Louisiana is the world’s prison capital. The state imprisons more of its people, per head, than any of its U.S. counterparts. First among Americans means first in the world.
We’ve all heard the same line from people caught in wrongdoing—public figures, celebrities, even people like us: “That’s not who I am.” It’s a comforting defense, a way of separating the self from the harm we caused. But for those of us who have lived through indictment, conviction, or incarceration, that phrase becomes far more complicated.
Frankie was born in this prison. His mom, Curly, had been here at least five years at that point.
As Frankie grew up, everyone knew who he was. If you didn’t know any better, you would think he was part human. But Frankie was actually an orange and white tabby cat.
⛓ From Shepherd to Shackles — An Innocent Man’s Plea for Freedom
For years, I stood on the frontlines for my community — as a pastor, a counselor, and a voice for the voiceless. I prayed with the brokenhearted, fought for those without power, and gave everything I had to help people rise above life’s hardest storms.
But nine years ago, my life was stolen from me.
The Brunswick District Attorney’s Office — an office now infamous for wrongful convictions — put me on trial for a crime I did not commit. They sentenced me to three life sentences.
FAREWELL TO PRISON, I described the uneasy final months before my release: the waiting, the false hopes, and the small rituals that held the days together.
This project relies heavily on AI. Honestly, without recent advancements in artificial intelligence, I doubt I could have built the website you’re seeing today—or at least not nearly as quickly or easily.
We use AI every day for research and writing. What used to take months can now be done in seconds. In legal research especially, AI has been a complete game-changer.
We’ve all heard the same line from people caught in wrongdoing—public figures, celebrities, even people like us: “That’s not who I am.” It’s a comforting defense, a way of separating the self from the harm we caused. But for those of us who have lived through indictment, conviction, or incarceration, that phrase becomes far more complicated.
