Stories about Jeff Pyne's case Please take a minute to write a letter to the judge on Jeffrey Pyne’s behalf, asking for compassion and leniency when he is sentenced to prison on January 29. I have included a sample letter and instructions below.
Please don’t put it off, and please don’t assume that others will write enough letters to make up for your slack. The bottom line is that a simple letter from you will be weighed by the judge when determining Jeffrey Pyne’s prison sentence.
Pyne is a former U of M-Flint student from rural Highland, Michigan. Right before Christmas, he was found guilty of second degree murder of his mentally ill mother, who had previously been violent towards Jeffrey and his 12-year old sister Julia.
Jeff, who turned 23 immediately after his trial, continues to maintain his innocence. His family and friends have supported him throughout the ordeal.
Letter from Jeffrey has me crying again
Today, I received a letter from Jeffrey in response to my recent letter to him. The letter was sweet as usual, and he expressed his frustration and depression over the guilty verdict.
Despite the fact that his birthday and holidays were “terrible,” Jeff told me that he is keeping the faith.
“All of the support I’ve gotten has been a blessing and means so much,” he said. “God lets us go through things that don’t make sense sometimes, but I trust it will make me a better person. I’m hanging onto all the love and prayers.”
Jeff continued. “People have asked me what they can do to help. In addition to prayers and letters, I pray that people will write the judge asking for leniency in my sentencing. Hopefully that makes an impact in my favor. I have no idea what to expect, and am getting myself mentally prepared to go to prison for a time.”
As usual, his primary concern remains for his family, especially his father and sister.
“My main worry is for my dad and Julia,” he concluded. “I constantly think about them and hope they’re doing okay, and am grateful for the support that the community has provided to them.”
Does that convince you to please write the judge? Whether you are a family member, a friend, or simply someone who has been touched by this tragic situation, Jeffrey Pyne needs you!
How long will Jeff Pyne be in prison?
The scary thing is that Judge Leo Bowman has a lot of discretion when he sentences Jeffrey Pyne.
Bowman seems like a fair judge, and luckily, there are guidelines for him to use to calculate how many years that Jeff will spend in prison. Also, when the judge sets the sentence, he considers any letters or speeches in support of or against Jeffrey Pyne.
There are several factors that the judge will consider when sentencing Jeff. According to the law, Jeff could get up to life in prison, but most legal experts have stated that the guidelines will come out with a sentence between 8-15 years.
However, according to the Detroit Free Press, the prosecutors have already calculated that they think Jeff should be sentenced for 13-30 years. Hopefully, Jeff’s attorney Jim Champion will have a strong argument to get Jeff's sentence reduced much lower.
Also, Jeff’s attorney Jim Champion has already started the appeal process due to errors in the trial. However, an appeal hearing takes up to a year. Also, even if they win the appeal, Jeff will have to go through another trial.
Sample letter
Please feel free to use the sample letter I wrote below and change a few things to make it personal to you.
Also, the sentencing will be held on January 29, but please send all letters as soon as possible to the following address:
Honorable Judge Leo Bowman
Oakland County Circuit Court
1200 N. Telegraph Road
Pontiac, MI 48341
January 4, 2013
Honorable Judge Leo Bowman,
I am writing to ask you for leniency and compassion when you sentence Jeffrey Pyne on January 29th.
As a former teacher of Jeffrey, I am confident that he poses absolutely no threat to the community. He has always been the kind and loving peacemaker, and his past actions and leadership activities should bear some weight when you decide how long he should remain locked up.
In addition, the past ordeals that Jeffrey has endured due to the mental health of his mother should be considered when sentencing Jeffrey.
Hopefully you are aware that Jeffrey has tremendous support from the community, including a few hundred people who attended a fundraiser to help support his legal battle. Jeff’s strong community and family support will help him adapt, especially if he is released while he is still a young man.
I have corresponded with Jeffrey over the past year, and his primary concern is for his family, especially his younger sister, who really misses him.
In short, Jeffrey Pyne has an extremely bright future ahead of him if he is given a chance. I respectfully request your lenience when sentencing Jeffrey Pyne, and hope that you will consider the minimum possible sentence.
Sincerely,
Donna Gundle-Krieg
address
phone number
email address
How to send mail to Jeff
While Jeff will probably be transferred to a state prison after his sentencing date, he remains in the Oakland County Jail. There is another article about how to send Jeff Pyne letters until he is sentenced and moved.
In addition to writing a letter to the judge and writing Jeff, please continue to pray for the entire Pyne family.
To read all the stories about this case, please see the Index of stories about Jeff Pyne's case.
