By Scott Fuqua, Appleseed Staff Attorney
On December 18, 2024, James Jones, age 77, walked out of the St. Clair Correctional Facility a free man after being incarcerated for forty-three years. He was serving a life without parole sentence which, absent extraordinary relief, would have required him to remain in prison until death for the robbery of a shoe store where no one was injured. Instead of dying in prison, James was home for the holidays with his family thanks to Jefferson County’s elected officials who believe in second chances.
Appleseed Attorney Scott Fuqua and James Jones leaving St. Clair Correctional Facility on James’ release day.
Out of the 20 Appleseed clients who have been released on life without parole sentences to date, James was in prison the longest. His remarkable institutional record made it clear decades ago that he had learned from his mistake and turned his life around. While in prison, James earned a college degree and completed countless courses for self-improvement. He worked for decades in the trade school helping other inmates learn job skills to enhance their ability to earn a living after their release. For many years, James also taught a GED class where he tirelessly sought to help others make up for the fact they did not finish high school. Despite the fact he had no reason to believe he would ever draw a breath of free air again, James dedicated his time to helping others learn so that they might have a better life once they regained their freedom.
On my first visit to see James at St. Clair, he recounted a story that provided insight into his character and how he had chosen to spend his time in prison. One day when he was in the exercise yard, he saw a new inmate near a fence. James said he made a point to try and speak to the new inmates whenever possible to try and impart wisdom on how to survive amidst the chaos and despair which can be overwhelming for men that just arrived. After James walked over, he found the young man desperately trying to pry a piece of barbed wire loose from the fence. James told him to stop and asked him why he was doing that. The young man said he needed the barbed wire for a weapon he was making to defend himself. James told him that he had been there for forty years and he had learned how to navigate the dangers of prison without a weapon. If the young man would stop, James said he would show him that there was another path inside the walls of prison that did not require violence. The young man turned and went back to his task of trying to pull the barbed wire free. James sighed and said he wished he could have saved him. Then his face brightened and said he would always try to intervene when he saw an opportunity and that he was proud of the fact he had helped save a number of people from falling into the cycle of violence. He closed by saying he hoped he could save one more.
Legal assistants Mary Parker and Tayler Walton welcomed James into his new life of freedom after 43 years of incarceration.
Despite decades of exemplary behavior, James’ sentence under Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act would have required him to remain incarcerated until death absent extraordinary relief. Thankfully, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr closely reviewed Mr. Jones’ case and supported a Petition filed by Appleseed to resentence James to time served. Jefferson County is also fortunate to have many fair-minded judges, like Presiding Criminal Circuit Judge Michael Streety, who also believe in second chances for those who have earned them. Judge Streety considered all of the facts of the case along with James’s exemplary institutional record and resentenced him. In Jefferson County, hope is alive for people serving life without parole sentences.
A bill currently pending in the Alabama Legislature, the Second Chance Act, would extend that same hope to many others currently serving life without parole for offenses similar to James’ where no one was physically injured. If the Second Chance Act passes, those currently serving sentences that will require them to remain in prison until death will no longer need extraordinary relief for a Judge to have the opportunity to review the facts of their case and institutional record to determine whether they are deserving of another opportunity for freedom. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey recently endorsed the bill in her State of the State speech, as part of a wider public safety effort.
On the day of his release, James’ brother, Clarence Jones, was waiting for him at Appleseed’s office. Throughout decades of incarceration, James and Clarence had always remained close. James was fortunate to have Clarence as the leader of a support system that ensured he never felt like he was alone and forgotten in prison. Clarence had a guest room at his house ready for James where he has been welcomed to reside for as long as he needs. Forty-three years of separation was not enough to break their bond as brothers.
Appleseed reentry team, Ronald McKeithen, Kathleen Henderson and Ingrid Patrick, surround James Jones with support.
While James’ family welcomes him back into their lives, Appleseed’s reentry team is dedicated to making sure James has the resources he needs to thrive outside of prison. They have secured Social Security, medical care, a bank account, and connections with peer support. Thanks to our team, he does not have to figure out this new world alone.
James also had another influential advocate working on his behalf, Norman Askew. Norman and James were friends growing up in the Southside neighborhood of Birmingham. Through decades working for the UAB TASC Community Corrections Program, Norman became widely respected in the Jefferson County legal community. He met with those charged with crimes and offered to speak on their behalf if they were a candidate for the TASC program. More times than not, decision makers listened and Norman’s advocacy helped the person avoid going to prison. As a defense attorney, I would often ask Norman to meet with clients even if they were not a candidate for TASC. No one has a better ability to convince a young man facing felony charges to reconsider the choices that brought them to court.
After my first visit to see James, he asked me to call his friend Norman. I told him that I was thrilled to hear he already had a more influential advocate on his side than I could ever hope to be. From that point forward, I kept Norman updated on the progress of James’ case. I have no doubt Norman was working behind the scenes to pave the way for James to freedom.
The week after his release, James came by our office to visit. His quiet manner of speaking and sense of humor are captivating. He recounted stories from his decades in prison and shared his wide-ranging thoughts on how our criminal justice system could be improved. Few people alive have as much personal experience of how the system works, or more often, fails. Few have spent more time trying to help those struggling to navigate the perils of life in prison and prepare for a better life on the outside. None are more deserving of the second chance at freedom he is now enjoying.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!