Dear NACDL Colleague,

President Clinton is likely to commute the sentences of some Federal prisoners before he leaves office. It is inconceivable

that the next President will use this enormous, unreviewable power again for 4 or 8 years. In particular, prisoners who are low-level

drug offenders serving very long sentences under the guidelines are likely beneficiaries of this opportunity. Also prisoners who have

illnesses, family situations or other situations that warrant mercy. Prisoners must file a petition.

If you have clients or former clients who have exhausted their appeals they should file a petition for commutation of sentence

IMMEDIATELY with the Pardon Attorney, Roger C. Adams, 500 First Street, N.W., 4th flr, Washington, DC 20530 tel 202-616-6070, fax

202-616-6069. The forms can be found on my home page at the bottom left, http://www.cjpf.org or obtained from the Pardon Attorney.

U.S. Rep. John Conyers is considering taking to the President the names of especially deserving prisoners WHO HAVE FILED PETITIONS

FOR COMMUTATION OF SENTENCE WITH THE PARDON ATTORNEY. If you have clients who have such petitions pending, you might communicate

their names and relevant information to Joanne Warwick at 202-225-5126 (tel) in the office of Representative Conyers.

It is also timely FOR YOU to urge the President directly, and your Senators and Representatives in Congress, and those in the news

media to encourage the President, to use this power, either in general or for specific persons.

You can find some useful arguments at http://www.cjpf.org/clemency.

Yours,

Eric E. Sterling

esterling@cjpf.org is a new address for me.

Check that your address book is up-to-date.

Eric E. Sterling, President

The Criminal Justice Policy Foundation

1225 Eye Street, NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20005-3914

Tel. 202-312-2015 Fax 202-842-2620

CJPF website: www.cjpf.org