Clemency Advocacy: John Moore

John Moore, age 50, has been incarcerated since he was 19 years old. He is serving a sentence of life without parole for the killing of a young man in his community. He has been in prison for over 30 years, and he has consistently worked hard to improve himself. “I wanted to do things to where I didn’t lose myself in here as I had done in the free society. This is a naturally negative environment and can be a drain on your mind and soul if you let it. So I’ve tried to involve myself in the positives we are afforded… I got my G.E.D. on my first try… I put… time into anti-violence/aggression programs, youth mentorship, and for the last few years, I’ve been back in school working on my associates degree in Liberal Arts & Science.” John has since graduated with his Associates’ Degree.

John has let go of the antisocial mindset that once informed his decisions, and now leads with reflection and compassion. John’s childhood consisted of frequent violence and instability, both at home and his community. He took on the role of caring for his younger sister, while he was still a child himself. He had no male role models to look up to, so he sought acceptance from other young men in the streets. He now looks back regretfully at the destructive lifestyle he once lived. He carries the guilt and the pain of his actions with him, but he also carries a desire to turn the lessons from those choices into a positive for his community. “Just knowing I caused… feelings of despair and loss, I have to do more than saying sorry and that I regret the things I’ve done… I try to be a better human being and want to help, if and when I can, save a life and invoke peace into situations that may possibly become violent and destructive.” 

John takes seriously his role as a mentor within prison. He encourages the young men he mentors to express empathy and compassion openly and tells them that it doesn’t make you weak to do so. He has decided to commit himself to ensuring that other young adults do not make the same mistakes he made in the past. He has developed a well-thought-out plan to start an organization to help women and children, specifically those who have experienced domestic violence, to help those who may have experienced abuse like he and his family did. John stands out for his humility, his remorse, and his demonstrably sincere desire to recompense his community in whatever way he can for the destruction of his youth. John has a loving and supportive family who are ready to ensure that his transition back into society is smooth. He has remained actively involved in the lives of his children and grandchildren and looks forward to the possibility of reuniting with them one day. Without clemency, John will spend the rest of his life in prison.

The link below will take you to a template letter of support. If you’d like, you can simply add your name and contact information and hit submit, and the letter will be sent to John’s clemency team to forward on to the Clemency Bureau. If you’d prefer to personalize the letter, there is a blank space for you to add additional thoughts or comments about the importance of clemency or about John’s application in particular. If you choose to personalize your letter you might consider the following:

• Why do you think clemency is important for John and for the community
• If you know him, you might speak to who he is and what traits make you think he will be successful outside of prison.

Clemency for John Moore Event

April 23, 2026 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14208

John has served 30 years of a life without parole sentence.

Join us to learn about the importance of sentence commutation, particularly for people serving life sentences for crimes committed when they were young.

Refreshments provided.

Presented by Criminal Justice Advocacy Clinic.

For more information, contact law-cjac@buffalo.edu.