Those We Have Lost: John MacKenzie

On August 4th, 2016, John MacKenzie died by suicide after the NYS Parole Board denied him parole release for the 10th time. John was 70 years old, had spent 40 years in prison and while incarcerated transformed his life and the lives of countless others. He was a father, grandfather, writer, musician and mentor to many. We miss him dearly. 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.”