Senate Resolution No. 150

BY: Senator BRESLIN

HONORING Robert Merce upon the occasion of his
designation as recipient of the Paul J. Curran Award
by the Prisoners' Legal Services of New York

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made
significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and

WHEREAS, Robert Merce has given not only of his time and energies
but also of his competence, intelligence and leadership and consequently
has been designated for special honor; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Robert Merce
upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of the Paul J. Curran
Award by the Prisoners' Legal Services of New York; and

WHEREAS, The Paul J. Curran Award for Pro Bono Service was
established in honor of the late Paul J. Curran, who served as the
Chairman of Prisoners' Legal Services' Board of Directors for more than
a decade; this auspicious award is presented to the volunteer who most
embodies a commitment to defending the rights of incarcerated New
Yorkers by providing pro bono services; and

WHEREAS, Robert Merce graduated from the University of Toledo in
1967, and received his law degree from Antioch Law School in 1979;
during this time, he also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the
Marshall Islands; and

WHEREAS, With a steadfast and unwavering commitment to assisting
those who are incarcerated, Robert Merce began his illustrious career as
a community organizer for Hawaii's Office of Economic Opportunity's
anti-poverty program; and

WHEREAS, Upon taking his first prison case in the early 1990s,
Robert Merce worked to reduce his client's sentence from life without
parole to life with the possibility of parole and, eventually, was able
to get his client released, in 2011, through the compassionate release
program; and

WHEREAS, Robert Merce has continually demonstrated his appreciation
of human life by representing prisoners in compassionate release cases;
acting on his convictions, this esteemed man has spent his life
advocating for broader prison reform policies; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, Robert Merce was instrumental in the successful
organization of a group of community leaders traveling to Norway to
learn about the correctional system, hailed as one of the most
successful and humane systems in the world; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to the community, Robert Merce serves on
Hawaii's Prison Reform Task Force, established in 2015 by the Hawaii
State Legislature, and chairs two of its subcommittees; and

WHEREAS, Robert Merce also serves as the vice-president of the Board
of Directors of the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., a non-profit
corporation that provides free or low-cost representation to Native
Hawaiians on land, water, prison and cultural issues; and

WHEREAS, In addition, he continues to represent terminally ill and
debilitated inmates seeking compassionate release; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of his community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Robert Merce has stood constant in
dignity, good grace and humor; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an
individual for the benefit of others which Robert Merce has displayed
throughout his life; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when
individuals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Robert Merce upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of
the Paul J. Curran Award by the Prisoners' Legal Services of New York;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Robert Merce.