Cincinnati Enquirer: Big moment at RNC means criminal justice change in Ohio
"I am alive. I am well. And most importantly…I am free!"
Alice Marie Johnson never expected to say these words. Today, she is truly free, having been granted a full pardon by President Trump a day after captivating the country on primetime television at the Republican National Convention.
Alice’s story is an indictment of America’s broken federal legal system. In 1996, she was convicted of a nonviolent drug crime, and sentenced to life in prison. That shocking penalty, coupled with Alice’s compelling efforts at rehabilitation over 21 years behind bars, led Trump to grant her clemency in June of 2018, recognize her in his State of the Union a year later, and feature her in his first campaign ad during the 2020 Super Bowl.
But her placement at the RNC is perhaps most groundbreaking. Criminal justice reform was largely ignored during the Cleveland-hosted convention four years ago, despite the fact that leaders in conservative legislatures, including Ohio’s, helped to pioneer the movement.
So it seemed appropriate for Alice Marie Johnson to give the Buckeye State a do-over, and just two days before her RNC speech, she joined Ohio lawmakers in a virtual event to push for passage of Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 1, landmark criminal justice reform measures under consideration in the critical battleground state.
These bills are touted as the most significant criminal justice reform effort in the nation this year. SB 3, which already passed the Senate with an overwhelming bipartisan 25-4 vote, would save Ohio taxpayers $75 million per year by reclassifying certain low-level, nonviolent drug felonies to misdemeanors, and ensuring people don’t go to prison for "technical violations" of probation. HB 1 could broaden a package deal by vastly expanding record sealing and intervention in lieu of conviction.
In pushing Ohio lawmakers to act, Alice shared her personal story, including memories from the day she was granted clemency, such as how her friends inside banged on their prison bars and cheered so loudly when they learned of Alice’s freedom that "it sounded like an earthquake."
Advocates hope Alice’s unduly harsh sentence, journey to freedom and call to action will inspire common-sense changes in Ohio.
The Ohio lawmakers who joined Alice in conversation are already champions, and will be key to passage of this legislation: Sen. John Eklund, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sponsor of SB 3, and Rep. George Lang, chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee. Asked if SB 3 would get to the governor’s desk this year, Lang answered confidently, "It’s the right bill, the time is right, the Speaker is going to be receptive to it, and I’m confident we’ll get this done."
That’s music to Alice Marie Johnson’s ears. She may be a free woman, but she is haunted by the people who are left behind. By passing SB 3 and HB 1, Ohio could lead red, blue and purple states through a renaissance period for redemption and second chances. For as goes Ohio, so goes the country.