We will be sending this petition to those who hold the fate of Jean\'s life in their hands.
This message comes to you on behalf of the people that support Jean Karlo Ponzanelli.
Jean is currently incarcerated because he had consensual sex with a girl he believed to be 15. Jean has been in this battle since he was 17, he is now 19. As constituents and taxpayers, we believe that the punishment Jean now faces is cruel and unusual. Jean faces deportation and registry on the sex offender list.
At the present time we are working on Jean\'s behalf with the following request. Evidenced by the signatures on this petition, we are respectfully asking that the plea that was entered by Jean be withdrawn for several reasons. Among them, Jean\'s Counsel advised him to take a plea, and Counsel had no knowledge that Jean was not a citizen. Jean also did not know that he was not a citizen of the United States, nor did he know that the guilty plea on the sex offense made him potentially deportable.
It is within your power to show compassion and mercy for a young man who now faces life ruination for one mistake he made as a teenager. We are asking that you honor this request and allow him to withdraw his plea.
We also believe that Jean, and others like him, should not be registered as sex offenders because this bogs down the registry with names of young men and women who had no intent of harm, but were misled by their partner. This registry should be reserved for actual pedophiles and child molesters as was its original intent. We do not believe it is a place to list teenagers who made a judgment error based upon bad information, leading to consensual sex with another teen. We do believe that the laws regarding this should be amended and we will continue to work toward that goal.
Please be aware that your comments will be forwarded to court officials and it is important to refrain from using abusive or profane language.
Seeing this volume of interest is heavy but it gives me enough strength to keep fighting for Jean. The path ahead remains long and difficult yet the acknowledgment of his situation helps more than I can explain.
Reached 100 supporters
June 29, 2008
6 Comments
M
Michelle Sanders
18 years ago
Featured
This is completely unfair. He was a kid too. Ruining his entire life over one mistake is just wrong.
R
Robert Powell
18 years ago
Featured
Please show some compassion. He was just a child himself.
E
Elena Bennett
18 years ago
Featured
My heart breaks for him and his family. deportation is way too harsh for this situation.
S
Sarah Patterson
18 years ago
Featured
Jean deserves a second chance. He has his whole life ahead of him and we cant just throw it away like this.
J
Jason Gibson
18 years ago
Featured
TOTAL BS. The registry is for real predators not for teenagers who made a bad choice. Let him withdraw the plea.
D
David Kim
18 years ago
Featured
The legal system failed him here. How can a lawyer not know their client isnt a citizen before advising a plea?? Fix this.
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250 signatures.
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We will be sending this petition to those who hold the fate of Jean\'s life in their hands.
This message comes to you on behalf of the people that support Jean Karlo Ponzanelli.
Jean is currently incarcerated because he had consensual sex with a girl he believed to be 15. Jean has been in this battle since he was 17, he is now 19. As constituents and taxpayers, we believe that the punishment Jean now faces is cruel and unusual. Jean faces deportation and registry on the sex offender list.
At the present time we are working on Jean\'s behalf with the following request. Evidenced by the signatures on this petition, we are respectfully asking that the plea that was entered by Jean be withdrawn for several reasons. Among them, Jean\'s Counsel advised him to take a plea, and Counsel had no knowledge that Jean was not a citizen. Jean also did not know that he was not a citizen of the United States, nor did he know that the guilty plea on the sex offense made him potentially deportable.
It is within your power to show compassion and mercy for a young man who now faces life ruination for one mistake he made as a teenager. We are asking that you honor this request and allow him to withdraw his plea.
We also believe that Jean, and others like him, should not be registered as sex offenders because this bogs down the registry with names of young men and women who had no intent of harm, but were misled by their partner. This registry should be reserved for actual pedophiles and child molesters as was its original intent. We do not believe it is a place to list teenagers who made a judgment error based upon bad information, leading to consensual sex with another teen. We do believe that the laws regarding this should be amended and we will continue to work toward that goal.
Please be aware that your comments will be forwarded to court officials and it is important to refrain from using abusive or profane language.
Seeing this volume of interest is heavy but it gives me enough strength to keep fighting for Jean. The path ahead remains long and difficult yet the acknowledgment of his situation helps more than I can explain.
Reached 100 supporters
June 29, 2008
6 Comments
M
Michelle Sanders
18 years ago
Featured
This is completely unfair. He was a kid too. Ruining his entire life over one mistake is just wrong.
R
Robert Powell
18 years ago
Featured
Please show some compassion. He was just a child himself.
E
Elena Bennett
18 years ago
Featured
My heart breaks for him and his family. deportation is way too harsh for this situation.
S
Sarah Patterson
18 years ago
Featured
Jean deserves a second chance. He has his whole life ahead of him and we cant just throw it away like this.
J
Jason Gibson
18 years ago
Featured
TOTAL BS. The registry is for real predators not for teenagers who made a bad choice. Let him withdraw the plea.
D
David Kim
18 years ago
Featured
The legal system failed him here. How can a lawyer not know their client isnt a citizen before advising a plea?? Fix this.
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach
250 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
or sign with Email
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
This is completely unfair. He was a kid too. Ruining his entire life over one mistake is just wrong.