From The Producers Of 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.

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.

Eric "Maserati E" Abercrombie is a 25-year-old guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He's been in prison for eight years. In August, he’s due to get out.

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.  

From the series Uncuffed:

Carlos Muñoz had been incarcerated for more than 20 years when he finally found his calling—crochet. He started out in hiding, embarrassed to crochet in front of other men. But over time, he brought his art into the light. Carlos shared the wisdom he’s learned from his crochet hooks.

From the series Uncuffed:

A lot of people are in prison for crimes related to marijuana. But some believe that cannabis could have kept them away from crime, and out of prison.

From the series Uncuffed:

When undocumented immigrants are released from prison they can face deportation. Charles Joseph, who was born in Fiji, says that is what will happen to him.

Some inmates say food in a prison's chow hall is tasteless and bland. But that's not the case when John Parratt — also known as Yah-Yah — is in the kitchen.

From the series Uncuffed:

Life without the possibility of parole — LWOP — is a sentence in some ways equal to the death penalty. It means you will spend the rest of your life in prison. The only reprieve is by a governor's commutation or pardon, which is as rare as snow in Barstow, California.

From San Quentin Radio:

Chanthon Bun is one of the incarcerated men at San Quentin who escaped the regime of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia as a child. He shares his story with one of the reporters at San Quentin Radio.