Freedom for Jay

Today is April 1, 2020, Jay's 30th birthday and the marker of having spent half of his entire life behind bars. This is his story.

In 2006, at age 15, James "Jay" Ward was tried as an adult and railroaded on many charges that he did not commit. He was sentenced to 20 years mandatory. He believes he agreed to a deal that was not in his best interest but was too young at the time to realize what was really going on. He believes he did not receive fair representation and maintains his innocence of the original charges. Several months later, while imprisoned, he was taken back to court for a new case and that added 11 more years to his sentence. He is currently scheduled for release in 2049.

His history as an outspoken advocate of his and all prisoners' rights, and as a visible participant in the 2018 National Prison Strike, has been met with constant retaliation from correctional officers (COs) including punitive segregation, withholding of necessary medications, and physical violence. He has had his shoulder dislocated, his ribs bruised, his face smashed up leaving black eyes, and has also faced years of mental abuse due to segregation, and loss of hope in the face of an abusive system.

Since his conviction, Jay has been disparately trying to fight for his freedom with no luck due to a lack of financial means and the disconnection between the life on the inside and the world on the outside. This is Jay's story of the "justice" system, but it is also a story shared by millions of Americans today.

As supporters and loved ones of Jay, and with the awareness that the rapid expansion of the US prison system is based on racist and unjust profit motives that harm us all, we are seeking the assistance of the National Legal Professional Association (NLPA) in the hopes of fighting back. The NLPA has confirmed that Jay has a case, and they believe they can help reduce his sentence. With the agreement of a $50-100 a month payment plan ($2,950 will cover the initial evaluation fee), they will begin working on Jay’s case and providing legal counsel that he did not receive as a 15-year old. This is where we need your help. In order to meet these monthly payments, we are hoping others will chip in. Anything you can give will help Jay meet this monthly fee.

As donators and supporters of Jay, we will keep you updated on this process and the support the NLPA provides. Thank you for your donation.

Breakdown of donation uses:
$2950 NLPA evaluation fees
$550 A few months of communication for Jay (JPay stamps, phone minutes)
$1500 A little bit to cover the legal fees to follow