How a 7-Year Prison Sentence Turns Into Over 100
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WBEZ reporter Shannon Heffernan brings us the story of Anthony Gay, who was sentenced to seven years in prison on a parole violation but ended up with 97 years added to his sentence. Gay lives with serious mental illness, and after time in solitary confinement, he began to act out. He was repeatedly charged with battery \\u2013 often for throwing liquids, like urine, at staff.\\xa0
\\n\\nGay acknowledges he did some of those things but says the prison put him in circumstances that made his mental illness worse \\u2013 then punished him for the way he acted. With help from Chicago-based lawyers, Gay appealed to the local state\\u2019s attorney. What happens when a self-described \\u201claw and order\\u201d prosecutor has to decide between prison-town politics and doing what he believes the law requires?\\xa0
\\n\\nFinally, host Al Letson speaks with Ear Hustle co-creator and co-host Earlonne Woods about the power of local prosecutors, including an upcoming recall election in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a recent episode from the Ear Hustle podcast that tackles the complicated politics of prison towns.
\\n\\nThis episode is a partnership with the podcast Motive from WBEZ Chicago.\\xa0
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