“Sometimes I feel like I’m lost in outer space.”
In 1982, at the age of 25 Willie Simmons was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole for stealing $9. He has been in prison for 43 years.
This web site is intended to advocate for his release and compensation for the injustice done to him. We are a group of people working with a lawyer to help getting Willie help from outside.
Updates
April 2026
Finally heard from Willie. Kinetic Justice helped him figure out how to use the tablets so that he can send and receive text messages. Actually a couple of team members have been able to text him. I still need to ask him if he is able to read the scanned letters on the tablet.
For older updates please see this page.
How can you help Willie Simmons?
Write Willie a card or a letter
Mail now needs to scanned, so it isn’t sent to St Clair anymore. The new (Oct 2025) address is:
ALDOC Inmate Mail Processing
Willie Junior Simmons – 112862
P.O. Box 17339
San Antonio, TX 78217
Donate to his general fund
Make a donation to the SpotFund for Willie Simmons
Fund Willie’s canteen account
- Go to the Access Corrections website.
- Select Send Money.
- Step #1 –> Alabama | Step #2 –> AL DOC | Step #3 –> 112862
- Create an account, or login in. From there follow the prompts
Sign online petitions
- Change.org, petition started by Makheru Bradly
- Change.org, petition started by Victoria Johnson
- Change.org, petition started by Joseph Dowdy
- Care2 Petitions, petition started by Johnathan Crum
- Change.org, petition started by Tanya Chang
Contact elected officials
| Governor | Kay Ivey | @GovernorKayIvey | 334-242-7100 |
| Lt. Governor | Will Ainsworth | @willainsworthAL | 334-261-9590 |
| Speaker of the House | Nathaniel Ledbetter | @RepLedbetter | 334-261-0505 |
| US Senator | Katie Britt | @SenKatieBritt | 202-224-5744 |
| US Senator | Tommy Tuberville | @SenTuberville | 202-224-4124 |
More information about Willie
- Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey, Sep 14, 2022.
- Journalist and writer Beth Shelburne regularly speaks to Willie and posts updates on Twitter: Dec 22, 2020; Jan 2nd, 2020; Dec 31st, 2019; Dec 21st, 2019; (the complete thread can be read on Beth’s Facebook page).
- Post from Free Alabama Movement | Dec 15th, 2019.
Newsletter
- Sign up for our newsletter. We won’t sell your email address or spam you otherwise. Newsletter is sent whenever we have news about Willie.
Listen to media
- Poor Man’s Pain by Danielle Ponder.
- Ashes Ashes podcast – Minimum Justice.
- Beth Shelburne interviewed on NPR.
Social media
Other posts using information from the Dec 21st, 2019 Tweet thread: essence.com, mediaite.com, boredpanda.com, confirmationbias.ocm
For the search engines: “Willie Simmons”, “Willie Junior Simmons”, “Alabama”, “Alabama Department of Corrections”, “Alabama DOC”.
Justice for Willie Simmons 