TIME

The university-bound mother who killed her child deserves forgiveness

Jones, 45, is at the center of a debate about crime, punishment and forgiveness

MICHELLE JONES IS NOT LIKE THE other Ph.D. candidates rolling up to New York University this year. First, she got out of prison only two days before school started. Second, folks at Harvard are still arguing over whether they should have admitted her. And third, when she was a teenager, she killed her 4-year-old son.

Jones’ story, which was recently uncovered by the Marshall Project and the New York Times, is an incredible one. She got pregnant at 14, and

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from TIME

TIME3 min read
How Nature Reacts To A Total Eclipse
Of all of the animals worth observing during a total solar eclipse, perhaps none are more intriguing than humans. They stop what they’re doing; they stare skyward; they lower their voices to a hush. Some may even shed tears. Other species of animals
TIME3 min read
Stepping Up
Where do you find influence in 2024? You can start with the offices of the Anti-Corruption Foundation in Vilnius, Lithuania, where TIME met with Yulia Navalnaya earlier this spring. There, the activist is working with 60 supporters—whose anti-Kremlin
TIME2 min readAmerican Government
Bolsonaro And Trump, Apart Yet Together
A president facing a tough fight for re-election warns his followers that corrupt elites want to steal power from them. He loses the election and calls on his supporters to defend him. Unable to block the transfer of power, he retreats to Florida. Hi

Related Books & Audiobooks