Help get clemency for this Missouri woman

Patty Prewitt is incarcerated in a Missouri prison, serving the 26th year of a 50-years-to-life sentence for killing her husband. She has always said she is innocent and refused an 8-year sentence plea bargain deal. There's no trail to prove her innocence, but there is plenty of reason to ask Gov. Jay Nixon for clemency. To learn more, go to her website.

Individual cases like Patty's are a tap root of the tree of justice. By taking an interest in Patty's case, we nourish that root, even if we fail to free her. Our action changes us, making us more aware of human suffering and more compassionate.

If you would like to take action, you can call Governor Nixon at (573) 751-3222. An operator will answer the phone.

Say, "I'd like to urge Governor Nixon to grant clemency to Patricia Prewitt."

She will say, "Thank you. I will see to it that he gets the message."

You can say, "Would you like my name and address?"

She says, "If you would like to leave it."

But you don't have to. Your call will add to the numbers one way or another.

Or you can send an email. Go to the governor's website. Fill out the fields with asterisks. Just before the space for your message, there is a dropdown menu for "subject." Choose "Clemency/Pardon."

Write a brief message in the box. Avoid anything that sounds critical. Something as brief as "I urge you to grant clemency to Patricia Prewitt" will do. It might be useful to mention your connection to Patty if there is one.

Or you can add:

• in the spirit of the New Year;
• she has been incarcerated for 25 years;
• she has been incarcerated for 25 years after having been offered a plea bargain that would have had her home in 6-7 years;
• she has earned clemency by her very good record during her 25 years of incarceration;
• she will be no danger to society;
• I believe she belongs at home with her children, grandchildren and aging parents;
• I lived in MO for many years and have followed her case since I moved;
• It is a waste of tax payers money to keep her in prison;
• any, all or none of the above.