Jamaican National Convicted of Murder Asks Andrew Cuomo for Pardon to Avoid Deportation: ‘I’m Terrified’

A Jamaican national convicted of murder is asking New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for an executive pardon in order to avoid being deported from the United States.

Colin Absolam, a 46-year-old originally from Jamaica, is asking Cuomo to pardon him so that he is not deported by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency after serving 25 years in prison for an execution-style murder.

Absolam detailed the murder he committed to the Marshall Project and said he is a “valuable asset” to American society today:

On June 23, 1992—two months before my first child was born—an older, bigger dealer ordered me to stop selling in the same building as him. When I ignored him, he smacked me in the face. I left the area, but later when I came back to see my girlfriend, I encountered him again. He assaulted me and blocked my exit. That’s when I went and got a gun a friend was holding for me and fatally shot him. Thinking I was the victim, I turned down a 7 1⁄2-to-14-year plea deal and opted for a trial. I spent three years on Rikers Island awaiting trial and one out on bail. Finally, at age 24, I was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25-to-life. [Emphasis added]

…

I know some people think I deserve to be sent back to Jamaica because of what I did. But during the 25 years I was incarcerated, I took responsibility for what I did. I helped other individuals, got educated and gave back to the community that I harmed and left behind. A lot of time and energy has been invested in me becoming the person I am today. Deporting me to a foreign land will be like extracting a valuable asset out of this society only to throw it away. [Emphasis added]

Absolam was granted parole in June and has since filed an application to Cuomo asking for an executive pardon so that he is not deported by ICE. He is currently being held at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Buffalo, New York.

Cuomo has a history of pardoning foreign nationals convicted of felonies so they can remain living in the U.S. rather than being deported to their native countries. In December 2017, for example, Cuomo pardoned 18 illegal aliens, and in July 2018, he pardoned seven illegal aliens which has kept them in the country.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.