Saturday, November 22, 2014

You were sentenced to 45 years for selling cocaine. Did you agree with the sentence at the time?

In responding to that question, let me provide a bit more background. It’s true that a judge sentenced me to serve a 45-year sentence for crimes that I committed between the ages of 21 and 23. Yet in reality, those crimes were for more than simply “selling cocaine.” There were no allegations of violence or weapons in my case, but my actual charges were for more than simple distribution. I was charged and convicted of leading an “organization” that distributed cocaine. That charge exposed me to a more severe penalty.

Of course at the time, I did not agree with the 45-year sentence. After all, I had never been confined before and my crime did not include violence. Since all participants were consenting adults, I perceived the sentence as being inconsistent with a pursuit of justice. Yet as a defendant in a criminal case, my role was not to question the sentence, but to succeed in spite of the sentence. From my perspective, that meant I had to work toward earning freedom. I aspired to reconcile with society, to make amends and prepare for a life of meaning and contribution. Those aspirations motivated and drove me through each of the 9,500 days that I served.

 

Days since my release from prison: 467

Miles that I ran today: 13.71

Miles that I ran so far this week: 42.59

Miles that I’ve run during the month of November: 140.84

Miles that I ran so far in 2014: 2,190.98

Miles that I need to run in order to reach my annual goal of 2,400 miles: 209.02

Miles I’m ahead of schedule to reach my 2,400-mile goal by the end of 2014: 42.59

My weight for today: 168