Free Marissa Alexander

On Aug. 1, 2010, Marissa Alexander was working for a payroll software company. She was estranged from her husband, Rico Gray, and had a restraining order against him, even though they’d had a baby together just nine days before. Thinking he was gone, she went to their former home to retrieve the rest of her clothes.

An argument ensued, and Alexander said she feared for her life when she went out to her vehicle and retrieved the gun she legally owned. She came back inside and ended up firing a shot into the wall, which ricocheted into the ceiling.

For taking this action Marissa was sentenced to the state's mandatory 20 year sentence. Rapists, murderers, tax evaders, and pedophiles get lighter sentences than this. We are calling on the Governor of the State of Florida to step in and free Marissa. The message the state sent is that it would have been better for Marissa to have remained a victim of domestic abuse.