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He Was Supposed to Die in Prison, but the Prosecutor Felt Guilty

that it was excessive and unfairly imposed. The chains clinked as Mr. Askew shuffled past his... He said he considered it the biggest regret of his career. Mr. Burke, who had been working since...

NYTIMES 입력 2026.04.28 18:06 0

He Was Supposed to Die in Prison, but the Prosecutor Felt Guilty

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He Was Supposed to Die in Prison, but the Prosecutor Felt Guilty

Jessie Askew Jr. was sentenced to life without parole for a clumsy armed robbery with an unloaded gun. The man who sent him away was determined to bring him back home.

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Jessie Askew Jr. arriving at a hearing in Houston County, Ga. He hoped to be set free after serving 28 years of a life sentence without parole.

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Audra Melton for The New York Times

Joshua Sharpe

Joshua Sharpe began following Jessie Askew Jr. and Kelly Burke’s story in 2021. He reported from Houston County, Ga.

April 28, 2026,

5:04 a.m. ET

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On Friday morning in Middle Georgia, Jessie Askew Jr. was escorted into court, chained at the wrists and ankles one last time.

Mr. Askew, 52, had been in a Georgia state prison since 1998, sentenced to life without parole for his part in an armed robbery in which no shots were fired and no one was hurt. He had been fighting ever since to get the courts to reconsider the punishment, arguing that it was excessive and unfairly imposed.

The chains clinked as Mr. Askew shuffled past his supporters, trying to obey a deputy’s unexplained order not to look into the crowd. The pews in Courtroom 1 overflowed with about 50 of Mr. Askew’s supporters — numerous relatives, a juror who convicted him and even victims of his crime who wanted him free.

Seated with them was the man who put Mr. Askew away to begin with — Kelly Burke, 67, the former district attorney for Houston County. A new prosecutor at the time, Mr. Burke was determined to be seen as tough on crime and pushed for life without parole, only to later realize that he had been tragically unfair. He said he considered it the biggest regret of his career.

Mr. Burke, who had been working since 2005 to get the sentence reduced, was prepared to testify again on Mr. Askew’s behalf.

Mr. Askew, a grandfather with flecks of gray in his beard, sat between his lawyers, hoping to finally overcome the worst mistake he ever made. This was his chance. The current district attorney had agreed to a reduced sentence. If Judge G.E. Adams signed off, Mr. Askew would walk free.

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