From The Producers Of Uncuffed

Most of the stories that I've produced for Uncuffed have been of a serious nature, often dealing with personal issues of national interest. But this time I wanted to do a lighter, more entertaining story, about gangster arborist Jeffrey Mercado livin' that tree life.

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.

From the project Uncuffed:

The Reed brothers, Jesse and Greg, came to prison as crime partners. Jesse was the shooter and his little brother Greg was just there to rob. They both got life sentences, with the opportunity to parole.

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.

At San Quentin State Prison, there are a variety of spaces for incarcerated people to practice their faith or spirituality. The sweat lodge serves as a space for the Native American population.

From the project Uncuffed and San Quentin Radio:

There are about a hundred people in San Quentin state prison who identify as Native American. One of those people is Eldridge Leigh Yazzie. He's Navajo and has been incarcerated for 27 years. Native Americans like Yazzie have the right to practice their spirituality in prison. But sometimes the rules of prison conflict with their spiritual practices. 

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.

Content warning: this story contains descriptions of violence and abuse.

From the project Uncuffed:

In my time in prison I have noticed that a lot of the men around me are incarcerated for some form of domestic violence. Floyd Henley is one of those men. Throughout his stay, he has not only attempted to change himself, but has changed the lives of many of the people around him.

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.

From the series Uncuffed:

Kenny Gage is a music teacher I’ve known on these prison yards since the ‘90s. White-haired and unassuming, he gives his knowledge and experience of music freely. Kind of hard to believe he’ll die in prison because of a life-without-parole sentence.

From the series Uncuffed:

Like many people in prison, Chris Turgeon is complicated. He plays guitar and saxophone. He sings like an angel. And he’s also an alleged cult leader.

Content warning: this audio contains descriptions of childhood sexual abuse.

From the series Uncuffed: Only after coming to prison did Javier Wesson and Tyrone Binkley see their childhood experiences for what they were: sexual abuse at the hands of family members.

Deondre Hudson always wanted to be like Superman. In prison, he got his wish. He leads a group of men who follow the teachings of Superman and the mythology of the planet Krypton.

From the series Uncuffed:

Sanyika Shakur, formerly known as “Monster” Kody Scott, is getting out of prison. While incarcerated in 1993, he published “Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member,” which made him famous.

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.

From the series Uncuffed:

Willie Woods lives for football. It runs in the family. His great uncle even played in the first Super Bowl. Willie's love of football took him all the way to the Greenbay Packers training camp. Now incarcerated, he lives out his dreams through the prison’s flag football team.

Roderick Hall got a life sentence for killing his brother. He says he only did it to save the life of someone else he loved just as much.

I know how it feels to be whipped with a water hose, extension cord and tree branch. Like me, Joey Pagaduan uncovered his physical abuse. We both found solace in the arts.

From the series Uncuffed:

I found acting in prison, and Steve Drown had acted most of his life through high school and college. One actor from the desert and the other from the city.

From the series Uncuffed:

When Mart Meiel was a kid, he heard his grandmother’s voice saying he would go to Alcatraz for twice as long as Al Capone. For years, he dismissed the idea. Alcatraz closed down. Then one day, Mart got a clue from an unlikely place.

Uncuffed is produced by men at Solano State Prison. Learn more about them here.

From the series Uncuffed:

As a child, Francisco Magaña was afraid of his mother. She would beat him, and he’s carried that pain with him for the rest of his life. In this interview, Francisco opens up about his relationship with the woman who raised him.

From the series Uncuffed:

Throughout his troubled life, the guitar has been Joseph Kaufman’s constant companion. When he landed in prison, he discovered what he needed to change was with him the entire time.

From the series Uncuffed:

Maimon Pony’s career as a pianist was cut short by drug addiction. In Solano State Prison, he keeps practicing and waits for his release.

From the series Uncuffed:

Michael Dorrough was sent away for life in 1985 on a murder charge he still disputes. He spent 26 years in a cell with almost no human contact.

From the series Uncuffed:

Oscar Grant Jr. is incarcerated at Solano State Prison. Ten years ago, a BART officer killed his son, Oscar Grant III. A new report contradicts that officer’s defense.

A lockdown happens when correctional officers decide there is a threat to the safety and security of a prison. That might be a fight, an assault, or a race riot. So what's it like in a lockdown? 

From the series Uncuffed:

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

From the series Uncuffed:

Wilbert Stoneham has been incarcerated since the 70s – a time when prisons were especially dangerous, guards were particularly unpleasant, and Stoneham was one of their targets. He had a terrible relationship with the “watchers” which continued for over 40 years ... until the day he died.