Michael Martin has been granted clemency by Governor Kathy Hochl after an application on his behalf by The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Appeals Bureau.

Mr. Martin, age 57, is a Guyanese immigrant and has been a lawful permanent resident of the United States since 1990. He lives in New York with his elderly U.S. citizen and veteran father, who he takes care of, and he is close with his two sisters, a daughter, a son, a stepdaughter and a grandchild. All of Mr. Martin’s significant family members are U.S. citizens residing in the United States.

Mr. Martin faced deportation back to Guyana based upon a March 8, 1999 conviction for second-degree bail jumping for failing to appear in court on a single occasion on unrelated charges as to which he was fully acquitted.

Mr. Martin is thrilled that the Governor has granted him this important relief and that he no longer has to live in fear that he will have to leave behind his family and community.

“We are pleased that Governor Hochul granted clemency to our client Michael Martin, who can now remain in New York with his family and community without fear of deportation back to Guyana, a country he left more than 30 years ago,” said Ted Hausman, Supervising Attorney with the Criminal Appeals Bureau.

“As we’ve stated before, clemency and pardon review should be conducted on a rolling basis,” he continued. “We hope this is the start of Governor Hochul extending this critical relief to the many New Yorkers who deserve it.”