This week, Naptown People’s Radio presents a special episode featuring a discussion between Derek Ford and our comrade Leon Benson—an artist, author, producer, exoneree, and a good friend of the people joins the show ahead of the official launch of “The Solitary Justice Project.”
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Before pivoting to the launch, which will take place at the Shri Thanedar Community Center in Detroit on February 28, they discuss the unfortunate circumstances that brought Leon to Indianapolis this weekend: the celebration of for comrade Kwame Shakur. About three years his junior, Leon recalls them growing up together. He tells one particular story in which Kwame attacked to Correctional Officers for mistreating a prisoner. He was charged with attempted murder and beat the case pro se. After his release, they kept in touch and Kwame dedicated his autobiography to Leon.
Leon served 25 years incarcerated for a crime the IMPD knew he didn’t commit and was the first person exonerated after the Marion County Conviction Integrity Unit’s founding. Much of that time was spent in solitary confinement, which brings the two to a discussion about the terror and trauma of the practice that is widely regarded as a human rights abuse and a violation of the UN’s Mandela Rules. While the stories of making it through solitary are inevitably triumphant, the degradation and suffering the state subjects our people to must be put to an end.
Leon and Derek discuss their own trauma as Leon breaks down the different kids, including chronic and vicarious, as well as collective.
Be sure to keep an eye on the Solitary Justice Project, make it to their Detroit debut if you can, or wait until it makes its ways to Indianapolis as it inevitably will.
Show notes
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Featured image: Leon Benson speaks at the launch of Shaka A. Shakur’s book, Manifestations of Thought, at The People’s Forum in New York City.