PBMR : the New Creation
From left to right : Joey Rodriguez , Larod Styles , and Marshan Allan , who were recently released after the Supreme Court decision that mandatory life without the possibility of parole for juveniles was unconstitutional
Homecoming
by Julie Anderson , pbmr
When Joey Rodriguez walked into our meeting alongside his sister Cathy , I could not help but smile as tears sprang to my eyes . For the last 35 years Joey has been incarcerated , and for 10 of those years I have been meeting with his sister Cathy monthly at our criic ( Community and Relatives of Illinois Incarcerated Children , a group of family and friends dedicated to seeing juvenile life without parole ended in the United States ) meetings . We have cried together , laughed together , hugged each other , and offered each other encouragement and hope where there was none .
Joey is one of three men recently released from prison who attended our meeting this month . Larod Styles and Marshan Allan were also in attendance ; both of
10 • The New Wine Press • March 2017 these men were incarcerated for over 24 years . Each of the three was under 18 years old when sentenced to life without parole ; they were told they would die in prison . Yet here they were at our family meeting — enduring kisses , hugs , and well wishes from the entire criic Family .
For years the criic Family Group has met monthly . In our meetings we talked about our sons , nephews , brothers , and friends who were locked up . Our hopes were that one day they might be released . We shared stories of when they were young , how they were surviving in prison , and tales of their accomplishments and struggles . These were dark years , where there was no hope , only years and years of visiting