Breaking
After 68 years in prison, America’s oldest juvenile lifer gets released aged 83
Joe Ligon, America’s oldest and longest-serving juvenile lifer, has been released from a Pennsylvania prison after spending 68 years behind bars.
Ligon was imprisoned in February 1953 at the age of 15, given a mandatory life sentence after pleading guilty to charges from a robbery and stabbing spree in Philadelphia with four other teenage boys which left six people wounded and two people dead.
A hearing found Ligon guilty of two counts of first-degree murder, and Ligon admitted to stabbing at least one of the eight people stabbed that day but his attorney Bradley Bridge said his client maintains he never killed anyone.
“The child that committed those crimes back in 1953 no longer exists. The person that came out of prison in 2021 is 83 years old, has grown, changed, and is no longer a threat,” Bridge said.
“He has amply repaid society for the damage and harm that he did. And now, it’s appropriate that he spends the last years of his life in freedom.”
“I’m a grownup now,” Ligon said to CNN
“I’m not a kid anymore. Not only am I a grown man, I’m an old man and getting older every day.”
In the 1970s, Ligon and his accomplices were granted the option of clemency from Pennsylvania’s governor. But since clemency meant being on parole, Ligon rejected it.
He turned down another offer of parole in 2017, stating parole would not grant him the freedom he desired after decades in prison.
“The state parole board presumably would have released him but on condition that he would be under their supervision for the rest of his life,” Bridge said.
“He chose not to seek parole under those terms.”
Bridge, who has represented Ligon for 15 years now, ultimately argued that a mandatory life sentence for a crime Ligon committed as a juvenile was unconstitutional.
Bridge brought the case to the federal court and won the issue in November 2020, which ultimately granted Ligon freedom under his own terms in 2021.
Now Ligon is out of prison, and is trying to readapt to society.
John Pace, is helping Ligon acclimatize with society.
Pace was only 17 years old when he was incarcerated for mugging and assaulting a man.
He spent the next 31 years imprisoned. After being released, Pace said he felt a sort of sickness after suddenly being exposed to his new reality.
“You’re in a prison environment where there’s not a lot of stimulation. You’re not allowed to have contact with people. Your interactions are very limited. And so, there’s not a lot of stimulation,” said Pace.
“So now you come out of prison, and just imagine all this, you can do what you want now. And what do you do with that?”
“There will always be people who think Joe should be in jail for the rest of his life,” Pace said.
“Joe has control over how he demonstrates who he is today, and he hopes that’s enough to help other people realize how he’s trying to help other people use better judgment.”
Ligon said he wanted others to learn from his experience.
“I’m really looking forward to pleasing people and help people the way they’re helping me,” Ligon said, adding, “meeting some of the younger generation, with some of the older generation, and some of the reporters … to share some of my story.”
Asked what it was like to be back in the world a day and a half after his release, Ligon said:
“Beautiful,” he said. “Beautiful.”
Breaking
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah dies at 52
The Senator representing Anambra South in the National Assembly, Ifeanyi Ubah, is dead.
Ubah, who was the Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil, was said to have died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom, on Saturday.
He would have been 53 on September 3.
Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, confirmed Ubah’s death to our correspondent on Saturday.
He said, “It’s confirmed, but I am sending an official statement soon.”
Ubah, who was re-elected into the 10th Senate under the Young Peoples Party, had last year defected to the All Progressive Congress.
In September 2022, Ubah escaped assassination when he was attacked by gunmen on his way to Nnewi in Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State.
Breaking
JUST IN: Edo state Assembly impeaches Deputy Governor Shaibu
The Edo State House of Assembly, on Monday, impeached the state’s Deputy governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu.
The impeachment followed the adoption of the report of the seven-man investigative panel set up by the Assembly to probe allegations of misconduct against Shaibu.
Breaking
JUST IN: Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun joins ancestors at 81
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun has joined his ancestors after a brief illness.
He joined his ancestors at the age of 81.
It was gathered that the late monarch was taken to the hospital Wednesday morning having stayed indoor throughout Tuesday on account of slight malaria fever, though, he was hail and hearty on Monday during which he personally received few guests that paid him congratulatory visits on his second year anniversary on that day.
Making this announcement was the Baba-Kekere Olubadan and his younger brother, Dr Kola Balogun in a statement by the Personal Assistant (Media) to the late monarch, Oladele Ogunsola.
According to the statement, Dr. Balogun disclosed that Oba Balogun would be buried at his Aliiwo ancestral home by 4.00pm on Friday according to Islamic rites just as he said that the State Governor Seyi Makinde, though already verbally informed, would be formally notified early in the morning.
The late Olubadan was the first most educated to have emerged as Ibadan monarch, a British trained P.hd holder, a former university lecturer, former member of management staff of Shell British Petroleum, former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Nigeria People’s Party, NPP, former Senator and a successful business man.
His last official outing was the Olubadan Advisory Council’s meeting which he presided over last Saturday where the decision to derobed Mogaji Akinsola, Olawale Oladoja was taken.
He however, on Tuesday instructed the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade to midwife a small committee to deliberate on last Friday’s decision on what should be the position of Ibadan Zone in the proposed newly reconstituted Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The decision of the small committee was earlier on Thursday ratified by the Olubadan Advisory Council at a meeting presided over by Otun Olubadan and the former governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja and was to be taken to the late Oba Balogun for his signature Friday morning so as to meet the deadline for submission to the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters later in the day.
The late Olubadan is survived by wives, children and grandchildren.
Announcing the passage of the monarch, Governor Makinde, in a statement, stated that Olubadan, who joined his ancestors late Thursday evening at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, described him as an epitome of royal excellence and a great achiever, who made great marks on Ibadanland in just a little over two years of his reign.
He expressed his condolences to the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland and Oyo State, praying to God to grant repose to the soul of the deceased monarch.
Makinde said: “With total submission to the will of God, I announce the passing unto glory of our father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Mohood Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland.
“A mighty Iroko has fallen; Oba Dr. Balogun has joined the ancestors.
“In Kabiyesi, Ibadanland had a cosmopolitan and well-experienced Olubadan, who made indelible marks on the sands of history and achieved greatly within a short while.
“On behalf of the Government and good People of Oyo State, I condole with the immediate family of the Oba Dr. Balogun, the Olubadan-in-Council, the Oyo State Traditional Council and the people of Ibadanland.
“It is my prayer that God grants repose to the soul of our late monarch.”
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