I Can Barely Breathe, by WILLIAM CARTER

The air is suffocating with the intoxicating culture of racial inequality.
More than 400 years after black people were deemed full people with rights, being black still equates to living a life full of tension, anxiety, and uncertainty. I remain incarcerated 11 years after committing a crime attempting to (rob a gas station) under the influence of my addiction -crack. Everyday is a new day of fear and uncertainty I am uncertain the next time I will be given an opportunity to be reunited with my family and friends and redeem myself in the eyes of the gas station owner, employee, and those who society deems right and the righteous. Because of my conduct, I have been part of a correctional system that routinely sentences black men like me more than 5 times of that for white people for the very same criminal conduct I accept full responsibility, for my decision to put myself in a put to become an addict and substance abuser, but I fully believe my sentence was far too extreme. There was no loss of life, child molestation, or rape, three of the most henious crimes that can be perpetrated against humanity.

I am Black man who has made mistakes, some small some big . However being being a black man, my mistakes are multiplied by society and a justice system built on a rock solid foundation of racism and discrimination. And any accomplishments of significance is dimished. The system of justice has never been intended on being just for those whhose skin has melonin like mine. Instead, the system has successfully condemmed, broken, and suffocated us with the purpose of taking our last breath. In the Lima, Ohio community, I was born a criminal wth two strikes against me–(1) being black, (2) being a malle. The bad decisions I made under the influence of my addiction coupled with the two strikes I was born into the world with have put me in position of being another Black male statistic. Today 11 years after my attempted theft/robbery, I remain in prison as a 50 plus year old balck male, at the mercy of a criminal Justice system which continues to view me as a criminal, and threat to society which was not created with me in mind. Everyday, I awaken incarcerated with a criminal justice system that has a figurative choke hold around my throat or a knee on my neck, whose intention is to incapacitate me well beyond the age of 60 yrs. old all disguised as the face of justice.

The Justice system’s racists and discriminatory ire towards blacks is displayed in courtrooms everyday during sentencing. While Black people receive excessive sentences like basketball scores on a consistent basis–76yrs, for non violent drug offenses, 26 yrs non-violent offense, 20 yrs. No one advocates for people of color who receive excessive charges which results in a inflated indictment when an overzealous prosecutor’s office offers empty promises of hope disguised as a plea deal. No one qestions how a white defendant with multiple sex related charges involving chidren charged with double digit counts ultimately having their charges reduced to a single sentence — 6yrs, 8yrs, 10yrs. on the high end for multiple counts but run concurrently so the most amount time served will be 10yrs.

Where is justice or rationale in the disproprtionately that rings in the halls of Justice in Lima, Ohio? How or why does the disparate treatment continue to exst in 2020? Please don’t take my word for it. Check the facts for yourself.
Review the records of the local daily news, and the community treatment center (W.O.R.T.H Center). Look at the residence of Whites v. Blacks as first time offenders. Black lives only matter in the statistics of mass incarceraration ensuring the wheels of injustice continue to warehouse black people in disproportionate numbers. In the wake of the current pandemic of covid -19, warehousing any inmate, but particularly a black male inmate with an underlying health condtion can become a potential death sentence for inmate 618-997.

As a stated at the onset, I am a Black male. I admit I made mistakes both big, and small. That said I am a human being worthy of being salvaged. My name is William Todd Carter. In May of 2009, I was convicted of attempted robbery/theft no weapon, no gun.
I received a 20 yr. sentence under the guise of a negotiated plea.Though I was under the influence of a drug induced blackout binge. I accept full responsibility for my actions. I am responsible for what I did. I have now had 11yrs. of self-rehabilitation and positive programming. I have done more than the Dept. of Rehabilitation expects of me, through substance abuuse treatment, other positive peer related programs, and organizations that I facilitate as a mentor, and cooridinator, I am the lowest level security an offender can achieve, my Instutional assesment reflects, me being a low risk offender. I have the endorsement for Judiciial Release of several community volunteers, and staff that I interact with daily at,
Allen/Oakwood Correctional along with the outside restorative justice community. To continue to deny me an opportunity for freedom is a denial of my “due process” rights, and a grave miscarriage of justice.

The 14th Amendement of the Constitution that gaurantees equal protection, and justice for all is just words when it involves blacks in the courtroom, when the punishment seemingly never ends and redemption and forgiveness never begins. When a Black man does a 360 degree turn around with regard to his chracter, and inegrity, do you keep your foot on his neck hoping he sffocates from hopelessness or do you give him oxygen (freedom) allowing him to breathe again? I am that man. I desire a chance to walk uprightly with a chance for judicial release, and a restored citizen just as a formerly incarcerated white inmates have. Can justice for all include black inmates in Lima, Ohio?

I need legal assistance, with a Criminal R.11 violation, and a non-qualifying RVO Specification.

WILLIAM CARTER
DOC #A618997