Pro Bono Client Wins Immediate Release Following Resentencing Hearing

Paul, Weiss achieved a major pro bono victory when Judge Danya Dayson of the D.C. Superior Court suspended our client’s life sentence to all but time served under the D.C. Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act (IRAA). The IRAA allows courts to grant sentence reductions for youthful offenders who have served at least 15 years of their sentence, and who demonstrate they are no longer a danger to the community and that the interests of justice would be served by a sentence reduction. Our client was 18 years old at the time of his offense and received a life sentence. He was released on the afternoon of February 9, after serving nearly 30 years, in recognition of his tremendous maturation and personal growth while incarcerated.

Judge Dayson’s order granting relief commended our client’s lack of any disciplinary infractions for the last 13 years and his focus on education and self-improvement. Despite having spent the entirety of his adult life incarcerated, our client has maintained a close relationship with his family and friends and is looking forward to their company and support as he begins this new chapter of his life.

The Paul, Weiss team was supervised by litigation partner Paul Brachman and counsel Justin Lerer, and led by associates Samantha Fry, Kevin Madden, RaCia Poston and Vanessa Rodrigues Moody.