Author of bestselling book Hopeless in Seattle: A Fosterkid's Manifesto reveals fears of de facto death sentence

Killing by Another Name: Over-Sentencing in the United States

SEATTLE, March 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States prides itself as a bastion of freedom, equality, and second chances. Indeed the United States consistently has striven over the years to make a more perfect union by ending overt slavery, racial segregation, and establishing gender equality. For that we all must be proud. Yet increasingly justice is being eroded by the multiple miscarriages and lack of meaningful mercy in this country. Many in the United States believe the current system of mass incarceration seems to have lost sight of fellow troubled American's humanity and absolute right to life.

"Where is the fairness and equality if the United States and each of its States hand out de facto death sentences for crimes largely stemming from mental health problems, poverty, and/or racial inequalities," states Daniel J. Simms, 42, author of "Hopeless in Seattle: A Fosterkid's Manifesto," who struggled with a substance abuse disorder that resulted in a botched drug deal, where no one was shot, murdered, or severely hurt, yet Daniel was given a de facto death sentence. www.RailroadedinSeattle.com.

Emblematic of this fact is the tragic case of Gregory Dickerson, 44, a Washingtonian incarcerated for robbery, he did not shoot or murder anyone, and after virtually twenty years in prison Gregory petitioned for clemency through Washington Governor Jay Inslee Parole and Pardons Board. Gregory struggled vigorously to meet the artificially high and harsh hurdles the parole board placed in front of him to obtain mercy and clemency. Despite being subjected to cruel over-sentencing similar to Daniel J. Simms, Gregory highlighted remarkable and extraordinary signs of rehabilitation yet the Parole Board denied his petition suggesting he try back in three years. Soon thereafter, as Gregory was exercising, he suffered a massive stroke and died, never again experiencing freedom, mercy, or getting a second chance.

This level of injustice is no anomaly. In fact it is happening before our eyes in the outrageously unfair case of Daniel J. Simms. Vast amounts of Americans believe Daniel was railroaded by the previous King County Prosecutor's Office into a de facto death sentence. The current King County Prosecutor Daniel Satterburg and his office was given the chance to remedy the injustice through Daniel J. Simms' petition for 6164 re-sentencing in December 2021. Beyond the fact that Daniel J. Simms has been incarcerated for almost twenty years, is fully rehabilitated, and a prime candidate for early release the King County Prosecutor has failed to re-sentence him.

"I am scared that I will be murdered by Seattle, King County, and the State of Washington," states Daniel J. Simms, "my crimes were the product of self-medicating for the trauma and abuse I suffered during childhood, as readers of my book, Hopeless in Seattle: A Fosterkid's Manifesto, have discovered."

Daniel J. Simms has demonstrated extraordinary rehabilitation and the ends of justice would only be met if he was given a second chance. Nevertheless his petitions for Clemency and Re-sentencing have both gone ungranted. Daniel has some past infractions for his craft of tattooing, marijuana usage, and other similar offenses, yet Daniel has no extreme violence such as stabbings or multi-man fights on his record. Furthermore Daniel has completed numerous self-help courses and certificate programs. Including certificates in computer programming languages HTML, CSS, PHP, JavaScript, and MySql. Daniel dreams of being a father to his sixteen year old son, starting an ecommerce website, and recording his reentry into society on social media if he is released.

"I worry that they will try to use my institutional infraction history as a pretext to deny me justice, freedom, and a second chance," states Daniel J. Simms, "a couple more years I will be the same age as Gregory and his murder makes me worry I could be killed too."

The United States has a dilemma on its shores, do we as a country value human life or not? If we do, we must rethink the extremely long sentences which are killing Americans across this beautiful country. Daniel J. Simms did not shoot, murder, rape, or maim anyone, yet as a society are we willfully blind to him being murdered by the State of Washington and King County? The silence is deafening. Are we complicit in his murder when we remain deliberately indifferent to it? That is the question. We already know he had troubled childhood, had a mental health substance abuse disorder, an unfair trial, has spent seventeen years in prison, and is extraordinarily rehabilitated therefore, it is extremely clear to many Americans that Daniel should be freed immediately.

"If you believe in freedom and second chances, please email me directly at www.jpay.com, to volunteer for my social justice campaign," states Daniel J. Simms, "you can also sign up for my blog, www.RailroadedinSeattle.com, or get my book, Hopeless in Seattle: A Fosterkid's Manifesto, on the website www.DanielJSimms.com, any effort taken will be a loud statement that murdering troubled Americans like Gregory Dickerson and I with de facto death sentences is anathema to your sense of fairness, justice and equity and should be remedied."

Stars Behind Bars, LLC
We at Stars Behind Bars, LLC work with creative incarcerated individuals to publish and promote their works so all voices in our society can be heard.

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Bruce L. Little
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