Vanderbilt Prison Project February/March 2019

A Strong Start to 2019

Newsletter Contents
Meet the Board
The advent of 2019 brought with it a new Executive Board, one of the first times
in the past couple years that all board positions have been full. Visit page 2 to find
out more about our current board members and what inspired them to get
involved in the Vanderbilt Prison Project.

Goals of Clarity
With the new board came new momentum. This year’s board believes that
clearly articulated goals are crucial to success. As such, the board spent the
month of January reworking the organization’s mission statement and setting
priorities for the new year. These updated documents can be found on page 3.

Citizen’s Lobbyist Training with Rev. Alexander

On February 2nd, Reverend Jeannie Alexander, Director of No Exceptions Prison
Collective came to speak at our first general body meeting of the semester.
Alexander shared about the current legislative session in Tennessee and how we
as students can get involved in criminal justice reform. Further info on page 4.

#FreeCyrusWilson Campaign
In a textbook case of wrongful conviction, Cyrus Wilson maintains his innocence.
In the week leading up to spring break, we collected 231 letters to send to the
Tennessee Board of Parole in support of Wilson’s release. We will continue to
mobilize as his parole hearing approaches in April. More info on page 6.

An Evening with Rahim Buford

On March 12th, Rahim Buford spoke at our second general body meeting of the
semester. Rahim is the founder of Unheard Voices Outreach and a leading
organizer in the #FreeCyrusWilson campaign. He spoke about the struggles of
“re-entry” and the need for parole reform. Read page 7 for more information.

In the News
Visit this section for a brief overview of criminal justice issues in the news in
Tennessee as well as nationwide. Page 8.
The Semester in Photos Page 10. 1
Vanderbilt Prison Project February/March 2019

Meet the Board

Who We Are, Why VPP
Jenny Pigge, President is a sophomore from Iowa City, IA, majoring in Public Policy
Studies with a focus in criminal justice and minoring in Computer Science and German.

“I wanted to further educate myself about issues in our criminal justice system, serve
individuals most impacted by it, and help create action towards pursuing reform.

Evan Etheridge,Vice President is a junior from Niceville, FL, double majoring in Public Policy
Studies with a focus in criminal justice and Medicine, Health, and Society.
“I joined VPP soon after I made the decision to drop pre-med and instead fully commit to
pursuing criminal justice reform. I joined when the organization was still in a rebuilding phases,
but I really appreciated the opportunity to volunteer at Dismas and found the relationships I
developed there really meaningful. I’m so excited about the direction VPP is headed, especially
how we are working to get more involved in the Nashville community and work with the people
most directly impacted by the system who we claim to advocate for.”

Etta Wang, Secretary & Treasurer is a freshman from China, double majoring in
Political Science and Psychology.

“There has to be an effort to let the underrepresented group be heard. I want to

do my part.”

Emma Stapleton, Public Relations is a junior from Clarendon Hills, IL, majoring in Public
Policy Studies with a focus in criminal justice.
“We can rattle off disheartening criminal justice statistics all day long. These statistics, while
they paint an important picture, do not tell the whole story of the people that have suffered
behind them. I joined the Prison Project because I wanted to be a part of a group of people
that holds each other accountable, not just for reversing disheartening statistics, but for
remembering that incarcerated men and women have a lot to teach us as well.”

Jordan Baines, Community Outreach is a sophomore from Memphis, TN, double majoring
in Law, History, and Society (LHS) and Political Science.
“‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’ -
Edmund Burke. Growing up in Tennessee has shed light on the great injustices that
continue to plague society. We like to pretend that we have become better. Truly, we
have become more secretive but what happens in the darkness will eventually come to
the light.

Robert Fuller, Community Service is a sophomore from Charlotte, NC, majoring in

Medicine, Health, and Society.

“I decided to join VPP because I believe that everyone is more than the worst thing
that they have done, and I do not believe that the current system is aligned with that
sentiment.”

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Goals of Clarity
With the new board came new goals. The current board spent the month of January thinking long
and hard about who we are, what we do, and why. The following document resulted from those
discussions.

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Vanderbilt Prison Project February/March 2019

Citizen’s Lobbyist Training

On February 2nd, we welcomed Reverend Jeannie Alexander, Director of No Exceptions Prison
Collective to speak at our first general body meeting of the semester. Alexander shared about the
current legislative session in Tennessee and how we as students can get involved in criminal justice
reform. The event was compelling and gave us a much more tangible grasp of current reform
movements in Tennessee. We have attached the corresponding newsletter from No Exceptions
below.

Ending Mass Incarceration - Restoring Families - Rebuilding Communities

Hello to everyone and thank you for being part of this collaboration of individuals and communities across
Tennessee who are determined to change sentencing laws, and create a more humane and just Tennessee
where prisoners can have a real expectation of going home to their families and communities one day.

Life Sentences

This year the bill number for the life sentence bill that will return life sentences with a possibility for parole back
to 25 years, from the current 51 years, is HB1128/SB1181. The bill sponsors are Sen. Janice Bowling, R-
District 16, (615.741.6694) and Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, R-District 27 (615.741.2746). Please call them and
thank them for their sponsorship of this very important bill.

As you know, the current life sentence with a possibility for parole is in truth a death sentence. We
support HB1128/SB1181 because it will set the life sentence with possibility for parole back to where it was prior
to 1995 and simply give individuals a chance for parole after serving 25 years. This bill is retroactive and will
only apply to individuals whose crimes occurred after July 1, 1995. This bill only applies to those who received
a conviction for first degree murder, and received a life sentence. This bill will have no affect on life without the
possibility of parole sentences, nor will it affect the death penalty. Additionally, unlike other life sentence bills
that will only apply to individuals who were juveniles when convicted, this bill will apply to juveniles, and those
who were 18 and older at the time of conviction. This is the only life sentence bill that provides relief to everyone,
and applies that relief retroactively.

Here are some facts to remember when we ask you to reach out to lawmakers and talk to
friends: Passage of this bill is long overdue. Folks with the 51 year life sentence were not given life without the
possibility of parole, nor were they given the death sentence, and yet, they will all die in prison without a
meaningful chance at parole. This is not justice. This bill will save the State of Tennessee hundreds of millions
of dollars, and provide people with a real hope of rejoining their families and communities again. Historically for
Tennessee and nationally, folks with life sentences upon release have the lowest rate of recidivism -- meaning
they are the least likely to return to prison, and so this bill does not create a public safety issue . We believe that
individuals should be held accountable for their actions, but individuals can be held accountable for their actions
and still return home one day. While we know folks serving this sentence will be the least likely to return to4 prison
if they are allowed a chance for parole, they will become the most expensive to incarcerate if we do not reduce
the 51 year life sentence back to 25 years and give them a chance for parole. This is because folks in prison
have reduced life expectancy and the cost to incarcerate someone, on average, doubles after individuals reach
the age of 50 to 55. This is bad public policy and it is not justice. Tennessee is out of step with the rest of the
country. We are the only state with a life with possibility for parole sentence set at 51 years. The national average
for this sentence is 25 years. Increasing life with possibility for parole from a floor of 25 years to 51 years back
in 1995 was a mistake that must be corrected. We believe in second chances and allowing individuals who have
transformed to have a chance to return home again.

If you want a more detailed explanation of the facts supporting this bill, click here.

This bill HB1128/SB1181 will most likely be assigned to the Judiciary Committee in the Senate and
and Constitutional Protections and Sentencing Subcommittee, which is a subcommittee of House
Judiciary in the House. Once the bill has been officially assigned we will let you know, and we will let you know
when to start contacting committee members. For now, please just call Sen. Bowling (615.741.6694) and
Rep. Hazlewood (615.741.2746) and thank them for sponsoring this bill. Their assistants are wonderful
and will be happy to take your call.

Constitutional Amendment for Abolition

This session the resolution that is the first step in making the abolition of slavery universal in Tennessee
is HJR0151/SJR0159.

The sponsors for this joint resolution are Rep. Joe Towns, D-District 84 (615.741.2189) and Sen. Raumesh
Akbari, D-District 29 (615.741.1767). In the Senate it has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee,
and it has not yet been assigned to a committee in the House. As you may recall, this resolution simply
amends the Tennessee Constitution to declare that "Slavery and involuntary servitude are forever prohibited."
As our State Constitution currently reads there is an exception to that clause being anyone who has been
convicted of a crime. We believe, and we know you believe, there should be no exceptions to the abolition of
slavery. Someone may be a prisoner, but they should never be a slave.

Last session this resolution passed unanimously in the House, but did not come up for a vote in the
Senate. Sponsors are starting over with the resolution this session and are determined to see it pass both the
House and the Senate. Please contact these resolution sponsors and thank them for sponsoring this
resolution.

Future Updates

We will update you on additional bills such as the Primary Caregiver Act to keep parents with their children and
out of jail. Additionally, we will keep you informed as the life sentence bill begins to move through committees,
and the same for the abolition amendment.

True changes in our criminal justice system and reform on these key issues would not be possible without your
partnership and your willingness to speak out in support of change.

If you would like further information on this issue or would like to learn more
about the work Reverend Alexander and No Exceptions Prison Collective does,
visit https://noexceptions.net/. Both bills have also made substantial progress in the
Tennessee General Assembly. Visit http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislation/ to look
up these bills and their progress.
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Vanderbilt Prison Project February/March 2019

#FreeCyrusWilson
As an organization, we first became aware of Cyrus Wilson’s story in February, when Jeannie
Alexander came to speak with us. On February 12th, three of our members, Jennie Pigge, Minnie
Mangafas, and Devin Barkey attended a community organizing event organized by Unheard
Voices Outreach, No Exceptions, and Cyrus’ wife Casey Wilson. Using what they learned, we
spent the week of February 25th tabling outside Rand Dining Hall and inside Commons Center,
teaching students about Cyrus’ case and encouraging students to write letters to the Tennessee
Board of Parole. We had additional tabling stations in the Black Cultural Center and at the
Vanderbilt Law School as well as tables at Zeta Tau Alpha, Alpha Chi Omega, and Delta Tau
Delta sororities/fraternity. We also tabled at the Innocent on Death Row event featuring Anthony
Ray Hinton. At the end of the week we delivered 231 letters to be sent to the Tennessee Board of
Parole.

Cyrus Wilson’s case is one of textbook wrongful conviction. Convicted in 1994 at age 19 of an
Edgehill murder, the case against Cyrus Wilson has fallen apart. The prosecution’s evidence relied
on faulty eyewitness testimony and circumstantial evidence. Since the original trial, four witnesses
have recanted their testimonies, citing police coercion. No forensic evidence exists linking Wilson
to the crime. Read further about his case below.

Cyrus Wilson maintains his innocence. As he continues to fight through the appeals process, his
parole date approaches in April. Rarely will a parole board grant parole to someone who claims
innocence as they have not “taken responsibility for their actions.” For this reason, we find it
important that we as a community voice our overwhelming support for Wilson’s return to the
community. We urge all our members to attend Wilson’s parole hearing on Wednesday, April 17 th
at 8 am and will follow up with further information about transportation and dress code.

More About Cyrus Wilson’s Story

How the Murder Case Against Cyrus Wilson Has Fallen Apart
https://www.nashvillescene.com/.../how-the-murder-case-against-cyrus-wilson-has-fall...
Oct 26, 2017 - Cyrus Wilson is led into Courtroom 6D of the A.A. Birch Building downtown,
wearing a blue Tennessee Department of Correction uniform …

Judge Denies Cyrus Wilson's Request for a New Trial - Nashville Scene
https://www.nashvillescene.com/.../judge-denies-cyrus-wilsons-request-for-a-new-trial
May 29, 2018 - Cover Mag Cyrus Wilson 59ee76bfad934 Cyrus Wilson in 1992Photo: Metro
Nashville Police Department After an evidentiary hearing in ...

The Facts — FREE CYRUS WILSON

www.freecyruswilson.com/about/thefacts
The Facts. In July of 1992, Cyrus was robbed at gunpoint by a young man by the name of
Christopher "Crip" Luckett near the Edgehill Housing Projects in South …

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Vanderbilt Prison Project February/March 2019

An Evening with Rahim Buford

On March 12th, Rahim Buford came to speak at our second general body
meeting of the semester. Rahim spoke about the challenges of “re-entry” for formerly
caged individuals. He is the founder of Unheard Voices Outreach, an organization that
helps assist these individuals with their transition back into the community.
A lot of what Rahim shared with us comes from his own experience with the
criminal justice system. Buford was released on parole in 2015 after being caged for 26
years. He spoke about some of the troubles of his childhood and how this led him
towards robbery, the crime that eventually resulted in his incarceration. At age 19, in the
midst of an armed robbery, Buford fired a warning shot that ultimately ended up
ricocheting and taking someone’s life. He talked about the time it took him to
comprehend that reality. When his sister died, he explained that he was finally able to
fully understand the pain that he had caused in the lives of the victim’s family. Rahim
began to focus on rehabilitating himself. He spoke outright about his crime and his
struggles of coming to terms with it. He wanted us to walk away with a better sense of
what prison life is like because that understanding very much informs the work he does
with Unheard Voices and is important to us as members of the Prison Project in our
mission of lifting up the voices of caged individuals as partners in our advocacy.
After the meeting, a group of students also stayed and discussed next steps in the
Free Cyrus Wilson campaign with both Rahim and Cyrus’ wife, Casey Wilson.

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In the News
A snapshot of recent news pieces compiled by the public relations committee. Certainly, there is a
lot more going on than we can cover here. Have an article you think we should publish? Email
emma.v.stapleton@vanderbilt.edu. Want to read more criminal justice related news? We
recommend visiting www.themarshallproject.org or signing up for one of their newsletters.

Local
Anthony Ray Hinton Comes to Vanderbilt

➢ Hinton speaks on his experience of being wrongfully convicted of murder

Anthony Ray Hinton gave a talk on his 28 years in prison and the flaws of the American justice system
Hayden Gee - The Vanderbilt Hustler
February 22, 2019

Cyntoia Brown Granted Clemency

➢ Opinion: Cyntoia Brown’s clemency: One battle won in a war still fought
A case for juvenile life sentencing reform in Tennessee and beyond
Emma Stapleton - The Vanderbilt Hustler
January 22, 2019

➢ Cyntoia Brown Is Granted Clemency After 15 Years in Prison

Christine Hauser - The New York Times
January 7, 2019

Governor Bill Lee and Criminal Justice Reform

➢ Gov. Bill Lee Announces Strategies to Improve Criminal Justice System

TN Office of the Governor
February 28, 2019

➢ Fresh Start in Nashville: Criminal Justice Reform on the Docket

Jackson Baker - Memphis Flyer
January 31, 2019

Tennessee and the Death Penalty

➢ Tennessee Supreme Court sets 6 execution dates in next two years*
Anita Wadhwani – The Tennessean
November 16, 2018
* for context, Tennessee has only exercised the death penalty seven times since 1960

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National
First Step Act

➢ How the FIRST STEP Act Became Law – And What Happens Next
Ames Grawert, Tim Lau - Brennan Center for Justice
January 4, 2019

Police Practices

➢ Are Police Lineups Always Fair? See for Yourself

Hints can steer witnesses toward the suspect the police already have in mind
Joseph Goldstein - The New York Times
January 29, 2019

Trump and Criminal Justice Reform

➢ How Trump Went From ‘Tough On Crime’ To ‘Second Chance’ For Felons
Ayesha Rascoe - NPR
December 17, 2018

Juvenile Justice

➢ Keeping children out of Florida’s adult criminal justice system would have positive economic
impact, study says
If all children in Florida’s adult criminal justice system were returned to the juvenile justice system, the
added economic value would outweigh the costs, according to a study that was released today.
Southern Poverty Law Center
March 7, 2019

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The Semester in Photos

Anthony Ray Hinton speaks in Benton Chapel on February 19th about the 30 years he spent on death row
as an innocent man. After the event, he signed copies of his book The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life
and Freedom on Death Row. Members of the Prison Project also had a table outside the event to collect
letters to the Tennessee Board of Parole for the Free Cyrus Wilson campaign.

The following photos are from various #FreeCyrusWilson tabling events around campus in the week before
spring break. They resulted in 231 letters being sent to the Tennessee Board of Parole.

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