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sunsporter1649 Yes
She was pardoned by Biden.
45 Years Later: Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas’ Journey to Justice and Freedom
September 29, 2023
By Cindene Pezzell, Esq.
Instead of help, Beverly Ann Ibn-Tamas got prison time. It took 45 years for her to get justice.
For years, Ms. Ibn-Tamas was beaten and terrorized by her husband. In 1976, she was forced to defend herself against another attack, using the firearm her abuser held to her head only moments before.
She was convicted of second-degree murder by a jury that was not permitted to hear crucial expert testimony about the impact of intimate partner violence. Instead, the prosecutor used harmful myths and stereotypes about domestic violence to convince the jury to convict. Ms. Ibn-Tamas got locked up for protecting her own life.
Ms. Tamas survived beatings, asphyxiation, endangered pregnancies, and endless trauma. And then she was forced to survive prison. And survive she did. After her release, Ms. Ibn-Tamas went on to raise her family and pursue a very successful career as a nursing director.
In December 2022 – 45 years after her conviction - President Joe Biden granted an unconditional pardon to Ms. Ibn-Tamas. While we continue to celebrate this important act of justice, we must also continue to fight for those who risk criminalization just by surviving.
