The Long Road to Justice STORY BY BRICE HELMS AND KEITH PIERCE
Professor Binny Miller and Criminal Justice Clinic Students Secure Release of Client After 57 Years in Prison
In a narrative echoing the indomitable spirit of Nelson Mandela’s fight for freedom, Professor Binny Miller and clinic student attorneys at AUWCL achieved a remarkable victory, securing the release of Mr. M, who recently walked out of prison after enduring more than 57 years behind bars. Through the years, 14 AUWCL Criminal Justice Clinic students lent their efforts to this monumental cause.
The saga of Mr. M’s quest for freedom landed on Miller’s desk in 2016, after numerous fruitless attempts to secure parole. Despite setbacks, including the court’s denial of a motion arguing that Mr. M’s incarceration was unconstitutional, Miller persisted. Faced with the challenge of navigating the conservative legal landscape in one Maryland County, she pursued a Juvenile Rehabilitation Act motion on behalf of Mr. M, who had been sentenced to incarceration as a juvenile in 1967.
“People are often surprised to hear that children can be sentenced as adults to excessive sentences,” Miller said. “And that an individual with a decades-long spotless prison record can spend more than half a century in prison.”
With profound gratitude and immense relief, Miller expressed, “It was one of the great joys of my life to accompany Mr. M upon his release from prison. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent him, and for the outstanding work of the many clinic students who also represented Mr. M and the bond that we forged over many years. It was also a great relief to know that Mr. M would not die in prison.”
Throughout his decades of incarceration, Mr. M experienced severe deterioration in his health, with chronic conditions escalating to critical levels. By the time he appeared in court, he required assistance to walk even a short distance.
Despite Mr. M’s undeniable rehabilitation and declining health, the court’s ruling in January 2023 determined that he was no longer a threat to society, yet deemed his release was “not in the interest of justice.” Shortly after, Mr. M’s health took a critical turn, necessitating life-saving triple bypass surgery.
Buoyed by unwavering determination, Miller and her dedicated team of law clinic students shifted their focus to the Maryland Parole Commission. With the Governor no longer holding the final say on life sentence releases, they saw a renewed opportunity for Mr. M’s freedom.
Building on work over the past several years that involved meticulously scrutinizing records, engaging in relentless negotiations with commissioners and chair, and fiercely advocating for Mr. M’s cause, Miller and her team navigated the intricate pathways to freedom. They triumphantly walked Mr. M out of prison doors, reuniting him with longtime friends who had eagerly awaited his release for years.
The jubilant occasion was punctuated by a celebratory meal, symbolizing the collective elation at Mr. M’s long-awaited freedom.
Miller hopes her and the student team’s hard work and dedication will serve as inspiration for others in the same situation as Mr. M.
“I believe that positive change is possible, and it starts with the hard work of each of us,” she said. “The momentum is building for the release of more individuals on parole, especially geriatric prisoners like Mr. M. who have found redemption and pose a danger to no one.”
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON COLLEGE OF LAW 25
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