After serving 20 years in Angola for a murder he didn’t commit, my friend is home.

Posted on by bayoucreole

 

me and jerome morgan
Bayou Creole and Jerome Morgan

Jerome Morgan went to Angola State Penitentiary at the age of 17 for a murder he did not commit.

I remember that day all too vividly.

It was a horrible day for our entire neighborhood.

Jerome is a very good friend of one of my brothers, but you know  how it is when your brother has friends that are always around…pretty soon they become extended family.

And that’s what he is to me…one more brother added to the branch. We all grew up in the same neighborhood and Jerome was always such a sweet kid.

Which is why we knew from day one that they had the wrong person when they carted him off to prison.

And sentenced him to life without parole for murder.

Thanks to the Innocence Project of New Orleans, he is now a free man. If you want to read the story, you can find it here.

He was let out of prison in 2014, but the D.A. had plans to appeal and retry him. However in 2016, the D.A. decided to drop the appeal.

Thank goodness.

The nightmare is over for him. He can  now go and live the rest of his life out in peace and love.

When he hugs me, I cry.  It’s a hug that says “I never thought I’d hug you again, I’m so happy to be hugging you right now.” He never wants to let me go, I always have to break the hug.

I think he’s still amazed by the fact that he’s a free man now.

20 years is a long time to be locked down for something you didn’t do. And to be at “the Poderosa” at 17 years old…I can’t even imagine.

It didn’t break his spirit though. He’s just as sweet as he was before his entire life was turned upside down. He now has his own barber shop  and he mentors young kids.

I’m so proud of that dude.

Welcome home Rome…we love you.