Corbyn’s Interview Transcript
Isabella
Okay, it is recording now. Thank you both so much.
Corbyn
Well, funny that you say that, because I was talking to Holly today in the visiting room about the interview process stuff and recording, and you’re already prepared – so, that’s good. Well, a little bit about me is I’m not doing a prison sentence of life or life without. I do have a 30 year sentence with 10 years conditional release. So, at this time, it’s a 40 year sentence – which is pretty long. My 1st eight years were kinda rough, making bad choices – I was very, very lonely and in a dark place. So, I think that, for me, I am a blessed individual for being able to be led to Holly – it’s really a blessing, according to our faith, that God brought us together. I gotta put that out there first, and give that to God first. I really speak about how important family support is – and even just one person, one mentor, one brother, one sister, one somebody that is grounded in righteousness, or in faith – the strength and the power that that has for every individual that is incarcerated is deep. Or, like Holly, you know – having a support system that she can talk to, somebody she can rely on to talk about frustrations – issues and all that – that she’s going through personally by the separation that we have from these prison walls. And so, being able to have that support over these last 7 years, has been able to reveal the power behind all of that.
Isabella
Absolutely.
Corbyn
My discipline went from, every month, right? Over a 100 different incidents to basically zero. I’ve had, I think 4 maybe 5 in the last 7 years that were – not really incidents – that were about me being forced into a corner. One of the incidents, I did make a bad choice and did play a part in, but the other one, as a result of seeking help from staff, they made me choose to refuse to switch in instead of actually helping me. So, that plays a big role in the choices that I’ve made, my whole bit (incarceration sentence), right? I’ve sought help and I’ve been rejected since day one, right? There are many different occasions that I could go into details on, but that’s the gist of how poorly the staff position is in here. They don’t really want to help us unless they’re forced to. Even then, they are very decisive. So, I have grown as an individual, and for you – and this purpose here – I don’t know what kind of role that we would play being as I don’t have a life sentence, but I do know that I have been around long enough, I have come to meet many people. I am here to serve my community, so if I have the ability to advocate and assist in any kind of way – seeking out other lifers, encouraging them and and basically advocating and pushing for assistance and help and getting what you what you’re what you’re looking to get, right? Then I will be a part of that.
Holly
I think it would be important to share, since we have a shorter amount of time, what it would mean to you to be out – or, all the things you’re not able to do because you’re not out yet or what that looks like for you and how you feel about it.
Corbyn
Yeah, so, the idea behind that question I feel is important, because, being that I have changed, and I am ready for release in many, many different types of ways. My faith is the number one reason. I live my life today, the same way I would live it out in the world, where I am invested in building unity and strengthening my family, right? And spending my time according to what is righteous, so, I do nothing but spend my time on the phone, going to visits, preparing myself for my future – my future success. I utilize my skills right now in the community that I’m in, trying to encourage, uplift, and build – not only in the community around me – but the skills and what I need to be successful for when I get out. So if I am ready now, to be able to get out where I know for certain that I am not coming back, then there’s no reason for me to be inside of this prison. The other thing is – if there is a way – let’s bring up, you know, MRRA legislative driven programs like that, right? Or incentive release, CIP, work release and all this stuff. The restrictions are completely unfair and unequal to everybody. This denies us the opportunity for the people that are ready to be released – the opportunity to be released. So then it’s a waste of taxpayers money, and the impact that I could have on my family would be much greater. The impact that I could have on my health – physical, mental, spiritual, emotional health – in order to build my family up, instead of continuing where we’re at, where we’re slowly making progress; if I’m ready now to be able to make that major impact for the ones that I love – which will help me as a man, as an individual – to naturally accommodate my own leadership skills and what’s in my heart. To be fulfilled, I become that greater person.
Holly
Here’s something to mention, Corbyn, since you still have time to serve in there – it prevents you from having children – and it might permanently prevent you from having children the longer that it goes on, right? I know that that’s true for Heather, and other women with long sentences who want to get out to have children. How do you feel about the fact that if you have to do your full sentence, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll be having kids together?
Corbyn
Well, that is extremely important to me, to be able to have the opportunity to raise a child that is of my own blood. I love the kids that I have now with Holly, they’re her kids. But for me, I’ve dreamt my whole life to have kids. Or at least one, right? And so it means the world to me to be able to do that. If I find out I can’t have kids, because of Holly or me, one of us is unable to have kids, and it happens between the time right now where I should be out with MRRA, and when I do get out – that would crush me.
Isabella
Thank you for sharing. And can you talk a little bit more too about navigating the relationship with anyone you have on the outside and what it’s been like doing that while incarcerated?
Corbyn
Mhm. The importance of having that support system in your life – to be able to rely on somebody that is reliable – is important. Somebody that’s dedicated. Holly and I have been through many ups and downs, and we are still successful today and even stronger than we’ve been in the past. And so I really look forward to, and commend, that strength. But the other relationships that I’ve had, I – you know – the people that I’ve met in here or family, is, um, hit-miss, right? My sister, I talked to her, but not a lot has changed – since the day that I got locked up to now – in the growth that I have had with Holly, right? I’ve met many people, thousands of people since I’ve been locked up – and even built relationships with guys – and only one person that I met in 2014 has stayed in contact with me, and he’s been out of prison now for about 5 years or more. It’s very much to the idea that the system as it fits now is a complete failure because what programs do, there’s nothing to help us.
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Corbyn
There’s nothing to prepare us – physically, emotionally, mentally – for our futures. Our networking skills – our networking abilities to create relationships – all of that is diminished. So we don’t have those opportunities.
Holly
I love you, sweetie.
Isabella
Aww. And we so appreciate you calling Corbyn. We also want to ask if you would be interested in having this – I think your testimony is so beautiful and so powerful. If you’d be interested in having this recording featured on the website about your story, if we choose to do that. It’s really powerful to hear your words. We’d be happy to do another one too, and run it by you, send you the transcript and things like that for you to edit anything. But it really is so wonderful to talk to you and to hear your story.
Corbyn
Whatever we can do to help, I’m here.
Isabella
And whatever we can do to help, we’re here.
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