The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in Southern California has begun collecting signatures to release José Armendariz, a Hispanic who has been carrying more than 15 years in prison, a period in which he has outstanding as a student, organizer and even for helping others to obtain their freedom.
“His lawyer will present his case to the judge in the coming months in the hope that he can go free”, says Doralisa Cortez, Armendariz’s aunt who is being held in Theo Lacy jail in Orange County. For a year and a half, Armendariz has fought against prison expansion and retrograde criminal justice proposals, while supporting efforts to bring education and allow voter registration in prisons.
He has become an organizer inside the prison for the organizations Transforming Justice OCE and Initiate Justice; and has supported many efforts of ACLU SoCal and Stop the Musick Coalition.
At 16 years, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to 90 years in prison, no right to parole. This despite the fact that he was not the one who fired the weapon in a criminal scene.
With the support of his family, he appealed his sentence; and the Court of Appeals reversed his sentence in 2013 on the grounds that the punishment was cruel and unusual for a minor.
“Since your conviction was overturned, your case was referred to juvenile court due to changes in California law.”
In November of 2016, California voters overwhelmingly approved proposition 57 (Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act) that increased opportunities probation for certain people based on good behavior; and allowed judges, not prosecutors, to decide whether to judge minors as adults in court.
Since Armendariz was locked up, he began a journey towards greater responsibility and transformation of his life .
“ Everything I do I do for my desire for redemption. My search for redemption has lit a fire within me that has given me purpose and I never want to satiate or satisfy the hunger that drives me to do good and live a life of service ”, he said in the petition for signatures.
And added:“ I am not a perfect man because I still have challenges and struggles that I work to overcome every day, but I have certainly become a better person and I can only thank my loved ones and my community for that. ”
Her own experience, commitment to social and racial justice, and her interpersonal skills have allowed you to contribute to campaigns to change policy in Orange County and beyond.
Your written and audio work has been used to provide public comment on state and local boards to advance demands that focus on the welfare and needs of people in prisons.
He has written opinion pieces in various newspapers and his experience has been told by Real America News, Cal Matters and LAist .
On 2019 managed to get the Immigration and Customs Service (ICE) to release his fellow prisoner, Alexander Jiménez Deleón , and not deport him to a certain death to Guatemala.
This was possible because behind bars, José studied to become a legal assistant and He helped Jiménez Deleón with his defense.
After his release, he would like to obtain a degree in journalism or creative writing to expose the inhumanity of jails and prisons; and improve the experiences of incarcerated people; and with that contribute to political, legislative and organizational work.
ACLU calls to sign the petition to help José return to the community and with his family: https://chng.it/dPRbCKzjHD
“My only brother, José Armendáriz, has been imprisoned for 15 long years. Every second of the day, we miss him. My daughter, her niece, has not yet been hugged by her uncle. It’s time to bring my brother home, ”said Johana Díaz.
Her mother Reyna Díaz said that she asks God that very soon she can give her son the hugs that he has not given him during 15 long years, which he considers an unfair sentence for a minor.
“I think it is time that they let you return home, with your family that loves you and awaits you with open arms. God will be like that first, ”said Reyna.
And she added that she always has her son in her mind, heart and in her prayers.