Originally published April 7, 2021. Statements about the law were updated in October 2026; the box below gives today’s rules.
Outcomes vary. A past result does not predict or guarantee the outcome of any other case.
A federal judge granted compassionate release to Robert Edmond, Jr. His mother, who had been raising his two sons, became too sick to care for them. The court also weighed his own health risks during COVID-19 and his good record in prison.
April 6, 2021
United States v. Edmond
2021 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63831
Primary caregiver for parent and children granted compassionate release
His request and his sentence
Edmond, who is 46, asked for compassionate release for three reasons: the COVID-19 pandemic, his own health conditions, and the fact that his elderly mother was ill and could no longer care for his children.
On February 5, 2018, Edmond pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. His projected release date was February 28, 2022.
His health and his family’s needs
Edmond has hypertension (high blood pressure). The CDC lists it as a condition that raises the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. He also has lung damage from a house fire several years ago.
His mother had recently been hospitalized. She has congestive heart failure, and her heart works at only 20 percent capacity. She also has high blood pressure that causes blood clots and poor circulation. Because of these health problems, she could no longer care for Edmond’s two minor children.
His mother had been the main caregiver for his two sons while he was in prison. When she got sick, the children were uprooted again and went to live with an aunt.
Why the judge said yes
Edmond had taken classes since arriving in prison and had no disciplinary incidents. He had no history of violence and had served most of his sentence.
After release, he planned to live with his mother and care for her and his children. He also had a job lined up and family support to give him structure and accountability. Based on all of these factors, the court granted him compassionate release.
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