Myon spent most of his life in prison. He believes authorities knew that he was innocent all along:
MYON SPEAKS - the latest!
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What a pleasure being in the presence of great minds and powerful individuals ✊🏾🖤 #MyonBurrell #NAACP #IlhanOmar… https://t.co/hqv7BhvvEK -
Freedom Fighters ✊🏾‼️ https://t.co/2BB1TdcXUy
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RT @MaryMoriarty: Great piece on juv. shackling & life sentences by Eli Darris, Myon Burrell, and Perry Moriearty. “The Senate's ref… https://t.co/8qg9IpDFr1
Myon is HOME!
ON 12/15/20 THE MN BOARD OF PARDONS COMMUTED MYON’S SENTENCE FROM LIFE DOWN TO 20 YEARS (18 OF THOSE YEARS HE HAS SERVED). THE BOARD RULED MYON WAS TO BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY, TO SERVE HIS REMAINING TIME UNDER SUPERVISION.
MYON WAS RELEASED FROM THE STILLWATER PRISON AROUND 6:45PM TO BE GREETED BY HIS FAMILY, THE BLACK ACTIVISTS WHO LED LOCAL CHANGE, AND THE COMMUNITY WHO RACED TO THE PRISON TO EMBRACE HIM.
Liberation for Myon means JUSTICE for Myon, there is still work to be done to have his name exonerated for a crime he did not commit. The work continues, and there is a clear path forward for Myon, his family, and his supporting team.
In this moment we pause to celebrate Myon beginning his life. And we ask for your supporting contributions for Myon jumpstarting his life–more information on his Life After Release fund below.
How do you start your life, after more than half of it has been spent in prison?
How do you begin to navigate the world in pandemic, at 34yrs old, when you were forced to come of age in a cell?
Why a new gofundme? The “Justice for Myon Burrell” gofundme June 7, 2020 has been largely used for legal fees to get this far in the fight for justice. Ianna Burrell–Myon’s sister who has been a leader in organizing between legal teams, activists, and engaged community, along with the Liberation 4 Myon Coalition that Ianna leads, decided to start a new gofundme to be transparently clear on the amount that can be NOW raised to directly get into Myon’s hands to BEGIN his life after release. Ianna, and therefor Myon, have access to both gofundmes - so the great news is they are both valid ways to support Myon. This new gofundme will help focus on directly supporting Myon’s new life.
These are difficult challenges Myon will navigate, with the emotional support from his family, in his first year as a free man.
Myon finally has a chance to BEGIN his life – he deserves the support it takes to find a place to live and begin life, for the first time as an adult, while also navigating the outside world in pandemic.
What does Myon need and deserve to begin his life, while he established work, in a pandemic?
- Myon needs a safe place to live with his family, now that they’re all together
- Myon needs safe and reliable transportation to get to work
- Myon needs a cell phone and laptop
- All the furniture and things it takes to set up a new, adult, life
- Cooking and cleaning supplies, clothes, belongings
- Groceries! Personal care items
Learn about Myon, the tragedy that police pinned on him, the facts of his case.
When he was 16 years old he was wrongfully arrested, charged, and convicted for a crime he did not commit. The person who committed the murder has confessed. Myon was given a life sentence and has been in prison ever since. It has been 17 years. Myon has an alibi – the police never investigated. There is no physical evidence linking Myon to the crime.
