1
00:00:00,601 --> 00:00:00,767
So the governor's

2
00:00:00,834 --> 00:00:02,269
executive order on commutation

3
00:00:02,336 --> 00:00:04,605
prioritizes youth offenders

4
00:00:04,671 --> 00:00:06,540
sentenced to life in prison.

5
00:00:06,607 --> 00:00:07,374
Why are juveniles

6
00:00:07,441 --> 00:00:08,609
carved out in this way?

7
00:00:08,675 --> 00:00:10,244
Because we have learned

8
00:00:10,310 --> 00:00:10,978
through the years

9
00:00:11,044 --> 00:00:12,079
and I've learned since I was

10
00:00:12,145 --> 00:00:12,813
on the bench

11
00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,047
the whole development of the

12
00:00:14,114 --> 00:00:15,115
juvenile brain and

13
00:00:15,182 --> 00:00:16,216
how that changes.

14
00:00:16,283 --> 00:00:17,351
And I guess I should have

15
00:00:17,417 --> 00:00:17,951
known that, I was

16
00:00:18,018 --> 00:00:18,685
a school teacher.

17
00:00:18,752 --> 00:00:20,420
But when

18
00:00:20,954 --> 00:00:21,955
how kids think

19
00:00:22,022 --> 00:00:23,824
and approach settings

20
00:00:23,891 --> 00:00:25,025
is very different.

21
00:00:25,092 --> 00:00:26,560
If you wait 20 years

22
00:00:26,627 --> 00:00:27,861
and take a look at them

23
00:00:27,928 --> 00:00:28,529
they are usually

24
00:00:28,595 --> 00:00:29,563
different people.

25
00:00:29,630 --> 00:00:30,864
One of the individuals

26
00:00:30,931 --> 00:00:32,065
that I have encountered

27
00:00:32,132 --> 00:00:32,933
in the community

28
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:34,034
was someone I sentenced for

29
00:00:34,101 --> 00:00:36,470
first-degree murder at age 14.

30
00:00:36,537 --> 00:00:38,605
It was an awful murder.

31
00:00:38,672 --> 00:00:40,440
I remember sitting as a judge

32
00:00:40,507 --> 00:00:41,508
thinking

33
00:00:41,575 --> 00:00:43,310
how long do I set the parole

34
00:00:43,377 --> 00:00:45,345
eligibility date on this kid?

35
00:00:45,412 --> 00:00:46,613
Because he's

36
00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,348
is he salvageable?

37
00:00:48,715 --> 00:00:49,283
Is he always

38
00:00:49,349 --> 00:00:50,350
going to be violent?

39
00:00:50,417 --> 00:00:52,252
I gave him a pretty significant

40
00:00:52,319 --> 00:00:53,453
parole eligibility date.

41
00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:54,154
Well, he's out

42
00:00:54,221 --> 00:00:54,988
in the community now.

43
00:00:55,055 --> 00:00:56,456
He actually contacted me.

44
00:00:56,523 --> 00:00:58,225
He served decades

45
00:00:58,292 --> 00:00:59,426
and he is doing

46
00:00:59,493 --> 00:01:01,128
such incredible work with

47
00:01:01,195 --> 00:01:02,863
the Medical College of Wisconsin

48
00:01:02,930 --> 00:01:04,298
and violence interruption

49
00:01:04,364 --> 00:01:05,399
in the community.

50
00:01:05,465 --> 00:01:06,733
And as

51
00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:07,835
it was just the most

52
00:01:07,901 --> 00:01:09,002
wonderful day for me

53
00:01:09,069 --> 00:01:10,170
to meet him and see

54
00:01:10,237 --> 00:01:11,738
how different he is

55
00:01:11,805 --> 00:01:12,739
than the young kid that

56
00:01:12,806 --> 00:01:13,574
sat in front of me

57
00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,876
who killed another kid.