I WAS IN SHOCK BECAUSE I
REALLY DID NOT THINK THAT WAS
GOING TO BE THIS WAY.
Reporter: THE VET THINKS THE
STOCK WILL MAKE A FULL
RECOVERY.
SHE HAS A ROCKY ROAD FOR THE
NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT WE
EXPECTED TO DO VERY WELL.
SO BOTH DR. OKAY.
THEY ARE NOT IN THE CARE OF
ANIMAL CONTROL, AND
INVESTIGATORS ARE STILL TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THEY
BELONG TO HER.
Reporter: THE STORY OF
REHABILITATION AND REDEMPTION.
100 OF INMATES HAVE GRADUATED
FROM A LITERARY PROGRAM THAT
VOLUNTEERS TEACHES LITERATURE
AND POETRY.
THE PRISONER POET.
MISCONCEPTION FALLS BOTH
WAYS.
Reporter: ON HIS EYES, THE
WORDS READ NO EVIL.
Reporter: ON HIS LIPS, THE
WORD POOR OUT FROM HIS HEART.
YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW
DEEP INCARCERATED MIND DIE WHEN
THEY ARE BURIED ALIVE.
Reporter: A POEM WRITTEN BY
ATWATER MARTINEZ, THE POET
LAUREATE OF THE EXCHANGE FOR
CHANGE PROGRAM HERE AT DAVE
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION IN
HOMESTEAD.
ON THIS DAY, NEARLY 100 INMATES
ARE GRADUATING.
THESE THINGS THAT WE BEEN
THROUGH DAILY, AND WE TAKE
THAT.
WE SIT BACK AND TAKE THESE WORDS
. WE USUALLY ARE JUDGED OFF
OUR CRIME.
Reporter: MARTINEZ SERVING
AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES.
AND IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE
BECAUSE YOUR, IN ORDER TO GET
BEHIND THIS MICROPHONE TO GET
THIS EXPERIENCE TO YOU.
Reporter: EXCHANGE LETTERS
WITH VOLUNTEERS OUTSIDE OF
PRISON.
THEY TAKE CLASSES FROM LEGAL
WRITING TO PHIL REVIEW,
SONGWRITING, THE SPOKEN WORD.
GRADUATION IS THEIR CHANCE TO
SHARE THEIR INNERMOST THOUGHTS.
IF YOU TRULY WANT PEOPLE TO
FORGIVE YOU, YOU MUST CHOOSE TO
FORGIVE YOURSELF, SO I STAND UP
AND SAY TO MYSELF I RELEASE
THIS PRESSURE.
Reporter: ALL THIS, ONLY FOR
A MOMENT.
THE VISITOR LEAVE, AND IT'S
BACK TO THE CELLS.
THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
WHETHER YOU ARE GOOD OR BAD,
YOU CAN STAY IN THIS PLACE.
Reporter: MARTINEZ WILL TURN
40 THIS YEAR.
HE HAS SPENT HALF HIS LIFE IN
PRISON.
I LUST MY INDEPENDENCE ON
INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Reporter: JULY 4th.
JULY 4th, 2000 MARTINEZ WAS
BARELY 20 YEARS OLD.
HE TRIED TO ROB A MAN AT
GUNPOINT . IN A SCUFFLE, THE
GUN WENT OFF, AND THE MAN DIED.
Reporter:
EVERY DAY I FEEL BAD FOR
HIM.
I FEEL BAD FOR THE HURT I
CAUGHT PEOPLE.
Reporter: MARTINEZ WAS GIVEN
A LIFE SENTENCE FOR SECOND-
DEGREE MURDER AND ATTEMPT AT
ROBBERY.
THEY GAVE ME A LIFE SENTENCE
BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY,
I FEEL LIKE I CAN GET IT RIGHT
BACK WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A
POEM, PIECE OF WRITING, THROUGH
PERSEVERING, BEING A GOOD
PERSON.
Reporter: THE HOPE FOR THE
EXCHANGE FOR CHANGE PROGRAM
THAT INMATES IN IT WILL BE
PREPARED TO RETURN TO SOCIETY,
AND THAT SOCIETY WILL BE READY
FOR THEIR RETURN.
SO NOW THE HEALING PROCESS
BEGAN.
I FORGIVE ME, CAN YOU?
REHABILITATION AND REDEMPTION,
A HOPE MARTINEZ HOLD ONTO EVEN
THE MOST WILL TELL HIM
OTHERWISE.
HOPE IN HERE IS LIKE, YOU
KNOW, I ARGUE WITH COBALT.
Reporter: MARTINEZ SAYS HE
HAS TO HOLD ON FOR HOPE FOR HIS
SON EDDIE WHO IS NOW THE SAME
AGE AS MARTINEZ WHEN HE WAS
LOCKED UP.
EDDIE, I'M PROUD OF YOU.
YOUR GRADUATING THIS YEAR.
YOU'RE GOING TO PROM. YOU BEAT
THE ODDS.
YOUR PART OF MY MOTIVATION.
Reporter: HE HOPES ONE DAY,
SOMEHOW BE FREE.
YOU KEEP THE HOPE ALIVE THAT
ONE DAY I WILL GET OUT AND BE
OUT THERE FOR YOU, BE ABLE TO
HELP YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO
TO SUCCEED IN LIFE.
