Prosecutor eliminates potential black jurors, James Byers gets life for $10 drug sale
Sheriff ’s deputies videotaped a controlled drug buy, and Byers was convicted at trial of distribution of crack cocaine within a half-mile of a school or park.
Byers objected to the prosecutor’s striking of potential Black jurors from the jury pool. Byers was sentenced at age 28 to mandatory life without parole under South Carolina’s three-strikes law as a habitual offender.
Read full story at ACLU Special Report. A Living Death: Life Without Parole for Nonviolent Offenses.
James Byers Jr. with (from left) his sister, Elnita Garner; and his mother,
Rubie Davis
Many of the long serving inmates have no one left to support them. You can help by sharing their stories and asking others to do the same. Sign up to become an advocate for an inmate.
As voters, citizens, taxpayers and bystanders, we as a society have inhumanely punished thousands of nonviolent people. Currently Washington DC and 30 states have compensation statutes for wrongfully convicted inmates. Congress’ recommended amount is $63,000 for each year served. On the other hand, overly sentenced victims who in many cases have suffered equally or worse typically receive $20 and a bus ticket if they are fortunate enough to ever be released.
Select the link below to donate directly to Byers to help him with legal and other expenses. Most of these inhumanely sentenced inmates don't remember the last time they were able to buy personal items or snacks from the commissary. No donation is too small. JPAY is used for state inmates and Western Union for federal.
No Harsh Justice inmate has ever been convicted of a violent crime.
Donate to Byer's Legal Fund (Select South Carolina, Inmate ID=293715)
Note: 100% of your donation goes directly into the inmate's prison account.