Man convicted in Modesto home-invasion robbery gets clemency after 20 years in prison

Richard Alexander Richardson was 24 years old when he and a group of masked gang members broke into a west Modesto home and held several residents at gunpoint as they ransacked the house.

On Nov. 24, 1998, Richardson was sentenced to 47 years in prison for his involvement in the December 1997 home-invasion robbery. The Governor’s Office says Richardson went to prison and turned his life around, despite his lengthy sentence.

Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday commuted Richardson’s sentence, making the now 45-year-old man immediately eligible for parole after spending more than 20 years behind bars.

“He stopped associating with gang members and has dedicated himself to rehabilitation,” Brown said in a declaration commuting Richardson’s prison sentence.

On Monday afternoon, Richardson was being housed at San Quentin State Prison. His parole hearing had not yet been scheduled. His commutation was among the governor’s Christmas Eve clemency actions, which included 143 pardons and 130 commutations.

Richardson is currently the editor in-chief of San Quentin News, an inmate-run newspaper. One correctional officer in 2017 wrote in support of a reduction in Richardson’s sentence, saying that he “has proven to be highly efficient and professional” as the newspaper’s editor, according to the Governor’s Office.

In his application for clemency, Richardson wrote that he has found his “authentic self” while incarcerated.

“I’ve been working on becoming a better person by completing many self-help groups,” he wrote. “I’ve learned that it is alright to be afraid and ask for help when I need it.”

Richardson has written for the prison’s newspaper about his role as editor in-chief. He also has written an article about his experience in prison for Medium, an online publication.

He was convicted in Stanislaus Superior Court of three counts of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery, along with enhancements for using a gun in the crimes, having a previous felony conviction and participating in criminal street gang activity, according to the Governor’s Office.

About 9 p.m. on Dec. 3, 1997, Richardson and the other masked robbers kicked open the front door and stole cash, jewelry and food stamps from a house on Rouse Avenue home, Modesto police officials told The Modesto Bee at the time. The home-invasion robbery victims, three adult women, two adult men and a 3-year-old child, were not harmed.

While in prison for more than two decades, Richardson earned an associate’s degree and participated in self-help programs, including Criminals and Gang Members Anonymous, Alliance for Change and Anger Management, according to the Governor’s Office.

In the majority of Monday’s commutations, the offenders have been granted the chance to make their case in a parole hearing to determine whether they are ready to be released from prison, according to Governor’s Office. Pardons involve offenders who completed their sentences and are no longer in prison, and commutations involve people currently serving time.

Richardson plans on living in transitional housing, and his family is ready to help him as soon as he’s released from prison, according to the Governor’s Office.

Another correctional officer wrote in support of commuting Richardson’s prison sentence, saying he is a model of rehabilitation and should be a great asset to his community, according to the governor’s declaration. The officer also wrote that Richardson “should be commended for his efforts to transform his life and change his behavior.”

This story was originally published December 24, 2018 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Man convicted in Modesto home-invasion robbery gets clemency after 20 years in prison."