About WEGOD

“Poetic” is an inmate at Lawrenceville Correctional Center in Lawrenceville, VA. He has served 22 years of a 50-year sentence for multiple charges of which he was convicted in 1999. Upon sentencing, he was entitled to serve the sentence for each charge concurrently. Yet, due to the negligence of his public defender in making the request, he has been forced to serve those years consecutively, unnecessarily prolonging his incarceration and depriving him of his freedom.

Since Poetic’s incarceration, he has proven to be a model citizen. He’s had no disciplinary incidences and has maintained employment throughout his detainment. A prolific reader and writer, his writings and recitations have garnered him the nickname “Poetic”. He has written and performed numerous poems, plays, and special productions for holiday and seasonal events. He has served as a mentor for several inmates and has sought to support, uplift, and empower his peers with the written and spoken word. To inspire youth outside of his environment, Poetic has published a children’s book and with the help of family, will be selling copies on Amazon this Spring. 

Poetic is in the process of seeking clemency and is looking for support from any individuals willing to partner with him or speak on his behalf. In anticipation of gaining freedom, he has developed a post-incarceration plan to help re-establish himself as a community citizen. Following his plan and with the help of family and friends, he has secured a place to live, an employment opportunity, and an avenue for contributing to his community through the founding of a non-profit organization.

Though he recognizes that he is considered a violent offender because of the part he played in an incident that caused a young man to be paralyzed, his behavior since his arrest merits consideration for review of his request, as such:  

• In addition to having no prior offenses of violence, he has had no incidences of violence while incarcerated and therefore has no pattern of violent tendencies. 
• He has maintained employment while detained, enhanced his own life through education and contributed to the lives of those around him 
• His behavior suggests that he would not be a risk to others, but on the contrary, be a contributing member of society through his writing
• His behavior and the support of those awaiting his return also indicate that he would be at low-risk for recidivism.