Nebraska pardons board could commute sentence of Earnest Jackson after 22 years

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A man accused of murder could have his sentence commuted by the Nebraska Board of Pardons.

Earnest Jackson has served 22 years in Nebraska state prison following the murder of an Omaha man in 1999. Jackson was 17 at the time.

Since then, another man confessed to the killing.

Community organizations have continued to spread Jackson’s story over social media and through events like the letter-writing drive earlier this month.

Nature Villegas of Stand In for Nebraska, an advocate for #SendEarnestHome, said Jackson’s case is a “miscarry of justice.”

“Earnest is sitting in prison 22 years later, for a murder charge, a crime that was later determined to not be a crime,” she said. “There’s no weapon; the facts are there. It’s the most unbelievable case I’ve ever had land in my lap.”

A key advocate for Jackson’s case is the victim’s 23-year-old son, Mike Hatcher.

Villegas said having Hatcher stand on behalf of Jackson may sway the decision on Monday.

“I’m not taking away that harm was done,” she said. “And a lot of lives have been affected by this. But I think that his son, stepping up with the courage he has and in facts and not emotion, should be that power that fuels people to also find that courage to keep this fire under that and assist in bringing this man home.”

The hearing will take place Monday afternoon at 1 p.m., at the Nebraska State Capitol in Legislative Hearing Room 1524.

Organizations like Stand In for Nebraska and #SendEarnestHome, as well as Jackson’s family, will be in attendance.

The petition that gained over 62,000 signatures to help free Jackson is still available here.

More information on Jackson’s case can be found at #SendEarnestJacksonHome.