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Lockup: Richmond, Jester Unit --- Shaking hands with a convicted killer
By Gheni_Platenburg in Demographics & Dockets
August 23, 2011

Some of you may have read a post of mine last week about a pending interview I had with a prison inmate on Friday.  I told y'all I would share my thoughts on the experience so here it is:

First of all, I'm here writing this post so thankfully there was no catastrophic "lockdown" or major prison riot. Nonetheless, the experience was definitely eye-opening.

Although I was just a visitor, the amount of security that visitors have to go through just to interview a prisoner is extensive. Between the pat downs and numerous ID checks, it really makes you thankful to be JUST a visitor and not a resident there.

From what I can recall, I’ve never conversed with anyone convicted of murder, especially not up close and personal. I did my background research so I knew the gist of his crime, which did not involve some multiple stabbings, cannibalism or serial killing.

But he wasn’t in prison for jaywalking either.

The details of this inmate and his crime will be revealed in my story.

During our contact visit, his personality, humbleness and seemingly honesty made me feel at ease.

As a prison guard carefully looked on, we talked for over an hour about his life growing up, the activities that put him in prison, how he had turned his life around since reconnecting with religion as well as his plans for the future.

He also discussed what it is like to be in prison for a crime he is not 100 percent sure he actually committed.

Whether you believe what he has to say about his reformation after reading my article on him, his story should undoubtedly serve as a cautionary tale.

Youth that are in gangs or just committing crimes on their own accord should realize that just one wrong move at the wrong time can seriously change your life.

Hopefully, it serves as a wake-up call really to anyone living that life, regardless of age.

I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. Do you think inmates can really find religion and turn over a new leaf in prison? Can prisoners really be reformed?