PURSUING JUSTICE

Huwe Burton Spent 18 years in Prison from Age 16-34 for a crime he did not commit.

Our podcast   will feature one of three authors of a 66 page article appearing in the Northwestern Law Review published in October 2021. Rachel Lopez is an Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. The theme of the article is the question of redemption. Life Without Parole is essentially Death By Incarceration, sending the message that those accused of serious crimes are incapable of redemption. 

 The article “Redeeming Justice” discussing the right to redemption for people serving a Life Without Parole sentence has  garnered much attention in legal circles. A number of advocates have brought several legal complaints that address this right. Astha Sharma Pokharel will discuss a complaint to the United Nations (to be filed on September 15, 2022) alleging that the United States is committing torture by condemning people to “death by incarceration” {DBI} through extreme sentences such as  Life Without Parole. Astha is a graduate of NYU Law School and a former Fellow at the Center for Constitutional Rights.

 Kempis Songster, aKa Ghani, is a founding member of Right To Redemption Committee and the Coalition to abolish Death By Incarceration.  He is also co-founder and director of Ubuntu Philadelphia. Since his release in 2017 after 30 years in prison, starting when he was 15 years Old, Ghani has emerged as a leader in Philadelphia’s movement to end mass incarceration and to create restorative responses to harm and violence. He has his own podcast called “Move It Forward Show.

 Terrell Carter was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He is one of 10 siblings. He served over three decades of a Life Without Parole sentence and was released in July 2022. After having his sentence commuted by Governor Tom Wolf. While he was incarcerated, he was a hospice volunteer, authored three novels, short stories, and poems, facilitated workshops, graduated from Villanova and is currently pursuing a Masters in creative writing. He has dedicated his life towards bringing an end to the inhumane practice of condemning men, women, and children to die in prison and to restore hope in those who have had it stripped away. Terrell will share his personal story and his advocacy work.

 Kempis Songster, aKa Ghani, is a founding member of Right To Redemption Committee and the Coalition to abolish Death By Incarceration.  He is also co-founder and director of Ubuntu Philadelphia. Since his release in 2017 after 30 years in prison, starting when he was 15 years Old, Ghani has emerged as a leader in Philadelphia’s movement to end mass incarceration and to create restorative responses to harm and violence. He has his own podcast called “Move It Forward Show.

 Terrell Carter was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He is one of 10 siblings. He served over three decades of a Life Without Parole sentence and was released in July 2022. After having his sentence commuted by Governor Tom Wolf. While he was incarcerated, he was a hospice volunteer, authored three novels, short stories, and poems, facilitated workshops, graduated from Villanova and is currently pursuing a Masters in creative writing. He has dedicated his life towards bringing an end to the inhumane practice of condemning men, women, and children to die in prison and to restore hope in those who have had it stripped away. Terrell will share his personal story and his advocacy work.