Once Tony Bisceglie agreed to represent me, he began building a coalition to strengthen the legal effort on my behalf. He first reached out to Tom Hillier, the federal defender in Seattle, who joined the team to collaborate on a comprehensive strategy. At the time, the government was enacting new laws under a comprehensive crime control bill, which included tougher sentencing measures, truth-in-sentencing laws, and the elimination of many opportunities for incarcerated individuals to seek relief. These changes made the legal landscape more challenging for people in prison.
Tony and the legal team determined that filing a habeas corpus petition with my sentencing judge, Jack Tanner, would be the best course of action. To craft a compelling petition, they brought Jonathan Solovy onto the team. An accomplished attorney with a reputation for thoroughness and dedication, Jonathan contributed hundreds of hours to help write the brief and develop the legal arguments.
Beyond the judicial efforts, the team also worked to engage prosecutors from the US Attorney’s office, hoping to gain their support for the petition. Despite their extensive preparation and advocacy, the effort to persuade Judge Tanner ultimately failed. However, Tony, Jonathan, and the team remained committed to fighting on my behalf. They shifted their focus to building a clemency petition, continuing their efforts to seek relief for my sentence.
None of these individuals had known me before I went to prison. Yet they invested thousands of hours to fight for my liberty. Although their efforts did not lead to an early release, they gave me something even more profound: hope. Their dedication reinforced my belief in the importance of self-investment and inspired me to continue working hard to prove worthy of the support I received.
Jonathan Solovy’s involvement exemplified the power of collaboration and the impact that individuals can have when they work together toward a common goal. His contributions, along with those of the entire legal team, deepened my commitment to advocacy and to showing others in prison how to take steps to help themselves. When I finally got out of prison, my wife Carole and I went to meet Jonathan at his office in Seattle. He treated us to lunch and Seattle’s famed Metropolitan Bar and Grill, one of America’s best steak restaurants. I got the treat of running around Greenlake with Jonathan, and I hope that he’ll always consider me a friend.
Self-Directed Learning Question:
- “How can you build a coalition of support by demonstrating your commitment to self-improvement and contributing to a shared goal?”
