“Philly courts to give sham brief sentencing hearings to brother Ghani and other child lifers. by Kerry Shakaboona Marshall.
Kempis Ghani Songster—sentenced death by incarceration, or life without parole, at 15 years old for murder—has served 30 years of incarceration now, and is one of America’s poster child for the redemption of child offenders.
Yet 30 years apparently isn’t enough, as Philly DA office and judges has dismissed redemption and are seeking retribution at brother Ghani’s contested re-sentencing hearing in an attempt to re-sentence him to a possible 45 years to life prison term.
If judges re-sentence Ghani to 35 to life or 45 to life imprisonment, then they will have signaled that all child lifers opting for contested re-sentencing hearings will be re-sentenced to the same prison term.
Meaning, irregardless of whether child lifers can prove redemption, the outcome of the re-sentencing hearing will be the same: 45 years to life imprisonment. Hence Philly judges are ensuring sham re-sentencing hearings.
Therefore, we call on everybody to attend our community re-sentencing hearing on Sunday, July 23rd to witness what a new vision of what community restorative justice looks like. And we urgently call for every woman, man, and child to come pack the courts on Monday, July 24th and Tuesday, July 25th to demand that brother Ghani and others are immediately released and that they aren’t re-entenced to a life of parole upon release. While in the courthouse, let your presence and voices state: judges have elections too.
From the belly of the beast at Prison Radio, I am Shakaboona. Thank you for listening.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan at Prison Radio.