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Writer's pictureKhalajah Parsons

Juvenile sentenced to 40 years

Updated: Dec 2, 2021

My name is Kenny Ray Johnson. I am 25 years old. I have been incarcerated since the age of 15 years old. I was charged and tried as an adult and convicted of 1st degree attempted murder with a gang enhancement and a consecutive gun enhancement, resulting in a double life sentence of 15 years to life and a consecutive of 25 years to life all at the age of 15 years old. I take full responsibility for my actions and what I have done to Dejaun Walls and his family as well my family and the community, and I am profoundly remorseful for my actions. There is not a day that goes by I do not think about that night and my actions. We all lost something from that night due to my selfish actions. For that I am truly sorry for my actions. I'm blessed and walk in the faith of God. I pray for forgiveness from God and for forgiveness from both the victim and his family. I remain motivated and continue to do all that I can to lead by example in a positive way in life by staying out of trouble and mentoring the youth to make better decisions than I once did. So I ask that you take all this into consideration, my rehabilitation efforts since being incarcerated. I have spent my time involved in education and self-help programs to establish better thought patterns that will lead to me being a positive and productive asset to myself, my family, friends, and society. Since being in prison, I have earned certificates and attended meetings to become a mentor for all struggling youth, with the help and support of my family, close friends, and certain teachers here in prison. My way of dealing with life and society has tremendously changed. I have taken time to re-evaluate how I think before I act when obstacles occur in life, there are always alternative options instead of acting violently. I take time to consider other people's perspectives rather than just my own, I don't hold other people responsible for me not controlling my feelings and thoughts. I have utilized this time to make a fresh start through self-improvement with love and logic courses. This has helped me to grow as a person since my incarceration. I have received and completed 15 self help classes, I am a high school graduate now, I have taken this all as a huge lesson during my time of rehabilitation. I have truly taken the time to work on me personally and made changes for the better of my life and my family's life. I'm asking you to look at the character of the man I have become and not the actions of me when I was a child. I have numerous letters of support attesting to my character today, so that you can see the change in me. I believe myself and others out there tried as adults as children deserve equal protection, which is a guarantee under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that a state must treat an individual or class of individuals the same as it treats other individuals or classes in like circumstances, such as all the other youth that had the opportunity to be tried as a juvenile and was given a fitness hearing as well as able to be released by the age of 25 based on rehabilitation. I never received that opportunity so I am asking you to have leniency on my behalf to grant me the opportunity for my sentence to be recalled under new changes in the law. Specifically SB-1391 and 1170.(D)(1) and to grant me the opportunity to prove to society that I am able to be a law-abiding citizen please and thank you for your time.


Sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/rehabilitation-not-punishment


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