Stacey Torrance was only 14 years old when he was involved in the plans of his cousin and another man to commit a burglary that he did not know would end in a homicide. Despite his youth and the fact that he was not present for the killing, Torrance was convicted of the murder and sentenced to life without parole. Since then, he has found his passion working as an electrician. He makes 42 cents an hour doing this work for the prison and dreams of continuing this work on the outside. He is now 40 years old and has been in prison for all of his young life; he’s never paid a bill or driven a car.
Joe Ligon was arrested in 1953 at the age of 15 for participating in a brawl that ended in the stabbing deaths of two people. Despite the fact that Ligon is developmentally disabled, he was sentenced to life without parole, and has been in prison ever since. Now he’s 78 years old.
Freddie Nole, now 64 years old, is also a prisoner serving life without the possibility of parole for a homicide that he committed when he was 17 years old. Nole participates in community service projects, including a program he founded that helps prisoners build stronger relationships with their spouses and children. He has also won multiple community service awards, including the Spirit of Philadelphia, for his commitment to bettering his community. By all accounts, he has been reformed.
These stories represent just three of the approximately 300 people in Philadelphia's prison system who are serving life terms for crimes they committed as juveniles. They will be given a chance to argue for parole, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court. This could be a huge change in how Philly approaches juvenile sentencing.
