Former disgraced Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has served 7 years in prison. States being incarcerated is taking a toll on him. He’s asking President Trump for a pardon. See Kilpatrick’s letter below
The Freedom and Justice Trust – June 12 at 5:43am ·
Over the past decade, I have been incarcerated for 7-years (99 days in County Jail, 15-Months in State Prison, and 5.5 Years in Federal Prison).
As you could imagine, it has been the most painful, gut-wrenching, and transformational time, not only my life, but also in the lives of everyone that I hold dear; my parents, Carlita, my sons, sisters, nephews, niece, extended family, friends, and many others whom I’ve never met, but know through the shared experiences of being a Detroiter, or a FAMUAN.
When I arrived in Federal Prison, I tenaciously pursued freedom. I was in the law library daily. I was doggedly determined to prove my innocence, to overturn my case, to get “revenge” on the justice system. I wanted to be free…I wanted people to know that I did not do what they said I did. But the more I pressed, the more enslaved I became.
I was angry, bitter, and broken. The pain and anguish I heard in the voices of my family, along with the emotional turbulence in my household, and the anxiety, fear, and hopelessness growing in the souls of my three sons, quickly became far too much to bear.
One day while reading in the law library, I saw a Federal Bureau of Prisons Manual. I opened the book and read a paragraph about “the goals of incarceration.” They outlined them in succinct fashion; 1) Punishment, 2) Correction/Rehabilitation, and 3) Readiness for Reentry.
I closed the book, walked back over to the table and collected my papers, pens, and coat, then casually walked out of the library. I was not angry, nor was I even fini
