An innocent mom could be sent back to prison for 15 years -- tell Gov. Kasich to grant her clemency.

Sign Courtney's Petiti

I was only 14 when my mom was sent away to prison. I was 29 by the time a judge recognized what we’d known all along -- my mom was completely innocent. We were so happy when she got out, but then the unthinkable happened: because of a legal technicality, another court says she may have to go back to prison anyway.

My mom Nancy was accused of child abuse in 1993, but there was never real evidence against her. None of the stories matched, there was no medical evidence -- and at least one of her accusers has said the whole thing was fabrication. 

So even though my mom has already spent 15 years in prison for a crime no one thinks she committed, she may have to go back behind bars anyway, on a technicality.

The only person who can save my mom is Ohio Governor John Kasich. He has the power to grant her clemency, which means she'll finally be a free woman. I can’t stand by and allow my mom to spend more time in prison for something she never did -- so I’ve started an urgent petition asking Governor Kasich to grant my mom clemency to make sure she isn’t sent back to prison for fifteen years.

The last nineteen years have been hard for so many reasons -- but the hardest thing for me and my siblings has been growing up without our mom's support. Every time we visited her in prison, it tore out our hearts to walk away. And for her, I know the hardest thing was knowing she couldn’t be there for us when we most needed her. 

When a new judge announced that he could find “no competent or credible evidence of any kind” against her, we thought the nightmare was finally over. But the decision was overturned -- not because her innocence was disputed, but because another court said the judge didn’t have the authority to acquit her. 

Now, just when we thought we had her back, we’re facing the incomprehensible idea of losing her for another fifteen years -- for a crime that she didn’t commit. But I still believe that we can save her. If thousands join us in shining a spotlight on this unbelievable injustice, we can show Governor Kasich that he should stand by the acquittal and grant her clemency. 

Click here to join me, and ask Governor Kasich to grant clemency to my innocent mom to make sure she never has to go back to prison for a crime no one says she committed.

Thanks so much for your support,

Courtney Smith