Convicted by a Georgia court in 1960, at the tender age of eighteen years and one month, I was sentenced to the chain gang (seven to ten years) for crimes I had not committed. At the beginning of my incarceration, only one thing was uppermost in my mind: to escape and somehow prove my innocence. From something I had read or seen on TV, I had the mistaken belief that if I could prove my innocence, any escapes would be forgiven and I would be released immediately. As you will see, this simply was not to be.
As a result of my mistaken beliefs, I managed to escape four times, made numerous other attempts and was shot twice. It was only years later that I was able to return to court and prove my innocence of the crimes I was sent to prison for. However, during this time I had escaped numerous times, was charged with crimes during these escapes and received additional sentences of life plus nearly thirty years.
During my incarceration I quickly learned to acclimate myself to my surroundings and the people I was forced to associate with on a day-to-day basis. My surroundings dictated that I sever all trust of law enforcement and most of society as a whole. However, my attitude of fairness quickly earned me the respect of all that knew me and, eventually, elevated me almost to the status of Godfather everywhere I went.
Most judges learned to respect me, often times commenting on the eloquent and articulate manner in which I presented my cases (always representing myself at my court hearings). In one instant the judge mistook me for an attorney because of my demeanor and mode of dress.
In reading Papillon, it was easy for me to understand the loyalty that character experienced with unsavory and unlawful individuals while in prison, as well as the loyalty he gave unconditionally to those who were loyal to him. While Papillon managed to escape and flee to another country, my eventual release came only through the courts and due to my own efforts and perseverance. This, in turn, made me known in several states as a renowned writ writer.
Not only was I successful in gaining reversals on numerous charges arising from my escapes, resulting in life plus some thirty-odd years being added to my sentence, but also reversals for over one hundred other inmates who sought my assistance, men who had no monies to pay an attorney, had been unconstitutionally convicted or were totally innocent such as I.
My extensive reading and wide range of knowledge of the law resulted in my making new law in several states and enabled me to gain reversals on convictions that numerous attorneys and judges told me could not be reversed. I was a pioneer in the making of the “Miranda” decision and won the first passive smoking case in the United States.
