When I met Jack, he was a 77 year old exemplary prisoner who had been languishing behind bars for 20 years and counting.

Because he had refused to play ball with prosecutors, Jack told me how his constitutional rights were compromised.

He told me about government wrongdoing in the courtroom that really made my stomach turn, I was sickened.

I know little about law. Yet somewhere deep inside me I knew Jack was not supposed to still be in prison, that his life sentence was a mistake that could be rectified and was past time to do so.

Now honestly, I didn't know how I could know this. But I did.

I began doing the background research for Jack's biography, and this was a major turning point because it would ultimately lead to the revelation that would change everything. It forced me to reach into the farthest depths of my soul to muster the courage to speak up for the man really most everyone had forgotten. You know, courage I didn't even know I had.

I swear I don't think I could have summoned it for myself. I know I couldn't have but for Jack somehow, I found the inner strength and what I had to do.

He was a non violent offender, a self proclaimed pacifist, a caring tender soul who in no way resembled the cold hearted, bad boy, convicts are often portrayed to be. I must say that in addition to my driving need to take action on Jack's behalf, I felt a piercing unaccountable sadness, a heavy pre cognitive grief surrounding the yet unseen events that were to unfold around Jack's final life adventure and my joining him on this path. 

~ MayCay Beeler

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