A Letter From Jonathan

I AM NOT, As Some Would Call Me "Jonathan Parker The Cop Killer" ... My Name Is Jonathan L. Parker an

d I Have Been In Prison For Over 25 Years Now Which, At This Point Is Well Over Half My Life For A Crime I Did Not Commit.

Most People Can't Fathom or Even Imagine Having To Spend One Day In Prison So, 25 years?!!? Is Like A Foreign Language. I’ve Been In Prison For 25 Years With The Stigma Of Killing A Police Officer Attached To My Name & F

ile… The Life I Have Been Living Is Beyond Comprehension To Most People.

I Have Been Forced To Live Such A Life Since I Was Arrested At The Age Of 19years Old and Later Illegally, Wrongfully & Unconstitutionally Convicted Of " The Murder Of A Buffalo Police Officer "-- A Crime & Case That Was Fabricated By That Very Department. In 25years I Have Experienced & Seen More Pain & Suffering, More Abuse & Degradation Than Any Human Being Should Have To Endure! Starting Out In The Prison System With A Chip On My Shoulder The Size Of My Wrongful Conviction Didn't Make It Any Easier. At 19/20years Old I Was Being Housed In Prisons Like Attica & Clinton Correctional Facilities.

Since Being Labeled As " The One Who Killed A Cop " It Made Me A Constant Target By Both Guards & Inmates. I Spent Most Of My Time Between 19yr. Old to 27yr. Old Years In & Out Of Solitary Confinement (SHU). I Quickly Learned I Had To Start Strengthening Myself Mentally & Physically; Being Mad At The World and Everything In It Behind My Wrongful Conviction and, Feeling Like I Had Been Robbed Of My Life Was Not Making My Already Degrading & Oppressive Circumstances In An Hostile Environment Any Better. I Came To The Conclusion That I Could No Longer Focus On, or Give Way To What I Had Lost, What I Was Losing or The Wrongs That Were Done To, and Against Me

Because Of That Label and Stigma Attached or Placed On My Name I Was Sent To Prisons Clinton, Green Haven and, Great Meadow All 6 to 8 Hours Away From All Family & Friends While All Simultaneously Being Denied Any Education Beyond A GED; So I Took To Focusing On My Own Emotional, Mental Growth & Development. Along The Way I Have Learned A Lot, While Losing So Much More! I Lost Out On Having The Ability To Raise and Be In My Children Lives; To Have A Meaningful Relationship With A Son Who In spite Of His Fathers Label Has Gone On To Be An Astounding Young Man In Life. And The Loss Of Life Of My Beautiful, Precious Daughter Who Lost Her Life To Buffalo Gun Violence In 2014.

Despite The Tragedy Of My Daughter Being Murdered At The Age Of 17yrs.Old, Loss Of Other Family Members & Friends, While Being In N.Y.S. Prison(s) Under A Wrongful Conviction Fighting To Proclaim My Innocence, Hoping & Praying To Regain My Stolen Freedom, I Have Done My Best Under These Circumstances and In These Conditions To Shape & Solidify My Growth & Development In The Most Positive & Productive Manner. Although I Cannot Get Back My Life Up To This Point Or All That I and My Family Have Lost, I Can & Will Continue To Fight Too Regain My Stolen Freedom and The Opportunity To Give All That I Have Become Back To Our Communities and, Society As A Whole.

I Want My Freedom,

Jonathan L. Parker