Campaign for Commutation for Ramadan Shabazz
Governor's Council Hearing for Ramadan Shabazz on December 13, 2022 at which William Allen served as the first witness. ©Karen Elliott Greisdorf/MCAN
Second Chance Justice (SCJ), a campaign of Brockton Interfaith Community in partnership with Massachusetts Communities Action Network, kicked off 2021 with a campaign to help others see William Allen’s humanity and his accomplishments during 28 years of incarceration and ultimately bring about his liberation through commutation. We welcomed William home in May 2022. William is now an active member of SCJ and helped to lead SCJ’s campaign to bring about Mr. Ramadan Shabazz’s liberation. William knows Ramadan personally from their time incarcerated at the same prison and while working with him in the Bridgewater State Hospital Companion Program for many years. He knows Ramadan to be a man of deep integrity who has proven his commitment to helping others during more than 51 years of incarceration, the kind of man who would make positive contributions in the community.
Ramadan Shabazz is one of only three people serving life sentences who has been granted commutation in twenty-five years. This fact is a testament to the strength of his petition.
Ramadan was an ideal candidate for commutation to a parole-eligible life-sentence. At 73 years old, he had spent more than half a century in prison as a model prisoner with no record of violent or aggressive behavior either before or after his crime. At the time that he and another man committed an armed robbery that caused the deaths of two people, Ramadan was just twenty-one years old and had recently returned from serving his country in Vietnam and was struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and a severe substance use disorder. He is now an older gentleman, who spent two-thirds of his life committed to making himself a better person and the world a better place, particularly through his mentorship of younger prisoners and those suffering from severe mental illness. He is deeply remorseful and has consistently expressed that remorse throughout the years.
Press
Governor’s Council votes to commute life sentence of Ramadan Shabazz, convicted murderer who’s served 51 years - Boston Globe, 12/14/22
Education becomes the catch-22 of prison life - Boston Globe, 11/23/22
Baker recommends pardons of two convicted in Fells Acres day-care abuse case, commutation for man convicted of murder - Boston Globe, 11/18/22
Massachusetts Gov. Baker announces commutation of Ramadan Shabazz, pardons six - New Bedford Guide, 11/18/22
Governor Baker announces commutation of first-degree murder sentence, pardons 6 others - Fall River Reporter, 11/18/22
Parole Board recommends clemency for man convicted of murder in 1971 - Boston Globe, 10/18/22
Reformed prisoner awaits clemency hearing after 50 years - San Quentin News,10/7/22
After 51 years in prison, Ramadan Shabazz deserves his freedom - Boston Globe, 7/24/22
Selection of Ramadan Shabazz’s Accomplishments
Served his country in Vietnam.
Obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Boston University while incarcerated, completing a thesis entitled "The First Offenders: Incarcerated Vietnam Veterans That Are In The Massachusetts Prison System For Their Very First Offense.” This thesis examined how the trauma many Vietnam veterans experienced, and the lack of support they received when returning to the U.S., led to destructive behavior including drug use and criminal activity.
In 1973, within one year of his conviction, Mr. Shabazz was already volunteering with the Reach-Out Youth Program, in which prisoners received extensive training to serve as counselors for youth from the Department of Youth Services (DYS). He has continued to volunteer for other youth programs throughout his incarceration - even traveling to high schools to speak to students about the dangers of alcohol and drug use and the consequences of poor decisions.
Between 1977-2017, Mr. Shabazz tutored prisoners in pre-GED and GED programs.
Selected by the Department of Correction to appear on a video shown to young prisoners to help them adjust to their incarceration in acknowledgment of his particular ability to act as a role model.
Between 1983-1987 (at which point the program was terminated), Mr. Shabazz participated in the Work Release Program out in the community helping with the cleaning of cemeteries, parks, playgrounds and road sides, and perhaps most importantly shouldering the great responsibility of caring for mental health patients at Worcester State Hospital.
Participated in 48 furloughs without a single incident before the Department of Correction terminated the program (the furlough program allowed prisoners to apply for release to the community for up to 48 hours at a time).
Member of the Cadre Program at Bridgewater State Hospital, where the prisoners lived among the patients and served as the workforce for the hospital between 2009-2017.
Between 2011-2017, selected as one of the first members of the newly created and highly-selective Companion Program at Bridgewater State Hospital to serve as a Special Needs Assistant for one to two mentally ill patients at a time. Mr. Shabazz’s patience and calm manner led to the program assigning him a patient particularly prone to violent outbursts with whom Mr. Shabazz developed a close and lasting mentorship.
Participated in virtually every program made available to him, totaling at least 55 programs not including the multiple phases of each program that he also completed, nor the fact that his participation in some of these programs spanned decades. For example, Mr. Shabazz completed four units of the Alternatives to Violence Program: Basic, Advanced, Trainer, and Facilitator between 2008 and 2009.
Raised money and donated his own limited prison earnings to those in need - helping to establish the Chain Gang Runners Club, which raised an estimated $10,000 for Handi-Kids at Bridgewater and the Franciscan Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Center in Brighton. He also raised money and volunteered for the Pewter Elderly Program, run by Norfolk Council on Aging, which provided meals and conversation to the elderly, New Eyes for the Needy, a non-profit raising money for glasses for children, and Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD), a global humanitarian relief and development organization.