U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island

11/13/2017

U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr.

U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island

c/o Federal Building and Courthouse

1 Exchange Terrance

Providence, RI  02903

Dear U.S. District Judge McConnell Jr.,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan with a strong interest in learning history and social justice. In these subjects, I like to learn the need to make Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination, improve the criminal justice system to help protect people’s rights while reduce crime, and improve social justice to make communities safe.  U.S. District Judge McConnell Jr., the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as a lawyer and later as current U.S. District Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to be very inspiring to me.

Before you became U.S. District Judge, I really liked on how you worked with other attorney generals in different states ranging from Democrats including Republicans to help draft and negotiate $264 billion settlement in states’ lawsuit against the tobacco industry for causing people to develop health risk from having tobacco including getting youth addicted to tobacco.  What I liked about your work on helping the different state attorney generals was how you created ideas like reduce advertising of tobacco which were seen targeting youth, create educational awareness program to help reduce youth smoking, and many others. Another thing that I liked about your work as a lawyer was how you sued companies that polluted toxic chemicals in water resources to help give compensation to victims who suffer from health risks.  On March 2010, I liked on how you accepted President Obama to nominate you for a vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to help him improve the judicial system. In your current role as U.S. District Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island,  I’m very proud on how you are a strong supporter of Civil Rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights,  expressing the need to push for tough sentencing on people who commit hate crime against people who are different,  and supporting the idea of the need to reduce racial profiling in the criminal justice system to help protect minorities including immigrants from being oppressed. Another thing that I like about your work as U.S. District Judge is how you are an advocate for criminal justice reform like the need for drug treatment programs to help non-violent drug users get the care they need to reduce drug addiction and expand programs to help victims of domestic violence or victims of crime get law enforcement resources they need to reduce trauma.  Also what I really like about your role in the U.S. Court for the District of Rhode Island is how you are an advocate for people or victims who are affected by different issues ranging from health issues, discrimination, environmental damage to get help from the judicial system.

U.S. District Judge McConnell Jr.,, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different advance subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your continuous support for Civil Rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on my disability.  Also your role as a lawyer and later as a U.S. District Judge  gives me motivation to continue to learn history and social justice. My future goal is to someday work in these areas to emphasize the need to make Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination, have criminal justice reform to help the people including the victims get help while reduce crime, and many others. 

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference in the judicial system. I’m very proud on how you are a strong advocate for Civil Rights, the need to help protect victims of crime or different issues, and the need for criminal justice reform.  You have inspired me to work hard on my disability and to continue to learn different subjects.  I was wondering if you could please share with me what it is like being U.S. District Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island.   Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, making a great impact in the judicial system, and inspiring me. I wish you the best to continue to advocate for common sense ideas to improve the criminal justice system.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick