‘I met several juvenile lifers in prison in Coldwater, MI’

Latest

PHOTO/DAYMONJHARTLEY.COM

 
BENTON HARBOR, MI —The truth is America is a fraud. We have the most corrupt system, run by the establishment, in the world. The court system is rigged, judges are bribed, and there is fake and phony trials. There is extortion by lawyers, who refuse to defend the defendant and there is no penalty for them.
I met lot of good people in prison who should not have been there, especially the juvenile lifers.
Let the truth be told, the United States of America stands alone worldwide in imposing sentences of life without parole on juveniles. The United States achieved this unique position by slowly and steadily dismantling the founding principles of the juvenile justice system. Today a record number of people are serving juvenile life without the possibility of parole— that is a person who commits a crime and is sentenced in the United States for a crime before their 18th birthday.
It is driven by the media reporting false information, which I believe is fake news. And we cannot forget public fear. They use catch phases such as adult crime, ‘you do adult time.’ The policy makers respond with a frenzy of tough laws that disregard developmental differences between youth and adults and instead focus exclusively on the crime. We cannot run a society for their privilege and allow a significant proportion of the population to be marginalized, like the juvenile lifers. It impacts the quality of life for all of us if we throw away people. A justice system, which tolerates injustice, is doomed to collapse.
I made a commitment when I left prison to continue to speak out about juvenile lifers and the prison system.
I am committed to fight for all. I cannot sleep at night knowing I left so many behind. I will continue to fight until I can bring them home.

+ Articles by this author

The People’s Tribune opens its pages to voices of the movement for change. Our articles are written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Articles entitled “From the Editors” reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: peoplestribune.orgPlease donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement for change. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff. The People’s Tribune is a 501C4 organization.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Poverty and Deportees on the Streets in Tijuana

In U.S. media, even progressive media, we pay little attention to what happens to people when they're deported. Many are dumped through the border gate, have no home to go to and live on the streets in cities like Tijuana.

White House Demands Return of Food Stamps Distributed In November

This month the White House demanded that Food Stamps distributed to eligible people must be retrieved because the distribution was "unauthorized."

Undocumented Immigrants in Fear During Operation Midway Blitz

"I am scared. I’m scared for myself, my parents, my tios and tias, my whole family. We’re all vulnerable,” writes a Chicagoan about the terror of Operation Midway Blitz. "We're all vulnerable."

Mamdani Election and Others Offer a Light in the Darkness

From the editors: The recent election results, especially the election of Zohran Mamdani, offered a ray of hope for millions in America who have been struggling to survive economically and who are appalled by the rising fascism in the country.

‘Hope is Alive,’ says New York City Mayor-Elect Mamdani

Read New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's acceptance speech following his victory in 2025 Elections.

More from the People's Tribune