GOOD NEWS!

The prison administration is passing out synthetic opiates to "qualifying" inmates. I wish they would have qualified me for a sip of champagne to toast adios to 2021, or a sip of beer to cheer the New Year 2022! I know we’ve all had enough of the violence, virus and vitriol that dominates the media these days. I had a moment that highlighted my year last year, and it’s a life changing highlight, let's take a look....

It was on or about February 10th, 2021. The prison has been on quarantine since April 2020. My unit was locked down in their cells when I came back from work. The C.O. was standing guard outside, so, I seized the opportunity to finesse my way into the computer room. I was looking through my emails and then suddenly, boom! there was an email from my attorney, the wonderful Mr. Paul Gaziano. I clicked it open and couldn’t believe my eyes. "Hey, Bradford," the email read, "I am contacting you to inform you that your First Step motion has been granted." I stopped reading after “YOUR FIRST STEP MOTION HAS BEEN GRANTED” and the next thing I knew I was running around the unit like a crazy person. "Hey!" The C.O. yelled. I ignored him and continued my celebration which almost quickly turned into a riot.

Inmates were beating on their doors while tears of victory, hope, and gratitude to all my family and friends streamed down my face. "Dodson!" The C.O. yelled. "What's the problem?" I did one more lap around the unit celebrating. More of my co-workers came into the unit and joined me in celebration. By that time, the C.O. caught the drift; folded his arms and chuckled. He then allowed me to call home and tell Mama the good news.

The rest of the email described details of the day in court and how the arguments proceeded. The Honorable Judge Philip G. Reinhard amended my sentence to 290 months from 420 months. This means, with all of my good time, I will be eligible to come home in December 2025. My Team, which includes a case manager, unit manager and a counselor, said I will most likely receive a year in a halfway house so when that falls through, we’re looking at 2024-ish. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, now that I have less than four years to go, I’m eligible to file for a Petition for Clemency which, if I get it, is equivalent to getting a ‘pardon.’ Keep me in y’all prayers!

MY2CENTZ