Hear their stories
Maureen
Age at time of event: 28
Current Age: 34
Sentence: Life Without Parole
Maureen's Story
Update 12/23/20: Maureen was granted the opportunity to be heard by the MInnesota Board of Pardons on 12/15/2020. Presented with the fact around being sentenced to LWOP and the person who planned and committed the murder going home at 26 years both the Attorney General Ellison and Governor Walz had concern. The board voted to hold Maureen over and allow her another place in the Spring hearings. We will continue to work with Maureen to update and inform the 3 decision makers on her case in an effort to help them know the facts around this case. Maureen’s attorney has met with her codefendant who shared what happened the day of the tragic death. He has signed an affidavit that Maureen did not provide the gun, she did not know his intentions that day prior to the murder happeneing. Maureen did hide the gun and lie to the police, which she admits openly. Maureen is guilty of aiding and abetting after the fact. This conviction would be a sentence of 10 years or less. This is what has been asked of the board of pardons”
“I was 28 when I was arrested. I had earned my BA in communication in 2007 an my BA in English literature in 2012. I was accepted to Hamline University for my Masters and Fine Arts degree for creative writing where I was to start in the fall of 2014. I was arrested in March of 2014 so my plans change drastically. I was a school bus driver in Golden Valley and I lived in Chicago for eight months prior to my arrest in Minnesota. Never married and no children. My mother deceased, my older sister younger sister and 71 year old father are remaining in my family. I am a survivor of domestic abuse.
I went with a friend of my boyfriend on a drug deal and a murder took place. I was scared and afraid of what would happen to me or to my family. He asked me to hide the murder weapon and I did. three days later the police took me in for questioning and I refused to say anything, so they said I had to have something to do with it. My original charge was drug possession and at the end of it I was charged and convicted of 1st degree murder.
I have been incarcerated for 79 months and I will never be released. I am sentenced to die in prison. It has been hurt on me because I know the sentence is excessive. I believe God is the final judge so I always have hope that my sentence will be corrected. My family ar sad I was sentenced to life without parole, but they also have faith that I will be released one day. They live in Illinois and Wisconsin, so I rarely see them, but they will wait on my return as long as they have breath in their body. “
Who is Maureen today?
Maureen says, “I’m the same person I was before I came to prison. I just stopped surrounding myself around negative people . I have continued my schooling . I earned my paralegal diploma. I am a lead worker at my job. Before covid I was a mentor, involved in several committees, and went through numerous groups slash treatment base classes and writing classes for Minnesota prison writers workshop. “
Maureen is one two persons serving time in Minnesota accepted as test persons to do the Prison to Law Pipeline. She is working with professors from several prestigious universities to help create this plan in Minnesota and will hopefully be starting law school this next year.
Articles written about Maureen, plus additional reading:
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Age at time of event: 19
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