Rutgers Law Clinic Plays Key Role in Several High-Profile Clemency Cases

Five men serving decades-long prison sentences received clemency in recent weeks with help from a clinic at Rutgers Law in Camden. Their work on complex petitions, completed through the Expungement Law Project and with the ACLU of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ), contributed to successful commutations in these high-profile cases involving extreme sentencing and disputed evidence.

On November 11, 2025, then-Governor Phil Murphy commuted Nathan Yates's 33-year prison sentence, releasing him to begin a five-year period of supervised parole. This marked the start of a series of clemency actions influenced by the professors and students of Rutgers Law School. Yates's application, backed by Michael Graff RLAW’25 and Justin Zaragoza RLAW’25 involved work through the Expungement Law Project in partnership with the ACLU-NJ.

Then, several weeks later, just before Thanksgiving, Lamar Alford, who had been sentenced to life in prison, had his sentence commuted to 25 years and will now be released in July 2030. His application for clemency was supported by Kevin Rafuse RLAW’25 as part of the ACLU-NJ’s Clemency Project. 

“Participating in cases that serve the public good and literally change the trajectory of a person’s life are the kinds of experiences we look to provide for our students,” said Dean Johanna Bond. “Having the opportunity to give back while developing their legal skills in the real world helps our students develop into professionals who understand how important it is to be involved and to make a difference.”

Governor Murphy commuted Nathan Yates’s 2005 prison sentence for armed robbery. Advocates described his sentence as an extreme trial penalty. While incarcerated, Yates completed numerous rehabilitative programs. He also earned an associate’s degree with a 4.0 GPA. Yates was released in time to return home for Thanksgiving.

Lamar Alford, known within the New Jersey State Prison system as “the Deacon” for providing spiritual guidance to fellow inmates for more than two decades, had his sentence commuted just before Thanksgiving. Alford, who was convicted of murder in 2007, has long maintained his innocence, declining multiple plea offers because he said he could not plead guilty to a crime he did not commit and for which he had an alibi. 

His conviction stood despite acknowledged issues with eyewitness identification. A co-defendant was granted a new trial based on misidentification and false testimony, relief that was denied to Alford. The case also involved a lead investigator from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. That investigator, a former Philadelphia police officer, was later convicted because of a documented pattern of manufacturing evidence and eyewitness testimony. Alford is now scheduled for release in July 2030. 

Just prior to completing his term in January 2026, Governor Murphy granted clemency to three additional clients of the clinic at Rutgers Law School. 

Marvin Brown was sentenced in 2000 for conspiracy, felony murder, and weapons charges. Led by Meredith Schalick, the team from the Rutgers Expungement Law project was able to secure an immediate release for Brown, with five years’ supervised parole. 

Khalif James, who was represented during the early part of his appeal by Sandra Simkins, associate dean for clinical education and the team from the Rutgers Expungement Law Project, was originally sentenced in 1998 to 30 years to life after being convicted on a series of charges, including murder. Thanks to the team at Rutgers Law School in Camden, James will be released in 2027 and placed on supervised parole for five years. 

Gary Sayers was sentenced in 2008 and then again in 2009 to a total of 70 years for robbery, aggravated assault, and several other offenses. Viktoria Zerda, supervising attorney and clinical faculty fellow with the Rutgers Expungement Project, along with a team of attorneys, secured an immediate release for Sayers, who will serve five years of supervised parole. 

Rutgers Law School has long made public service, pro bono work, and community engagement central to its mission. Students are encouraged to serve low-income and underserved communities through a robust pro bono program. There are also more than 20 clinical offerings that provide hands-on legal representation under faculty supervision. These initiatives reflect Rutgers Law School's role as a public-minded institution focused on preparing future lawyers for legal practice and meaningful community service.