Wednesday, September 4, 2024 For Immediate Release Office of Public Affairs The Justice Department announced today that it has opened an investigation into the conditions of two prison facilities operated by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation...
FAMILIES UNITED TO END LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE
Latest News & Reports:
STOP LYING ABOUT CRIME IN CALIFORNIA
Reforms Did Not Bring More Crime. Rates Are Near Record Lows. Mike Males, Ph.D., Senior Research Fellow Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice July 2024 Research Brief Both right- and left-wing sources are peddling a false narrative that California is awash in...
CONTACT CDCR
VIEW MORE
Legal Resources & Bills to Follow:
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
FUEL Organizers & Actions:
Kelsey Thomas
I want to first Thank You for taking the time out to read my story. My name is Kelsey A. Thomas, CDC number D-83629, and I was arrested in 1986, at the age of 28, for Robbery Murder. I was charged with First Degree Murder Special Circumstances, in 1986. In 1988, I was...
Jeffrey Roberts
The most important part of my story is the memory of Mr. Diyet Dinh Vu, his family, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Alterman and their family, as well as the countless others I have victimized in my lifetime. They did not deserve to be treated in such a violent callous way and to...
Harlan King
Dear FUEL Brothers and Sisters, My name is Harlan Bayard King. CDCR# C-75234, commitment date June 7th, 1982. I was 10 days past my 21st birthday when I fell. I am now 61. I spent 30 in CDCR before I interstate transferred to my home state of Oklahoma in 2012. My four...
Welcome to FUEL (Families United to End Life Without Parole): a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for justice and reform in the criminal justice system. Join us in our fight for justice, compassion, and a more equitable future.
Our Work:
FUEL participates in a wide variety of actions that include rallies, caravans, meetings, picnic, webinars, LWOP strategy workshops, and additional activities and events that increase awareness and advocacy to end LWOP. Check out our calendar to be a part of future events!
Our Mission:
To end all forms of the death penalty – death by incarceration as well as death by injection. Further, we support incarcerated persons with LWOP sentences and assist families in gaining the skills and knowledge to advocate for the end of LWOP.
Our Background:
We began as a small group making a concerted effort to grow through social media and word of mouth, both inside prison and in the community. In just a few months, the core group expanded their numbers and took on a name that reflected our purpose. The group became known as Families United to End LWOP – FUEL.
Through broad outreach within the criminal justice community, and inside the prisons, within a short period, the group became a source of hope for both women and men serving the “other death penalty”, and an organizing tool for their loved ones in the communities. FUEL partnered with other organizations and joined coalitions which were also engaged in the movement to end LWOP, most significantly, the Drop LWOP coalition.
As the group organized in the community, men and women on the inside began to form Inside FUEL chapters within their facilities, which helped to generate pro-social activity and inspire hope while developing ideas toward ending LWOP. We believe that no one should be defined by their worst decision in life. These motivated men and women raised money for FUEL, as well as funds for charities dedicated to crime survivors. In addition to money, they have donated beautiful handicraft and high valued art that they created. Inside FUEL have also invited coalition members into prisons to create a sense of unity while vigorously organizing.
FUEL members have launched petitions telling their loved one’s story and appealing to the Governor for clemency. The group also launched a petition on behalf of all serving LWOP and delivered it to Governor Brown in November of 2018 during their Seeking Redemption Rally. Material from men and women in prisons throughout the state were part of the packet given to the Governor. Constantly seeking ways to share the humanity of people serving the “other death penalty” has been the motivation to create individual brochures for the men and women. These have given those serving LWOP and their family members a way to tell their story.
FUEL holds rallies in Sacramento and has directed caravans around prison facilities experiencing high incidents of needless covid deaths. The group has participated in numerous panels, led seminars, co-sponsored Town Halls and held workshops on commutations in the communities and within the prison facilities. We are proud to be co-sponsors, with other powerful groups in the state, of SB 300 a piece of legislation challenging the LWOP sentence.
Among our happiest moments was welcoming the husbands of two of our core members home from serving the unforgiving sentence of LWOP. We fight for that to repeat itself until everyone serving the other death penalty is given the opportunity to come hope. The fight continues!
PRISON POLICY NEWS
Prison Policy Initiative What's new on all of the Prison Policy Initiative websites
- When bad policies spread: The expansion of the "sex offense registry" model to other convictions
by Prison Policy Initiative on August 26, 2026Added When bad policies spread: The expansion of the "sex offense registry" model to other convictions to the Prison Policy Blog. Shaming doesn't prevent crime.
- Welcome to our Creator-in-Residence, Marci Marie Simmons!by Prison Policy Initiative on August 26, 2026
Added Welcome to our Creator-in-Residence, Marci Marie Simmons! to the Prison Policy Blog. Marci will work with the Prison Policy Initiative team to create […]
- The federal system: A patchwork of agencies rapidly expanding federal surveillance and punishmentby Prison Policy Initiative on August 26, 2026
Added The federal system: A patchwork of agencies rapidly expanding federal surveillance and punishment to the Prison Policy Blog. Because it is so fragmented, […]
- Involuntary commitment: How forced hospitalization expands the criminal legal systemby Prison Policy Initiative on August 26, 2026
Added Involuntary commitment: How forced hospitalization expands the criminal legal system to the Prison Policy Blog. Civil and criminal courts both mandate […]
INSIDE FUEL
Samuel Thomas McCauley
Greetings, my name is Samuel Thomas McCauley, Jr. In 2006, when I was 22 years old, I perpetrated a vicious crime spree where I shot 3 men during 2 separate robberies over the course of 2 days. This resulted in 2 men losing their lives and a 3rd being permanently...
Ruhani Bustamante
My name is Ruhani Bustamante. By the age of eleven, I experienced incarceration; throughout my teens Juvenile Hall had become my home, although occasionally I came home, one month here, two months there. Freedom as a teenager as far as I can recall are snapshot...
Ronnell Ross
I’ve been in a prison for 43 years with a sentence of life without the Possibility of Parole/LWOP. In 1978 at the young age of 22, I made a terrible, life altering mistake. In believing I was protecting my home from intruders, I shot and killed an undercover,...
Rollin Denem
I am Rollin Denem. I ‘m putting a little bit of my story on paper because I want you all out there to know not only who I was, but who I am today. I am originally from South Central, LA. At the time of the crime I am incarcerated for; I was 18 years old. None of my...
Susan Clevenger
My name is Susan Clevenger and in August 2000, I was sentenced to three Life Sentences without the possibility of Parole(LWOP) for attempted kidnapping and murder of Bradley St. Clair. I was not there when my co-defendant/boyfriend killed Brad. I do not say that to...
Peter Carmorlinga
My name is Peter Carmorlinga; I’m a 39-year-old high school graduate, and the youngest of three. I come from a loving family and was highly regarded by my peers, teachers, and my community. Then, in 2000 I was convicted of first-degree murder and received a sentence...