Christopher Tate

My name is Christopher Tate. At the age of 18 in 1987. I alone committed kidnap robbery and murder. I was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus seven years.
I am not today the shameful person I was all those years ago.

I spent the first 10 years in prison oblivious to what I had done. I was a former gang member and alcoholic from Los Angeles who chose to listen to the streets instead of my parents. During just a few years on the streets, I caused a lot of chaos, destruction, and death, for which I am truly sorry. I took an innocent man’s life, created a lot of pain and suffering for his family and continued the cycle of violence in my community.

At that time street life appealed to me and I mimicked all the negative behaviors that came with it. I became addicted to the gang lifestyle, alcohol, sex and crime. Nothing else mattered. My family didn’t. The kids and the older folks in the neighborhood didn’t. And I didn’t care what would happen to me.

After the first 10 years in prison, things began to change. It was 1997, and I lost both of my parents which shocked me to my core. I found myself in the hole (solitary) pondering my next move. I made the decision to change my life. I needed to address my low self-esteem my gang and alcohol issues.

Alcoholics Anonymous was a self-help group that helped save my life, and got me on the right track. It brought awareness to my character flaws, body language, the way I spoke, my tone of voice, and my mannerism. I naturally began to question my value system and morals.

I went further by attending other groups such as Victim Awareness, Criminal Thinking, Denial Management, Relapse Prevention, Childhood Abuse and Trauma, Anger Management and Criminal Gang Anonymous. These groups helped me become selfless, responsible, accountable and emphatic to those who I victimize and people in general.

I am open and honest about my past. I am not seeking sympathy just understanding and a second chance at freedom.