Winndye Jenkins – Hoover writes “Let Redemption Have the Final Word: Why it’s Time to Free Larry Hoover” (Chicago, IL) — An open plea to First Lady M.K. Pritzker:
“For 52 years, my husband, Larry Hoover, has lived behind bars. He entered prison in his early 20s and is now 74 years old. Nearly three decades of that time were spent in solitary confinement-isolated from physical contact with me, our children, and our grandchildren. I write today not just as Larry’s wife, but as a mother, grandmother, and woman making an open and heartfelt plea to First Lady M.K. Pritzker: Please help bring my husband home.
“Larry was sentenced in 1973 to 150 to 200 years for his role in the tragic death of William Young. His co-defendant, who admitted to being the shooter, served just 20 years before being paroled. While still serving that sentence, Larry was federally indicted in 1995 and sentenced to six life terms for drug-related charges. Those federal convictions placed him in ADX Florence-the nation’s most restrictive federal prison-where basic human contact was nearly nonexistent.
“In those decades of isolation, Larry reflected deeply on his past. He has expressed genuine remorse for the harm he caused and renounced the gang affiliations of his youth. The man who went into prison in his 20s no longer exists. Today, Larry is an aging elder who seeks only peace, family, and the chance to live out his final years with dignity and love.
“The media continues to depict him as the figure he once was, but that portrayal is outdated and incomplete. Even the federal government has acknowledged his transformation: On May 28, 2025, President Donald Trump commuted Larry’s federal sentence, citing his rehabilitation and capacity for change. Yet Larry remains incarcerated due to the state sentence imposed more than five decades ago.
“First Lady Pritzker, I am calling on you with the deepest sincerity a wife and mother can offer: Please lend your voice to my husband’s cause. Your advocacy for justice-involved individuals, your compassion for families, and your leadership in restorative justice give me hope that you might see Larry for who he is today-not who he once was.
“What does justice look like when someone has already served more than a lifetime behind bars? What more must a person do to be seen as redeemed? Larry has served his time-and then some. He poses no threat. He seeks no power. He asks only to return to his family and be part of a society he has had decades to reflect on and learn from.
“This is not just about one man’s freedom. It is about whether our justice system truly believes in second chances. Larry’s release would be a powerful statement-that Illinois values mercy, rehabilitation, and the humanity of those we incarcerate. First Lady Pritzker, I ask you, from one woman to another, to stand with us. Your support could change the course of my husband’s life-and show the world that justice can evolve. It’s time to let redemption have the final word. It’s time to bring Larry Hoover home. Winndye Jenkins-Hoover is the wife of Larry Hoover and a mother and grandmother. She advocates for restorative justice and family reunification.”
Winndye Jenkins – Hoover writes “Let Redemption Have the Final Word: Why it’s Time to Free Larry Hoover”
