What good can a prisoner do? Study hard in prison and find a good job and help others after getting out of prison?? What if you have a life sentence with no chance of parole? Wallow in hopelessness?
Not this prisoner... He will be staying in the prison for the rest of his life. Yet he's teaching Harvard Law School through a speaker phone, trying to do what he can to change the future lawyers. All because he got an unfair sentence with the "help" of an overworked attorney.
"O'Bryant was determined to change those odds. He taught himself the law and is now teaching law students a lesson that can't be found in any textbook.
"We have to deal for the rest of our lives with what happens in that courtroom," he says. "And it's very important that they do what they can."
"He's reminded us of how important it is to really provide adequate meaningful counsel for those who are unable to obtain it," says Harvard Law student Lauren Smith, who's class has been lectured by O'Bryant.
O'Bryant's presence at Harvard has transformed the career goals of many students.
"They're giving up Wall Street, high salaries and all sorts of professional prestige and praise, to make sure that what happened to Chris O'Bryant does not happen on their watch," says Ogletree, the students' professor.
"I think it's something my career in the law is going to be focused on, is trying to find ways to give people a voice that don't have voices," adds Farbman, the review editor.
O'Bryant taught himself the law, filing handwritten appeals from behind prison walls. When his efforts failed, he focused his attention on helping fellow inmates appeal their own cases.""
Read the whole story here.
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