This past weekend I interviewed James Brown or "OG" as he's known inside.
About a month ago he was hanging out with people at Winslow park, which is located at the corner of Winslow and Pleasant street in Worcester. Two older white women shared some crack with them, and then walked away which seemed to be the green light for Worcester's Neighborhood Response Team because moments later Sergeant Jeremy Smith and Officer Alex Maracallo walked up and demanded they empty their pockets. Knowing he had nothing on him, James complied but despite only one of the four being in posession of any illegal substances, all four were booked on the same charge. Racist Alex demandes their names and social security numbers, and at first James provided an alias and told him he was "illegal" to which Racist Alex said to the group "well then we're gonna need to get Immigrations and Customs Enforcement over here". Knowing how violent they are and that it would raise the situation to a whole other level James then gave him his actual name. His charge from this incident is going to be dismissed, because his lawyer filed the right paperwork citing the letter of the law and the judge agreed, adhering to the law.
But this isnt his first interaction with the Worcester Police Department: He was originally charged with Murder One, and sentenced to spend the rest of his natural life behind bars for a shooting in 1982. Someone was robbing him, exiting an apartment with his property and they ran into each other on the stairwell. The robber shot at him with a .25 caliber pistol, James returned fire with a .357, discharging two shots. After being identified by witnesses he was arrested and jailed four days later at 17, then put in prison at 19.
Knowing the law he tried to plead down to manslaughter, but there was no wiggle room. He couldn't get past his anger and was coming at the courts in "a negative way". He was doing life with nothing to lose, after all, and insisted "shit didn't happen the way they were saying" when writing to the appeappeals court. Eventually he matured and started listening to his elders, people who were in prison with him, about "the right way". When he was 26, going on 27, the Massachusetts appelate court finally considered the facts - that it was self defense - and changed his charge and sentence, down from life to 18-20.
Now, due to problematic practices of Worcester's finest he is back in jail again. This time protective custody, because three sons of the man whose life he took are also in here. Knowing the charge will be dismissed he doesnt want to get into any fights while here because he knows from experience (30 days for slapping someone) that they're eager to add-on more charges and time when that happens.
When asked what he wants others to know from his experience, he says "Please, I don't know who is reading this, but don't let your anger get you in a situation that can cost you years of your life and years of regret. Please take heed of an old mans word, don't throw your life away - ten minutes of anger can turn into fifty years of hurt, frustration and lonliness with no happy days and then you're sixty still trying to find a place in this world"
Writers Note: Michael Manning, the Worcester Records Access Officer is currently withholding the bodyworn camera footage from this recent arrest, citing pending prosecution. While this is technically a lawful excuse, it seems to be one they only utilize to coverup officer lies.