My grandfather Edward Levern Daughtry, a Navy veteran and minister, desperately needs your help.

He's been in prison for the past 22 years for a nonviolent robbery he did during a hard time in his life. But now he's an elderly man that's turned his life around.

If Edward was sentenced today for his only class A offense, he would've been eligible for parole 7 years ago.

I want to present our cause to the Alabama State House and Senate, and the Baldwin County DA. Hopefully, they'll see that he is a harmless and earnest man that wants to return to society and reunite with his family. 22 years for a nonviolent crime is far too long, so his sentence should be considered complete.

I haven't seen my grandfather in several years and he hasn't met his three great grandchildren yet. Although I value our bittersweet conversations over the phone, I want to hug him in person, introduce him to my husband and son, and make his favorite dessert Pineapple Upside Down cake.
He said when he gets out, he wants to share his life story in a biography and spend time with his family.

"I try to be a light in a dark place," He said. "I try to be a kind word where there is pain."

He's serving his term at the William E. Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama.

Alabama's Habitual Felony Offender Act(HFOA) is an outdated law that has largely contributed to the overcrowded and violent state prisons. It enhances a person's sentence based on how many prior felonies they have committed.

HFOA Facts:

• 536 people are incarcerated in Alabama for sentences of life or life without parole for robbery. The vast majority of cases involve no physical injury. Of these, 239 will die in prison unless the law is changed.
• Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act is more severe than repeat offender statutes in every other southern state – except Mississippi.
• 3 out of 4 people sentenced to die in prison under HFOA are Black.

Links to learn more about HFOA:

Smart Justice Alabama Report

Alabama Appleseed Organization Report

If you want to help, please sign this petition, share it with your friends and family on all social media, and reach out to any justice organizations or elected officials that can spread our message.
Thank you so much for whatever you can do!