On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing The Visiting Room Project, an initiative that invites people to sit face-to-face with men serving life without the possibility of parole. Nearly 5,000 people are sentenced to die in Louisiana prisons without any possibility of parole.
The Visiting Room Project is the largest collection of first person testimonials ever gathered from people serving this sentence. We’ll speak with two participants of the project who were recently freed and find out what it’s like to re-enter the world after decades behind bars.
Guests:
Marcus Kondkar, co-founder of The Visiting Room Project, associate professor and chair of the department of Sociology at Loyola University New Orleans, and director of the Loyola Prison Education Project
Terrence Guy, released from prison on June 15 after spending 28 years at Louisiana State Penitentiary
Anthony Hingle, released from prison in April, 2021 after spending 32 years at Louisiana State Penitentiary
Web Resources:
The Visiting Room Project: Introduction
The Guardian: An extraordinary story of forgiveness: from life without parole to finding grace
NOLA: Why does Louisiana sentence so many people to life without parole?
Huffington Post: When A Prison Sentence Of 10 Years And 6 Months Turns Into Forever
