Gaile, her attorneys, and her friends have been working relentlessly to prepare Gaile for life outside of prison. She must prove to the Parole Board that she is rehabilitated and understands the gravity of her actions. In addition, she must show that she has made adequate preparations for her life outside prison walls.

As many of you know, Gaile has repeatedly expressed extreme remorse for her crime to friends, family, and prison staff and counselors, as well as in a letter to Gov. Bredesen. She has become a role model for inmates and staff members alike at the Tennessee Prison for Women.

Gaile has volunteered in many capacities at the prison and regularly attends church. She proudly mentors younger inmates as they seek to rehabilitate themselves.

Gaile has already secured housing for herself following her expected release in 2011 or 2012. She and her friends and family are building a strong support system to help her transition seamlessly into the community.

To learn more, download this fact sheet with background about Gaile’s case and information about how you can help her now.

TIMELINE

April 19, 2010: The Tennessee Supreme Court denies Gaile’s commutation request, and the State of Tennessee promptly sets a September execution date.

July 10, 2010: The petition asking Gov. Bredesen to commute Gaile’s sentence has 11,422 signatures from nearly every state and a dozen countries. Additionally, 53 organizations formally petitioned in support of Gaile. The Friends of Gaile Owens Facebook page has more than 2,800 fans.

July 14, 2010: Gov. Bredesen commutes Gaile’s sentence to life in prison. Because of time served and good behavior, she will be eligible for parole as early as the fall of 2011.