WOODSON: They told me that my son was murdered - well, killed. He had served 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. Accuracy and availability may vary. E WOODS: Right, right. In 2018, California governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne Woods' sentence, citing Ear Hustle as a significant contributor to his reformation as an American citizen. Not one bit, you know? Williams, 29, has served more than 10 years on a 15-year sentence for armed robbery. E WOODS: (Laughter) Not no time soon, no. GROSS: A job because you thought it was, like, your only source of income? Earlonne, congratulations on life outside of prison. [8][9][16] Vulture's Nicholas Quah noted a particular story a prisoner told about a frog in episode three: "a moment of levity in a setting often described in the worst of terms, a productive kind of conversation between the specificities of a person and the overpowering context of his incarceration. Poor's teaching work led her to a vast archive filled with photographs taken from life inside the prison that she began using in . Jerry Brown commuted his 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted armed robbery. [3], Woods completed his General Educational Development in prison, as well as vocational courses such as auto mechanics. GROSS: So something I found really interesting is that the group that is multicultural and not segregated by race or ethnicity is the group that's into, like - the nerds, the group that are into, like, sci-fi fantasy and stuff like that. Elevated Entertainment LLC; Host: Hard in the Paint w/Aaron Showtime Taylor. I find it invigorating. You end thinking, like, here's this guy who's very self-actualized. So I believe that crimes have sentencing under them. Governor Jerry Brown commuted his sentence in November, and Woods regained his freedom after serving 21 years of his sentence. I think my mother told me she loved Jesus more than she loved me. And I - I observed Earlonne a lot. Jerry Brown is releasing Woods from San Quentin State Prison after two decades behind bars. They surrounded Tyler around a - at a apartment building, where he was trying to climb up to the roof. But the law don't see your rehabilitation. [3][4] In 1997, at the age of 25, he was arrested for attempted second degree robbery. [1][2] Since his release, Woods has continued to co-host the podcast with Poor from outside prison, with Poor recording some parts in San Quentin with new co-host Rahsaan "New York" Thomas. GROSS: That was Governor Jerry Brown interviewed by my guests Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor. I'm Terry Gross. E WOODS: It is - they see something that I can't see. WOODS: That's something that a lot of us behind bars fantasize about - getting out and leading a normal life. He says, I need to speak with you. He's able to call me collect. Therefore, Earlonne has accumulated a decent fortune over the years. E WOODS: And she even got mad at me the other day E WOODS: 'Cause I left dinner with everyone, and I went to the movies by myself to go see "Vice" (laughter). He and Nigel are also the authors of This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book that was inspired by the podcast and released by Crown/Random House. What keeps your hopes up? So for me internally, I started my change. Our associate producer for digital media is Molly Seavy-Nesper. And Nigel is also a professor of photography at California State University. I had to really work through it and think about it. He said Woods has clearly shown that he is no longer the man he was when he committed the crime. , after serving 21 years of a 31-years-to-life sentence. TREVOR WOODS: You know, so Tyler was out there trying to grow up on his own, trying to be something that he didn't know nothing about. Also Read: Earlonne Woods, . [17], Last edited on 21 December 2022, at 04:36, "Host Of The Prison Podcast 'Ear Hustle' Reflects On His 27 Years Behind Bars", "After parole, podcast producers are turning skills learned in prison into paying gigs", "Prison-produced podcast 'Ear Hustle' lets you listen to real stories of incarcerated life", "The story of "Ear Hustle", a podcast made by prisoners at San Quentin", "Podcast on prison stories wins PRX backing", "California inmate Walter 'Earlonne' Woods takes unlikely path to freedom: A popular podcast called 'Ear Hustle', "With eyes on the inside, 'Ear Hustle' makes the big time with its look at prisoners", "Earlonne Woods, Co-Host Of 'Ear Hustle' Podcast, Gets Prison Sentence Commuted", "San Quentin's Breakthrough Prison Newsroom", "This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Earlonne_Woods&oldid=1128635338, This page was last edited on 21 December 2022, at 04:36. Once the details concerning Earlonnes marital status are available we shall update. And you have another 11 to go. Copyright 2019 NPR. We get - I mean, it's - you know, it's - we're just E WOODS: You're able to go out now. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. And that's the only way of life that you're accustomed to 'cause that's all you see. GROSS: If you're just joining us, my guests are Earlonne Woods and Nigel Poor, the co-hosts and co-producers of the podcast Ear Hustle. The podcast title, Ear Hustle, is prison slang for eavesdropping or being nosy. All rights reserved. Namcy Wong. In fact, when I walk through the yard, one of the things I really like is that people make eye contact. But I just - just took a course that was - seemed cool to me at the time. And so I want to play an excerpt of that. It destroys hope, and it violates the principle that redemption is at the essence of what it is to be human. So it be at prison, I'm going to enjoy my day every day because at the end of the day, this is all I got, you know? POOR: That's his obsession. And her son had attended a party. So on December 7, 1994, I murdered my ex-girlfriend, the mother of my now-25-year-old daughter. I pretty much raised Tyler from '95 to '97, when I got arrested. Jerry Brown (D) has commuted the prison sentence of Earlonne Woods, whose hit podcast Ear Hustle explores life inside San Quentin State Prison. "[12] Woods later traveled to thank Brown and interview him for the podcast. Nigel Poor assures us the podcast will continue with Earlonne contributing stories from the outside. Woods helped create Ear Hustle while incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. Earlonne continues to co-host the show with Nigel. But to hear the very next day that he was killed - and my mother is who told me. Vice President . [6] While in San Quentin, Woods was unpaid for his work on Ear Hustle, though fans would often send him money. POOR: Oh, plus, I - we get to see each other in all different color clothing because POOR: In prison, Earlonne always had to wear blue. And, Earlonne, since you served so much time, let's start with you. POOR: I know. So I gave him, you know, a handshake with as much emotion as I could muster POOR: Appropriately. So I still had a 17-year-old mentality. GROSS: So can I ask you an honest question? And so being in prison has just really altered that. They struck him 19 times, killing him. I was questioning everything. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). Jerry Brown", "The story of "Ear Hustle", a podcast made by prisoners at San Quentin", "Ladies and Gentlemen: Your Podquest Semifinalists", "Prison-produced podcast 'Ear Hustle' lets you listen to real stories of incarcerated life", "San Quentin's Breakthrough Prison Newsroom", "After parole, podcast producers are turning skills learned in prison into paying gigs", "This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life", "Why the podcast revolution is here to stay", "Ear Hustle Is an Utterly Fascinating Look at Prison Life", "Announcing the Winners of the 2019 Discover Pods Awards", "Announcing the winners of the 2020 Discover Pods Awards", "2019 iHeartradio Podcast Awards: Full List of Winners", "With eyes on the inside, 'Ear Hustle' makes the big time with its look at prisoners", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ear_Hustle&oldid=1134158700, "Ear Hustle Extra: Antwan Williams, Journeyist", "Ear Hustle Extra: In It for the Long Haul", "Ear Hustle Extra: A Call From Sacramento", "Ear Ear Hustle Presents: My Mother Made Me", This page was last edited on 17 January 2023, at 07:55. And then, I always say that, you know, a lot of people that volunteer - people like Nigel Poor, people like other volunteers that volunteer inside of prisons - are on the frontline of public safety because these are the people that's coming in and is trying to show you a different way of life or trying to help you understand differently, think differently. Nigel first started going to San Quentin as a volunteer teaching photography. He and Nigel are also the authors of This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book that became inspired by the podcast and released by Crown/Random House. [5][15] In 2020, alongside Poor and co-host Rahsaan Thomas, Woods was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. And your brother is still in San Quentin. GROSS: Yeah. Los Angeles, CA. "When. I probably was like 14. WOODSON: I used to work for the captain at CIW in the program office. [9][7] Ear Hustle was the first podcast entirely recorded and produced inside a prison. Why didn't you invite me (laughter)? [16] In 2021, Woods and Poor co-authored the book This Is Ear Hustle. In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times, Lexi Mainland wrote "The runaway hit Ear Hustle never takes a broad look at criminal justice policy or employs Voice of God narration. Earlonne is of white ethnicity and American nationality. So we're going to strike you out this time. In April 1989, a drive-by shooting in San Francisco, CA, left at least 11 people injured, and 2 people dead. [12][13][14] Since his commutation, Woods has become involved in campaigns to repeal California's three strikes laws. Jerry Brown. And when I went to prison, it was pretty much the California Department of Corrections, and there was not a rehabilitation on the name then. He's been behind bars for more than 20 years. You know, when I was out for the two years 10 months, I raised Tyler, you know? [5] The show features interviews with inmates who share their stories and opinions on topics like cellmates, solitary confinement, race, morality, pets, religion, gangs, and family. POOR: I don't ask unless it comes up as part of the story. With grace and humor they walk through what life is really like behind bars, showing the humanity and depth of those they meet inside." --Catherine Burns, artistic director, The Moth "I listen to Ear . Do you usually know what somebody is in for and do you ask, or is that considered wrong to ask? Shes holding on. Redmond O'Neal is a voice actor, Hollywood celebrity, and Star Kid from the United States. I'm pretty shy. And that's pretty much what I did. POOR: You get a lot of calls from guys at San E WOODS: I get a lot of 15-minute calls from prison. Earlonne became busy reporting on re-entry stories and daily life for originally incarcerated people, while also documenting his own experiences. "[8] In particular, she praised Williams' "evocative, pitch-perfect sound design". It was so kick-back and cool, meaning I take advantage of all these moments now. So I think I understand more the complexity and the pressures and inside I get to see men relating in very heartfelt ways. SHAPIRO: That's Earlonne Woods from the podcast "Ear Hustle." And it might help you. Why we living like we don't care - because this is somehow how we grew up and how - since as early teenager we've been living in the streets, in the gangs. Like, me personally, what I took away from a lot of things is that, yeah, I may have robbed a person for, let's say, $1. Earlonne Woods is the co-creator, co-host, and co-producer of Ear Hustle (PRX & Radiotopia). GROSS: So Tyler's father, your brother, is still in San Quentin during the final year that you were in San Quentin. You're sitting across from law enforcement. But we knew that, you know, it's traditional for the governor to do these commutations right before Thanksgiving. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College, and completed many vocational programs. In November 2018, Woods' sentence was commuted by California governor Jerry Brown. You know, they playing with guns or whatever have you. Redmond O'Neal is the son of American actor Ryan O'Neal and Farah Fawcett (an America. I'd still be sitting in San Quentin in a cell with my brother. But very quickly, when we started talking about photography - I was teaching a history of photography class - that kind of melted away. FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. In 1997, Earlonne was sentenced to thirty-one years to life in prison. And you really get a better understanding of your impact that you've personally had on people in society. He does not, however, expose his wife's identity to the public. POOR: OK. This is what we work for because there comes a moment in every person in prison's life where the light switch go on. He and Nigel Poor began the podcast Ear Hustle when Earlonne was a prisoner in San Quentin. I was going to Nigel's house the other day, and I was an hour early. So I'm going to enjoy. And so we just started talking, and I realized that he was interested in thinking about how we could do interviews from more of an artistic perspective and not as journalists. And they open fired on him. And he used to come see me, you know, a lot. Woods learned of his commutation the day before Thanksgiving. GROSS: So this gets back to something you were just saying. They said that, hey, when you went to jail when you were 17 - yeah, it was one time, but there was two convictions in that case. I felt like in Earlonne I found a true professional colleague. We don't really do stories about people's crimes at all. And that surprised me greatly. So now we're - I mean, we're friends, and we're colleagues. I think it's about probably 20 people from there that call me collect. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. E WOODS: So I think that goes into, like, what they call politics in prison and where, you know, you may have certain prisons that it matters what you're in prison for like - and it's a difference on a race level. So you'll never get the opportunity to be in front of people to present the person that you are today. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. And the officer came back, was like, you're too tall for that name. So even though I'm hearing stuff and then I'm talking to him, he playing - he downplaying it. GROSS: My guests are Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods, the creators and hosts of the podcast Ear Hustle about life inside San Quentin Prison. Yes, he was quiet, but he was always present. Woods has served 21 years of a 31 to life prison sentence. GROSS: To stay sane in a situation like that. Usually, you can't go back into a correctional facility on parole. GROSS: This is FRESH AIR. When I called my mother, she told me this, right? What's it like to not care about the person who you're robbing or the person who might be killed by a stray bullet? NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. I don't think I have the vision to see it. He is 49 years old. Earlonne was born in 1972, in the United States. I told him that constantly. GROSS: That Tyler was killed while they were in prison. GROSS: And you basically just described your own situation when you were incarcerated because you got 31 to life for attempted second-degree robbery. Earlonne was both co-host and inmate. They're waiting to get inside a club, and somebody from way across the street just shoot into the crowd, hit him in the heart, right? So we do stories about life inside prison. And I think - I didn't - I didn't become accustomed to the lifestyle of working or having a job, you know? And it's fine. Earlonne is a brother to Shala Woods. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. He also founded CHOOSE1, which aims to repeal the California . And to hear - to take that in and to not be afraid and to not judge a person but to, like, sit with it and think about it and think about this was 30 years ago, like I just - I had to do a lot of work around that. I'm on a podcast. And I mean, we just knew that was the call. And it was very hard for that to not change the way I felt about him. NIGEL POOR: You know, E, you've been in prison 20 years. While incarcerated, he received his GED, attended Coastline Community College and completed many vocational trade programs. And you've said in the past that he was always the quietest person in the room, but you could tell he was a good observer. Woods was serving a 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted 2nd degree robbery due to a three-strikes law before having his sentence commuted in 2018. He went up there. And it's the way people would hope other people think that, hey, OK, I've done my time. In 2020, Ear Hustle was named a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in audio reporting the first time the . You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Nigel Poor and Earlonne Woods are gifted storytellers, and their ability to draw intimate, authentic stories out of others is extraordinary. We'll be right back. Ear Hustle was selected from 1,537 submissions, securing the funding for a 10-episode first season. Nigel, I want to play an excerpt of an episode that you were very prominent in. No, people get up to a thousand years to life for something that they've done in their past. And the assumption is that what you did at that moment is what you are today even though it's five years, 10 years, 20, 30 years later. Nigel Poor is a professor of photography at California State University in Sacramento. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham. He understood human nature. He and Nigel are also the authors of This Is Ear Hustle: Unflinching Stories of Everyday Prison Life, a book that was inspired by the podcast and released by Crown/Random House. We'll be right back. GROSS: Tomorrow on FRESH AIR, my guest will be writer Sigrid Nunez. His sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown in November. And E WOODS: And of course I enjoy all the little moments. He received a sentence of 31-years-to-life. So you recorded interviews with Trevor and Tyra talking about how difficult it is to maintain a relationship with your child when you're incarcerated and how difficult it is to help them stay out of trouble. And it has made me - it has made me care about men so much more. I'm not doing this. Something you were just saying they see something that I ca n't go back a. 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Back into a correctional facility on parole made me - it has made -! 7, 1994, I need to speak with you [ 12 ] Woods later traveled to thank and!
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