Al'shamoon Thompson

His name is Al'shamoon ("Moon") Thompson and he was born on Thanksgiving Day in 1973. But for the past 28 years, he has had little to be thankful for. 

In 1997, at 23 years old, Moon was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder in New Jersey and sentenced to life plus 25 years with a mandatory 40 years before being eligible for parole. At his sentencing, he exploded in the courtroom. Because he knew something that the jury and public opinion did not: he was innocent. 

At the time the crimes were committed in New Jersey on November 14, 1995, Moon was being held in a New York City county jail from November 7th until December 5th. This was known by the State of New Jersey at the time of his prosecution and conviction and, yet, this evidence was never presented to a jury and has been buried and ignored for almost 30 years. 

Today, at 50 years old, Moon sits in Trenton State where he has been for the last 28 years, despite filing numerous appeals, which have all been denied, with his first chance of parole in 2036.

The MD Advocacy Group Inc. petitioned the New Jersey Attorney General's office to review his conviction. In June 2024, the Conviction Review Unit agreed to review his conviction. However, while this process is going on, we are also advocating the New Jersey Governor's office to grant him Clemency under the recently established clemency initiative in the State and commute his sentence to time served.

He was only 16 years old. 

 He was tired, he was scared, he was hungry and thirsty. And he just wanted to go home. But he was alone, with no mother, father or guardian to protect him. Alone for over 10 hours in a small interrogation room with Detective Paul, one of the most notably corrupt police detectives in all of New York City from the 77th precinct. He was told that if he just confessed to being present and knowing who did it. And so he gave them what they asked for. 

Almost 30 years later, now at the age of 46, Tyrone James sits in a prison cell in New York State. With his trial file lost by the Kings County prosecutors since 2004, he has had no chance or ability to appeal. But he hasn't just been sitting there. During that time, he has gotten his high school diploma and; is working towards a college degree as well as earning numerous other certifications. He has been commended for his work in fighting COVID back during the height of the pandemic, as well as rescuing a corrections officer from sexual assault by another inmate. 

Now all he hopes for is clemency from the New York State Governor.  The MD Advocacy Group Inc. is advocating for his clemency to the New York State Governor.

Keith Russell is 48 years old. And has spent almost 30 years in a California State Prison for a crime that he didn't commit. 

In 1995, Keith was an 18 year old teenager in Los Angeles trapped in the gang culture. Caught in a stolen car by the police with another young man, the police recovered a 9 mm weapon discarded by the other man in front of the police. Ballistics proved that that gun had been used in a series of crimes, including two homicides and an attempted homicide. And although the police had seen the other man discard the weapon, they chose to pin this weapon and all crimes associated with it on Keith. There were no fingerprints on the gun nor anything else linking him to the weapon or the homicides. And yet, on the basis of that gun and shaky witness testimony that couldn't definitively identify the perpetrator, Keith now sits in prison with a sentence of 22 years and 8 months plus life plus life without parole. A slow-moving death sentence.

Since his conviction in 1998, Keith has denounced the gang life and has been focused on being and becoming a better person during his time of incarceration. Keith has taken every opportunity to further his education and skills, he has earned his GED and is currently working towards a college degree. He has taken numerous inmate improvement courses to prepare himself mentally and emotionally for the challenges out there.  Moreover, he has taken numerous opportunities to talk to young men about the dangers and pitfalls of gangs and the street life.

Keith's most important growth and development has come from his realization that his prior gang activities are what put him in this situation in the first place. Keith is remorseful and regretful of the people that he associated with and the things that he did as a teenager caught up in the gang life. Keith is well aware that he cannot undo the transgressions of his youth. But what he can do is to have and continue to have an effect and impact on those he sees following in his wayward direction. And be a positive force for change. 

The MD Advocacy Group Inc. Is working with Keith and on his behalf for conviction review by the Los Angeles County Attorney General's office and Clemency from the Governor of California..

Join the support for Keith Russell's clemency. Sign the Petition. https://www.change.org/p/grant-clemency-for-keith-russell