His
is a cautionary tale of kids gone astray. But, it also reminds you that prisons
are full of regular people who’ve made mistakes. And – to follow up on a
comment someone made about prison being about punishment – I’m not sure if
sending someone like Thomas to prison is either moral or corrective. Prison
isn’t for kids like Thomas and the cost to society and him, while it may not be
known for some time, far exceeds whatever retribution – or pound of flesh – the
Commonwealth derives from sending him inside.
Thomas
is a good kid. “Sure he is, Larry,” you’re probably saying. Don’t take my word.
A law professor and capital case defender from a prestigious law school located
in Lexington, Virginia, wrote a letter on Thomas’s behalf before his
sentencing. The letter wasn’t written as a legal filing; instead, it was from a
father who had seen Thomas in his home on numerous occasions. Thomas was best
friends with the professor’s oldest son. “Thomas is a sweet, polite young man
who was placed in turmoil as his family went through a divorce and bitter
custody dispute.”
The
Professor described Thomas as despondent and depressed. Drugs became an outlet,
an escape. And the armed robbery? It was the desperate act of a young man
hoping to die. The Professor concluded with a plea for mercy, “I understand
fully the ramifications of Thomas’s actions. As an attorney I understand the
need for punishment,” he wrote. But he called on the court to temper its desire
for swift and heavy punishment and look at the defendant as a whole, not just
as a lawbreaker. The court felt otherwise.
So
Thomas, a skinny, bespeckled white kid, was sent to a “level 3” facility. And,
he had a tough time. Prison is not a nice place. Before any self-righteous
reader thinks to respond with “He should have thought of that before he broke
the law,” no young man – or woman – should be subjected to the threat of sexual
assault or physical harm in a supposed state controlled facility.
Thomas
finally made it to a “level 2,” and landed here. His prior education qualified
him for admittance to the college program. He did alright. He excelled in the
computer classes; English was a different matter. He didn’t like putting his
thoughts on paper. Most guys learn not to share their thoughts inside. You
never know when your comments will lead to a lock hitting you in the side of
your head.
Thomas
also had to deal with his depression. Prison is not the place to get mental
health care. Thomas was on way too much medication. It numbed him, but didn’t
address the hurt, pain, and fear he carried. What did turn him around was God.
I know, there’s a lot of jailhouse epiphanies that are all done for appearance.
Guys talk religion like they talk football. But you know when it’s real. And,
Thomas’s was real.
He
stayed in touch with the law professor. And the professor’s church “adopted”
Thomas. A few months ago, an aunt and uncle in Oklahoma came to see him.
They’re a professional couple and their kids are grown. They asked Thomas to
come to Oklahoma, move in with them and start his life anew.
Thomas
is a young man with peace in his eyes and a smile on his face. He knows he has
been led through the valley of the shadow of death.
In
our rush to pass judgment we tend to forget a basic truth: God loves the Thomas’s
of the world. Even when we go astray God gives new beginnings. The thing we
have to remember is, we’re all closer to Thomas than we like to admit. It’s a
shame Thomas’s sentencing judge didn’t know that. Thomas’s last hundred days
will go fast and he’ll move on and be alright. The reason is that God is in the
rebuilding business. The Commonwealth of Virginia isn’t.
No comments:
Post a Comment