William entered prison as a 23 year-old, struggling with drug addiction and entangled in a life of crime. As he notes, he was completely lost, looking for validation in all the wrong places. With a 65 year sentence ahead of him, he had little hope for release.
It would have been easy to lean into this hopelessness. But, he did the opposite. He got sober. He found a job. He found support within a network of men who had committed themselves to rehabilitation and growth through Christianity. He began a journey to better himself while inside. He took almost every course available to him. Additionally, he delved deeper into his spiritual growth. During his incarceration, he became a spiritual leader within the facility and a mentor to others. The church not only nourished his relationship with God, it allowed him to step into his own and find his purpose as a friend and mentor.
Additionally, he had made amends with the victim in the case, who had fully recovered and had written the judge asking for leniency. He rebuilt a friendship with her and helped her get sober, over the phone, from inside prison walls. He had committed himself to bettering his community in prison. He knew he could do the same on the outside if given the opportunity.
After many years, attorneys at Brown Law felt compelled to take his case on pro bono. Eventually, one of the attorneys working his case noticed a technical error in his sentence: one of his charges had been filed under the wrong statute, making his sentence on that count illegal. This error was enough to get him back into court for a new sentence.
Once the new sentence was handed down, he had 90 days to file a motion to reduce the sentence. He was able to present 15 letters from prison officials who spoke of his accomplishments and growth in prison. In some instances, they even endorsed his early release. The judge agreed with his petition, stating, “If William Mitchell did not deserve a sentence reduction, he did not know who did.” The judge reduced his sentence by 40 years, leaving a remaining term of 25 years. With diminution credits, this was the equivalent of time served. He was freed shortly after.
Since returning home, William has made good on his promise to better his community. He has spoken at numerous church and recovery events around the East Coast. He has served the less fortunate on numerous occasions. He has completed his Peer Recovery Specialist Training and will begin a new job soon. He also serves as an advisor for and advocate with numerous criminal justice groups, advocating for prison reform. He knows that many of the people he left on the inside would be able to contribute to society and serve their communities in the same way he has if they were released.
It would have been easy to lean into this hopelessness. But, he did the opposite. He got sober. He found a job. He found support within a network of men who had committed themselves to rehabilitation and growth through Christianity. He began a journey to better himself while inside. He took almost every course available to him. Additionally, he delved deeper into his spiritual growth. During his incarceration, he became a spiritual leader within the facility and a mentor to others. The church not only nourished his relationship with God, it allowed him to step into his own and find his purpose as a friend and mentor.
Additionally, he had made amends with the victim in the case, who had fully recovered and had written the judge asking for leniency. He rebuilt a friendship with her and helped her get sober, over the phone, from inside prison walls. He had committed himself to bettering his community in prison. He knew he could do the same on the outside if given the opportunity.
After many years, attorneys at Brown Law felt compelled to take his case on pro bono. Eventually, one of the attorneys working his case noticed a technical error in his sentence: one of his charges had been filed under the wrong statute, making his sentence on that count illegal. This error was enough to get him back into court for a new sentence.
Once the new sentence was handed down, he had 90 days to file a motion to reduce the sentence. He was able to present 15 letters from prison officials who spoke of his accomplishments and growth in prison. In some instances, they even endorsed his early release. The judge agreed with his petition, stating, “If William Mitchell did not deserve a sentence reduction, he did not know who did.” The judge reduced his sentence by 40 years, leaving a remaining term of 25 years. With diminution credits, this was the equivalent of time served. He was freed shortly after.
Since returning home, William has made good on his promise to better his community. He has spoken at numerous church and recovery events around the East Coast. He has served the less fortunate on numerous occasions. He has completed his Peer Recovery Specialist Training and will begin a new job soon. He also serves as an advisor for and advocate with numerous criminal justice groups, advocating for prison reform. He knows that many of the people he left on the inside would be able to contribute to society and serve their communities in the same way he has if they were released.