Tio Hardiman: Larry Hoover deserves to have his sentence reduced

As the founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters in Chicago, I believe in second chances. I also believe in restorative justice, which allows those who have done wrong in our society to repair the harm done to the victims.

I teach restorative justice at the university level, and during my more than two decades in the fight against violence, I have worked closely with former top street gang leaders who, after incarceration, have participated in my restorative justice workshops to help combat promote violence. bring peace, reduce violence and save lives. They include Melvin “Head” Haywood, co-chairman of the Gangster Disciples Nation; Willie Lloyd, leader of the Vice Lord Nation; Jerome “King Shorty” Freeman, leader of the Black Disciples; and Willie “Minister Rico” Johnson, a former All-Powerful Vice Lord Nation chief.

I have seen firsthand how former gang leaders reformed after paying their debts to society. Instead of returning to a life of crime, they are committed to promoting peace and saving lives.

This is why I am calling on U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey to reduce Larry Hoover’s sentence. This recalculated sentence would not only earn him an early release from Colorado’s supermax prison to a more hospitable prison in Illinois, but it would also bring him closer to his family and potentially pave the way for his involvement in efforts to restorative justice. With his experience and influence, he could work with organizations like Violence Interrupters, repairing decades of damage and potentially changing our society.

In 1998, Hoover, co-founder of the Gangster Disciples, once described as the country’s most notorious street gang, was sentenced to life in prison. He was convicted of 40 criminal counts after previously being sentenced to life in prison on a state conviction for a 1973 murder. The Colorado prison houses notorious criminals such as Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. ADX Florence is one of the toughest prisons in the country; it is known as the Alcatraz of the Rockies, where no prisoner has ever escaped. Some law enforcement officials have argued that Hoover should never be released because they say some 50,000 members of his organization have sowed terror in Chicago and across the country for half a century, and they believe he continues to exert influence over the Gangster Disciples, just like he had been doing for over a year. 20 years out of an Illinois prison.

Three years ago, Hoover appealed for parole under the federal First Step Act, instituted under then-President Donald Trump. Megastars and influencers such as Kanye West and Drake have called for Hoover’s release. Co-defendants in the case were released under the First Step Act, but Hoover was denied bail. His family believes this is due to his legendary status, which still carries immense street credibility.

Although the judge denied his release, he left the door open for a new appeal.

After 26 years in Florence, including many days in solitary confinement, Hoover, a 73-year-old married father, has once again applied for parole. Last week he appeared on a video conference before Blakey and said he is a different man now. His reform journey, if successful, could serve as an inspiration to others. Blakey is expected to make a decision later this month.

As a nationally recognized expert on anti-violence, I believe Hoover has reformed. The proof is in his family.

His son, Larry Hoover Jr., attended Brother Rice High School and graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta. The younger Hoover said that when he hangs out with his father, he doesn’t talk about being a gangster; he talks about education. Hoover Jr. and his mother founded the Paradigm Shift Academy, which introduces young people to educational opportunities.

When Hoover was sentenced to life in prison at the Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois in 1973, there were 864 murders in Chicago. In 1998, when he was transferred to federal prison in Colorado, there were 703 murders. More than 400 murders have been committed this year.

It’s time we think outside the box to reduce homicide rates. During my career I have hired over 300 ex-offenders, with a relapse rate of only 7%. Several former high-level street gang leaders helped design the ceasefire public health model, which the Justice Department has confirmed has delivered results. I believe Hoover can be valuable in this process. Let’s give Hoover the opportunity to join us in this effort to eradicate violence in Chicago and across the country.

Tio Hardiman is the founder and executive director of Violence Interrupters Inc., an adjunct professor specializing in restorative justice, and a national speaker on anti-violence issues.

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