Uncuffed

The COVID-19 outbreak in prisons across California is still taking an incredible toll — not only on the people inside but on the families and friends of incarcerated people.

Joe Kirk is one of thousands released early from California prisons to slow the spread of COVID-19. The world he returned to was something he never prepared for.

Unconfined is a new series of special episodes that feature Uncuffed producers navigating life after incarceration.

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.

The COVID-19 outbreak in prisons across California is taking an incredible toll — not only on the people inside, but on the families and friends of incarcerated people. And because of the pandemic, our producers on the inside can’t access their recording equipment. So today, you’ll hear from the friends and family outside of prison, reading letters to their loved ones stuck on the inside.

Disease can spread quickly in prisons. In this special conversation from Uncuffed, the men of Solano Prison share their thoughts on the global coronavirus pandemic, and what it would mean if it came inside.

For those of us in prison, the holiday season can be a painful time. Many of us miss our families and our traditions. But it’s also a time when we get together with food and acts of kindness.

This is the last episode of our first season of Uncuffed. For the finale, we’re coming together for the holidays. You’ll hear from the guys at both Solano and San Quentin, and find out how we all get through this time of the year.

In 2012, Eric "Maserati-E" Abercrombie picked up the guitar and has been performing ever since. Today, the producers talk about the music that helped them through some of the most difficult moments of their life, and what tools they use to channel and understand their own pain.

This past August, he was released, at age 25. Now, he’s performing regularly. 

A lot of people want to get out of prison. This is the story of one bird that tried to get in.

Happy Thanksgiving from Uncuffed.

Gordon Melvin learned how to do yoga by watching TV. Soon, he was leading classes on the yard. Today, we’re talking about vulnerability, masculinity, and what it takes to put your ass in the air.

Cleo Cloman grew up in a two-parent household and had dreams of playing pro baseball. After a rocky relationship with his father, he lost his passion for the sport and found a new pursuit: the streets. He was convicted of murder, and spent over two decades behind bars. This is the story of how he rediscovered his love of baseball, and his father.

Remus Sam Langi is serving 38 years to life on a second-degree murder conviction. In prison, he’s become a guitarist and songwriter. And recently, he wrote a song about the people he harmed.

Uncuffed is made inside prison walls at San Quentin Prison and Solano State Prison in California. We share intimate stories of our struggles and triumphs, and of the heartache and forgiveness taking place within these walls.