Letters to the Governor
6 September 2026
Dear Governor DeWine:
My name is Keith LaMar, and enclosed with this earnest and sincere request for a pardon is a plethora of equally sincere pleadings from my friends and family. We, together, are asking that you use your unique position as governor to do the impossible, something that only you, in this rare moment of agency, have the power to do.
In many of the letters enclosed herein you will read about all the good and worthy accomplishments I've achieved. These people, my friends, are witnesses to the miraculous renderings of a man who, against tremendous odds, has reclaimed his humanity and rejoined the productive strivings of society. I am deeply touched and humbled by these offerings; it is overwhelming to my soul to know that I have been the agent of so much love and light. I thank God for these people, for each and every one of them, for without their willingness to receive my contributions I would have remained forever in the wilderness of the forgotten.
These letters, heartfelt as they are, only tell part of the story: of a man redeemed and returned to his potential. That I have arrived at the ripe age of 57 is, in fact, a minor miracle. I have climbed many mountains to get to where I am today in my understanding of what it means to be alive. In looking back over the terrain I've traveled, I can honestly say that there were times when I questioned and doubted the existence of God; however, with the benefit of hindsight, I can just as honestly say that my heart and soul have been deepened beyond measure. Here, in the darkest place, I’ve found the grasp of God's hand, for which I am eternally grateful.
"Once to every man and nation comes a moment to decide,
In the strife of Truth and Falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, God's new Messiah offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever 'twixt that darkness and that light.
Though the cause of evil prosper, yet 'tis truth alone is strong
Though her portions be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own."
–James Russell Lowell
222 deeply personal letters were sent to Governor Mike DeWine in order to demonstrate who Keith LaMar really is...
In writing this letter, I hope to bestow on you the respect and deference that you deserve without sacrificing the same for myself, in accordance with what I believe and know to be the truth. As such, it's important that you know that I started off totally against the idea of approaching you in this manner, believing it to be a fool's errand in the highest degree. As with most people, I'm not impervious to political prejudice, and, additionally, I have the added onus of having spent over three decades on death row unjustly (more on this later), which has thrust me quite squarely (and literally) between a rock and a hard place.
What changed my mind? On June 16, 2026, you made an announcement against the efficacy of the death penalty, which, on its face, was very brave and noteworthy. And then, on August 7, 2026, you granted me yet another reprieve (a decision that was met with some derision from members of your own party), and thus opened up the way for me to continue my quest for justice. Politics aside, your announcement and consideration allowed me to view you as an individual, as someone with a moral center that demands you have the courage of your convictions.
In 1995, I was presented with a similar dilemma: I was asked to plead guilty to something I didn't do or face the death penalty. At the time, I was only 25 years old and ill-equipped to deal with the extreme deprivations that came along with being thrown into solitary confinement. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd be trapped in this nightmare for over three decades–and for something I didn't do!
As governor, I'm sure you've received many letters from people like me, prisoners claiming to be innocent. But I make no such claims. I am not innocent. This situation, and the agony I've had to endure, has robbed me of my innocence. Indeed, I was a simpleminded kid when I insisted on a jury trial, believing in my heart of hearts that the TRUTH would set me free. I was naive, gullible, and inexperienced (read: innocent!). When the State refused to turn over the exculpatory evidence that could substantiate my claims, I was genuinely dumfounded. I'd read somewhere that the prosecutor's job was not to secure a guilty verdict but to see that justice was done, and I believed that. However, when after my Request for Discovery I was given what amounted to a crossword puzzle, my eyes began to open, and slowly, impropriety after impropriety, I began to see.
Mr. DeWine, I was offered a DEAL in lieu of a jury trial, and had I known beforehand what experience would eventually teach me, I probably would have taken it–not because I'm guilty, but because JUSTICE is based on a premise of equal claims and the power to compel. I didn't know this when I was 25 years old. Not many people do. In point of actual fact, not many people know that over ninety percent of those behind bars are here as a result of a plea bargain–and not all of us are guilty. But all of us are poor; and this, without exception.
When selling me on the idea of pleading guilty, the prosecutor tried to reassure me: "It'll be like you're getting off scot-free." I didn’t realize it at the time, but he was telling me that I wouldn't have to pay a penalty for my ignorance. Ignorance? Well, I hadn't yet discovered Dred Scott, the black man who'd sued for his freedom in 1846, nor had I read the dictum delivered to him by the highest Court in the land: "A Black Man has no rights which a White Man is bound to respect."
This is antiquated bigotry, one would assume; however, as it turns out, Mark Piepmeier and the Hamilton Country Prosecutor’s Office, who deprived me of my right to a fair trial, have sent multiple innocent black men to their death: Derrick Jamison, Elwood Jones, Lamont Hunter, Marcus Sapp (and who knows how many others?)!
Hate is a curious sensation, Mr. DeWine. It enters the body unimpeded and takes up residence in the heart. To keep it you have to feed it, and it is insatiable. Luckily, I didn't have the strength in me to sustain the supreme focus that it required, and, besides this, I didn't have it in my heart to hold on to the rage that was rapidly threatening to overtake my system. I had to make a choice: to live or die?
As you will read in the ensuing outpourings, I chose to LIVE, to do more than just languish in my misery. If I was going to BE HERE, I would have to try to love somebody. To this end, I came up with my own dictum–LOVE IS THE ONLY FREEDOM!–which I’ve tried, as the enclosed letters indicate, to adhere to in every way possible.
I have proof that I didn't kill anyone during the 1993 prison riot, "evidence" that was withheld by the prosecution. According to the State, there were three gangs (or "factions") said to have presided over the killings, and a man named Aaron Jefferson (who was a member of The Gangster Disciples) came forward and admitted to killing someone for whom I was sentenced to death. The State withheld this evidence and the Court, upon corroboration by an individual who witnessed Aaron Jefferson stabbing someone, ruled said evidence inadmissible. And there are other examples (presented under separate cover) which will be proffered for your perusal.
But more important than the above (damning as it may be), I have proof of my humanity, "evidence" that I have walked a righteous path and have chosen, over and over again, love over hate, peace over pain, and knowledge over ignorance.
I do not purport to be an angel. Indeed, I have done things that have required the forgiveness of others; and for these things (including taking someone's life), I have great regret and remorse. I have suffered, Mr. DeWine. I’ve suffered.
I have spent the past thirty-plus years trying to be/do better than my former self, which is to say, I have also evolved. I have become a mentor; a teacher; a man. I am not the same person I was when I was eighteen years old. I have used the knowledge of my experiences to guide myself and many others through terrible passage, and on this path I remain.
You have it in your power to repair me to society, Governor DeWine, to return me to my liberty, and I (along with all my friends and family) humbly ask that you exercise your prerogative and release me from this hell. Release me, and I WILL spend the rest of my time on this earth doing the righteous work of a servant.
Peace go with you.
Sincerely,
~Keith LaMar
September 6, 2026
Dear Honorable Governor DeWine,
My name is Amy Gordiejew, and I am an Ohio constituent, a public high school teacher in Youngstown, and the mom of two young adults/one a college student. For the past sixteen years, Keith LaMar has been a significant part of our lives, and the impact of his presence–like in so
many others’ lives who bear witness here in these pages submitted for your earnest consideration–is so poignant and rare that I struggle to finds the words to fully articulate it.
Keith is someone who has shown me more grace, compassion, patience, and care than just about any other person I have ever encountered in my 51 years of life. To make the discovery of such a wonderful friend would be remarkable under ordinary circumstances, let alone from inside a steel cell in solitary confinement, wrongfully sentenced to death; certainly, finding someone who is so deeply committed to your well-being and growth, who shows up for all parts of your life and with unfailing reliability, is akin to winning the friendship lottery! Keith LaMar has indeed been my best friend, my teacher, my editor, my cheerleader, my truth-teller, and my sounding board for every big and little
moment, with consistency, through the good and the bad, over all these years.
Having collaborated very closely for so long now, Keith and I have had plenty of opportunities to step behind the veil; we truly know one another. We’ve had many ups, beautiful experiences, and we’ve also labored through situations that were extremely difficult and painful. There, in those moments of conflict, the kind that naturally befall two people as connected as we are, I find a man who is quick to take accountability for his words and actions, each and every time, and to offer me grace and forgiveness when I’ve needed it. Keith is someone who prioritizes being in this together over being right. I’m always so touched by his commitment to restoring us to a healed place. He’s one of the most well-adjusted, emotionally intelligent, and reliable human beings I have ever known and/or collaborated with. I trust him emphatically, without any reservation, to be exactly who he says he is.
I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to speak to you for many years, Governor DeWine, and the moment has finally come. I’m sitting here with my eyes full of tears, hopeful and heartened by the outpouring of love for Keith that I hold in front of me. You see, I am the campaign manager of Justice for Keith LaMar, and about 48 hours ago, I spent the evening inviting people to write letters to you expressing just what Keith LaMar means to them; I did not have a single person ignore my request, no matter their social status, age, race, gender, nationality, or walk of life. Keith LaMar means everything to people, Governor DeWine. He is truly a remarkable soul. It is my hope that you will sit with these letters, each one composed from someone’s heart, and then let the truth of their contents penetrate yours.
Before I go any further, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the you for the recent reprieve you issued to Keith. As on July 13, 2023, when you issued his first reprieve, this day etched itself into my memory as one I must never forget, similar to very few other momentous Where were you when? occasions. The news again saved my heart from breaking. Truly. You see, there is no real way to bring about healing from any pain by doing or allowing harm. There will always be collateral damage, even if only to one’s self. I learned this from Keith LaMar. When my instincts have been bitter and my feelings rooted in vengeance, it is Keith who has steadily reminded me Love is the only freedom, Amy. Choose love. Thus, I thank you for again choosing a more loving pathway forward, Governor DeWine, as you have throughout your tenure. I recognize that you did not have to intervene on Keith’s behalf at all, since his execution date technically fell into the next governor’s term. We are all so grateful for your strength, particularly because we know it brought you undeserved criticism. I hope this won’t signal the distance you are willing to go, and that you will take another step for Keith LaMar.
Like you, I was raised in faith. My minister father was a child during WWII in The Netherlands. Many ordinary citizens, for a multitude of reasons, allowed their silence to bring about their own complicity in the harms being committed in those dark years; residual guilt is still carried by many who struggle to forgive themselves for what they allowed themselves to become, decades lost to regret. Their grandchildren, my age, are left to carry the shame of those family legacies. Whose side were you on? Their stories, including brave examples of resistors, make up the fabric of my childhood.
I grew up breezing past Micah 6:8 every day, the scripture that hung in our hallway: “What does the Lord require of you? But that you do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly.” My mom taught me as a young girl that what God is asking of us requires action: “It’s not enough to simply feel good about justice, Amy, we have to seek ways to ensure everyone gets a fair shake. We must speak up for the voiceless. It’s not enough to simply appreciate that mercy matters, we must love forgiving others. We all deserve God’s grace.” I can still hear her voice and am thankful for the simple clarity of this guiding verse. I appreciate more than ever, in a world desperately in need of fearless voices, that my parents understood the importance of inculcating these values into my big, beautiful little girl heart.
From a space of shared belief in a loving and merciful God, I humbly ask you now, Governor DeWine, to do an incredible act of justice and to love mercy on behalf of Keith LaMar, one that will touch so many of our lives—family, friends, students and co-artists alike. We need you to look closely at the very compelling evidence being filed in Keith’s case and would welcome the opportunity for Keith’s legal team to make presentation to the Parole Board by way of a hearing before you pass the torch on to your successor. Keith has been a public servant even from the hell that has held him for over three decades. Please will you take the necessary steps to grant him an executive pardon in these last few weeks of what has been your illustrious political career? Give him/us a chance to be heard, and then decide.
The world is a better place with Keith LaMar in it. And while it is true that he has accomplished so much good from behind the steel-door that traps him in a prison cell the size of a parking space, imagine how much beauty and healing and guidance could befall us all if Keith’s tethers were fully removed? You could be the direct link to so many positive outcomes, Governor DeWine; many of us believe that this one final brave act on your part will deepen your legacy tremendously.
I humbly ask you to pray and think deeply about how it is possible that so many young and old people with productive lives from so many facets of society love Keith LaMar this sincerely and show up for him when called upon. I have known the answer for many years, and it is my hope you now, too, will find the proof right here on these pages that follow. And then I hope that you will do justice and love mercy, in the way that only you hold the power to do.
With my deepest respect and appreciation, and with all hope in my heart for the righteous outcome, I thank you in
advance.
Amy Gordiejew
Review the 220 additional beautiful letters sent to Governor DeWine on Keith LaMar's behalf:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OYVVhki1hbAdigtwd0UUg4sJB5Fkx0JW/view?usp=share_link
Read the other documents supporting Keith for a pardon delivered to the governor at the Riffe Center in Columbus: