What about Roberta Bell or Vallia Friend - Who Deserves Clemency?
At The National Council, we believe in the abolition of prisons and the freedom of all women. We support clemency and pardons as part of a broader commitment to decarceration. But we reject a system where freedom is reserved for those with the deepest pockets or the most powerful connections.
Recently, Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted as a key accomplice to Jeffrey Epstein, was transferred to a minimum security prison. That’s notable because Bureau of Prisons policy requires people convicted of sex offenses to be held at least in low-security prisons. Yet in record time, those rules bent for Maxwell. She now joins a list of well-connected women, including Elizabeth Holmes and Jen Shah, who live under far fewer restrictions than thousands of others with similar or stronger cases for relief.
Maxwell has served only four of her 20 years. Meanwhile, women like Roberta Bell, who has spent three decades in prison on conspiracy and intimidation charges, are denied similar transfers. Roberta was instrumental in revealing the sexual abuse at FCI Dublin, suffers from serious health issues, and has maintained an exemplary record, yet remains far from her family and without access to needed care.
Or Vallia Friend, 73 years old, incarcerated since 1999 on conspiracy charges. She has spent decades mentoring others, training service dogs, and preparing for reentry. She has expressed deep remorse. She lives in the basement of a prison that regularly floods with wastewater, endures lockdowns due to staffing issues, and experiences food shortages. She is no danger to anyone, yet remains under onerous security restrictions.
When the system wants to act quickly, it can. Rules can be set aside. The question is, for whom?
The difference is not merit. It’s money, influence, and the ability to trade information for leniency. This is cronyism masquerading as justice, a pattern in which wealthy, white women move through doors that remain locked for poor women, Black women, and those without political currency.
We fight for decarceration. But our fight is for equity and dignity, not selective mercy that reinforces the same hierarchies and exclusions that built mass incarceration in the first place.
True justice means the system moves as swiftly for the least powerful as it does for the most connected. Until then, we will keep naming these disparities and working to end them.
Disclaimer
This blog serves as a platform for members of The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls (TNC) to share their thoughts, ideas, experiences, and creative expression. Occasionally, third-party pieces are shared on this platform as well. The views and opinions expressed in individual submissions and third-party pieces are those of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions, policies, positions, or perspectives of The National Council, its leadership, members, or partners.
We believe that every voice deserves to be heard. This space uplifts the diverse lived experiences of our community and honors the right of each person to speak their truth. While contributions may vary in perspective, together they reflect the power of collective storytelling and the urgent need for change.
