Episode 46

The Prison Post #46 Tommy DeLuna, LWOP Sentence, Now Free!

Published on: 24th March, 2022

Welcome to The Prison Post Podcast! Our guest this week is Tommy DeLuna who was sentenced to Life Without The Possibility of Parole (LWOP). Tommy was charged at the age of 17 for a murder robbery, convicted at 18 and sentenced at 19 to LWOP. Being sentenced to LWOP is essentially giving someone a slow death sentence. He served 25 years and has been out for a little over 2 years, holds two jobs, co-owns a business, and attends Sacramento State University. He's a busy man to say the least and I was honored to have my friend on The Prison Post Podcast.

Tommy shares his story, accountability, remorse, and responsibility. Tommy is very remorseful and takes responsibility for the life he took, and although he never had an intention to murder, the results equated to an LWOP sentence. Society expects us to be honest about what we did and what we caused while going through the court system, but why would anyone want to be honest when the results that come from honesty result in sentences like LWOP.

We had a detailed conversation about what it was like for him to be incarcerated for over two decades with LWOP. He shares his current values and beliefs about LWOP and the death penalty. He shares what he believes about the punishment model California's prison system utilizes and what's happening around related LWOP laws today.

If you have a loved one with LWOP, you don't want to miss this episode.

It’s tough to maintain hope with LWOP, but he maintained hope behind prison walls and razor wire. He generously shared how he came to be free and he had shared special messages for family and loved ones of the incarcerated sentenced to LWOP.

Please subscribe, like, and leave us a comment. Please consider donating to our work at CROP Organization so we can continue to provide shows like this and reimagine reentry by investing in people over punishment. Donate here: https://croporganization.org/

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About the Podcast

The Prison Post
Transforming Lives and Healing Communities by Reimagining Reentry
The Prison Post is a podcast interviewing leaders in the criminal justice reform, restorative justice, and social justice movements. In addition, we share the transformational stories of the currently and formerly incarcerated and highlight what CROP Organization is doing by reimagining reentry for returning citizens.
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About your host

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Richard Mireles

With a Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Management from California Coast University, Richard is a dynamic public speaker and expert communicator with Advanced Leadership and Communication certifications with the world recognized Toastmasters International. Having spent over 21 years inside of CDCR, Richard made abundant contributions as a cofounder of the Inside Solutions think-tank and lead intern for the CROP Organization’s programs offered within institutions. An inspiring leader and powerful orator with over 35 transformational coaching seminars and workshops, Richard possesses the uncanny ability to capture a room's attention while conveying impactful messages to any audience. He has an advanced certification as an Alcohol and Other Drug counselor (receiving a certificate of recognition from the California State Senate for his contributions to the recovery community) and was the only known incarcerated person to earn the status of associate trainer for John Maxwell’s EQUIP Leadership and its Million Leader Mandate.