ABOUT

We don’t use “expert” bios and talking heads to legitimize our work. We don’t need to. Our formula is simple: We center the voices of the men and women devastated by America’s 3 Strikes Drug Law. With raw grit and profound grace, their voices lead this conversation. We are non-partisan. We believe partisanship is privilege.

Our singular mission is to expose and dismantle life sentences in drug cases.

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Listen. In My Own Words.

Juvenile Mistakes

Part one

A childhood no one would want

"The neglect I saw growing up was so common. It was everywhere."

- Reflecitons of Christpher McGee

No one standing in the courtroom the day of Christopher McGee’s sentencing would have wanted to relive his young life. The child of crack-addicted parents, Christopher was a son of the drug epidemic before he ever perpetuated it.

Christopher remembers many days when his mother took the family’s money to buy drugs at the crack house next door. He remembers days where he wouldn’t see her at all. He remembers feeling responsible for his sisters.

First strike

SECOND
strike

THIRD
strike

Age 15 - Christopher delivered a controlled substance as a juvenile.

Sentence:

PROBATION

Download Case File

PART TWO

THE TRAP

"They filed a Third Strike against me on the morning of my trial. Mandatory life without parole. My life felt like it was over at that point."

- Reflections of Christopher McGee

Chris wrote a letter to the judge complaining that his lawyer was not prepared for his trial.

Christopher’s first strike occurred in 2000 when he was just 15 years old. He delivered a controlled substance and was sentenced to 2 years' probation, which notably included a condition that he attend a youth program.

Christopher’s second strike occurred in 2002 when he was 17 years old. He delivered less than 15 raisin-sized grams of cocaine and was sentenced to 5 years in state prison.

Christopher’s third strike happened he was 24 years old. He was convicted of distributing 1.5 bricks of crack in Iowa. The deck was stacked against him the day he walked into court. The morning of his trial, the federal prosecutor filed a 3 Strikes Enhancement that required the judge to sentence Christopher to life without parole in federal prison.

First
strike

SECOND strike

THIRD
strike

Age 17 - Christopher delivered less than 15 grams of cocaine.

Sentence:

5 years in custody

Download Case File

PART THREE

BREATHING WHILE BURIED ALIVE

"I am fighting for my life."

-Reflections of Christopher McGee

Chris at his GED graduation in federal prison

With no certainty that he will ever be released from prison, Christopher earned his GED in federal prison. He continues to have hope that he won’t spend the rest of his life buried alive.

First
strike

SECOND
strike

THIRD strike

Age 24 - Christopher sold cocaine as part of a drug ring. The federal prosecutor filed a Third Strike Enhancement on the morning of his one-day trial.

Sentence:

life

Download Case File

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Banished is a digital storytelling project brought to you by:

Web Development, Branding & Content Design

Supporters

Christopher McGee

A childhood no one would want

THE TRAP

BREATHING WHILE BURIED ALIVE

Perry Malone