To: Parole Chairman Dean Stensberg, DOC Secretary Edward Wall, The Wisconsin State House, and The Wisconsin State Senate

Petition for the Release of Nancy Ezell

We the undersigned, petition you to release Nancy Ezell (#54991). We wonder why this woman is still incarcerated. She is elderly and infirm and no danger to anyone. Also, because prisoners cannot get Medicare, her health care is costing taxpayers in excess of 100 thousand dollars a year. How are you making us safer by wasting our dollars like this?
Nancy Ezell was Born 1952 and is now 63. She was convicted in 1998 of drug possession “with intent to manufacture, distribute or deliver. (961.41.)” She has had multiple major heart surgeries, has type 2 diabetes and is on oxygen. She needs both knees replaced and her hips are also giving her much pain.
Nancy is now housed in unit with mentally ill prisoners where windows cannot be opened and feels she is near suffocating. She came from housing for younger people, where the noise and pace of the place were stressful and dangerous. To her requests to be moved, she is told there is no room anywhere else. This prison is severely overcrowded.
Statistics show that the crime rate drops dramatically (from 12 percent to 6 percent) for people over 30. After 55 it drops to near zero. This would be enough to tell us that Nancy is not dangerous but the fact that she carries around oxygen wherever she goes makes this certain. Another factor is that she is in prison for a non violent drug crime and was sentenced when the WAR ON DRUGS was at its highest pitch. Then Excessive sentences for non violent crimes were the norm.
She also has children who would love to have her home and who would care for her.
But the enormous cost of keeping Nancy in is not the most important consideration. The prison cannot house someone as sick and frail as Nancy humanely. Prisons were built for the healthy. She is very stressed with the noise and commotion and lack of nurturing has taken its toll. Again studies tell us that prisoners age much quicker than non prisoners- Some studies name 50 , some 55 as “old”. Nancy is old and frail with a bad heart and needs to be home with her loved ones.

Why is this important?

Nancy's case is heartbreaking. We did a compassionate release application for her and she was denied, and her time to the next parole hearing was extended to two years. I am worried that her health will give out with the stress and her inability to breathe well. There is no good reason behind this and the parole board gives no reason except to constantly reiterate her drug crime. Enough--this is not the same woman who went to prison. She has learned what she needs and now we need to release her.