Transcript
Dear, APWA I signed the paper's and mailed them off, maybe I do have a stage for my voice. Well, I am Yusuf A. Rahman - convicted in the state of Tennessee for Murder Attempt in the Second Degree. Went to trial in a state where the odds were greatly stacked against me. A racist judiciary system, both prosecution and attorney. It was like they were telling me I should of died. Are you still breathing. Let me clarify something before I begin. I am 59 yrs old now, yes I've had quiet a few run-in's with the law. I mean, I don't know any Black person from my neighborhood that did not foresee that event in their life taking place. I mean opportunity was limited for anything of benefit for many. Crime was the predominate opportunity. But to go to trial in the stat of Tennessee was like being presented with nothing but death or life in prison without a chance to prove my case. I was never heard by anyone. For me to watch the person that became known as the biggest liar in my circle of friends spin the most comical story of what happened shocked me when the prosecution struck down my defense and left nothing but his lying words to convict me. I was devastated. No more hope in a system that should of brought out the truth, but I quickly learned the truth was something that did not matter to them. I am just a niger. Get him out of here. I mean, I know you want me to write about prison and prison life, but lets look at the heart of this matter. I see a bunch of young black males in prison and jails. Mass incarceration is real, for me and my people. I look at these prison guards and I see the worst of the white population lording over me and most of them never probably seen a Black man until they came here to work. There like five or six generation prison guards. Yes, I am going to be treated bad. To them I should be dead. But they wouldn't have a job. George Floyd fresh in the grave and Covid-19 causeing problem's, I sit here still at peace searching for a ear that will hear my plea. I see that something is very wrong in America. Does anybody elese see this. Do I suffer, Yes, I suffer. My son has not see his daddy in many year's, why because a broken system that refuses to hear my words. I am hear because I chose to save my life. To me, it like they are saying you should of chose death. Ask me what is wrong and I will say, A Racist system that does'nt Care about me. Die nigga, Die! Yusuf A. Rahman, (Pen name)
