Wednesday, January 7, 2026 was a special day. After 50+ years of incarceration, Marie “Mechie” Scott came home. She stopped by ALC’s offices to begin celebrating her freedom. Freedom won with the help of a whole movement.  This doesn’t happen every day. Although it could. And it should for any number of the thousands of men and women locked in cages serving death by incarceration (DBI) sentences. Keep reading for a look at how a movement organizes, how a communities can and must come together to stand against the horrors of state violence and indifference.

“Every single member of CADBI and any groups that are working to end perpetual punishment should understand they helped make this happen.  All the little things matter—each letter, phone call, gathering, news article, hearing support, interview, song, testimony— when we fight for one we fight for all!” – etta cetera, Let’s Get Free

This win belongs to Mechie, her family, and the many people who contributed to the Free Mechie campaign including movement partners Amistad Law Project, Let’s Get Free, CADBI, Women’s Lifers Resume Project, Ellen Melchiondo, Darlene Williams, BL Shirielle (Freer Records), Blak Rapp Madusa, every person who wrote letters, called officials, shared calls to action and media coverage of Mechie’s story. 

Timeline: (Free Mechie Campaign)

• 2016: Bret met Mechie at SCI Campus Springs.
• July 2020: Mechie was the plaintiff in Scott v. Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole. This case was the first case of its kind in the country to challenge the constitutionality of automatic life without parole/death by incarceration sentences for people who didn’t commit, or intend to commit, murder. Unfortunately, the case was dismissed on a technical claim that the Parole Board didn’t have jurisdiction. 
• Dec. 25, 2024: Mechie calls Bret to inform ALC that the head of the PA Dept. of Corrections, Secretary Laurel Harry, would not be supporting her for commutation. This refusal comes after the Secretary interviewed her in July and then proceeded to stall her application for five months, ensuring that Mechie was not given a Merit Review Hearing at the Board of Pardons in December.
• Jan. 9, 2025: The public campaign to win Mechie’s freedom launches with a call to Write Letters to Support Marie Scott’s Commutation and an Inside/Outside Letter-Writing Night.
• Jan. 27: “Mechie Mondays” actions continue with a Phone-in to free Marie “Mechie” Scott
• Feb. 3: The campaign calls for another Phone-in to free Marie “Mechie” Scott.
• Feb. 10: ALC and Allies Send Letter to Gov. Shapiro Urging Commutation Assistance for Marie Scott
• Feb. 24: The Philadelphia Inquirer publishes an article on Mechie’s fight for her freedom, which helped to raise awareness of the campaign.
• Mar. 4: Philadelphia City Councilwoman Kendra Brooks and Councilman Nic O’Rourke, Pa. Rep. Andre Carroll, and Pa. Sen. Sharif Street put out videos and Pa. Rep. Rick Krajewski was public in supporting Mechie’s commutation bid.
• Mar. 6: The pressure campaign succeeds; Mechie gets a Commutation Merit Review and passes!
• Mar. 10: through April: ALC & movement partners continue to mobilize public support with calls to action to support her release, e.g. Write a letter to Marie “Mechie” Scott.
• May 7: Abolition Trivia: A Fundraiser for Incarcerated Comrades helps raise money to support Mechie and others serving DBI sentences.
• May 9: The PA Board of Pardons gives a unanimous five YES votes to Mechie at her Commutation Hearing!
• Jun. 17: Gov. Josh Shapiro commutes sentence for Marie Scott, but she must now fight for parole on a different charge.
• Sep. 3: ALC hosts We Free Us: How Mechie Got Commuted, a webinar to help people in the movement for prisoner freedom.
• Dec. 11: Mechie wins parole at her hearing!
• Jan. 7, 2026: Mechie leaves SCI Muncy!

This is how a movement organizes. This is how a community comes together to stand against the horrors of state violence and indifference to the thousands of lives locked in cages senselessly. Inhumanely.

Movement partner Let’s Get Free has organized Mechie’s Welcome Home Fund. Please contribute, if you can, to help provide a softer landing for her first year of freedom!