#THREE STRIKES MOVIE FREE#

#THREE STRIKES MOVIE FREE#

All told, Jones profiles 5 of the 33 people the Decarceration Collective has managed to free as of 2019. She may have changed her father’s circumstances, but the psychological toll on the whole family is everlasting.Īnother emotional story line follows Alton Mills, a man who served 22 out of 23 years for possession of marijuana before Obama commuted his sentence in 2015. She tearfully recalls all-nighters in law school where she used the image of her dad rotting in a cage as motivation to drink more coffee and carry on. She doesn’t regret the long road she’s taken but a part of her mourns the life she would have had growing up with her father at home. During a particularly emotional scene in the film, she reveals that she became a lawyer specifically to fight Three Strikes and bring her father home. It’s a rude awakening but that’s precisely what this country needs right now.įor Brooks, the fight is personal. If that’s a surprise to you, sit with it for a minute. She also points out that for many of the Collective’s clients, the first system that paid any attention to them was the criminal justice system. “You don’t get to put someone in jail for life without taking who they are into account,” says Bahhs. Bahhs explains that the Three Strikes Law tried to erase their multitudes and punish people for the circumstances that drove them to make mistakes. They are parents, brothers, sisters, artists, workers, scholars, and partners. Jones introduces us to each of the Wonder Women in the Collective, including attorneys Cody, Amanda Bash and LaSheda Brooks as well as Community Architect Bella Bahhs, who does a fantastic job of iterating how the black community has been devastated by Three Strikes. But they are nonetheless thrilled with the results. After all, they did most of the leg work. The Decarceration team graciously roll their eyes at the celebs taking credit. Jones captures Senator Cory Booker meeting with Douglas after his release. Trump signed the bill, which immediately resulted in the release 17 people. Kardashian became a celebrity spokesperson for the First Step Act of 2019, along with Senator Cory Booker. Ironically, these same people can, in part, thank Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump for righting these wrongs. Their fates were at the whims of whatever judge they ended up with, instead of a jury of their peers. Because it meant a life behind bars, many low-income defendants would enter pleas instead of going to trial. These families can thank Bill Clinton and Joe Biden for “getting tough on crime” at the expense of their lives. The War on Drugs was disastrous for myriad reasons, but the most egregious effect was that it unfairly and disproportionately targeted low-income black men and led to a generation of families growing up with an incarcerated parent. There’s a ripple effect that spreads through their families and the generations that follow. And it’s not just the incarcerated who are affected. Federal Defense Attorney Miangel (Pronounced “My Angel”, and she is just that to her clients) Cody leads this real-life Justice League, working tirelessly to repair the many lives damaged by Three Strikes.

Their motto is to be “the best lawyers that money cannot buy”. It follows the Decarceration Collective, a team of superhero lawyers who work pro-bono to overturn the sentences of the law’s victims. Nicole Jones’ debut feature documentary, The Third Strike, is a must-see film that brings to light the absolute miscarriage of justice that is the Three Strikes law.

That’s how Edward Douglas, a family man who had never been to jail, ended up with a life sentence.

The problem is that at the time, narcotics possession (however minimal) was considered equivalent to armed robbery and murder. The Three Strikes law, enacted in 1994, was allegedly designed to manage repeat offenders of “serious crimes”. To wit, everyone is entitled to representation and a jury of their peers but those who can afford better lawyers are more likely to receive a verdict in their favor. The American judicial system has long exemplified Orwellian justice.

Three strikes movie