Man serving life in prison could get reduced sentence under new petition
Hennepin Co. petitions judge to reduce sentence
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has petitioned a judge to adjust the sentence of Jerome Nunn, who was previously sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder. It’s the first use of the Prosecutor-Initiated Sentencing Adjustment (PISA) petition under a new law that passed the Minnesota Legislature in 2023.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Hennepin County prosecutors are petitioning a court judge to reduce the sentence of a man serving life in prison for a murder, arguing that he has since been fully rehabilitated.
What we know
Jerome Nunn began a life sentence in 1996 for the murder of Abduel Poe and the attempted murder of John Holmes. According to court documents, Nunn and another man fired 36 shots into a vehicle in the parking lot of Jug Liquor Store in July 1995, killing Poe.
Court documents state Nunn suspected the two victims of stealing $20,000 and a pound of marijuana from his home.
Nunn was 19 years old at the time of sentencing. Prosecutors say that at the time he had a fifth-grade education and had been his own caretaker since age 13.
Background
Since the murder, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, Nunn has transformed himself, earning his GED and three associate degrees, and a paralegal certificate. He has also since become a minister, continuing ministry work both inside and outside of prison.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) granted Nunn work release in 2023, and he now works at EMERGE Community Development, helping other people with criminal records.
"This man has demonstrated the power of transformation over the last 28 years he has spent in prison," said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty during a press conference on Wednesday.
An emotional Nunn thanked God and the community surrounding him on Wednesday, saying he would not be who he is now without them.
"Each day I’m accountable for my actions to my community and victim. Every day I am grateful for the opportunity to make a difference," Nunn said.
New law, new sentence?
A petition filed on Wednesday, known as a Prosecutor-Initiated Sentencing Adjustment (PISA), allows prosecutors to request sentence adjustments, "where the interests of justice and public safety are no longer served by incarceration."
Enacted by the Minnesota Legislature in 2023, this is the first petition filed in Hennepin County, and likely the state, Moriarty said on Wednesday.
PISA requires judges to consider victims’ input. Holmes’ mother, Danielle Jones, has since said she supports Nunn’s request and has advocated for his release.
A judge will ultimately decide whether to grant the request, reducing his sentence to time served.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office says it has reviewed more than 250 applications since 2023 and is working with the DOC to set up processes to make applications available to incarcerated people.