In his bid for clemency, Clemmons noted that he was just a teenager when he committed the crimes. He also said that he was from “a very good Christian family” and expressed shame for what he had done. “...the angel of death has visited and taken away my dear sweet mother, and this more than anything has effected change for the good in my heart,” he wrote. “Because now I have to live with all that I put her through I wasn’t able to be with her and make her proud of me before she passed away. I have never done anything good for God, but I’ve prayed for him to grant me in his compassion the grace to make a start. Now I’m humbly appealing to you for a brand-new start.”