Incarcerated Veteran Asking Governor Ralph Northam for a Second Chance at Freedom through Executive Clemency
I'm posting this petition for my son, MarQui Clardy, Sr., who has been incarcerated for the past 13 years, and is humbly asking for everyone's support in his efforts to be granted a second chance at his freedom. There are many reasons why we believe MarQui should be given a second chance; among them is how hard he has worked - and continues to work - to show remorse for his poor decisions by constantly striving to be better and do better. First, I’ll start with some background information on MarQui's character and the circumstances that led to his incarceration.
In September 2001, MarQui joined the U.S. Navy where he served as an IT. He was assigned as a Ship's Self-Defense Force (SSDF) team leader which consisted of specialized weapons, combat, and antiterrorism training, and in 2003, he was deployed overseas where he spent some time in Kuwait and the Persian Gulf for Operation Iraq Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Shortly after returning stateside, MarQui began experiencing some behavioral deviations, hallucinations, and a suicidal preoccupation. His command sent him to a psychologist who diagnosed him with Adjustment Disorder, noting that MarQui had a "major impairment in [his] thinking and judgement, manifested by inflexible thinking." Despite this diagnosis, MarQui was given no further evaluation or treatment before being discharged from service.
Fast-forward to 2006, which is when MarQui's life began spiraling downward. After losing his car in a flash flood, he lost his job due to a lack of transportation. Unemployment lead to him being evicted from his apartment after falling behind on his rent, and having his class registration at Old Dominion University paused after he defaulted on his tuition payment. Being unemployed and homelessness (and desperate), MarQui made the poor decision to commit three robberies. He took electronics from people he met online, which he planned to sell for enough money to get himself back on his feet. However, within a week he was arrested for those crimes. Despite MarQui being a college student and a veteran who had no criminal record - and the fact that no one was physically harmed in either offense - the judge sentenced him to 33 years in prison.
MarQui has taken full responsibility for his actions; however, his mental disorder / impairment likely played a role in his decision making. He was diagnosed with "impaired thinking and judgement," which had gone untreated ever since his military discharge, and may have manifest in a number of ways. MarQui's background shows that he had never been a criminally-inclined person. So it is safe to assume that with proper mental health treatment, MarQui might have exercised better judgement in finding a solution to his financial problems.
Remorse for his actions, and the harm he's caused others, drives MarQui to work extremely hard bettering himself. In a heartfelt apology letter he wrote to the victims (which is posted on www.wesupportmarqui.com he named THEM as his motivation for striving to become the best version of himself that he can be. As such, he has made an admirable list of educational and rehabilitative accomplishments throughout his incarceration, including:
* Completing classes through Washington and Lee University in 2015 and 2016;
* Completing VA DOC's Computer Concepts / Business Software Applications course, and becoming a certified Data Entry Clerk, Administrative Clerk, PC Operator, and Word Processor Operator;
* Completing personal rehabilitative programs through Northstar Community and Bar None / Willow Creek Association;
* Completing faith-based courses through Emmaus Correspondence School, Crossroads Prison Ministries, Prisoners 4 Christ Outreach Ministries, Bon Air Baptist Church, Gospel Express Evangelical School, and Prison Mission Association;
* Enrolling in all of the requisite DOC rehabilitative programs;
* Remaining free of institutional infractions for over ten years;
* Maintaining employment, including as an academic tutor where he helps other offenders obtain their GEDs;
* Remaining an active member of veterans support groups that help military veterans cope with mental health issues and teach about the benefits available to them through Veterans Affairs;
* Publishing his own novel and writing several social justice articles that have been published by Hamilton College, the Virginia Prison Justice Network, the Virginia Prisons Accountability Committee, Tocsin Magazine, and more; and
* Working with Interfaith Action for Human Rights, which is an organization that works to shift the focus of incarceration from retribution to rehabilitation. MarQui writes monthly articles on important prison topics to help give advocates a more clear understanding of solitary confinement, medical treatment, and general day-to-day life on the inside, and IAHR publishers them in their newsletter. [Links to these newsletters are included in the petition updates.]
Because of the MarQui's sincere dedication to personal growth - as well as all he has accomplished to show his remorse - Redemptive Life Foundation has filed a clemency petition on his behalf, asking Governor Ralph Northam to reduce his prison sentence to a more fair and proportionate one which will allow him to return home to his family. But he needs your support, so we are asking you to help him receive the second chance that so many believe he has earned by signing this petition and sharing it with others. Thank you all in advance. God-willing, my son will be home soon.
