Guilty of being Innocent

I wish I was innocent. I wish I was that innocent man with a family out there giving their all to establish my freedom. I wish I was that innocent man with his mother out there doing Fund Raisers and making it known to the community that, "Hey, my son's innocent." I wish I had my face on newspapers saying how innocent I was, or had my classmates send me pictures and tell me I'm not forgotten.

But I'm not innocent; I'm guilty. I'm as guilty as guilty can be. And that innocent man out there, he's guilty too. Yeah, your read right, he's guilty! Guilty of being innocent.

And I realize that being innocent in prison ain't so great, 'cause, as long as you're here, you're guilty. The people that work here look at you and see that guilty sign written in your skin; the inmates think you're guilty 'cause they just see another one of them. Know matter what you're guilty, guilty until proven innocent.

All the cards and pictures, all the newspapers and fund raisers, all the "it's alright, we support you", it's all great to have them, but it's not enough. It's not sufficient enough to compare to the freedom he should have. But, instead of that freedom, he gets sorrow, solitude, loneliness, sadness, emptiness. This innocent man shouldn't have to suffer through the same things a guilty person like me does; he should be home with his mother and sister, enjoying a good night's sleep instead of laying on a 3 inch thick mattress.

Innocent man, I feel your pain; I know how it is to be in prison, but I don't know how it is to be an innocent man in prison. I wish I could do your time and buy back all your lost days, but I can't, I can't. But I want you to know that I care and I pray. And this poem is written just for you, innocent man.
Guilty of being innocent, guilty of being your own race. Rather let a hundred guilty men go free than condemn one innocent man.


return to Arthur Carmona
California Juvenile Justice Initiative
Zuniga case


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