Chanthon Bun caught the coronavirus at San Quentin Prison during one of the worst outbreaks in the country. On top of the usual challenges people face when they parole, Bun had to deal with COVID recovery, survivor's guilt, and the fear that ICE would put him back in a different kind of prison.
Unconfined is a new special series that features Uncuffed producers navigating life after incarceration.
"You're free, but you're not free. I hate the feeling that I have to watch over my back while I'm trying to learn to be free."
Today’s episode was hosted by Chanthon Bun, edited by Ninna Gaensler-Debs and Eli Wirtschafter, and engineered by Gabe Grabin and James Rowlands. Our theme music is by David Jassy.
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The interviews with Chanthon Bun were first aired on July 7 with the headline “San Quentin Has The Worst COVID Outbreak In California. Chanthon Bun Was There" and on August 17 with the headline, "I Feel So Bad For My Friends That I Left Behind. Chanthon Bun Reflects On His Freedom.”
As of September 8, 11,388 people in California state prisons have been infected with COVID-19, and 59 have died. 19,714 people have been released from to slow the spread of the virus, but the prisons are still almost 12 percent over capacity.
KALW’s radio training program in California prisons is supported by the California Arts Council, with funding from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The producers fact-check content to the best of their ability. This episode was not reviewed by CDCR.
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