The granting of a motion for a new trial on her voting fraud conviction turned last Friday (Feb. 25) into a good day for Memphis activist Pamela Moses.
Moses’ legal quagmire drew national attention after Memphis Criminal Court Judge W. Mark Ward sentenced her to six years and a day for illegally registering to vote.
Ward, on Feb. 25, summoned Moses back into court, only days after sentencing, to announce that he was granting the motion for a new trial filed on Moses’ behalf.
She was immediately released from custody and is spending time with her family and friends, according to activist and friend Brandy Price.
Supporters of the activist started a campaign on social media and email blitzes to “spread the news of this injustice.”
“Ward was embarrassed because of the national attention this case got,” said Karen Spencer McGee, also known as “Mama Peaches.”
Supporters of Moses, who attended the trial, were critical of what they perceived as the judge’s harsh language toward Moses.
When Moses’ predicament was aired nationwide on the “Rachel Maddow Show” on MSNBC, her case was compared with those of three Trump supporters, all white males, who intentionally cast a vote for a dead relative.
Maddow said six years for an African-American woman who “made a mistake” and little to no consequences for the white men proves that “there are two systems of justice.”
McGee said Moses has been advised by her attorney not to make any comments to the media.
“Pamela is just trying to get back to living her life before this nightmare started for her.”
Moses, 44, was convicted in November of 2021of illegally registering to vote in 2019. From the outset, she has contended she thought her probation was over and that she could apply to have her voting rights reinstated.
An officer certified that Moses had completed probation, thus, signing her papers so she could register to vote.
Moses, who is known as a “Black Lives Matter” activist, has been called a political prisoner by her supporters.
Brandy Price said she hurried to court on Feb. 25 to witness the proceeding.
“We called and sent emails and texts, but it was really the power of prayer that got Pamela free,” said Price. “We didn’t know what was going on. When Ward said he was granting her a new trial and she could go free, she just fell on her knees and was shouting, ‘Hallelujah.’ It was very emotional.”
Price said she knew “something was up” when it was noted that Moses’ attorney was not present in the courtroom.
“When someone said her attorney was not there, Ward said, ‘There is no need,” Price said. “I really wondered what was happening at that point.”
Price said the whole proceeding was hard to believe because just a few days earlier, that same judge had sentenced her to six years.
“She (Moses) was just shouting and praising God,” said Price. “We were, too. Everyone was so happy. We really worked to get the news out about her mistreatment by this judge, but we just never dreamed that Pamela would be out just like that.”
Price continued, “More than work, we prayed. I mean, we prayed, and we knew she was praying, too. Prayer is the most powerful weapon.”
Moses will remain free as a new trial date is set.
