"Joseph Donovan, then 17, and another young man accompanied McHugh that night. Joe was charged with "felony murder," a legal theory which holds an "accomplice" accountable for the acts of another".
In this NECN investigative documentary, reporter Brad Puffer revisits the case with jurors, one of Donovan's co-defendants in the case, and with the MIT student walking with Raustein when they were attacked. He also looks at the system that sentenced Donovan to prison, and chronicles Donovan's efforts to win commutation.
Eighteen years after the murder of Yngve Raustein, Joseph Donovan is serving a life sentence for murder - even though he never killed anyone. "Unequal Justice?" premieres Monday, May 10 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on NECN. It also airs Saturday, May 15th at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., or you can watch it in its entirety on NECN.com.
http://www.supportjoedonovan.org/
Mary, Joe's Mother, Joseph Donovan, Joe's Father http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/phlog/archive/2010/06/10/help-get-joe-donovan-out-of-jail-this-saturday-in-cambridge.aspx
Joe in the news http://www.supportjoedonovan.org/joe-in-the-news/
Eric Percoco Once again, in part two of NECN's most current report, Brad Puffer comes through with more riveting information on where Joe's case is at & where it could be heading. Watch. Listen. Learn. ADVOCATE!!!
Killer Makes Plea for Joe Donovans Release
http://www.necn.com/06/15/10/Killer-makes-plea-for-Joe-Donovans-relea/landing.html?blockID=254235&feedID=42
Joseph Donovan -
The Punch that Took Two Lives
The punch that took two lives Nearly 17 years ago, Joe Donovan initiated a tragic chain of events with a brutish act of machismo. But should he be in jail for life? By CHRIS FARAONE August 5, 2009
Read more:
http://thephoenix.com/boston/news/87700-punch-that-took-two-lives/#ixzz0rUnZYUBd
What can YOU do to help my cousin Joe Donovan?
Sign the Petition to support Joe Donovan's Commutation http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support-joe-donovan
Contact your state Rep and State Senator:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/
Join the "Pardon Joe Donovan" Group Facebook and Twitter!
http://www.supportjoedonovan.org/
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Commute A Sentence http://tinyurl.com/2wadjlj
Commutation of sentence involves the reduction of legal penalties, especially in terms of imprisonment. Unlike a pardon, a commutation does not nullify the conviction and is often conditional. ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commute_a_sentence
What Does Commuted Mean? http://tinyurl.com/35658m3
Reduction in whatever the original penalty was. So, if your were sentenced for 10 years for doing a little dope, and the governor commuted the sentence, he reduced the sentence, could be to 5 years. Does not always mean the entire penalty was removed, although the definition would include that too.
A few months back the president commuted someones sentence, I believe it was a 15 year sentence for a federal crime to 10 years, calling the 15 years too harsh. Presidents can only commute penalties relating to federal crimes and governors only to state crimes.
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Commutation of sentence
Commutation of sentence involves the reduction of legal penalties, especially in terms of imprisonment. Unlike a pardon, a commutation does not nullify the conviction and is often conditional. Clemency is a similar term, meaning the lessening of the penalty of the crime without forgiving the crime itself. The act of clemency is a reprieve. Today, pardons and reprieves are granted in many countries when individuals have demonstrated that they have fulfilled their debt to society, or are otherwise deserving (in the opinion of the pardoning official) of a pardon or reprieve.
read more here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commutation_of_sentence -
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/support-joe-donovan
http://www.cafepress.com/pardonovan
Praying for you Cousin Joe!
