ABOUT

Michael Thompson knows firsthand that many people locked in Michigan prisons do not belong there. We are going to tell some of their stories and fight for their release. After being the state of Michigan's longest serving non-violent offender having spent over 25 years for the sale of marijuana, Michael Thompson was granted a commutation by Gretchen Whitmer putting an end to a draconian 42-60 year sentence. On January 28th, 2021 Michael walked out of the prison gates and immediately addressed the awaiting press to say “enough is enough” and promised to fight the injustice and indignity of mass incarceration.

 

In the past year Michael has talked loudly and repeatedly in the press and at public forums about the injustices and abuses he experienced and witnessed. Michael has become a defacto expert on what is wrong with our current system of mass incarceration. The Michael Thompson Clemency Project (MTCP) shares Michael Thompson’s intimate knowledge of the people and conditions in our prisons.  

 

In the past year, MTCP has met with many incarcerated individuals and their families who are suffering horrendous injustices due to the sheer brutality of our prison system. We have facilitated the filing of several clemencies and have a list of many more to come in the coming months. MTCP has met with Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist who has assured us the Governor’s Office is supportive of our efforts and will be looking at each case very carefully.