I am Rollin Denem.
I ‘m putting a little bit of my story on paper because I want you all out there to know not only who I was, but who I am today.
I am originally from South Central, LA. At the time of the crime I am incarcerated for; I was 18 years old. None of my family members or close friends were shocked, mostly because I had just been released from prison, and everyone was thinking “I thought he just served his time?” Unaware that I had been charged with a cold case that happened years prior, they were in disbelief.
I couldn’t believe it myself, because was I innocent?
I was a good person at heart, but I lacked guidance, I found it with the wrong crowd which led me to being associated with gangs; that’s how I was connected to this crime. Once I was found guilty in trial and sentenced to LWOP, I lost all sense of life. I tried to break connections with my family and friends, but they wouldn’t let me go, thankfully they never gave up on me. Initially, I was involving myself in more gang activity, which caused me a lot of time spent in the Hole and SHU. My family never stopped expressing their love and support of me. It took the passing of my mother and faith in god to convince me to change my lifestyle.
Things didn’t just change overnight it took some years. I started by eliminating any negative influences and by disassociating myself from all gangs. That was not easy to do for me because I have been associated with gangs all my life up until that point. I then started to involve myself with people in the self-help group programs. There we 3 groups that stood out to me, they fit exactly what I needed in my path to recovery. These groups were: AVP, ARC, and LWOP-AG. To this day I continue to attend these classes and use the materials taught daily in my life. I have no urge to live a gang lifestyle or act out in violence to resolve an issue. I am determined to further my education and strengthen my family ties. I want the victim’s families to know that I am extremely sorry for their loss, I wish that things could have turned out differently.
I want my victim’s family and friends to know that he was a hero in my eyes, he sacrificed his life to protect the lives of the employees and customers of that establishment. I will forever honor his courage by shaping my life into something meaningful. I have grown into a man that is a leader of his own decisions, I am no longer a follower.
Oh, to answer the question that I posed at the beginning of this short note, if I was innocent of the crime I am here for? Well the answer is NO! While I did not commit the murder, the lifestyle that I was living at the time of the crime led to the tragic event. I hold myself responsible.
I thank you for allowing me to tell you a little bit about myself.