WE CONCENTRATE ON MICHIGAN

Humanity for Prisoners focuses on cases in the state of Michigan.

PERSONAL ATTENTION

We may not be able to provide all the help that you wish or need, but be assured that you will receive no form letters and you will not be ignored. We promise to respond.

DIVINE INTERVENTION

God is our partner in all of this. He alone receives the credit for any success that we may achieve. I hope that we can be of service.

Seeking rightful resolutions to wrongful convictions;

     Advocating appropriate release for inmates who have served prescribed time;

         Defending the constitutional right to receive adequate prison medical care;

             Pursuing compassionate action on behalf of prisoners facing imminent death;

          Considering assistance for other prisoners with critical needs; and,

     Facilitating reentry, when possible, for freed prisoners.

                      Mentoring religious and civic groups in prisoner letter writing

Doug Tjapkes formed the organization in 2001 based on a dream of his best friend, Maurice Carter, who had been behind bars for 29 years for a crime he did not commit. He met the challenge of Carter, who stated that he wanted to convert this negative into a positive and help others who have been wrongly convicted and serve as an advocate for all prisoners with special needs. It was their dream that the two would work together upon his release from prison.  That was not to happen.

The courts rejected a four-year legal effort headed up by the Wisconsin Innocence Project. Meanwhile, while incarcerated, Maurice contracted Hepatitis C and a serious staph infection. Governor Jennifer Granholm commuted his sentence for medical reasons in July, 2004. He enjoyed only three months of freedom. He died at the age of 60 in October, 2004, before he could qualify for a liver transplant.

Tjapkes authored a book telling of his ten-year relationship with Maurice Carter and their battle for freedom entitled Sweet Freedom.