By Gary C. King
Stacey Lannert has been involved in the dog training program for the past three years. The curriculum is time-intensive, with the inmates training the dogs to switch on lights, fetch medicines, open refrigerators and cabinet doors, and call for help on special 911 phones.
Per the guidelines of the program, the dogs live with the women for approximately one year. They follow the women everywhere they go, and prison officials have acknowledged that there has been a major change in the morale and behavior at the facility, noting a marked decrease in conduct violations since the program's inception.
Teaching and training these dogs is not an easy task, but Stacey has proven herself to be a consistent and dependable trainer.
Before enrolling in the C.H.A.M.P. program, Stacey had proven herself to be a model prisoner. She participated in several rehabilitative activities and took college courses from North Central Missouri College and Penn State University.
For all intents and purposes, Stacey appears to be a perfect candidate for clemency. In recent years, several incarcerated women have had their sentences commuted under similar circumstances, albeit for the murder of their spouses or significant others rather than a parent. This trend is due in part to the fact that in recent years it has become more socially acceptable to pardon the act of murder in cases that involve physical or sexual abuse and battery. However, in Stacey’s case, parricide — the killing of one’s parents -- remains unacceptable. If the person who had sexually exploited her had been her husband, she might have already won her freedom.
Stacey’s application for clemency was filed in 1998. As of January 2008, it remains in pending status.
Editor's Update: Stacy Lannert's sentence was commuted in January of 2009 by Missouri governor Mike Blunt, who reviewed her case and the history of abuse suffered at the hands of her father. Her sentence was commuted to time served, making her eligible for immediate release. She is currently involved with Healing Sisters, a support organization for victims of sexual abuse.
