Dear President Bush,

Subject: Clemency for Clarence Aaron

I urge you to approve the petition of Clarence Aaron, #05070-003, for a commutation of his sentence. He is currently confined in the U.S. Penitentiary in Atlanta. Clarence is serving three consecutive life sentences without possibility of parole for a minor role in a drug conspiracy. He has been in prison since December 1993. Since then, Clarence has been a model prisoner. He has maintained a perfect behavior record and continually receives exceptional work evaluations.

Mr. Aaron had no previous criminal record. He was a successful student and athlete, graduating from LeFlore Magnet High School in Mobile, AL. He scored in the 74th percentile on the ACT. He attended Mississippi Valley State University and later transferred to Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, where he was attending on an athletic scholarship for football and was majoring in marketing. During college, Clarence held a summer job through his membership with the International Longshoreman's Association and participated in activities with his local Masonry Lodge. Clarence is the only son of Linda Aaron.

In the summer before his final year at Southern University, Clarence was approached by a childhood friend from Mobile who asked Clarence if he knew of anyone who could supply him with cocaine. Clarence knew of people who dealt drugs in Louisiana and helped his old friend by arranging a meeting with a drug dealer from Baton Rouge. Distrustful of each other, the two parties insisted Clarence be present during their meeting. Clarence foolishly agreed.

Following that incident, Clarence returned for his fourth year of studies at Southern University. The next winter Clarence was pulled out of a class by F.B.I. agents and arrested. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute nine kilograms of cocaine and attempting to possess with intent to distribute fifteen kilograms of cocaine. His first trial ended in a hung jury. Upon retrial, Clarence was convicted on the testimony of co-conspirators who got lenient sentences in exchange for their testimony against him.

In 1999, Clarence was featured in the PBS Frontline documentary “Snitch,” about the use of informants in federal drug trials. A juror in Clarence’s case who was interviewed in “Snitch” was shocked when he learned the length of Clarence’s sentence. He thought Clarence should have received a sentence of only a few years. On January 17, 2001, Rep. Sonny Callahan, the Member of Congress representing Mobile, asked President Clinton to consider granting a pardon for Clarence.

Clarence no longer deserves to be incarcerated. Those who played larger roles in the conspiracy and had lengthy criminal records received much shorter sentences and some have already been released. The admitted kingpin of the drug ring, Teano Watts, has already been released from prison, serving only eight years. No public interest is advanced by the further incarceration of Clarence Aaron.

Under the power vested in you by Article II, section 2 of the Constitution, I urge you to immediately commute his sentence so he can rejoin his family, continue his education, and become a productive citizen again.

Sincerely yours,