Beyond This Prison Zine
Words by Glenn/Weez Robinson written while in prison
Images by Cate White

Beyond This Prison Story
as told by the players:
JR, Weez and me on the Performer’s and Creator’s Lab Podcast

BEYOND THIS PRISON

How friendship and art resulted in the liberation of a young black man serving an unjust 40 year sentence in a Louisiana prison…

Back in 2012, my friend JR and his prison penpal, Weez, were working together to create Beyond This Prison—an organization for personal and social liberation. The programming was guided by Weez’s experience growing up on the streets of New Orleans and serving a 40 year prison sentence begun when he was just 19. He had already served 18 years and had 22 years ahead of him, with no possibility of parole.

JR enlisted me to illustrate Weez’s writings for their website. Through studying his words for inspiration, I got to know Weez’s profound insight and heart. Shortly after that, JR and I visited him in prison. Upon meeting him in person, it became ever clearer that we must get him out.

I discovered that the judge and DA who tried, convicted and sentenced him 18 years before had since been fired and investigated for crimes of corruption. The new, more sympathetic judge encouraged me to find an attorney to bring his case into her court. A few lucky leads brought us to Jane Hammond, a passionate and devoted young defense attorney who agreed to look into Weez’s case for a retainer of $2400. A GoFundMe quickly raised $2400 and with that money Jane got Weez released from prison, 20 years early.

Weez is now living the good life in San Rafael, CA, and is in constant contact with his brothers still locked up in prison, doing what he can to send them money and help with their cases.

Hear me, JR and Weez tell our story on The Performers and Creator’s Lab Podcast.