Stories

“My roots weren’t strong, and when the storms of life came, I couldn’t hold on,” says Charles Scott, currently serving more than 51 years in federal prison – 45 of which are “stacked” mandatory enhancements.

Too many people in Florida are serving long prison terms that don’t make communities safer. There are plenty of people locked up like Stephan Stuckey, who do not pose a risk to public safety yet languish in prison for decades, some of them seriously ill.

Michael is a veteran serving a mandatory 25-year sentence under Florida’s 10-20-Life law after he fired two shots in self-defense, shots that did not seriously injure his attacker.

Anthony was granted clemency after being in prison 29 years. He now fights to make our criminal justice system more just and appears in court on behalf of people still locked up, telling his story to lawmakers and the media.

“I’ve spent more time in prison than I’ve spent outside in society, and essentially grew up in prison,” says Antonio Howard, who lived in Pennsylvania state prison for more than 26 years. Yet today, what defines Antonio the most is not his imprisonment, but rather his vibrant relationship to art and his community. Now free, Antonio is a successful artist, author, activist, and paralegal.

In his early twenties, David “Dawud“ Lee was, in his words, “out on the streets living a criminal lifestyle.” He is now serving a life sentence in Pennsylvania state prison. But against all odds, David has transformed himself into a true leader and role model under the most difficult conditions.

“I thought I was going to die with a needle in my arm. And that didn’t happen. If I came from where I came from and changed, anybody can. It doesn’t matter how bad the situation seems. People can change. Everybody has potential.” – Vanessa Rojas

Dennis Freedom Horton, 52, spends his days doing work he seems born for – connecting with people and serving his community in Philadelphia. He facilitates the Wellness Recovery Action Plan program (WRAP), which helps people in prison and others improve their lives, and Shining Light, which provides reentry programming that “transforms the lives of participants and prison environments, resulting in lower recidivism, better neighbors, and stronger communities.” He advocates for men he left behind, including finding pro bono lawyers for them.

My name is Lee Horton. I’m from North Philadelphia, and I’m 57. I’ve been married for 30 years and have four children. In 1993, I was sentenced to life in prison. I spent 28 years there before I was given clemency in 2021.