Judith Clark

Judith Clark

Photo by Nan Goldin.

Judith Clark, a 1960s and 1970s political activist, has spent 35 years in prison for her role as a getaway driver in a 1981 robbery that left three people dead. Now 67 years old, she has undergone a profound transformation, from an unrepentant radical to a respected educator and caring role model. She was granted clemency by Governor Andrew Cuomo on December 30, 2016, but denied parole on April 21, 2017.

Además de la información sobre la trayectoria y activismo de Judith Clark, nuestro proyecto también ofrece una herramienta práctica para descargar historias de instagram. Esta funcionalidad permite a los usuarios capturar y descargar contenido visual directamente desde la plataforma de Instagram, ampliando así las opciones de consumo y difusión de información relacionada con esta destacada activista.

Read about Judy, or Judy's letter to the Governor, or her daughter, Harriet's, letter to the Governor.

Listen to Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, and Steve Buscemi read excerpts from letters to Governor Paterson:

Or, download the MP3.

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News

May 2, 2017

Dear supporters,

As you may have heard, the Parole Board unanimously voted to deny parole, holding Judy for another two years. The decision is, to say the least, outrageous: It promotes calls for vengeance and refuses to acknowledge Judy’s many public efforts to offer apologies to the victims. It barely mentions Judy's accomplishments or the positive impact she has had on so many inside Bedford. A system that doesn't recognize rehabilitation is a broken system, not just for Judy but for all those working to earn their freedom. There is no reason to bring someone forward for a parole hearing if there is nothing they can do to earn parole.

Right now, it would help if you make your voice heard loudly on social media, or in any way you are most familiar, as we begin to take next steps through appeals and the courts (and if you use twitter, please tweet using hashtag #paroleisbroken). This issue is, of course, much bigger than Judy and we hope that your comments bring attention to the thousands of families hurt by this dysfunctional and immoral system.

More soon and thank you for your support.

Governor Cuomo Commutes Judy Clark’s Sentence

December 30, 2016

Governor Cuomo’s action will allow Judy to appear before the Board of Parole within the first quarter of 2017. You can read the Governor’s media release, the coverage of this in the New York Times or in the New York Daily News.

“More Mercy, Less Prison in a Shift for Cuomo”

October 22, 2015

Read the New York Times piece, by columnist Jim Dwyer, announcing Governor Cuomo’s creation of a “clemency project” to find worthy candidates. In a statement, Governor Cuomo said, “Today we are taking a critical step toward a more just, more fair, and more compassionate New York. With this new initiative, we are seeking to identify those deserving of a second chance and to help ensure that clemency is a more accessible and tangible reality.”

Phoenix Art Museum

August, 2014

Spirit on the Inside: Reflections on Doing Time with Judith Clark was selected for the INFOCUS Juried Exhibition of Self-Published Books and will be on display from August 23 to September 28. Help spread the word about Judy by buying as many books as you can and passing them around.

Waiting for Clemency from Cuomo

February 10, 2014

Read the New York Times piece, by columnist Michael Powell, on prisoners hoping for clemency. It focuses on Judy Clark, whom he visited a few weeks earlier.

Spirit on the Inside: Reflections on Doing Time with Judith Clark

November 30, 2013

Judy’s lawyer has created a booklet of photos and interviews with sixteen women who were once incarcerated with Judy. The women speak eloquently of Judy’s powerful effect on them. Buy as many booklets as you can and help spread the word.

New York Society for Ethical Culture Talk on Clemency

April 1, 2012

Anne Klaeysen, Leader of the New York Ethical Culture Society, devoted her Sunday talk to the ethics of clemency, using Judy Clark as an example. Watch here.

Tom Robbins on CUNY TV

March 7, 2012

Watch City Talk, where Tom Robbins talks about his New York Times magazine article.

Huffington Post and CUNY TV

Feb. 8, 2012

Read the article, Judy Clark is an Inmate. She’s Also One Of My Best Friends, by Joan Gelman in the Huffington post. Watch CUNY TV, where Ronnie Eldridge interviews Judy’s attorney, Sara Bennett.

Letters to the New York Times Magazine

January 29, 2012

Read the Letters to the New York Times magazine in response to the Tom Robbins article, including one by Judy’s daughter, Harriet.

“Judith Clark Has Changed: When Will U.S. Prison System,” asks Eve Ensler in U.K. Guardian

January 17, 2012

Read the Commentary by Eve Ensler in this week’s U.K. Guardian.

Judy on the Cover of the New York Times Magazine

January 15, 2012

Read the cover story by Tom Robbins in this week’s New York Times Magazine.

Letter to the New York Times

September 25, 2011

In a letter published in the New York Times, former member of the New York City Council, Ronnie Eldridge, writes that Judy Clark’s sentence should be revisited. You can read the letter here.

Clemency Denied

December 31, 2010

On his last day in office, Governor David A. Paterson denied Judy’s request for clemency. Our thanks go out to the more than 900 people who took the time to write letters on Judy’s behalf, as well as those who reached out to the Governor and had personal conversations with him.

New Book Has Chapter About Judy Clark

2010

There’s a chapter titled “Judy Clark” in the recently released non-fiction book, Zebratown: The True Story of a Black Ex-Con and a Single White Mother in Small Town America, by Greg Donaldson (Scribner, 2010). A woman prisoner, Karen, tells how her life changed after a single conversation with Judy:

As Karen peers into Clark’s brown eyes, she knows nothing of the woman’s background, only that there is a lovely peace there and throughout the room, and that the weight of the prison has somehow lightened. Here is the teacher who might have spotted her gifts, the mother she might have turned to. Suddenly the path ahead shines clear.

Read the chapter.

Copyright 2011–2014 Friends of Judith Clark.