By Mark Pence
I don’t remember a time when police weren’t a presence in my life. One of my earliest memories is sitting in a stroller at Shawnee Park watching folks from the neighborhood play basketball when we heard gunshots. My momma ran to push me out of the area, and I watched as LMPD rolled up with guns drawn, grabbing anyone they saw. It didn’t look like they were looking for anyone, just tackling the bodies they connected with and taking them down. It was chaotic and scary.
Two of my siblings lost their lives … one to gun violence, and the other to the opioid epidemic. The police were around for those life events, too. Police stopped me just for walking in the Highlands as a teenager. And there were always police in my school – my entire experience in Jefferson County Public Schools prepared me for getting locked up at 6th Street. The two institutions, to me, mirrored each other.
It felt certain that I would end up on the run from the law, with warrants following me everywhere I went. I found myself living out of my car, sometimes staying with a friend, and occasionally having the cash to pay for an extended stay hotel. I worked odd jobs, cutting hair and rapping for tips at open mics and talent shows.
Then, in 2023, I got connected with some community advocates from ChooseWell, and they told me about Amnesty Court. They didn’t just tell me about it; they made sure I showed up. They sent me reminders and made sure I had transportation. And I was scared to go, but I trusted these advocates and knew they wanted what was best for me.
When I walked out of court after getting my case redocketed and putting a plan in place to pay the fines I still owed, I felt amazing. It took weight I didn’t even realize I’d been carrying off my shoulders, and it allowed me to be honest and accountable for the other things I needed to do to get my life on the best track for me.
I didn’t go to amnesty court because I trusted the system – the system is too broken and it’s let me down too many times. I went because I trusted the people who wanted to get me there, who could see what I see now: a future where I never have to worry about court, or jail, again.
