Moriarty asks judge to adjust life sentence of man convicted of 1995 murder to reflect time served

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty filed a petition Wednesday to change the sentence of a man convicted of murder from life in prison to time served.

Jerome Nunn, 48, is currently serving a life sentence for the 1995 murder of Abduel Poe.

The Minnesota Department of Corrections granted Nunn work release in 2023, and the state’s attorney’s office said he now works at EMERGE Community Development, helping people with criminal records find meaningful jobs and services as they reenter society.

The petition is being filed through the Minnesota Prosecutor-Initiated Sentencing Adjustment Law (PISA) of 2023. Moriarty says this filing marks the first time the law has been used in Hennepin County, and possibly the entire state.

Nunn has been in prison for almost thirty years. During this time, Moriarty says he earned his GED, three associate degrees and a paralegal certificate. He also became a minister.

Poe’s mother, Danielle Jones, is also calling for his release.

In 2014, she wrote to the Board of Pardons and said: “I beg you for this
Jerome’s sentence should be commuted to time served and he should be released immediately
get out of prison as soon as possible.”

Moriarty said Jones confirmed her statement in 2021 and again on Wednesday.

The petition, which contains details of Nunn’s case and transformation, can be read below: