Latest / Wrongful Conviction / #558 Jason Flom with Antoine Day
Transcript
- 0:04Speaker 1: I think we have the best legal system.
- 0:05Speaker 2: It's just the people that implement they get lost along
- 0:09Speaker 2: the way and forget.
- 0:10Speaker 1: What their job really is.
- 0:13Speaker 3: He just kept on trying to remind me that who
- 0:15Speaker 3: was in authority, who was in control, and how easy
- 0:19Speaker 3: it was for my body to be found in any
- 0:23Speaker 3: alley of New York City.
- 0:25Speaker 4: It's a tough prison when you have the guards going
- 0:28Speaker 4: against you because they are the biggest gang in the prison.
- 0:33Speaker 1: They do that.
- 0:33Speaker 2: They'll give a guy a life sentence and go home
- 0:36Speaker 2: in eat spaghetti like it was nothing.
- 0:38Speaker 3: And anybody that said, well, why would you confess to
- 0:41Speaker 3: something that you didn't do? My question to them will
- 0:43Speaker 3: be why wouldn't you confess when somebody's threatening to kill
- 0:46Speaker 3: your life?
- 0:48Speaker 2: The judge, he said, how you feel? I said, I'm okay.
- 0:51Speaker 2: He said, well, the days you're lucky day you're going home.
- 0:56Speaker 4: This is wrongful Conviction. Welcome back to Wrongful Conviction with
- 1:16Speaker 4: Jason Flamm.
- 1:16Speaker 5: Today we have two guests and I feel really excited
- 1:20Speaker 5: about today's episode.
- 1:21Speaker 4: We have Antoine Day.
- 1:23Speaker 5: Antoine Day sixty years for murder, twenty five years for
- 1:26Speaker 5: attempted murder.
- 1:27Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety two, Antoine Day was found guilty of
- 1:30Speaker 1: the murder of one man and attempted murder of another
- 1:33Speaker 1: outside a liquor store on Chicago's West Side.
- 1:35Speaker 4: Convicted in nineteen ninety two, exonerated in two thousand and two.
- 1:39Speaker 4: Antoine Welcome to the show.
- 1:40Speaker 5: Well, thanks for having me, And with Antoine, he brought
- 1:45Speaker 5: a luminary in the criminal justice reform movement. Laura Caldwell
- 1:50Speaker 5: and Laura is an accomplished author of many many books novels,
- 1:55Speaker 5: also professor at Loyola in Chicago and the found of
- 2:00Speaker 5: the Life After Innocence.
- 2:01Speaker 6: Yeah, Lai at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
- 2:05Speaker 4: Got it.
- 2:06Speaker 5: But let's go back to the beginning. You came from Illinois, right.
- 2:10Speaker 1: Yeah, West side of Chicago.
- 2:12Speaker 5: And you were a musician, and you had some stuff
- 2:14Speaker 5: going on at the time that everything went haywire.
- 2:18Speaker 4: Right.
- 2:18Speaker 5: It was a murder that happened at a craps game,
- 2:21Speaker 5: right right. Two people shot Thomas Peters and James Coleman,
- 2:25Speaker 5: and Peters died and Coleman was wounded, and they're out
- 2:29Speaker 5: looking for the suspects.
- 2:30Speaker 4: How'd you get mixed up?
- 2:31Speaker 1: Well?
- 2:32Speaker 2: I got mixed up because you know, I didn't come
- 2:34Speaker 2: from that real cush community. You know, I come from
- 2:37Speaker 2: a very hard heart community, you know, the West side
- 2:40Speaker 2: of Chicago. Even right now, it's the top murder has
- 2:43Speaker 2: the top murder rate in.
- 2:44Speaker 4: The state and one of the top of the country.
- 2:46Speaker 1: Yeah, in the country. Yeah it is.
- 2:48Speaker 2: So I lived, as I live now in its same community,
- 2:52Speaker 2: and I also I work in the second largest murder
- 2:56Speaker 2: rate in the country in Lindale. So how it happened
- 2:59Speaker 2: was I was known in the community because I was
- 3:02Speaker 2: in the street. You know, I did some things in
- 3:04Speaker 2: the street. Today I wouldn't be so proud of. But
- 3:07Speaker 2: you know, young kid, you know, you did some things,
- 3:10Speaker 2: and so you meet.
- 3:11Speaker 4: People, but not necessarily violent thing.
- 3:12Speaker 2: No, nothing violent, had nothing to do with violence. I
- 3:15Speaker 2: sold drugs, you know, I sold marijuana. I did what
- 3:19Speaker 2: most young guys my age do.
- 3:20Speaker 4: So okay, So you were I was known.
- 3:23Speaker 1: And then I was a musician.
- 3:24Speaker 2: We played all the community of fast concerts. We did
- 3:27Speaker 2: a lot of things. And I lived in the community,
- 3:30Speaker 2: but in this particular community I lived in. The guys
- 3:34Speaker 2: that actually got killed stayed only a block away from
- 3:37Speaker 2: my home from where I lived. He stayed the next
- 3:39Speaker 2: block over, and I didn't know them. They didn't know me,
- 3:44Speaker 2: so when the incident occurred, they said that it was
- 3:48Speaker 2: a black vehicle, so right away they tagged all the
- 3:51Speaker 2: black vehicles in the area. I had two black vehicles.
- 3:54Speaker 2: I had a station Wagon. I'm a car man, you know,
- 3:57Speaker 2: I love cars. So I had a station Wagon that
- 3:59Speaker 2: was fixed up, and I had a Chevy Blazer that
- 4:03Speaker 2: was also fixed up. So these two cars stay parked
- 4:05Speaker 2: in front of my home. So when the police ran
- 4:08Speaker 2: an icing plate, they had my name. We had played
- 4:12Speaker 2: in New Orleans. It was raining really hard, so when
- 4:15Speaker 2: we came back that morning, it was a car to
- 4:17Speaker 2: my door. So I took the car to investigator's car,
- 4:20Speaker 2: Detective Connley, I think it was.
- 4:23Speaker 1: I called him. I said, you left a car to
- 4:25Speaker 1: my door for what.
- 4:25Speaker 2: He said, well, I want you to come in and
- 4:27Speaker 2: talk to me about some things that took place over
- 4:29Speaker 2: the weekend. I said, well, I wasn't here for the weekend.
- 4:32Speaker 2: So he had the conversay. He said, well, just come in.
- 4:34Speaker 2: He asked me what did I look like? I said,
- 4:37Speaker 2: what you mean, when do I look like? He said, so,
- 4:39Speaker 2: what are your features? Are you a big guy? Your
- 4:41Speaker 2: little guy? I'm like, why would you ask me that?
- 4:45Speaker 2: Shouldn't you be telling me you're looking for me. I'm
- 4:47Speaker 2: not looking for you. Then he said, well, the story
- 4:50Speaker 2: was that you were, you know, about six' to two like.
- 4:53Speaker 2: Complex THEN i, said, no that's not. Me he, said
- 4:55Speaker 2: so you shouldn't have no.
- 4:56Speaker 4: Problem how tall are?
- 4:57Speaker 1: YOU i gotta be about five, ten probably used to be.
- 5:00Speaker 5: Taller you were number six, too and like, complected you
- 5:06Speaker 5: KNOW i like complected and, yeah so you didn't fit the.
- 5:08Speaker 2: DESCRIPTION i, didn't SO i thought maybe they just got my,
- 5:11Speaker 2: name so let me go. In so WHEN i went,
- 5:13Speaker 2: in he started asking me about my, car, said WHY
- 5:17Speaker 2: i have two? Vehicles is? Black so he went over
- 5:20Speaker 2: the thing with the. Car he asked, me had anybody
- 5:22Speaker 2: been driving the? Car?
- 5:23Speaker 1: Stant, no my cars haven't, moved been sitting all.
- 5:26Speaker 2: Week so you begin to ask me about DID i
- 5:30Speaker 2: know these particular.
- 5:31Speaker 1: People i'm saying, NO i don't. Know don't. FORGET i
- 5:33Speaker 1: took a lawyer in with.
- 5:34Speaker 4: ME i, mean let's adaly. This you were a thousand
- 5:37Speaker 4: miles away right when the thing.
- 5:39Speaker 5: Happened, right you didn't fit the description, Right but, still
- 5:43Speaker 5: growing up in that type of, environment you know that
- 5:45Speaker 5: the police are capable of pulling some thirty tricks, right And, chicago,
- 5:50Speaker 5: unfortunately is as infamous as, anywhere with all the scandals
- 5:54Speaker 5: that have happened, there very well.
- 5:55Speaker 4: Known so you.
- 5:56Speaker 5: Hired to learn, though because you're, thinking you, KNOW i
- 5:58Speaker 5: better BE i better just take every say. Exactly so
- 6:01Speaker 5: you hired this lawyer and then tell us the.
- 6:03Speaker 2: Story i've never been one to trust the police, anyway
- 6:07Speaker 2: because they've done a lot of things in the. Past
- 6:09Speaker 2: SO i KNEW i should maybe take this lawyer in with.
- 6:11Speaker 1: Me SO i called.
- 6:13Speaker 2: Him he, said, SURE i, come and you, KNOW i, said,
- 6:16Speaker 2: MAN i just to make sure this go. Right you,
- 6:18Speaker 2: KNOW i KNOW i haven't done, anything SO i want
- 6:21Speaker 2: to make sure this goes. Right he, said, okay he comes.
- 6:23Speaker 2: In he came to my mom's, house met me at
- 6:26Speaker 2: my mother's, house and we went to the police.
- 6:28Speaker 4: Stay how far is that maybe two.
- 6:30Speaker 2: Miles So i'm sitting in the interview, room, well not
- 6:34Speaker 2: an interview. Room it's just a, room, big, big open,
- 6:36Speaker 2: space maybe sixty seventy chairs in this.
- 6:39Speaker 1: Room i'm sitting in a.
- 6:41Speaker 2: Chair it's another guy sitting in a, chair you, know
- 6:45Speaker 2: maybe ten feet away from. Me you, know we're just.
- 6:48Speaker 2: Talking we've been sitting there so. Long so now we
- 6:50Speaker 2: begin to. Talk i'm, like, MAN i don't know why
- 6:52Speaker 2: they got me. Here he said me.
- 6:53Speaker 1: Either. Man they brought me in here and just made,
- 6:55Speaker 1: me you, know sit.
- 6:56Speaker 2: Here i've been sitting there for the longest because he
- 6:58Speaker 2: was actually here BEFORE i, here and we were just
- 7:02Speaker 2: sitting there. Talking then the detective came. In he, said,
- 7:05Speaker 2: look are you willing to stand the? LINEUP i sent a?
- 7:08Speaker 2: Lineup so Now i'm looking for my. Lawyer, logical where's my?
- 7:12Speaker 2: Lawyer where was it for this?
- 7:13Speaker 1: Lineup? Right he was.
- 7:14Speaker 2: Gone he had left a message that he was going
- 7:17Speaker 2: to his daughter's birthday.
- 7:18Speaker 1: Party so he left me in the police.
- 7:20Speaker 4: Station and you paid him five thousand.
- 7:22Speaker 1: Dollars he got five grand out of me.
- 7:24Speaker 5: To drive you two. Miles that's like twenty five hundred.
- 7:27Speaker 5: Miles that's not not it's not bad, man that's, incredible you.
- 7:30Speaker 5: Know SO i Just i'm, SORRY i. Can't that's. CRAZY
- 7:34Speaker 5: i got to take him.
- 7:35Speaker 2: Pause how he got five thousand in the. Beginning let
- 7:37Speaker 2: me just MAKE i gave him twenty five. Hundred that
- 7:40Speaker 2: was going to the police, station, right and if anything
- 7:44Speaker 2: else had, occurred THEN i would have gave him the
- 7:46Speaker 2: rest of, it so and it. DID i guess that
- 7:49Speaker 2: was the part of the. Setup so now he gets
- 7:52Speaker 2: all his money if he leave and THEN i get.
- 7:54Speaker 2: Arrested SO i felt like it was from the beginning
- 7:57Speaker 2: it was a.
- 7:57Speaker 5: Setup so he had an incentive to get you, ARRESTED i. Believe,
- 8:00Speaker 5: so oh my, God, well, OKAY i mean that's because what.
- 8:04Speaker 1: Else could it.
- 8:05Speaker 2: Be he, Left he didn't even start his job to finish.
- 8:08Speaker 2: It so the start was to be there for questioning if,
- 8:11Speaker 2: anything the whole, conversation he wasn't, There.
- 8:14Speaker 4: So you're on your, own, right and then what.
- 8:16Speaker 5: HAPPENS i want to Bring laura into this conversation because
- 8:18Speaker 5: she's so familiar with all this kind of nons she
- 8:20Speaker 5: know better than. THAT i Think antoine's case is a
- 8:24Speaker 5: roadmap how not to do.
- 8:26Speaker 6: Things it's also a roadmap in a sense of what
- 8:28Speaker 6: happens when you're. Innocent when you're, innocent you're always happy
- 8:33Speaker 6: to talk to someone because, frankly you know you didn't do.
- 8:36Speaker 6: It but how smart to get a lawyer at least
- 8:39Speaker 6: before you do talk to someone on something you don't.
- 8:41Speaker 6: Know so that was such a smart. Move we usually
- 8:45Speaker 6: hear people go into the station all the. Time not
- 8:47Speaker 6: everybody's smart enough to bring a. Lawyer unfortunately for, him
- 8:50Speaker 6: the lawyer was very negligent and left and didn't come.
- 8:54Speaker 1: Back they then put.
- 8:56Speaker 6: Him in a lineup and the two gentlemen he was
- 8:57Speaker 6: sitting with the cops actually we now, know said go
- 9:01Speaker 6: ahead and pick that gentleman. Out later one of them quickly,
- 9:04Speaker 6: recanted so its not that, guy but it was too.
- 9:08Speaker 6: Late they've been identified and Off antoine.
- 9:12Speaker 2: Was so you got to remember these two. Guys both
- 9:15Speaker 2: of these guys was heroin, addicts you. Know and the
- 9:19Speaker 2: one GUY i think Was coleman who said he, said,
- 9:22Speaker 2: man they KNEW i was a dope thing when they arrested.
- 9:25Speaker 1: Me he, SAID i would.
- 9:25Speaker 2: Say my mother Killed kennedy if they had made me do.
- 9:28Speaker 2: It you, know he said. That because this guy came
- 9:30Speaker 2: to court and he. Apologized coleman is the only one who. Apologized,
- 9:35Speaker 2: well both of them came to court and admitted why
- 9:38Speaker 2: they lied because the police had arrested, them these same
- 9:42Speaker 2: two guys.
- 9:43Speaker 1: Before, see they had a history with these same.
- 9:46Speaker 2: Detectives so it kind of weigh, out you, know once
- 9:51Speaker 2: you start your investigation and you really get to see
- 9:53Speaker 2: how they're.
- 9:54Speaker 5: Connected there's a really important thing that, happens or actually
- 10:00Speaker 5: doesn't happen during the, trial, right which is that now
- 10:03Speaker 5: that you've already been screwed over by the first, lawyer
- 10:05Speaker 5: now you get a second.
- 10:06Speaker 4: Lawyer the second one really, yea fucked you.
- 10:11Speaker 1: Over i'm also paid FOR i like what you said
- 10:14Speaker 1: that he really.
- 10:15Speaker 5: Did your attorney neglected to do things that a third
- 10:19Speaker 5: grader would have, done, right which, is he neglected to
- 10:22Speaker 5: call the witnesses who would have placed you elsewhere at
- 10:26Speaker 5: the time of the. Crime and he neglected to call the.
- 10:29Speaker 5: Victim there were two. Victims one of them was a.
- 10:31Speaker 5: Lie he couldn't call the dead, guy, right but the
- 10:33Speaker 5: living Guy.
- 10:35Speaker 4: Coleman.
- 10:35Speaker 5: Right he wanted to, testify, Right and sometimes guys don't
- 10:39Speaker 5: want to. Testify he wanted to. Testify so all this
- 10:43Speaker 5: idiot that was representing, you AND i say that in
- 10:45Speaker 5: the nicest possible.
- 10:46Speaker 1: Way don't be.
- 10:47Speaker 5: Nice all this guy would have had to do is
- 10:51Speaker 5: say your, honor like IN. Tv i'd like to bring
- 10:54Speaker 5: to the Stands James, coleman and Then, coleman who got
- 10:59Speaker 5: shot would have said that you weren't the, guy and
- 11:02Speaker 5: then you would have gone home and.
- 11:04Speaker 4: Let's talk about that for a.
- 11:04Speaker 5: Second so were you not able to say to your,
- 11:08Speaker 5: attorney hey, man call THE i.
- 11:12Speaker 2: DID i said, it AND i had people getting and
- 11:16Speaker 2: gathering the witnesses. People that was actually that he goes
- 11:19Speaker 2: to a crime scene so long after the incident and
- 11:23Speaker 2: couldn't find. Anybody he went into the liquor store asking
- 11:26Speaker 2: questions about inside of a liquor. Store now keep in
- 11:30Speaker 2: mind that they said that this was actually going to
- 11:33Speaker 2: be a stick up. Murder they said THAT i was
- 11:35Speaker 2: robbing a dice game AND i saw these two guys
- 11:40Speaker 2: WHO i had some issues, with and begin to.
- 11:43Speaker 1: Shoot this is what they.
- 11:45Speaker 2: Said my intention was to rob a dice, game a
- 11:48Speaker 2: two dollars dice, game which was a, JOKE a.
- 11:52Speaker 4: Two dollar dice. Game, yeah and you had two.
- 11:54Speaker 2: CARS i had two, cars, buildings and a lot of other.
- 11:58Speaker 1: Stuff so these people say.
- 12:00Speaker 2: They really didn't need four, hours, RIGHT i really didn't
- 12:03Speaker 2: a two dollars dice. Game so he said that this
- 12:06Speaker 2: was the reason for the. Shooting so when they came
- 12:10Speaker 2: back to me with the explanation of WHY i supposed
- 12:14Speaker 2: to shot these two, Guys James coleman had always, said
- 12:18Speaker 2: you wasn't the, guy he, said AND i told him.
- 12:20Speaker 1: That he, said but, MAN i was. Sick you.
- 12:22Speaker 2: KNOW i had a conversation with, him and he said
- 12:25Speaker 2: THAT i was. SICK i talked to this man on the,
- 12:27Speaker 2: phone you, know a whole lot of. Times and he
- 12:31Speaker 2: even went to my, mother's to my parents' house and
- 12:34Speaker 2: told my mom THAT i lied on. Him for that,
- 12:38Speaker 2: reason he, said AND i need to straighten it. Out
- 12:40Speaker 2: he just couldn't get hisself, together and he said it
- 12:42Speaker 2: also in, court say his life had really fell apart
- 12:46Speaker 2: because he knew he lied on. Me but then the other,
- 12:48Speaker 2: guy the real, girly his intention was. Money his family
- 12:53Speaker 2: wanted me to pay. Them if you give us THIS x.
- 12:56Speaker 1: Amount of, dollars we'll walk. Away we won't even show up.
- 12:59Speaker 5: In court because was originally a witness against, you, Right
- 13:02Speaker 5: and then he was ready to testify at the, trial
- 13:04Speaker 5: and he had, lied.
- 13:05Speaker 4: RIGHT i just want to make that clear to the.
- 13:07Speaker 5: Audience so ultimately you had an, option WHICH i find
- 13:10Speaker 5: is an interesting. Thing, Right so your co defendant chose
- 13:14Speaker 5: to be tried by a jury and you chose to
- 13:16Speaker 5: be tried by a.
- 13:17Speaker 2: Judge let's talk about, that because when we went into the.
- 13:21Speaker 1: COURTROOM i kind.
- 13:22Speaker 2: Of felt that this judge wasn't the JUDGE i. WANTED
- 13:26Speaker 2: i didn't want a bench. TRIAL i never wanted a bench.
- 13:30Speaker 2: Trial the attorney wanted a bench. TRIAL i wanted to pick,
- 13:33Speaker 2: twelve but he denied me a jury. Trial he told
- 13:37Speaker 2: me THAT i waited too late to.
- 13:39Speaker 1: Pick a jury. Trial the judge tell you the judge.
- 13:41Speaker 2: Did he, said we waited too late to pick a jury,
- 13:44Speaker 2: trial AND i wanted.
- 13:46Speaker 1: TWELVE i never trusted the.
- 13:47Speaker 4: Judge or is that a?
- 13:49Speaker 6: Thing you are supposed to demand trial by jury when
- 13:52Speaker 6: you file your answer when you. APPEAR i don't know
- 13:55Speaker 6: if he failed to do. That if he did that
- 13:57Speaker 6: alone is. Malpractice but what you do is you routinely
- 14:01Speaker 6: ask for a jury and then if later you want
- 14:03Speaker 6: to switch to a bench you can. So either he
- 14:06Speaker 6: didn't ask for it early on we never.
- 14:07Speaker 1: Could seess that.
- 14:08Speaker 6: Out or he thought the judge would be good for
- 14:11Speaker 6: them and then counseled him. Incorrectly but in any, event
- 14:15Speaker 6: he counseled him against his wishes and against what would
- 14:19Speaker 6: have been hopefully a much better outcome with twelve people
- 14:22Speaker 6: and minds.
- 14:23Speaker 2: YOU i walked into the police. Station they had to
- 14:25Speaker 2: run this guy. Down the guy is inconcrated right now
- 14:28Speaker 2: for the. Murder they had to run him. Down they found.
- 14:31Speaker 2: Him which guy you talking? About my co, defendant, Right?
- 14:34Speaker 2: Okay who they made my co. DEFENDED i don't like
- 14:37Speaker 2: claiming him BECAUSE i didn't even know this.
- 14:39Speaker 1: Guy but they found him.
- 14:40Speaker 2: Later he found him later on and arrested him and
- 14:43Speaker 2: brought him. In so Now i'm demanding a separate. Trial
- 14:48Speaker 2: but they tried us just the same. Time SO i
- 14:51Speaker 2: felt my rights was BECAUSE i almost took. OVER i
- 14:55Speaker 2: Know i'm not an, attorney BUT i got good common.
- 14:57Speaker 2: SENSE i don't want to sit at the table with this,
- 14:59Speaker 2: guy and he is the. Shooter so Now i'm sitting
- 15:03Speaker 2: at the. Table so what he Did he simultaneously tried
- 15:06Speaker 2: us in the same, day the same court with the same.
- 15:09Speaker 4: People, yeah that seems.
- 15:11Speaker 5: Crazy so you end up getting convicted and being sent
- 15:14Speaker 5: to a really scary.
- 15:16Speaker 2: Place oh, Yeah pontiac prison guards to tell you welcome To.
- 15:20Speaker 2: Pontiac in fifteen, minutes you had your own personal.
- 15:22Speaker 4: Shak your own personal, Shak, yeah.
- 15:25Speaker 1: And you had.
- 15:25Speaker 2: It place was full of blood already when you walked
- 15:29Speaker 2: through those big doors slide, open AND i ain't never
- 15:33Speaker 2: been in prison.
- 15:33Speaker 1: Before, man it was it was.
- 15:37Speaker 5: SHOCKING i read that there were three hundred and sixty
- 15:40Speaker 5: incarcerated men in the prison at that time in five.
- 15:43Speaker 1: Guards, yeah in one, building.
- 15:45Speaker 4: In one, building yeah.
- 15:46Speaker 5: YEAH i mean that doesn't sound like a recipe for success.
- 15:50Speaker 5: EITHER i mean one building and the guards had automatic,
- 15:53Speaker 5: weapons and there were bullet, holes and there was a
- 15:55Speaker 5: sign that said gud rapped to the ground if bullets are.
- 15:58Speaker 5: Fired whee that sign where you, like AM i in a?
- 16:02Speaker 4: War?
- 16:03Speaker 2: Yeah that's What that's what it. Was you can be
- 16:06Speaker 2: on the yard in five seconds and watch somebody get.
- 16:08Speaker 2: Stabbed that's the reason they tell you if you go,
- 16:10Speaker 2: down drop to the, ground.
- 16:12Speaker 5: Because then they're gonna start to. Shoot being vastly outnumbered
- 16:15Speaker 5: as the guards, were that's their last, recourse. RIGHT i
- 16:19Speaker 5: mean that's a tough job. TOO i, MEAN i, mean just.
- 16:21Speaker 2: For the sake of knowing what exactly, happens you, know
- 16:24Speaker 2: BECAUSE i know they. Exaggerated so those guards are not
- 16:28Speaker 2: moving three hundred guys at one. Time in the, salehouse
- 16:31Speaker 2: you move only a section at a, Time so you
- 16:34Speaker 2: might see thirty, guys two, guards one in the, front
- 16:37Speaker 2: one in the, back and then the guy own with
- 16:39Speaker 2: the rifle that's gonna knock your brains, out And pontiac is.
- 16:42Speaker 5: Held, well you were in lockdown sometimes twenty four hours a.
- 16:46Speaker 5: Day yeah, RIGHT i mean there was a. Month there
- 16:48Speaker 5: was a month where you were never let out of your.
- 16:49Speaker 5: CELL i, mean it's incredible that you have any mental,
- 16:53Speaker 5: faculties you, know preserved after.
- 16:55Speaker 2: That it was more than a. Month they used to
- 16:57Speaker 2: lock us, down The pontiac for a. Year lock you, down.
- 17:00Speaker 4: So no, shower no.
- 17:02Speaker 5: Nothing you get a shower once a, week and other
- 17:05Speaker 5: than that you're locked down twenty a.
- 17:06Speaker 4: Week, yeah twenty four seven in yourself with someone, else.
- 17:10Speaker 2: With someone else and the, toilet and EVERY i mean
- 17:14Speaker 2: every day they would lock you. Down if an incident,
- 17:16Speaker 2: occurred somebody got, stabbed they lock you.
- 17:18Speaker 1: Down you'd be locked up six.
- 17:21Speaker 2: Months they let you off two, days somebody else get,
- 17:23Speaker 2: hit they lock you up another six.
- 17:25Speaker 1: Months And i'm talking about complete.
- 17:28Speaker 2: Lockup pontiac was held because it was like it was
- 17:31Speaker 2: almost like a, supermax but it was one of the
- 17:34Speaker 2: roughest max joints In. Illinois and every day you see
- 17:39Speaker 2: either someone getting, raped somebody getting, stabbed somebody getting beat
- 17:43Speaker 2: half to death or somebody getting shot by the. Guards that's,
- 17:46Speaker 2: Insane and then you talk about the. TRAUMA i watched
- 17:49Speaker 2: the man in front of my. CELL i had just
- 17:51Speaker 2: finished working. OUT i came in to get in the
- 17:53Speaker 2: shower and the guard was telling him to put his hands,
- 17:56Speaker 2: down and he was talking with his, hands and he
- 17:59Speaker 2: shot him so. Fast you just see the blood, jump
- 18:02Speaker 2: like from the first floor to the third.
- 18:05Speaker 1: Floor he hit him so fast and.
- 18:09Speaker 4: Killed the man instantly because he was talking on his.
- 18:12Speaker 2: Hands, yeah you, know because potential. Violence you, know guys
- 18:16Speaker 2: do that when they're getting ready to do. Something so
- 18:18Speaker 2: these are the. SIGNS i guess he blew his brains.
- 18:21Speaker 2: Out but this place is what you saw every. Day
- 18:24Speaker 2: either you, came you got up to go to work
- 18:26Speaker 2: in the. MORNING i used to leave out five in the.
- 18:28Speaker 2: MORNING i had an institutional, job SO i work all
- 18:30Speaker 2: over the, penitentiary death, row protect the.
- 18:33Speaker 1: CUSTODY i work all over the.
- 18:35Speaker 2: Joint SO i get ready to leave out in the
- 18:37Speaker 2: morning AND i walk past the guy's sell he's hanging, there.
- 18:41Speaker 1: Just hanging. There you.
- 18:42Speaker 2: KNOW i used to see so much of it you
- 18:44Speaker 2: become numb to. It and that's a shame.
- 18:47Speaker 5: And the scene you're describing Makes Shaw Shank redemptions sound
- 18:50Speaker 5: like A disney.
- 18:51Speaker 4: MOVIE i, mean it's just it. Was, yeah it's as
- 18:54Speaker 4: bad as it.
- 18:55Speaker 5: Gets, yeah it's so bizarre that we have it absolutely,
- 19:00Speaker 5: wrong absolutely. Backwards and In Western european countries and In
- 19:05Speaker 5: scandinavian countries and.
- 19:07Speaker 4: All over the world they take the opposite.
- 19:08Speaker 5: Approach their thing is when you get, out you're going
- 19:12Speaker 5: to have to live next door to, somebody maybe. Me,
- 19:15Speaker 5: Right so at one point a couple of good things. Happen,
- 19:18Speaker 5: Right you found sort of hope and sanity and music, again,
- 19:23Speaker 5: Right AND i thought that was a brave thing that you,
- 19:25Speaker 5: did because there were at the time no musical instruments
- 19:29Speaker 5: in this prison hell whatever you want to call, it,
- 19:32Speaker 5: right and you were able to convince the, warden.
- 19:35Speaker 1: Superintendent kelly it was my, buddy.
- 19:38Speaker 5: Right so he at your behas he ordered some, instruments
- 19:41Speaker 5: and you got to put together a little band and
- 19:43Speaker 5: get a little some kind of, JOY i, guess.
- 19:46Speaker 2: Yeah because we had been on lockdown so much and
- 19:49Speaker 2: they had had some instruments they had it was.
- 19:53Speaker 1: Garbage So kelly.
- 19:54Speaker 2: Had decided that if that would keep us peaceful around
- 19:58Speaker 2: a joint well ordered some more.
- 20:00Speaker 1: Instruments so he ordered some more.
- 20:01Speaker 2: Drums and guitars and, amps and it was called The
- 20:05Speaker 2: Power Soul, Band Our Soul Power Soul, Band and so
- 20:10Speaker 2: we played and most of the guys was in the
- 20:12Speaker 2: band had natural. Life so those guys are still locked.
- 20:15Speaker 2: Up so we had A we had a nice band,
- 20:17Speaker 2: man and the unit was good and it kept things kind.
- 20:21Speaker 2: OF i, mean we didn't go on lock down for
- 20:22Speaker 2: like maybe a year and a.
- 20:24Speaker 1: Half you, know it.
- 20:25Speaker 2: Was because guys wanted to get out when we. Performed
- 20:28Speaker 2: they wanted to be, there they wanted to see. It you,
- 20:30Speaker 2: know it's like you going to a, party.
- 20:33Speaker 5: Right so they had a reason and right to not
- 20:35Speaker 5: want to be violent because if they, did they would
- 20:37Speaker 5: be depriving this little bit of, hope joy, music you,
- 20:40Speaker 5: know life distraction everyone to call. It it is important
- 20:44Speaker 5: for people to recognize we need to improve the, conditions
- 20:48Speaker 5: but also bring arts and bring education into the, prison
- 20:52Speaker 5: recognizing that ninety five plus percent of people in prison
- 20:56Speaker 5: are going to get out at some point and have
- 20:57Speaker 5: to rejoin the.
- 20:58Speaker 2: Community WHEN i was, LIKE i heard a politician, saying
- 21:02Speaker 2: why SHOULD i spend twenty thousand dollars on a convict
- 21:05Speaker 2: to get an education WHEN i have to pay for
- 21:07Speaker 2: my sons and daughters to go to. School and they took,
- 21:11Speaker 2: school they took the college because you suhould get a
- 21:14Speaker 2: bachelor's associated all kind of degrees in, prison and guys
- 21:18Speaker 2: come out and make a difference in their. Lives they'd
- 21:20Speaker 2: come out and do better than what they did when
- 21:22Speaker 2: they went in because they was able to get a,
- 21:23Speaker 2: job come employed. Today it's not you come, out you just.
- 21:28Speaker 5: Out that's an extremely ignorant thing for the guy to,
- 21:31Speaker 5: say because if he had done any studying at, all
- 21:33Speaker 5: he would know that in places where those kind of programs,
- 21:37Speaker 5: exist the people coming out have a tremendous rate of,
- 21:42Speaker 5: success staying crime, free paying, taxes contributing to the, community
- 21:47Speaker 5: reconnecting with, family.
- 21:48Speaker 4: All those positive aspects of.
- 21:49Speaker 5: Society so even if you're not looking at it from
- 21:51Speaker 5: a human point of, view just looking at it from
- 21:53Speaker 5: a protecting and improving society point of, view the benefits
- 21:56Speaker 5: are immense and only the most maya pick and closed
- 22:01Speaker 5: minded individuals can see it any other. Way so music
- 22:04Speaker 5: came in to give a little something back to your, soul,
- 22:08Speaker 5: right give you a little bit of. Hope and then
- 22:11Speaker 5: you had sort of the guy you would call your, angel,
- 22:15Speaker 5: right sort of appear In, miraculous who was actually a
- 22:18Speaker 5: real estate.
- 22:18Speaker 1: Lawyer, right and he was an angel for.
- 22:20Speaker 4: Real so let's talk about. Him his name what was
- 22:23Speaker 4: his name of This Joseph howard Or Howard, Joseph Howard, Joseph,
- 22:26Speaker 4: right tell me about this, Guy Howard.
- 22:28Speaker 2: Joseph first of, all let me tell YOU i never
- 22:31Speaker 2: admitted to ever being in love with a, man BUT
- 22:34Speaker 2: i love this, man. Right this is my Little jewish.
- 22:37Speaker 2: Love this is my. Man Howard joseph was an, angel you.
- 22:41Speaker 2: Know he came in and WHAT i liked about him
- 22:44Speaker 2: was he was, Bossy Like, lord he's, bossy, Right and
- 22:46Speaker 2: he came in and one DAY i was working out
- 22:49Speaker 2: on the yard and he, said, man you got a,
- 22:52Speaker 2: visit so you gotta. VISIT i said a? Visit he, said,
- 22:57Speaker 2: yeah your. ATTORNEY i ain't got no, attorney so, yeah
- 23:00Speaker 2: you got an. Attorney SO i. GO i go to
- 23:03Speaker 2: the front to the visiting, room and there he. Is
- 23:07Speaker 2: he's standing. There The jewish guy had on lorraine, coat
- 23:11Speaker 2: little flip, flops looking Like, colombo Remember.
- 23:14Speaker 1: Colombo and they come in and that's who he remind me.
- 23:17Speaker 2: Of So i'm looking at him and so he, said
- 23:19Speaker 2: say that. Wine he, said, okay he's sitting. Down SO
- 23:22Speaker 2: i sat. Down i'm, like what's.
- 23:24Speaker 1: This old man telling me to? Say? Boston me?
- 23:26Speaker 2: Around and he said sit, Down SO i sat. Down
- 23:28Speaker 2: he Said i'm your. ATTORNEY i, said you my. Attorney
- 23:32Speaker 2: SO i was, like, yeah so this is a, joke,
- 23:34Speaker 2: Right i'm thinking it's a. Joke he, said, No i'm your.
- 23:36Speaker 2: Attorney he, said your sister and my son had been
- 23:39Speaker 2: talking AND i read your, case he, said AND i
- 23:44Speaker 2: just need you to be. Patient we're going to get
- 23:46Speaker 2: you out of, here you. Know AND i just looked
- 23:48Speaker 2: at him like, this this has got to be a.
- 23:50Speaker 2: Joke so he drove three hours one way to come see,
- 23:55Speaker 2: me and he was about seventy two, then and he
- 23:59Speaker 2: drove back, home and he drove. Again he came again
- 24:02Speaker 2: AND i, said are you driving away down by? Yourself
- 24:05Speaker 2: he said, yeah give me a chance to. Think so
- 24:08Speaker 2: he would. Come people would laugh at. Him he, said
- 24:11Speaker 2: get you out of. Here SO i PUT i put
- 24:12Speaker 2: faith in that he'd ask for. Nothing he'dn't ask for,
- 24:15Speaker 2: anything you. KNOW i tried to pay for his gas
- 24:18Speaker 2: and buying food and he's.
- 24:20Speaker 4: Well he had a he had a phrase that he
- 24:21Speaker 4: would repeat to, you, right which.
- 24:22Speaker 1: Was that's when we made it to the county.
- 24:24Speaker 2: Jail oh, yeah he would every day he would, say
- 24:27Speaker 2: so you're ready to go.
- 24:28Speaker 1: HOME i, said of, Course i'm ready to go. Home he,
- 24:31Speaker 1: said are you ready to go? Home you got some?
- 24:32Speaker 1: Clothes your mama bring you some. CLOTHES i said. No
- 24:35Speaker 1: so it went on for like two, years almost to that.
- 24:38Speaker 4: Day you guys had like a routine on.
- 24:40Speaker 1: Him, yeah we had a, routine.
- 24:42Speaker 2: MAN i MEAN i loved his heart because he was.
- 24:44Speaker 2: Consistent you, know he was a, man had no greed.
- 24:47Speaker 2: Involved he didn't ask for. Anything he always told, me he,
- 24:51Speaker 2: said nobody know your case better than you.
- 24:53Speaker 1: Do attention to.
- 24:55Speaker 4: It he was a real estate, lawyer, right actually he was.
- 24:57Speaker 2: A criminal attorney higher then he just did real. Estate got,
- 25:02Speaker 2: it just did real estate for, years and so when
- 25:06Speaker 2: he saw my, case he wanted to get back in the.
- 25:08Speaker 2: Game he, said you would be my last, case AND i.
- 25:11Speaker 2: WAS i was actually his last.
- 25:12Speaker 5: Case it's kind of a, miracle, yeah actually, Right, yeah
- 25:15Speaker 5: he would just pop up out of nowhere AND i
- 25:16Speaker 5: could see why you thought you were being, punked so to, speak, right.
- 25:19Speaker 1: He did punk, me he. Did he made me sit.
- 25:21Speaker 5: Down so ultimately your Little Jewish stardian angel appears on
- 25:26Speaker 5: the scene and.
- 25:27Speaker 4: He did what he said he was going to.
- 25:28Speaker 5: Do he did because otherwise you wouldn't be sitting here
- 25:30Speaker 5: because you had your sentence was you had two sentences,
- 25:34Speaker 5: right for two different, crimes because.
- 25:36Speaker 2: Murder temp, murder and they charged me with this arm
- 25:41Speaker 2: and the farm within the city limits by, felon they
- 25:44Speaker 2: gave me a temp.
- 25:46Speaker 5: Murder this was nineteen ninety, Two, antoine and you were
- 25:49Speaker 5: send sixty years for murder and twenty five years for attempted.
- 25:51Speaker 5: Murder so he came along just in the nicked time
- 25:54Speaker 5: because you weren't going to spend the rest of your
- 25:56Speaker 5: life in. Prison, yeah there was no doubt about. It
- 25:58Speaker 5: so ultimately he. Won and what did judge say when
- 26:02Speaker 5: when he vacated your?
- 26:03Speaker 4: Conviction?
- 26:04Speaker 2: Oh, man the judge was, like, uh he asked me
- 26:06Speaker 2: IF i had any last, words you, know DID i
- 26:08Speaker 2: want to say?
- 26:09Speaker 1: Anything?
- 26:10Speaker 2: MAN i kind of went off in the courtroom BECAUSE
- 26:12Speaker 2: i told the, JUDGE i said the state's attorney knew
- 26:15Speaker 2: all the time that they were lying on. Me he
- 26:17Speaker 2: knew all the time because he kept telling, me you
- 26:20Speaker 2: give us what we, want you can go. Home he
- 26:22Speaker 2: knew all the. Time So judge, said miss. Day he,
- 26:25Speaker 2: said he, said how you. FEEL i, Said i'm. Okay he,
- 26:29Speaker 2: said well the days you're. Lucky day you're going. Home and,
- 26:33Speaker 2: MAN i, MEAN.
- 26:34Speaker 1: I wasn't even, shocked you, know it was just LIKE
- 26:36Speaker 1: i was just standing.
- 26:37Speaker 5: There and what was what was YOUR i, Mean i'm
- 26:40Speaker 5: just trying to have this beautiful picture in my mind
- 26:42Speaker 5: of you And.
- 26:44Speaker 2: Howard Mister, howard he just reachtove and hugged. Me you, know,
- 26:48Speaker 2: well let me tell you this part before we get
- 26:50Speaker 2: to that good. Part let me tell you how the
- 26:52Speaker 2: state's attorneys treated. Him they used to laugh at. Him
- 26:55Speaker 2: state's attorney used to look at me while we're sitting
- 26:57Speaker 2: in the courtroom in his fancy. Suit mister how would
- 27:00Speaker 2: have on flip flops and they would laugh.
- 27:02Speaker 1: At him like he was a.
- 27:03Speaker 2: Joke they would laugh at him like, so the state's
- 27:06Speaker 2: attorney would sit back in his chair do this to.
- 27:08Speaker 4: Me he's pulling his finger across his throat like you, know.
- 27:11Speaker 2: Like he's slashing my throat Like i'm, Dead ali, said
- 27:15Speaker 2: don't worry about.
- 27:15Speaker 1: HIM i got. Him he, Said i'm good with bullies
- 27:19Speaker 1: because they're.
- 27:20Speaker 2: Bullies at that, day you should have seen the expressions
- 27:23Speaker 2: on these guys. Faces they just couldn't believe that this
- 27:26Speaker 2: little man just beat them, up this.
- 27:28Speaker 1: Bad the.
- 27:30Speaker 2: Wrong little, jew you, know and he cursed like a.
- 27:34Speaker 2: Seller so he was cursing all the while we were in.
- 27:36Speaker 2: Court he was mfing and all kinds of. Stuff he
- 27:40Speaker 2: just didn't play no. Games and this judge told, me you,
- 27:43Speaker 2: know he was, saying you've been blessed because this man
- 27:46Speaker 2: did his due.
- 27:47Speaker 1: Diligence he got me out of.
- 27:49Speaker 5: There i'm getting a chill right. Now so he's become
- 27:52Speaker 5: sort of a mythical. Figure he has a program named after,
- 27:55Speaker 5: Him oh, yeah In illinois and.
- 27:57Speaker 4: Stuff he's not around, anymore.
- 27:59Speaker 1: Yes because his work is my.
- 28:02Speaker 5: Work his spirit lives on in you and also in
- 28:05Speaker 5: the program that's named after. Him, So, antoine the way
- 28:23Speaker 5: that you found out about your conviction being vacated is
- 28:28Speaker 5: a very. Unusual in, Fact i've never heard anything quite like.
- 28:32Speaker 4: It can you share that? Story me and a.
- 28:34Speaker 1: Guy Kenny.
- 28:35Speaker 2: Williams we were on the yard at In stateville actually
- 28:38Speaker 2: when he transferred me To stateville who was working out
- 28:41Speaker 2: on the. Yard he was reading the newspaper that we're
- 28:44Speaker 2: not supposed to.
- 28:45Speaker 1: Have in the.
- 28:46Speaker 2: Newspaper it had my case had been. Overturned so this
- 28:49Speaker 2: guy Had he had called my name. OUT i thought
- 28:52Speaker 2: he was just. Joking he called my name out. Again
- 28:54Speaker 2: he was, like, man so you got to come see.
- 28:56Speaker 2: This SO i walked over and looked in the. Newspaper
- 28:59Speaker 2: it was like.
- 28:59Speaker 1: Wow SO i called my.
- 29:01Speaker 2: Attorney my attorney THOUGHT i was joking and he didn't
- 29:04Speaker 2: believe it because he didn't know anything about.
- 29:06Speaker 4: It was It April fools or.
- 29:07Speaker 1: Something it felt like.
- 29:08Speaker 2: It, Yeah so WHEN i told, him he went, crazy you,
- 29:12Speaker 2: know he was like cursing me, out Thinking i'm.
- 29:14Speaker 1: Joking so he went and got the.
- 29:15Speaker 2: Paper he ran out of his, office walked and got the,
- 29:17Speaker 2: paper came, back AND i called him.
- 29:19Speaker 1: Back he was, like it is they overturned the.
- 29:22Speaker 2: Case so he was trying to figure out how could
- 29:24Speaker 2: they possibly do this because time run at that moment
- 29:29Speaker 2: and you only have a certain amount of time to
- 29:32Speaker 2: meet it before you probably miss it and miss all
- 29:36Speaker 2: the pill. Processes so he went and got right on
- 29:39Speaker 2: top of it and then maybe like a year, later
- 29:42Speaker 2: they moved me back to the county.
- 29:44Speaker 5: Jail now that's another, thing, Right so anyone listening would, Say,
- 29:47Speaker 5: okay well it's in the. Newspaper your conviction has been.
- 29:50Speaker 5: Overturned so wouldn't they want to send you home at that? Point,
- 29:54Speaker 5: no not exactly, right not In, chicago not at.
- 29:56Speaker 2: That, time not the processes of. Politics back to the county.
- 30:00Speaker 2: Jail so now you go, back and you go back
- 30:03Speaker 2: in front of the. Judge he listened to the new,
- 30:05Speaker 2: evidence he listened to all this stuff that went. On
- 30:08Speaker 2: SO i was in the county jail for maybe a
- 30:11Speaker 2: little over two. YEARS i was a. BARBER i was
- 30:14Speaker 2: cutting the hand in the county and working in a.
- 30:16Speaker 2: BARBERSHOP i was In division, eleven pretty, good, clean pretty white.
- 30:20Speaker 1: Building it was real neat and clean over.
- 30:22Speaker 2: There and they moved me one, night maybe like four
- 30:25Speaker 2: in the morning or am moved me To division. ONE
- 30:30Speaker 2: i didn't know. WHY i hadn't done, anything hadn't been
- 30:32Speaker 2: in no, trouble straight and narrow so far put me
- 30:35Speaker 2: in the cell with a. GUY i didn't know who
- 30:38Speaker 2: he was at the, time but my son was. Killed
- 30:42Speaker 2: he got killed in two. THOUSAND i came home two
- 30:44Speaker 2: thousand and. Two he was seventeen when they moved me
- 30:47Speaker 2: From division. Eleven they moved me To division, one and
- 30:51Speaker 2: they put me in the cell with the guy that
- 30:52Speaker 2: actually killed.
- 30:53Speaker 4: Him they put you in the, cell, yeah putting the
- 30:56Speaker 4: guy who killed your.
- 30:57Speaker 5: Son and it wasn't a long. Time but this is re,
- 31:00Speaker 5: right press, right AND i mean my head is, exploding,
- 31:06Speaker 5: Right and they did this.
- 31:09Speaker 4: On, purpose, right because it was not a.
- 31:12Speaker 5: Coincidence and it's also strange that they did it at
- 31:15Speaker 5: four in the, morning, right it's not the typical time
- 31:17Speaker 5: that they move. You and they've been moved for no
- 31:19Speaker 5: reason except there was a reason because from WHAT i
- 31:23Speaker 5: can figure, out they didn't like the fact that you
- 31:26Speaker 5: were going to get out and that you had proven them.
- 31:28Speaker 5: Wrong you and with the help of this magical seventy
- 31:33Speaker 5: something year old attorney who didn't dress right and was
- 31:38Speaker 5: being made by the.
- 31:39Speaker 4: Prosecutor so they didn't like.
- 31:41Speaker 5: That so that it sounds to me AND i hate
- 31:43Speaker 5: to think in terms that are so. Sinister but you
- 31:47Speaker 5: were a big guy back, then, Right you were bench
- 31:49Speaker 5: pressing five hundred.
- 31:50Speaker 1: POUNDS i was in the fire. Club we just called
- 31:52Speaker 1: the five hundred.
- 31:53Speaker 5: Club so they moved you to this, cell thinking this
- 31:57Speaker 5: guy meaning, you you're going to kill this other, guy BECAUSE.
- 32:00Speaker 4: I mean it SEEMED i, mean of, course like.
- 32:05Speaker 2: WHAT i did recognize WAS i went back in my
- 32:08Speaker 2: head for a little while BECAUSE i remember WHEN i
- 32:12Speaker 2: was In, pontiac how the state's attorney had came and investigated,
- 32:16Speaker 2: me was asking all these questions around, me AND i
- 32:19Speaker 2: was never supposed to know that they were even, there
- 32:22Speaker 2: BUT i found, out and it was kind of this
- 32:25Speaker 2: made a little bit more familiar to what the process
- 32:28Speaker 2: was of them keeping me. Incocerated IF i catch another,
- 32:31Speaker 2: case then my appeal is non and. Void it's just
- 32:34Speaker 2: not gonna. Happen so they put me in this predicament
- 32:39Speaker 2: with this. Guy either he was going to kill me
- 32:41Speaker 2: OR i was gonna kill. Him it would have been
- 32:43Speaker 2: a lose lose situation for me to do something or
- 32:46Speaker 2: have something done to. Me, SO i, mean it's a chess.
- 32:49Speaker 2: Game they made their, moves SO i had to make.
- 32:51Speaker 2: Mine my move was to call the guard and tell
- 32:53Speaker 2: THEM i refuse housing SO i can be taken out
- 32:56Speaker 2: of this. Situation you, know because at this, POINT i,
- 32:59Speaker 2: MEAN i got great common.
- 33:00Speaker 1: Sense i'm this close to. Home i'm not going to blow.
- 33:03Speaker 5: It even for the literally the most extreme situation you
- 33:06Speaker 5: can possibly find.
- 33:07Speaker 2: Yourself it wouldn't have did. Anything it wouldn't have brought them. Back,
- 33:10Speaker 2: no IF i had to beat them to a, pope
- 33:13Speaker 2: it wouldn't have brought him. Back so man of the,
- 33:16Speaker 2: matter you, know it's just at a point you just
- 33:18Speaker 2: have to think about the future.
- 33:20Speaker 5: Now that that's an incredible it's a mind blowing. Story
- 33:24Speaker 5: AND i never shared this.
- 33:25Speaker 2: Story so if people don't even know about, this you
- 33:28Speaker 2: seem to get all getting it all out of me.
- 33:29Speaker 1: Today know what going on around?
- 33:31Speaker 4: Here none of us could possibly. Understand nobody that hasn't
- 33:34Speaker 4: been doing that.
- 33:34Speaker 5: Understand but it's a miracle that you were able to
- 33:37Speaker 5: resist an impulse that must have been as powerful as
- 33:41Speaker 5: any that anybody could.
- 33:42Speaker 4: Imagine but it, IS.
- 33:44Speaker 1: I, mean it's it's a. Thing you, Know.
- 33:47Speaker 2: I've always heard the term of feeling your blood. Boil you,
- 33:51Speaker 2: know how you just feel your body go to a
- 33:53Speaker 2: whole nother temperature that would be. It your ethers get
- 33:55Speaker 2: the rise and you get the. Sweating and that's WHY
- 34:00Speaker 2: i was going through BECAUSE i have told myself.
- 34:03Speaker 1: Over and over and over and over and over. Again
- 34:05Speaker 1: IF i ever see, them What i'm going to do to?
- 34:07Speaker 4: Them?
- 34:09Speaker 2: Right you, know IF i ever because you always, talk
- 34:11Speaker 2: you avenge your family and stand up for your, family
- 34:14Speaker 2: and when you put in these situations in this, circumstance you,
- 34:18Speaker 2: KNOW i always said that to, myself SO i had
- 34:20Speaker 2: to escalate.
- 34:22Speaker 1: Immediately you.
- 34:23Speaker 4: Know it's almost like who could blame? You you're in
- 34:26Speaker 4: year eight or nine of your wrongful.
- 34:28Speaker 5: Incarceration you've been through everything that they can throw at,
- 34:32Speaker 5: you and now you just lived through the worst thing
- 34:35Speaker 5: that a parent can go through is to lose a
- 34:36Speaker 5: child and then to be put in a tiny cell
- 34:39Speaker 5: with a. Guy but you're, right it wouldn't accomplish. Anything
- 34:42Speaker 5: but it's easy to say from here you didn't. Here
- 34:44Speaker 5: it's easy to. Say so this is SOMETHING i really
- 34:47Speaker 5: want to highlight because in twenty five years of doing,
- 34:51Speaker 5: this the first thing that people ask me almost every
- 34:55Speaker 5: TIME i tell a story like yours is do they get?
- 34:59Speaker 4: Compensated this? Man did this? Woman tell? Me they get?
- 35:02Speaker 5: Yeah and you should see like the eyes are bugging,
- 35:04Speaker 5: out like you, know because if you if you're not
- 35:05Speaker 5: familiar with, this and a lot of people, aren't when
- 35:07Speaker 5: you first hear one of these, stories you get so. Shook,
- 35:10Speaker 5: right tell me they get, Paid tell me they get
- 35:12Speaker 5: something when they get. Out and you, KNOW i think
- 35:15Speaker 5: it's shocking to a lot of people to learn that
- 35:18Speaker 5: a lot of exgneries get, nothing, period full, stop end of. Story,
- 35:22Speaker 5: right they just have to go figure it out with
- 35:25Speaker 5: this twenty year gap or whatever it might. Be but
- 35:29Speaker 5: even if you do get, paid because people see the
- 35:31Speaker 5: stories in the, paper sometimes somebody successfully sues for civil
- 35:34Speaker 5: rights violation or whatever it is and gets millions of,
- 35:37Speaker 5: dollars which they, deserve and still DOESN'T i don't know
- 35:40Speaker 5: too many people that would, say, OH.
- 35:42Speaker 4: I GOT i got a deal for.
- 35:43Speaker 5: You you're gonna do ten twenty years in the most dangerous,
- 35:47Speaker 5: place one of the most dangerous places on, Earth like
- 35:50Speaker 5: you literally be better off trying to find diamonds in
- 35:53Speaker 5: a river In africa with with crocodiles and, hippos then
- 35:57Speaker 5: you would be In pontiac. PRISON i don't know too
- 35:59Speaker 5: many people that would, say, Ye i'll take that. Deal,
- 36:00Speaker 5: Yeah i'm gonna go do that ten years and give
- 36:03Speaker 5: me the money at the.
- 36:03Speaker 4: End so that's out the.
- 36:04Speaker 5: Window but the fact is that even the people who
- 36:07Speaker 5: do get compensated have to wait an incredibly long, time
- 36:11Speaker 5: years and years to get their, money and in the
- 36:14Speaker 5: meantime they're stuck in sort of a twilight. Zone, Right
- 36:18Speaker 5: and there's no better example than. YOURS i want to
- 36:20Speaker 5: talk about. THAT i want to hear it in your own.
- 36:22Speaker 5: Words the judge has just, said today's your lucky. Day
- 36:26Speaker 5: do you want to go? Home you And howard are, hugging,
- 36:29Speaker 5: right Mister. Howard and you didn't just walk out the. Door, No,
- 36:34Speaker 5: no there was a.
- 36:34Speaker 1: Process, oh the process is.
- 36:36Speaker 2: Terrible so after The sokar, release it took me almost
- 36:41Speaker 2: eight hours to get out of, that if not more,
- 36:43Speaker 2: so they run you right back through the. Process SO
- 36:46Speaker 2: i had to go back down in this dungeon in
- 36:49Speaker 2: the bottom of the county. Jail in the, bottom it's
- 36:52Speaker 2: the last basement in the county. Jail so it's really
- 36:56Speaker 2: pipes and plumbing and rats and everything just in this, place,
- 37:00Speaker 2: Right and it's a room a little bigger than this,
- 37:03Speaker 2: room and it's a pile of. Clothes so in these
- 37:07Speaker 2: pile of clothes used to close. Guys it's took off
- 37:10Speaker 2: coming in who slept in them maybe a week inside
- 37:13Speaker 2: one of these jails on the street and they make
- 37:16Speaker 2: you pick out some clothes out of this powder in order.
- 37:19Speaker 4: To walk out of, here and they haven't been.
- 37:21Speaker 1: Washed haven't been.
- 37:22Speaker 2: Washed oh, MAN i picked the biggest PIECE i could
- 37:25Speaker 2: so it wouldn't really be attached to. Me SO i
- 37:27Speaker 2: picked out a jigging, suit a black jigging suit with
- 37:30Speaker 2: a hood because the guard says raining outside real. Bad
- 37:34Speaker 2: SO i picked out it had a hood on. It
- 37:37Speaker 2: the suit LIKE i would extra. Large this suit had
- 37:40Speaker 2: to be a three x of four.
- 37:42Speaker 1: X it was so. Big the sleeves was hanging and
- 37:44Speaker 1: it stinks so.
- 37:45Speaker 2: BAD i mean reek of just, urine and you, know
- 37:50Speaker 2: BUT i had no choice IF i wanted to stay
- 37:53Speaker 2: another day in the county, jail another two days in
- 37:56Speaker 2: the county, jail because you get lost in that system so.
- 37:58Speaker 2: Easily SO i, said, No i'm gonna grab. Something SO
- 38:02Speaker 2: i grabbed that in the jigging pants.
- 38:04Speaker 4: And it held your nose, basically.
- 38:06Speaker 1: Yes and just got used to. It you, KNOW i
- 38:08Speaker 1: just lived in.
- 38:09Speaker 5: Filth and the issue was that because it took hours
- 38:13Speaker 5: and hours for this process to, happen Mister, howard COULDN'T
- 38:17Speaker 5: i like calling it Mister howard a legendary, too So
- 38:21Speaker 5: i'm picking up after. You so he wasn't able to, stay,
- 38:24Speaker 5: right he had another obligation of something he had to.
- 38:26Speaker 2: Go i'm, right so he went home to take care
- 38:30Speaker 2: of his. Wife but then we never know how long
- 38:33Speaker 2: you'll be. There he's not coming out in thirty, minutes twenty,
- 38:37Speaker 2: minutes you, know it's a. Process so, NO i didn't
- 38:40Speaker 2: want to make him, stay so he. Went he went,
- 38:42Speaker 2: home and at this, point nobody knew that this was
- 38:45Speaker 2: going to happen this, day so my family wasn't even,
- 38:47Speaker 2: there SO i just ended up just coming.
- 38:50Speaker 1: Out they FINALLY i put the clothes, on they put me.
- 38:54Speaker 2: Out they kept my forty three dollars and some eye.
- 38:57Speaker 5: Change, well your forty three dollars wasn't even. There it
- 38:59Speaker 5: was in a different, right so you had no ability
- 39:01Speaker 5: to access, that and they send you. Out what the
- 39:05Speaker 5: date of the release Was? May, right it Was may,
- 39:08Speaker 5: ninth But may is not. Exactly it's not warm at
- 39:10Speaker 5: night In may In, chicago so it's cold and, rainy.
- 39:13Speaker 1: Rainy, yeah and it's, Dark, yeah it's.
- 39:16Speaker 2: Dark AND i stood in the rain man for about three,
- 39:19Speaker 2: hours just, wondering trying to figure it. OUT i had
- 39:22Speaker 2: no money to get. HOME i had, nothing absolutely. Nothing
- 39:26Speaker 2: SO i was just standing, there soaking with freaking of
- 39:30Speaker 2: Old i've never experienced in my life until somebody pulled
- 39:33Speaker 2: up on me and, SAID i got one of my.
- 39:36Speaker 2: Buddies you, know he didn't even. Know he, Says so
- 39:39Speaker 2: what you're doing out? HERE i just broke? Out he,
- 39:42Speaker 2: Said so you need a, Ride so you, know guys
- 39:45Speaker 2: quick to help you if you committed a, CROWN i.
- 39:47Speaker 6: Guess and this isn't just any street. Corner it's twenty
- 39:51Speaker 6: six in Cow so that is the hub of The
- 39:54Speaker 6: chicago criminal court. System it's the busiest court system in the.
- 39:57Speaker 6: World it's not in a great. Neighborhood during the, day everyone's,
- 40:01Speaker 6: saying be, careful be, careful be careful when you go out.
- 40:03Speaker 6: There he has not been in society for over a,
- 40:06Speaker 6: decade and he has walked out onto this dangerous street
- 40:10Speaker 6: corner without a bus, cart without AN, id without a,
- 40:13Speaker 6: phone without frankly much of an, identity and just there you.
- 40:16Speaker 2: Go will people get killed right in front of the.
- 40:18Speaker 2: Building he just had an incident a couple of weeks,
- 40:20Speaker 2: ago a guy got. Killed right with all this police
- 40:23Speaker 2: activity he gets murdered right on the.
- 40:25Speaker 5: Street it's so interesting and it's uplifting because at the
- 40:29Speaker 5: end of the, day randomly in the city the size Of,
- 40:32Speaker 5: chicago your friend happened to be driving, by, like, yo
- 40:36Speaker 5: what are you doing? Here and, LIKE i, mean that's
- 40:38Speaker 5: another little, miracle, Right but.
- 40:40Speaker 1: Well i'm, BLESSED i know.
- 40:41Speaker 5: That, Yeah, well that's an amazing thing for somebody to
- 40:44Speaker 5: say that's been through ten years inside the most horrific prison,
- 40:48Speaker 5: system nightmare for something he didn't.
- 40:50Speaker 4: Do but it's a great way to look at.
- 40:52Speaker 5: It and the fact, is it's almost like the energy
- 40:54Speaker 5: feel that Mister howard, created and then this guy was
- 40:57Speaker 5: sort of an extension of, that like your other guardian.
- 40:59Speaker 5: Angels but there's no planet on which we should allow
- 41:05Speaker 5: somebody to emerge from this what sort of an extra
- 41:09Speaker 5: fuck you right, here get out of, here smelling like
- 41:13Speaker 5: you just rolled around in the you, know in the,
- 41:16Speaker 5: gutter and then good luck not.
- 41:18Speaker 4: Even like not even good.
- 41:20Speaker 5: Luck, NO i, Mean i'll get the hell out right
- 41:22Speaker 5: and if you get, killed you because we don't care
- 41:24Speaker 5: about you before and we don't care about you. Now
- 41:26Speaker 5: i'm not saying they necessarily have to have a chariot
- 41:29Speaker 5: waiting for you with white horses or a golden thing or.
- 41:32Speaker 4: Whatever but a.
- 41:34Speaker 1: Bus ticket would have been. FINE a bus, TICKET a.
- 41:37Speaker 4: Phone, call, yeah that would have been.
- 41:38Speaker 1: Fun about a phone, call can somebody come give? Me
- 41:40Speaker 1: they don't give you any of, it they're not. RESPONSIBLE
- 41:44Speaker 1: a phone call would have been. Good phone, call, Great.
- 42:00Speaker 5: LAURA i want to turn to you because you have
- 42:04Speaker 5: a new book out WHICH i read AND i.
- 42:07Speaker 4: Love it's Called anatomy Of, Innocence thank.
- 42:10Speaker 1: You.
- 42:10Speaker 5: Yeah and in the, book you paired, exoneries Including, antoine
- 42:15Speaker 5: with legendary authors in order to tell their story in
- 42:19Speaker 5: a way that is particularly poignant and also really sort of.
- 42:25Speaker 5: Succinct so can you talk about that process BECAUSE i
- 42:27Speaker 5: love the book AND i hope everybody will check it.
- 42:29Speaker 4: Out anatomy Of, Innocence thank.
- 42:31Speaker 3: You.
- 42:31Speaker 6: Yeah it's Called anatomy Of, Innocence and we basically are trying,
- 42:35Speaker 6: to in, fact do what you're. Doing we're trying to
- 42:38Speaker 6: get inside the, mind inside the, soul behind the eyes
- 42:42Speaker 6: of someone who went through a wrongful. Conviction so we've
- 42:46Speaker 6: broken it down into. Stages the knock on the, door you,
- 42:50Speaker 6: know the first time you When antoine heard his, name
- 42:53Speaker 6: was getting batted. Around what do you do when you hear?
- 42:56Speaker 6: Guilty because every xonary thinks they'll here not guilty because
- 43:01Speaker 6: they can tell that the criminal justice system is not
- 43:04Speaker 6: working well because they're in it and they're. Innocent but
- 43:07Speaker 6: they all think they're hill not, guilty all of, them
- 43:10Speaker 6: and they hear. Guilty there's hearing all sorts of testimony
- 43:13Speaker 6: about yourself at, trial which isn't. True there's the walking
- 43:16Speaker 6: into prison for the first, time dealing with the crazies
- 43:20Speaker 6: that are in, there finding someone to get you, out
- 43:24Speaker 6: and then the fact that freedom is just the. Beginning
- 43:27Speaker 6: we wanted to show that sometimes they happen like, This
- 43:29Speaker 6: sometimes they happen like you see ON tv where you
- 43:31Speaker 6: see people outside holding up the, arms and other, Times
- 43:36Speaker 6: And antoine's is not the only Case i've heard of
- 43:38Speaker 6: about being released onto the street with. NOTHING i, mean
- 43:41Speaker 6: it's more frequent than.
- 43:42Speaker 4: Not it's just another bizarre aspect of the whole. Thing
- 43:45Speaker 4: so it is a bizarre.
- 43:46Speaker 6: Aspect and, frankly so many of these things are so.
- 43:50Speaker 6: Fortuitous and he said he feels. Lucky antoine, SAID i feel,
- 43:53Speaker 6: lucky AND i, think you, Know i've heard people say
- 43:56Speaker 6: that exoneries are the luckiest unlucky.
- 43:58Speaker 1: People AND i mean it was.
- 43:59Speaker 6: Strangey even WHEN i Met, ANTOINE i had taken another ex.
- 44:03Speaker 6: Hoonery antoine has been working in re entry since he got,
- 44:06Speaker 6: out AND i took another exonery to get services he
- 44:10Speaker 6: ran Into. Antoine antoine did not know he was an ex.
- 44:14Speaker 6: Hoonery Howard joseph had, died and he also didn't know
- 44:17Speaker 6: That illinois was one of the states that had, compensation
- 44:20Speaker 6: and he had about twenty eight days from the TIME
- 44:23Speaker 6: i met him to file or. Forever it's gone.
- 44:26Speaker 4: Forever hold your.
- 44:27Speaker 5: Piece so WHAT i took from the book also each
- 44:30Speaker 5: of those. Stories it's so. Fascinating, Again i'm getting the.
- 44:33Speaker 5: Chills you can't make these stories. Up and when you read,
- 44:36Speaker 5: them and when you read them written so beautifully by
- 44:39Speaker 5: such important literary figures as you have put together In
- 44:44Speaker 5: anatomy Of, NICs it's really it's a great experience reading the.
- 44:47Speaker 5: Book so tell us About life After, innocence because that's
- 44:50Speaker 5: a program you run At, loyola Right.
- 44:52Speaker 6: Life After innocence is a clinic At Loyola Chicago school Of,
- 44:55Speaker 6: law and we in fact have The Howard Joseph award
- 44:58Speaker 6: that we give every year in Mister howard's honor for
- 45:03Speaker 6: people who help the innocent without basically seeking compensation or.
- 45:07Speaker 6: Recognition so my law students AND i since two thousand
- 45:11Speaker 6: and nine have been representing x houneries to help them start. Over,
- 45:14Speaker 6: previously we did a lot. More when we started in
- 45:18Speaker 6: two thousand and, nine one or two people got out
- 45:20Speaker 6: a year in THE. Us now it's three a. Week
- 45:23Speaker 6: so now we're focusing primarily on criminal records, relief getting
- 45:26Speaker 6: their records, cleared because what most people don't know is
- 45:29Speaker 6: that When antoine walked, out even though his case had been,
- 45:31Speaker 6: overturned when he got pulled over by the, cops it's
- 45:34Speaker 6: still a convicted. Murderer so till someone goes in and
- 45:38Speaker 6: gets your record cleaned, up it's still on your. Record
- 45:40Speaker 6: doesn't matter even IF dna showed who it really, was
- 45:43Speaker 6: still on your. Record so we get that cleaned up
- 45:46Speaker 6: and then we push for, legislation which we've been successful
- 45:49Speaker 6: on so slowly we're adding to the services that ex
- 45:52Speaker 6: houneries get In.
- 45:53Speaker 4: Illinois that's incredible.
- 45:54Speaker 5: Work AND i also want to just touch on Briefly Joseph,
- 45:58Speaker 5: howard who now has the award made. Death you can't
- 46:00Speaker 5: see it on the, radio AS i always, say But
- 46:02Speaker 5: i've been Watching antoine's body, language and every time this
- 46:05Speaker 5: man's name comes, up he sort of sits up straight
- 46:08Speaker 5: and starts smiling. Uncontrollably and for those of you.
- 46:13Speaker 2: Trying to start from, Crying i'm telling you, something, man
- 46:16Speaker 2: is this Is it always seemed to, Happen but this
- 46:19Speaker 2: guy has really touched my soul in the way that
- 46:23Speaker 2: he operated and what he did for, me BECAUSE i
- 46:27Speaker 2: only pay it forward and because of. Him because of, him,
- 46:31Speaker 2: MAN i, mean it means a. Lot so, YEAH i
- 46:34Speaker 2: carry him very, high you.
- 46:35Speaker 5: Know AND i want to give a shout out to
- 46:38Speaker 5: all THE i know there's a lot of attorneys that
- 46:40Speaker 5: listen to the show who do incredible amounts of pro
- 46:44Speaker 5: bono work on behalf of people like, yourself and to
- 46:48Speaker 5: all of, THEM i just want to say that you
- 46:50Speaker 5: have all of our respect.
- 46:52Speaker 4: And appreciation because we couldn't do it without.
- 46:54Speaker 5: You and if anybody is considering getting into the, WORK
- 46:59Speaker 5: i encourage you to to meet somebody Like antoine and
- 47:02Speaker 5: see what it's meant in a very personal and magical.
- 47:05Speaker 5: Way so we will continue to Honor Joseph howard by
- 47:10Speaker 5: continuing to support the work. Now as is a tradition
- 47:13Speaker 5: on wrong for, conviction we always like to give you
- 47:18Speaker 5: the exgnery the last, word so we'll turn it over to.
- 47:22Speaker 1: You, Okay, well thank you so.
- 47:23Speaker 2: MUCH i do appreciate being, here getting an opportunity to
- 47:26Speaker 2: share and to enlighten people of what really goes on
- 47:31Speaker 2: outside of just the, media and to thank people Like
- 47:35Speaker 2: laura and yourself for having this. Platform but most of,
- 47:39Speaker 2: ALL i like to say WHERE i am today is
- 47:42Speaker 2: because of somebody's.
- 47:43Speaker 1: Help the things THAT i do.
- 47:45Speaker 2: Today i'm a court advocate for juvenile youth In chicago
- 47:50Speaker 2: when they go to court.
- 47:51Speaker 1: To make sure they're not wronged LIKE i.
- 47:53Speaker 2: Was so when they get, ARRESTED i get a phone
- 47:56Speaker 2: call and we appear in. COURT i support them also
- 48:00Speaker 2: with the Family, AGAIN i work in one of the
- 48:02Speaker 2: most harshest communities in the city Of chicago and throughout
- 48:06Speaker 2: the state AT Bbf Family, services Where i'm able to
- 48:10Speaker 2: give back to the community with Mister joe gave to
- 48:13Speaker 2: me Through loyola and working With laura and the things
- 48:17Speaker 2: she did for me helped me. Create, also me And
- 48:20Speaker 2: Jared adams helped me create life after.
- 48:23Speaker 1: Justice even after.
- 48:24Speaker 2: Her, work we continue to do, it so we are
- 48:26Speaker 2: springboard off of what she. Did so what she has
- 48:29Speaker 2: done for me is also paying it for it again
- 48:32Speaker 2: and making things happen when you can help somebody, Else
- 48:35Speaker 2: and that's what we don't do enough of in this,
- 48:38Speaker 2: country in this. World were more worried about other activities
- 48:41Speaker 2: around the world when.
- 48:42Speaker 1: We really flat on our back right.
- 48:44Speaker 2: Here SO i just really appreciate the opportunity to say
- 48:48Speaker 2: thank you.
- 48:49Speaker 1: And keep it going and keep calling me BECAUSE i
- 48:51Speaker 1: don't mind.
- 48:52Speaker 2: COMING i believe in the, work and this is WHAT i,
- 48:56Speaker 2: love you, KNOW i love giving it. Back like you,
- 48:58Speaker 2: said you, Know i'm. Inspired you KNOW i had a great.
- 49:01Speaker 2: Mom i'm inspired by my, sister who you, KNOW i
- 49:04Speaker 2: always say she talked too, much but then that particular
- 49:07Speaker 2: time she talked at the right time in order to
- 49:10Speaker 2: meet Mister joe's, son WHO i think not enough but
- 49:13Speaker 2: as much AS i possibly.
- 49:14Speaker 1: Can i'm very, grateful and LIKE i, Said i'm. Blessed
- 49:17Speaker 1: i'm blessed to be in this in this particular position
- 49:20Speaker 1: Where i'm able to help other. People that's HOW i help.
- 49:22Speaker 2: MYSELF i need to be an Angel i'm trying to learn,
- 49:25Speaker 2: it you, know, so Mister, Joe i'm trying to learn
- 49:28Speaker 2: how to be that example he would be proud of
- 49:31Speaker 2: me to.
- 49:31Speaker 5: Be, WELL i THINK i can say that he would,
- 49:35Speaker 5: be And i'm sure he. Is and you are a
- 49:38Speaker 5: great example of everything that's good and right about this.
- 49:44Speaker 5: Cause and people like you are the strongest forces we
- 49:47Speaker 5: have because the stories are just so incredible and so,
- 49:51Speaker 5: powerful and SO i appreciate you being here and sharing.
- 49:55Speaker 5: THAT i KNEW i was going to learn something. That
- 50:04Speaker 5: don't forget to give us a fantastic Review wherever you
- 50:07Speaker 5: get your, podcasts it really. Helps And i'm a proud
- 50:10Speaker 5: donor to The Innocence, project AND i really hope you'll
- 50:13Speaker 5: join me in supporting this very important cause and helping
- 50:16Speaker 5: to prevent future wrongful. Convictions go To innocenceproject dot org
- 50:21Speaker 5: to learn how to donate and get. Involved i'd like
- 50:23Speaker 5: to thank our production, Team Connor hall And Kevin. Wortis
- 50:27Speaker 5: the music in the show is by three TIME oscar
- 50:29Speaker 5: nominated Composer Jay. Ralph be sure to follow us On
- 50:32Speaker 5: instagram At Wrongful conviction and On facebook At Wrongful Conviction.
- 50:36Speaker 5: Podcast Wrongful conviction With Jason flahm is a production Of
- 50:40Speaker 5: lava For good podcasts and association with Signal Company number
- 50:44Speaker 5: one