Key facts
- Judith Clark, 77, was refused a UK visa.
- She was invited to speak at an RSC event on restorative justice.
- She also planned to attend her daughter's book launch.
- Clark served 37 years for her role in a 1981 robbery where three people died.
- She was released in 2019 after her sentence was commuted.
Human rights activists and celebrities have urged the UK Home Office to grant a visa to Judith Clark, 77, a former member of the radical US group the Weather Underground. Clark's visa application was refused last week, preventing her from attending a Royal Shakespeare Company event on restorative justice and the UK launch of her daughter's novel. Supporters argue her decades of rehabilitation and clear remorse should be considered.
Clark was convicted in 1983 for her role as a getaway driver in a 1981 robbery that resulted in the deaths of three people. She served 37 years before her sentence was commuted in 2017 and she was released in 2019. During her incarceration, she was involved in establishing programs focused on education, support for mothers and children, and raising service dogs. Since her release, she has worked in criminal justice reform and for the Survivors Justice Project.