President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500
USA

21 January, 2001

Dear President Bush

CHANTAL McCORKLE, REG. NO 23033-018, TALLAHASSEE PRISON

I am writing to urge you as one of the first acts of your Presidency to grant a Presidential pardon to Chantal McCorkle, because of the disproportionate sentence of 24 years and 4 months that she has received.

I am the Member of Parliament for Slough, England, where Chantal’s mother Mrs Diane Forrester lives. Diane first told me about Chantal and about her sentence over two years ago, and I was impressed and inspired by her dedication to her daughter’s cause. Since then I have written several times to the British Foreign Office and met the Minister responsible for British prisoners abroad, I have written to your brother Governor Jeb Bush, to the judges and lawyers involved in Chantal’s case, as well as, of course, to Chantal herself.

I am convinced that Chantal’s sentence is wholly disproportionate to the crime of which she was accused and to which she pleaded not guilty. The huge sentence was imposed because of a mandatory points system, which gave concern to the trial judge, who said, "This case is troubling. This is a very stiff sentence and it gives me great pause."

It was accepted by the court that her husband William McCorkle was the prime mover of the company; Chantal acted on his direction and trusted him. I urge you to find out the facts of this case and to use your power of clemency to review Chantal’s sentence and let her come home to her family in the UK. I know there are many people worldwide who are concerned about the length of imprisonment she is suffering and support the campaign for her release.

Yours sincerely

Member of Parliament for Slough