Their Stories

I am 54 years old & of Indigenous Tribal decent (Indian) and Cantonese Chinese. I have been incarcerated since 1987. I was 18 years old. I am serving “LOWP” sentence and am presently at Calipatria State Prison and am house on “D” yard, where many (most) of us...

I want to first Thank You for taking the time out to read my story. My name is Kelsey A. Thomas, CDC number D-83629, and I was arrested in 1986, at the age of 28, for Robbery Murder. I was charged with First Degree Murder Special Circumstances, in 1986. In 1988, I was...

Hope is a Process by Nathaniel J. Criss How can I deliver hope to someone who has the sentence of life without parole? I quickly found the answer to this questions within my own life experience of having LWOP. Nobody "delivered" hope to me. I found it over a period of...

The most important part of my story is the memory of Mr. Diyet Dinh Vu, his family, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Alterman and their family, as well as the countless others I have victimized in my lifetime. They did not deserve to be treated in such a violent callous way and to...

Hello I am Carlos Contreras who wants to participate in your organization. I am part of the Redemption Row California-a Prison Project. I’ve heard promising support and efforts in helping us inmates to come home through legal activism. Plus, you allow our families to...

Dear FUEL Brothers and Sisters, My name is Harlan Bayard King. CDCR# C-75234, commitment date June 7th, 1982. I was 10 days past my 21st birthday when I fell. I am now 61. I spent 30 in CDCR before I interstate transferred to my home state of Oklahoma in 2012. My four...

I am in great hope that Senate Bill 94 will pass. This is my first time ever being in prison. But the sad part of it is that I've been locked up sine 1985 at the age of 25.1 am now 63. 64 in May. Please know in no way am I using excuses for anyone losing their life....

My name is Thomas Marston and I am serving a Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP). This is my story. At a young age I was easily influenced by my older siblings and their friends. We travelled all the time due to our father. We moved to different states every...

My name is Steven Drew Allee. I’m 37 years old and I’ve been sentenced to LWOP, plus a consecutive 25 to life, plus 8 years to serve first. During the month of May 2015, my drug use combined with the surrounding circumstances of my life at the time caused me to lose...

Greetings, my name is Samuel Thomas McCauley, Jr. In 2006, when I was 22 years old, I perpetrated a vicious crime spree where I shot 3 men during 2 separate robberies over the course of 2 days. This resulted in 2 men losing their lives and a 3rd being permanently...

My name is Ruhani Bustamante. By the age of eleven, I experienced incarceration; throughout my teens Juvenile Hall had become my home, although occasionally I came home, one month here, two months there. Freedom as a teenager as far as I can recall are snapshot...

I’ve been in a prison for 43 years with a sentence of life without the Possibility of Parole/LWOP. In 1978 at the young age of 22, I made a terrible, life altering mistake. In believing I was protecting my home from intruders, I shot and killed an undercover,...

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...

My name is Susan Clevenger and in August 2000, I was sentenced to three Life Sentences without the possibility of Parole(LWOP) for attempted kidnapping and murder of Bradley St. Clair. I was not there when my co-defendant/boyfriend killed Brad. I do not say that to...

My name is Peter Carmorlinga; I’m a 39-year-old high school graduate, and the youngest of three. I come from a loving family and was highly regarded by my peers, teachers, and my community. Then, in 2000 I was convicted of first-degree murder and received a sentence...

I am sitting down today and write a letter to FUEL & others in order to portray the life of an inmate with a sentence of LWOP, a sentence where the word hope does not exist and the light at the end of the tunnel is hard to see. A condemnation signifying one cannot...

I made a tragic decision in 1995, involving a drug deal negotiation gone wrong. It ended in a tragic incident and a human being losing his life. I was blind to see how my poor decisions would not only cost someone his life; those decisions would severely affect his...

My name is Lester La Mount Polk I am serving Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP).  I have now been incarcerated for 26 years. ​I was arrested 2 days after my high school graduation for a senseless crime motivated by greed, anger and my reckless impulsivity....

My name is Kajuana Irving. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. During my early years my father was incarcerated and my parents eventually divorced. I lived with my mother, my eldest sister, and my two younger brothers. Life got rough because by the age...

My name is Julian Gonzalez. I was born and raised in Visalia and am 27 years old, I have been incarcerated since I was 18 years old. I am serving a LWOP sentence for my part in a gang related murder. Although my bullets were not the ones that killed the victim, I was...

I am Malinda Jones, a 65-year-old Grandmother with an LWOP Sentence. I live with a mountain of regrets and a heart full of remorse, but I can’t change the fact that a young man lost his life. What I can do is explain the “WHY” of that horrible night. None of what I am...

My name is Virgil Clarke III. I’m serving a sentence of life with no possibility of parole plus 6 years for aiding and abetting in the murder of Mrs. Catherine Tucker. Even before this, I felt so guilty for my actions leading up to this senseless act. I’ll be the...

My name is Juan Toscano. I was born in Guerrero Mexico. I am the 2nd of 4 boys and one girl. For all my childhood I lived in Mexico, I came to the United States in the beginning of 1994. When we moved here, I was 13 years old, we were living in South Central LA. At...

My name is Joshua Anthony Blount. I am 35 years old of Hispanic descent and have been incarcerated since I was 22 years old. I am serving an LWOP sentence at Calipatria State Prison. I am housed on the Delta Yard, where many of us lifer’s and inmates are trying to...

Joshua Acosta shares his story, his remorse and his determination to make amends. My name is Joshua C. Acosta, I am currently twenty-three years old and I'm serving out a sentence of Life Without the possibility of Parole. Before the commission of my crime, I achieved...

My name is Jose Ortega. On August 20th, 1996 I participated in the senseless crime that ended Mr. Wilson’s life. At the time of the crime I was 23-year-old immature irresponsible, selfish, and careless gang member criminal and father. I take all responsibility for my...

My name is Jerome Jeter I am a 43 year old first term prisoner sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP). In the mid to late 80’s I got involved with the street gangs in the neighborhood. I became a very well-known member of this gang throughout the...

My Name is Jennifer Henderson. I’ve been in prison since April 2005 serving two consecutive LWOP sentences for taking the lives of Thomas & Jackie Hawks. I cannot deny the gravity of the callous, heartless manner in which two lives were taken. I've been in prison...

My name is Henry Inocencio I am a human who was brought into a world of amazement. As a kid I was happy, loved, and blessed to have the opportunity to explore this unlimited frontier we call life. But soon, the winds of the street were molding my character. As my...