiting the Apple Store on iTunes… Read More
2016-10-17 17:15
In 1989 Efren earned his GED at age 16. He also attended Montcalm Community College and worked as a clerk for the school principal at the Michigan Reformatory. He subsequently worked as a cl… Read More
2016-09-19 13:32
by Efren Paredes, Jr.I arrived at the Handlon Correctional Facility nearly a month ago. It is a Level 2 custody facility located in the rural town of Ionia, Michigan.The facility is home to… Read More
2016-09-07 14:09
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Recently I was scheduled for an appointment with the Health Services Clinic at the Handlon Correctional Facility. When I arrived the waiting room was full so I stood in… Read More
2016-08-26 14:00
The United States is a party to several treaties that have been interpreted by their oversight bodies, and recognized by states parties, to prohibit the irreducible sentence of life without… Read More
2016-08-22 17:52
By Necalli OllinEarlier this year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Montgomery v. Louisiana, 136 S. Ct. 718 (2016), that imposing mandatory life without parole sentences on juvenil… Read More
2016-06-15 18:55
by Efren Paredes, Jr.One cold winter morning on December 17, 2015 representatives from PAWS With a Cause entered the gates of the Muskegon Correctional Facility (MCF) accompanied by 18 dogs… Read More
2016-05-05 17:19
by Efren Paredes, Jr.For nearly three decades the nation's get tough on crime policy has lead to overcrowded prisons across the country. Though crime has continued on a downward spiral the p… Read More
2016-05-02 16:59
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Despite the fact that crime has consistently been on the decline the past several years, the media's over-reporting of crime has generated an array of public fears and r… Read More
2016-04-28 21:29
by Efren Paredes, Jr.News about upcoming resentencing hearings for youthful offenders who were sentenced to life without parole ("juvenile lifers") has been a frequent occurrence in the medi… Read More
2016-04-28 21:27
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Advocates for prisoners who were sentenced to life without parole ("LWOP") for crimes they were convicted of committing when they were juveniles ("juvenile lifers"), rec… Read More
2015-03-03 19:06
by Efren Paredes, Jr.November 5, 2014 I began participating in "Forty Days to Peace," a program created by Kit Cummings, author, motivational speaker, and founder of The Power of Peace Proje… Read More
2015-03-03 19:05
The Blossoms of Humanity Emerge from the Seeds of Consciousnessby Efren Paredes, Jr.(I delivered the following message at the January 15, 2015 Power of Peace Project graduation ceremony held… Read More
2015-01-13 14:54
by Efren Paredes, Jr.For 27 years Nelson Mandela surmounted myriad battles he confronted daily against an oppressive government intent on breaking his spirit. He did it all while categorical… Read More
2014-12-01 20:16
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Recently I was accepted to volunteer in the Red Cross Sewing project at the Saginaw Correctional Facility (SRF).The program, which has been in place a couple years now… Read More
2014-11-14 18:02
by Efren Paredes, Jr.For nearly 26 years I have been housed at a number of different prisons across the state of Michigan.Throughout my incarceration I have advocated the need for increased… Read More
2014-07-27 16:39
Opposition to Rehabilitative Prison Programs Reflects Colossal Mismanagement by Tlecoz Huitzil Read More
2014-04-30 01:12
The case of Efren Paredes, Jr. appears in a new feature length documentary titled "Natural Life." The film challenges inequities in the U.S. juvenile justice system by depicting, throug… Read More
2014-04-22 13:12
April 14, 2014His Holiness, Pope Francis Apostolic Palace 00120 Vatican CityDear Pope Francis,My name is Efren Paredes, Jr. and I am a Latino prisoner currently housed in the State… Read More
2013-09-09 22:18
The Injustice Must End (TIME) Committee recently created a new online petition for people to sign which supports the parole release of Efren Paredes, Jr.The web site that hosts the petition… Read More
2013-08-18 18:18
by Efren Paredes, Jr.U.S. District Court Judge John Corbett O'Meara issued a court order on Monday, August 12, 2013 stating that all Michigan prisoners who were sentenced to life without par… Read More
2013-08-18 18:12
Please sign this important new online petition aimed at ending mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences for all Michigan prisoners who were juveniles at the time their crimes were comm… Read More
2013-02-17 18:03
by Robert SnellThe Detroit NewsJanuary 30, 2013 Detroit — Inmates sentenced to life in prison for murder as juveniles are eligible for parole and must receive a "fair and me… Read More
2013-02-07 18:45
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Prison corridors reverberate with embellished stories of urban exploits and manufactured images prisoners believe they should emulate behind prison walls.Many prisoners… Read More
2012-07-15 13:01
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Yesterday afternoon as I was seated on a bench in the Control Center at Chippewa Correctional Facility (URF) awaiting a visit I observed three facility staff members con… Read More
2012-07-15 12:55
Excerpts from the recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court banning mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences for juveniles in the case of Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. __ (2012):"The Eight… Read More
2012-07-15 12:37
The following links feature stories that appeared in the media this week about Efren's case:The Herald-Palladium, June 26, 2012, A1 WNDU 16 News, June 27, 2012 National Public Radio (N… Read More
2012-07-11 02:44
by Efren Paredes, Jr. Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued an opinion abolishing mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences for the 2,500 prisoners across the U.S. who we… Read More
2012-06-25 03:19
by Efren Paredes, Jr.Today the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments to consider whether or not to end the sentencing of youths to life without parole (LWOP) -- death by incarceratio… Read More
2012-05-02 01:48
Recently the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) installed kiosks in the housing units at the Chippewa Correctional Facility (URF) -- where Efren is currently housed -- that allow pris… Read More
2011-09-18 17:32
by Efrén Paredes, Jr.In June 2011, the new contract for Michigan prisoner phone service began. The phone call rates nearly doubled, prisoners are now making fewer phone calls to membe… Read More
2011-06-26 17:41
by Efrén Paredes, Jr.In the Fall of 2009 Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter dismissed 40 convictions because Benton Harbor police manufactured evidence, conducted illegal… Read More
2011-06-12 13:24
The Injustice Must End (TIME) Committee to Free Efrén Paredes, Jr. has created a Twitter page named "Efrén Uncaged" to share Efrén's thoughts, interests and social… Read More
2011-04-28 23:59
by Hans Koppenhoefer, Jr.A new video supporting Efren's release was recently produced by his friend, supporter, and TIME Committee member, Mario Rocha. In Mario's description of the vi… Read More
2011-01-30 16:04
By Scott ElliottEditor, In his Jan. 2 guest column, Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter says former Gov.Jennifer Granholm’s criminal justice record was an unmitigated disaster. While… Read More
2011-01-30 15:48
by Arthur CotterGUEST COLUMN Commutation fiasco is Granholm’s final insult The administration of Gov. Jennifer Granholm ended Saturday. In the arena of the criminal justice s… Read More
Subscribe to The Injustice Must End (time)
Get updates delivered right to your inbox!