Those We Have Lost
Benjamin Smalls
“Mr. Smalls was serving a sentence of 31 years to life, meaning that he would not have seen the Parole Board until 11 years after his death, when he would have been 85 years old. Had Elder Parole passed last session, he would have appeared for a chance at release before the Parole Board five years before his death.”
Valerie Gaiter
“During her time inside, Val was a mentor to young women across Bedford Hills. She worked with the Puppies Behind Bars program, and was the photographer in the prison visit room. Val was serving a sentence of 50 years to life, meaning she would not see the Parole Board until she was 73 years old.”
Mujahid Farid
“Despite his tremendous rehabilitative endeavors, he was denied parole 9 times over 18 years, exclusively based on the nature of his crime. The Parole Board didn’t care about the value of his work in prison or his minimal risk to public safety, and instead were determined to punish him for the one thing that would never change. Farid was released at his 10th parole board interview after 33 years in prison at 62 years old.”
John MacKenzie
In an essay published before his death, John writes, “If society wishes to rehabilitate as well as punish wrongdoers through imprisonment, then society must also ensure that ‘punishment’ never crosses the line over to ‘torture.’ Society – through its lawmakers – must bear the responsibility of tempering justice with mercy. Giving a man legitimate hope is a laudable goal; giving him false hope is utterly inhuman.”