Candlelight Vigil for Dr. Malachi York to be Held Jan. 7

(Black PR Wire) WASHINGTON DC – December 20, 2016 – A candlelight vigil will be held January 7, 2017, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. outside the White House in Lafayette Square at Pennsylvania Avenue NW and 16th Street NW in Washington, DC. The vigil is being organized by Victoria Broussard, owner of The Law Offices of Victoria Broussard based in Houston, Texas.

The vigil is part of the organized effort to have Dr. Malachi York be given a presidential pardon or commutation of his sentence by President Obama before he leaves the Oval Office later in January.

“Dr. York was overcharged and over-sentenced for a non-violent crime,” said Broussard. “He is currently serving 135 years at a Supermax prison in deplorable conditions.”

York is elderly and in failing health. “The humane thing to do is for President Obama to grant him a pardon before he leaves office, and before Dr. York dies,” said Broussard.

Broussard describes York, prior to his conviction, as a pillar of society, consistently giving thousands of dollars to charity, feeding the homeless, and transforming downtrodden communities. Today, he is 71 years old and suffers from a life-threatening illness, Hereditary Angioedema, for which the Federal Bureau of Prisons neglects to provide him with any of the FDA-prescribed medications to prevent the attacks, leaving him frequently found by unsympathetic guards unconscious on his concrete cell floor.

“Dr. York’s insane 1,620-month sentence is extremely harsh, as each count received the maximum time according the sentencing guidelines,” she said. “Other factors that weigh in favor of a reduced sentence, such as his health status, remorse for any pain this situation caused, age, rehabilitative qualities, past criminal history, the community’s desire to embrace his return, and Dr. York’s ability to benefit society if released from incarceration should all be considered.”

Additionally, a petition to free Dr. York is online at www.change.org. “Search for my name – Broussard – and read about the grave injustice done to this community leader and sign the petition,” encouraged Broussard. The petition will be present at the vigil for interested parties to sign. There is also more information that can be found at www.facebook.com/YorkLightTheWorldClemencyVigil. Broussard encourages people to contact her at victoria@broussardlegal.com.