1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast, an NFL podcast for 2 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:12,799 Speaker 1: the players, by the players. Here is your host, four 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:23,680 Speaker 1: teen year NFL veteran and Hall of famer As Williams. Hello, 4 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 1: and welcome to the NFL Legends Podcast. I am ans why. 5 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: As a part of our Storyteller series, we have the 6 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: story of Falcon's legend, Brian Banks. It is a story 7 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: of perseverance encourage, one that will be showcased in an 8 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: upcoming feature film. Let's listen in how You Know What? 9 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: My name is? Brian Banks. I am a Southern California 10 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: native born and raised in Long Beach, California. I'm thirty 11 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: three years old. Sometime I'll go at the age of sixteen, Um, 12 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: my life took a crazy turn that I didn't expect. 13 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: My family didn't expect, friends in community didn't expect. I 14 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: think my story is a very unique story, but also 15 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: uh not so unique, and and the fact that it 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: only happened to me has happened to many other people. 17 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: Day just sixteen, I was eleventh in the nation linebacker 18 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: for Long Beach Probably High School, on my way to 19 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: USC on a full scholarship. I only needed one more 20 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: year left in high school. I remember that year was 21 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: going into my senior year, was the biggest year for 22 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: me in sports. We were preparing our our preseason to 23 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: play against Concord Day Lassile was a rematch uh. The 24 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:38,640 Speaker 1: year before they beat us, they had Marius Jones, Drew 25 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: and the hell of a team behind us, and this 26 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: year we were coming back for for a rematch and 27 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 1: I was to lead our our team out as a 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: defensive leader team leader. One day during summer school, some 29 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: hours before practice, I went to a known makeout spot 30 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: with a girl that I've known since middle school. She 31 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: and I went to this secluded area that everyone knows 32 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,520 Speaker 1: it's a make out spot on campus and we kissed 33 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: and we made out. We didn't have sex. At the 34 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: end of the day, before I could make it too 35 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: uh to football practice, I was being arrested in accused 36 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: of kidnapping and rape. I was arrested from home. I 37 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: was taken to hospital where they performed all kind of 38 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: tests on me and DNA tests. I was told throughout 39 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: this entire ordeal that everything would be figured out, that 40 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:30,359 Speaker 1: they just needed to talk to, you know, certain few 41 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: people and get it all figured out. But time passed. 42 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: Time pass time, passed. The next thing you know, I 43 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: saw myself in a juvenile hall sale uh in uh 44 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: San Pedro, California, and I was told, maybe you'll be 45 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: here for a day or two. They just need to 46 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: get you in front of a judge and they'll figure 47 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: this out. You'll be okay. And after a couple of days, 48 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,919 Speaker 1: I appeared in front of a judge and the judge 49 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: denied bail, actually denied me being released on my own recognance, 50 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: placed the bill on my head of about one point 51 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 1: one five mill and um I was charged with kidnapping. 52 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: I was charged with multiple accounts of rape, and we 53 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: had no way to postpond. My mom uh didn't have 54 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: ten per of one point one five million dollars. My 55 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: mom would later go on to sell her house and 56 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: sell her card to afford the attorney that would represent 57 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: me in the situation. So, after that first court date 58 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: and the judge denied me being released in my o R, 59 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: I was left behind bars to figure out this case. 60 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: Time started to pass, and the next thing you know, 61 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: the football season started. Next thing you know, I was 62 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: expelled from school. Next thing you know, all the colleges 63 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: and recruiters turning back on the potential of recruiting me. 64 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 1: I mean I was being recruited by every D one 65 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: in D two schools you can think of. I begin 66 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: to stress, you know, I had the nightmares and the 67 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: day dreams, and the frustration and all the negative emotions 68 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: you can think if I had it. In those first 69 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: few days of incarceration, I lost fourteen pounds behind bars. 70 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: I wasn't eating, I wasn't coming out of my sale, 71 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: I wasn't interacting with anybody else. And as I sat there, 72 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: things progressively got worse. Time begin to slow down. Me 73 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 1: being behind bars turned into an everyday thing versus a 74 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: one day thing or a couple of day things. So 75 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: one day, my my cell door opened up and this 76 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: man walks in. He I can tell, obviously if he 77 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: wasn't one of the correctional officers at the juvenile hall. 78 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 1: He was dressing playing close, older black gentleman with you know, 79 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: reading glasses. And he walks in backstraight and tall, and 80 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 1: he surveys the small cell that I was in. And 81 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: as he walks and he has a seat. So I'm 82 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: sitting here on my bunk, and as he sits next 83 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: to me, and he sizes me up and down He 84 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: looks at me and he says, I don't know what 85 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: it is you're going through, but you gotta let it go. 86 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: And I thought to myself, how could I sssibly let 87 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: go of what I'm going through. I'm currently in the 88 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:05,720 Speaker 1: midst of it all, and here is this man that 89 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: I've never met before telling me you gotta let it go. 90 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: I didn't know what he meant by let it go, 91 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: but for some reason, there was something in me that 92 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,240 Speaker 1: kind of understood what he meant. I just didn't know 93 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: how to let it go. And so this man, his 94 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: name is Mr Johnson. He was a teacher at the 95 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: Juvenile Hall and I started taking classes in his program. 96 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: But as uh you know he is to this day, 97 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,719 Speaker 1: I can't tell you what what what subject he taught 98 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 1: because when you walk into his classroom, his focus was 99 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,560 Speaker 1: stepping outside the box, discovering who the real you is, 100 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: that journey towards enlightenment and spiritual awakening, all things that 101 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: I had never discussed, talked about, heard about. You know, 102 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 1: when you're going through K through twelve. These are discussions 103 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: that you just don't have in school. And as I 104 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: would come into a class on a day to day basis. 105 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: This man would challenge me in ways that I had 106 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: never been challenged before. Remember when the first questions that 107 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 1: he asked me was who are you? And I looked 108 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: at him myself, I don't know who I am. I'm 109 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: Brian Banks. He said, well, don't ask your name, so 110 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 1: let me ask you again, who are you? And I said, well, 111 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: I'm a young black man that's in jail for something 112 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: that he didn't do. And he said, well, uh, that's 113 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: your current state on this earth, and this is just 114 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: a skin suit in order for your spirit to survive. 115 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: So let me ask you again. If you're not your 116 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 1: body and you're not your current state, who are you? 117 00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: And I had no words, and he said let's start there. 118 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: As time passed and I continue to work with him, 119 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: things progressively got worse for me. In my case, more 120 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: charges were filed. I was later tried as an adult. 121 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: They said that the case was so serious and so severe, 122 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 1: the case was too severe for juvenile courting. I was 123 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: to be tried as an adult. So I went from 124 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: facing minor camp time to forty one years to life 125 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: in prison. So time continue to pass and pass, and 126 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: here I was almost a year into my incarceration. When 127 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: I was to go into court for this particular court 128 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: day to select a jury and go to trial. And 129 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: before I could walk into this courtroom, my lawyer pulled 130 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,920 Speaker 1: me into an interview room at the courthouse. And as 131 00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: I waited inside this small box with a glass that 132 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: separated me from the free world. Um, and she walks 133 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: with a smile on her face and excitement within her 134 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: her expression, and and it kind of got me excited 135 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: for a while. I was like, what's going on? What's 136 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: the good news? She walks in, she sits down. She said, 137 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: I just came up with this amazing deal with the 138 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: District Attorney's office. Brian, you have to take this deal, 139 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: she says, if you plead no contest, which is to 140 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: say that I'm not guilty nor innocent. I'm just choosing 141 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: not to fight the case. And whatever the judge sees 142 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: fit is my punishment. I'll accept it. If you plead 143 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: no contest to one counter rape, they will drop all 144 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: of your other charges. You would undergo what's called an 145 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: any day observation, which is ninety days at a man's 146 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: correctional facility prison. And during your ninety days in prison, 147 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 1: you'll be interviewed by a psychologist and encounsel to determine 148 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: on the latter system whether you were to receive feeling 149 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: in probation three years in prison or six years in prison. 150 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: She looked at me in my eyes through that glass 151 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 1: and she said, Brian, I guarantee you, and I promise 152 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 1: you that you will get probation. I promise you that, 153 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: and for some reason things when horribly wrong and you 154 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: would received some prison time. You wouldn't get any more 155 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: than a three years, since that means you have about 156 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: eighteen more months to serve. You'll still be young. You 157 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 1: can get out and go play football and move on 158 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 1: with your life. But Brian, if you don't take this deal, 159 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,679 Speaker 1: you're gonna walk into that courtroom and you're risking your 160 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: entire life in prison. I'm seventeen years old as this 161 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: is being presented to me, and I was left with 162 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: the decision to make do walk into this courtroom and 163 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: and risk my entire life in prison for something I 164 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: didn't do by going to trial, or do I walk 165 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,600 Speaker 1: into this courtroom and take a deal for a crime 166 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,679 Speaker 1: I didn't commit. The first thing I said was can 167 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:10,560 Speaker 1: I talk to my mom? Because I had always talked 168 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: to mom about these decisions. Well, on this occasion, my 169 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 1: attorney said, no, that this decision needed to be made 170 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 1: on your own, because you're an adult court now and 171 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: you have to make these adult decisions on your own. Brian, 172 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: you have ten minutes to make this decision. I'm thirty 173 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,880 Speaker 1: three years old. I have never to this day made 174 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: it more difficult decision in my life. Taking a deal 175 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 1: for something I didn't do are walking into a courtroom 176 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 1: and risking forty one years to life. So as I 177 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: walked into the courtroom after that meeting, my family was 178 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: in the audience box, my mom is there, and I 179 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:49,599 Speaker 1: planned no contest to one counter rape. I took the 180 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: advice of my counsel, and I took the deal. Within 181 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,959 Speaker 1: a few weeks, I turned eighteen years old, and the 182 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 1: day after my eighteen birthday, I was transferred from juvenile hall. 183 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: All the Chino State Prison talk about growing up. I 184 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:06,240 Speaker 1: literally had to grow up into a man on a 185 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: bus ride from one area to another. So I begin 186 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: to serve these ninety days, and it was not easy. 187 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: But during those ninety days, I was interviewed by a 188 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: psychologist and the counselor, and both both women by the way, 189 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:24,679 Speaker 1: UM read my case, listened to me and thought that 190 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: this case was ridiculous, and so they recommended what they 191 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,839 Speaker 1: could recommend, which was failing in probation. They wished that 192 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,719 Speaker 1: they could do even less than that, but under the law, 193 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 1: failing in probation. So I got that favoritable report. I 194 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 1: was excited. I was happy. I remember going back to 195 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,120 Speaker 1: my cell right my mom and telling her the good news. 196 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: We got that report. I should be home in less 197 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: than a few days. This would be all put behind us. 198 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:49,679 Speaker 1: Let's move forward. My ninety days finished, I was transferred 199 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: back to jail. Within a few days, I was back 200 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 1: in court and back in front of a judge, and 201 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,839 Speaker 1: the judge walked in, he had a seat, and he 202 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: sends me to the High a term of six years. Anyway, 203 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: no explanation, no reasoning why I was six years, no reason, 204 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: no explanation why he went against the advice of the 205 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: psychologists and counsel which the whole deal was based upon. 206 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: I remember receiving that sentence of six years, and when 207 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: I was in that courtroom where all you heard was 208 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: just the gasp, you know from my mom and family members. 209 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 1: I remember just dropping my head down, and I was 210 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,679 Speaker 1: so overwhelmed with emotion. I think I had been so 211 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: overwhelmed with emotion throughout that entire year of fighting this 212 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:35,880 Speaker 1: case and the variety of emotions from from angry, it 213 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:39,559 Speaker 1: too upset, to frustrate, it, to stress to everything. That 214 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: by the time that I had heard I had received 215 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: the six years sentence, the only thing I could do 216 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: was drop my head and shake it and just laughed. 217 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: I laughed. I couldn't believe that the system failed me. 218 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: I couldn't believe that there was no true investigation put 219 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: into what happened. And I was led out of the courtroom, 220 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,839 Speaker 1: taken back to the holding facility before being transferred back 221 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 1: to jail, and I remember sitting that holding facility trying 222 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,680 Speaker 1: to add up how much time I had left to serve. 223 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: I had already did a year that gave me a 224 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: six year sentence. I was to serve eighty five percent 225 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: of that time. Then I remember sitting in the sale 226 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: trying to add up how much time I had left 227 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 1: to serve. But my hands were just shaking uncontrollably in 228 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: my arms, and my body begin to shake uncontrollably, and 229 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: I just kind of had almost a nervous breakdown in 230 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: the cell amongst other inmates that were waiting to be 231 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 1: seen by the judge. And by the time I finally 232 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: figured out how much time I had left to serve, 233 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 1: I realized that had four years and two months ago 234 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: and I had just served the longest year of my life. 235 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: I spent that first year or so depressed, angry, wanted revenge, 236 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,560 Speaker 1: and I began to live a life of an inmate. 237 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: I started participating in jail house activities, you know, I 238 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: begin to slowly slip away from who I was. And 239 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 1: one day I was I think we were on lockdown, 240 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 1: and I was in my cell and and I'm laying 241 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,920 Speaker 1: on my bunk, And as I was laying on my bunk, 242 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:09,960 Speaker 1: is very bright, shining sunlight came peeking through the window 243 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: of my cell. And I remember turning around and looking 244 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: at this light and it's light. I guess the best 245 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: way to say is this light was welcoming, right. I 246 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:23,439 Speaker 1: get off my bunk and I walk over to the 247 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,760 Speaker 1: window and I look out this small little slit in 248 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: the wall that they call the window. And for the 249 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: first time and a little over two years of my incarceration, 250 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: I had this epiphany and for the first time, I 251 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: had a self realization. I am not in control over 252 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,079 Speaker 1: the things that are taking place in my life. The 253 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: only thing that I had control over was myself. While 254 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:50,079 Speaker 1: going through this situation, I also had this epiphany that 255 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: this negative energy, these emotions that I have towards the 256 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: people that I feel are responsible towards the girl who 257 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 1: made the lie um. They don't know how I feel. 258 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 1: More unlikely, they probably don't care how I feel. So 259 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 1: this is negative energy that I'm bottling up, that I'm storing, 260 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 1: that I'm creating, that I'm harvesting. It was for me, 261 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 1: it wasn't for her, it wasn't for them, and I 262 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: had no way of releasing it. I realized in that 263 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: moment that I was tearing myself down, that I was 264 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: killing myself, that I was doing the job of the 265 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: people who wanted me where I was. And then I 266 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 1: reverted back to the teachings of Mr. Johnson. I stepped 267 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 1: away from this window, and I vowed to myself that 268 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: I may not be in control over what's going on 269 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: in my life, but I am in control over me 270 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: while going through these things, So moving forward, I will 271 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: be in control of my emotions. My emotions would no 272 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: longer control me. And so I started reading. And I 273 00:14:56,880 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: mean when I say I started reading, I started reading. 274 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: I got into psychology and sociology and spiritual enlightenment text 275 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: I read various religious texts. I worked on my penmanship 276 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: because I wanted to write better. I worked on my 277 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: social skills because I wanted to speak better. I literally 278 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: did everything that I could to distance myself from the labels, 279 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: the accusations, my current environment. And I worked on ways 280 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 1: to release negative energy. I worked on ways to restore 281 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: positive energy. I began to treat people in the way 282 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 1: that I wanted to be treated. I began to put 283 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 1: out the energy that I wanted to receive back. I 284 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: stopped thinking about what happened to me. I started focusing 285 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,400 Speaker 1: on what was happening now, and I worked on that 286 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: throughout the duration My My, My, My prison sentence UM, 287 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: even once I was released. I was released August seven, 288 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: two years old. I had spent my seventeen eighteen, nineteen 289 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: twenty one, twenty second birthday behind bars, and at twenty 290 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 1: two I got home, naive as naive can be, thinking 291 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: that now that I was home, everything was going to 292 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: be better. When in actuality. Things were in some ways 293 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,600 Speaker 1: a lot worse. When you're in prison, you've got these 294 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,480 Speaker 1: tall walls and these bars and all these different things 295 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: to keep you separated from the rural world. You are alive, 296 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: but the world passes you buy When you're home and 297 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: you're on felony parole, you're a registered sex offender. You 298 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,080 Speaker 1: can't live within two thousand feet of any school of park. Uh. 299 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:39,080 Speaker 1: You have a GPS tracking device on your ankle for 300 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 1: your entire parole sentence. Mine was a five year mandatory sentence. 301 00:16:44,920 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: When you have all of these things, you you realize 302 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: that you're still very much incarcerated. I was naive to 303 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: thinking that things would be better once I got home, 304 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: and so the the the struggle continued, but it was 305 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:00,040 Speaker 1: a different struggle because now I could see everything, but 306 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: I couldn't touch it. I could see opportunity, but I 307 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: couldn't go for it. I could watch people not take 308 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: opportunity when I didn't even have a chance or an 309 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: opportunity to decide whether I wanted to take it or not. 310 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:18,639 Speaker 1: But I had to be resilient. I had to continue 311 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: to to put forth that effort for myself, knowing that 312 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 1: no one will work harder for you than you. The 313 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: things that I wanted in life, where I wanted to 314 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: be in life, how I wanted to be viewed, how 315 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:36,080 Speaker 1: I wanted to view myself. Those were all decisions that 316 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:40,120 Speaker 1: I had control over. I could control these things. Four 317 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:44,919 Speaker 1: years into my five year parole Sins, I was at 318 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: home searching for a job. As always, it was impossible 319 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: to find mark. No one won't hire me. And as 320 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: I was searching for a job online, I got bored 321 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: and I remember getting off of career hunt dot com 322 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 1: or whatever it was, and I out on Facebook and 323 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 1: I noticed I had a firm request on Facebook. I 324 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,119 Speaker 1: clicked the frame request. The box drops down and it 325 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:11,160 Speaker 1: is the girl who had accused me of sexually assaulting 326 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: her nine years ago, now frame requesting me on Facebook 327 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: to be friends. They remember slamming his laptop down immediately, 328 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: I slammed it down. I threw it across my bed 329 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 1: and I I just I froze and I had to 330 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: almost like an out of body experience where I was 331 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 1: just staring out of my window and every experience, every emotion, 332 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: begin to resurface, and I started having flashbacks and all 333 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: these different things I remember not accepting the firm request. 334 00:18:43,040 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 1: But I sent the message back and I said, why 335 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: would you frame request me? An immediate message came back saying, 336 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: while I was hoping, we can allow bygones to be bygones. 337 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: I was very mature back in the day, but I 338 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: can assure you I'm much more mature now. We should 339 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: hang out sometimes. And I immediately thought this had to 340 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,080 Speaker 1: be a joke. It could meet her, somebody made up 341 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 1: a fake account. Someone's trying to trick me, some sick joke, right, 342 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: So I replied back, would you mind calling this number? 343 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 1: And immediately my phone rang and I answered the phone 344 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: and it was her. But we sat in silence for 345 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: a few minutes until I broke the silence, asking again, 346 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 1: why would your friend the question me? And this conversation, 347 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:25,119 Speaker 1: this weird, twisted conversation began where she complimented me on 348 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 1: my pictures on Facebook. Well, you know, I was on 349 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: Facebook looking for old friends and I came across your page, 350 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 1: and you know you've grown and you look good, and 351 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: you know I'd love to see you and hang out 352 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,239 Speaker 1: with you. I couldn't believe it. I still didn't think 353 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: it was real. I thought that she was trying to 354 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:43,960 Speaker 1: set me up. So I just didn't believe it. I 355 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,119 Speaker 1: remember dropping to my knees and praying to God and 356 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:47,920 Speaker 1: I asked God, I said, I don't know what's going on, 357 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: but I'm hoping and and and asking you to help 358 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: me and play my cards right. And when I stood up, 359 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,119 Speaker 1: I felt as if God had gave me an answer 360 00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: on what I needed to do. I had this revelation 361 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: of you need to see if you can get her 362 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: to speak truth. Um. I had to figure out how 363 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 1: to make that happen. And so I waited a few 364 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,360 Speaker 1: days and waited a few days, and eventually I got 365 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: in contact with the private investigator told him what I 366 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: wanted to do. UM. I felt that if I was 367 00:20:16,119 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: going to come in contact with her, I wanted everything 368 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,680 Speaker 1: to be monitored, to everything to be recorded for proof 369 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: as well as for my own, you know, safety, so 370 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 1: that I can show that nothing happened when we came 371 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: in contact with each other. I reached out to her 372 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: and said, hey, if you really want to meet, you 373 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: can meet me at my job during my lunch break 374 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: and we could sit and talk. And it was really 375 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: a private investigation firm, and she agreed to it. And 376 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 1: she actually showed up. She showed up two days in 377 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: the row. First day that she showed up, she and 378 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:48,199 Speaker 1: I sat together and we discussed a little bit of everything. 379 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: I wanted her to understand what I have gone through, 380 00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:55,159 Speaker 1: what her lies caused, what my family lost, what I 381 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 1: had to endure. The second meeting was actually with me, 382 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: her and the private investigator, and the private investigator, throughout 383 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: his questioning, finally got to the most important questions, Did 384 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,120 Speaker 1: he rape you? Did he kidnap you? And she flat 385 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: out said no, that if I did those things, she 386 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't be sitting next to me right then and there. 387 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: That we were young and curious and just having fun. 388 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 1: And then adults got involved and twisted her words up 389 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:23,639 Speaker 1: regardless of what she said. We had it on tape. 390 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,560 Speaker 1: We had the recantation on tape. I took this recantation 391 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: to the California Innocence Project, which is a nonprofit student 392 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: law firm clinic that works on appealing cases where they 393 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 1: feel the defendant had been sent to prison for something 394 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: that they didn't do. Presented my case to them. I 395 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 1: showed him the video, and they took on my case 396 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 1: and begin fighting. And as they begin fighting, my case, 397 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: I started thinking about dreams that were deferred. I started 398 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 1: thinking opportunity. If I get my life back, and that 399 00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: means I have a small window of opportunity. If I 400 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: have our oportunity, what am I going to do with it? 401 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:04,919 Speaker 1: And so I started thinking, before our opportunity even came knocking, 402 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 1: what am I gonna do when I get in And 403 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 1: the only thing that I could think of was recapturing 404 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:10,920 Speaker 1: a dream that was taken away from me, and which 405 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: was football. And so I said, you know, if I 406 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 1: get my life back, well, hell, I'm gonna I'm gonna 407 00:22:15,440 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: play football. I'm gonna go back to school and you know, 408 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: trying to go to university and play ball. That was 409 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: short lived because when I initially parode home from prison 410 00:22:25,320 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: back in two thousand and seven, UM I went to 411 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,360 Speaker 1: Lombe City College UH and played football for one season there, 412 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: which started my college tenure five year tenure, which means 413 00:22:36,640 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: that after five years, you can't play anymore. So if 414 00:22:39,880 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 1: I was to get my life back and have everything cleared, 415 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: it would have happened on my fifth year of college football. 416 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: So I said, you know, what the hell with that? 417 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,119 Speaker 1: If I get my life back, that I'm shooting for 418 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 1: the stars. I'm gonna try out for the NFL. So 419 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,200 Speaker 1: I walked into a gym. I started training on a 420 00:23:00,359 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: day to day basis to three times a day. No guarantees, 421 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 1: no promises, hadn't talked to a coach, hadn't talked to 422 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: a recruiter. I just knew what I wanted for me, 423 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: and I got into the best shape of my life. 424 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: As May twenty four, two thousand twelve, I walked into 425 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: a courtroom a convicted man and was exonerated, found to 426 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: be factually innocent. And which is this is actually a 427 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 1: huge difference in court. To be found factually innocent, it 428 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 1: found innocent. It means that the courts had they didn't 429 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: have enough to convict you, but they do think that 430 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:35,080 Speaker 1: you're guilty. Uh. To be found factually innocent means that 431 00:23:35,160 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 1: the court system agrees with your defense that you are 432 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: innocent and that you should have never been incarcerated. I 433 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: walked out of that court room a new man. I 434 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: remember standing on those steps in front of us, see 435 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 1: every reporters and family and friends, and the question finally came, well, 436 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:53,919 Speaker 1: now that you're free, what's next? And I looked at 437 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 1: the camera, I said, I want to play football. I've 438 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,360 Speaker 1: been training for an opportunity. If there's a team out 439 00:23:58,359 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 1: there that wants to give me a shot, I get 440 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: into you. I will outwork anybody on your team. Calling 441 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:05,520 Speaker 1: the next day, my phone rang voice on the other 442 00:24:05,600 --> 00:24:07,480 Speaker 1: day and say, hey, I'm looking for a linebacker. You 443 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 1: know what, I can find one? And I said, well, 444 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 1: you you got the right number. You know who is this, 445 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,359 Speaker 1: he says me, Man, Pete Carroll. It was amazing. You know, 446 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,720 Speaker 1: the same coach that recruited me back in high school. 447 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: I mean, Pete Carroll used to come to to my 448 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: school campus during recruiting season and actually meet with me 449 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: and talk to my teachers about grades, and you know, 450 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: have me come out to this university and and and 451 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,520 Speaker 1: see the team and have unofficial visits and whatnot. So 452 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,160 Speaker 1: so here we were on the phone ten years later, 453 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,000 Speaker 1: back in this recruiting dance all over again. It was magical. Man, 454 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,440 Speaker 1: it was crazy, and he kept it real. He said, Banks, 455 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be real with you as I've always been. 456 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 1: You've been on the game ten years. You probably can't 457 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,320 Speaker 1: do but you know, I know how hard you worked 458 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: back when you were younger. How much of a good 459 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:56,560 Speaker 1: player you were. There's no reason why I don't you know, 460 00:24:56,600 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: I wouldn't want to give you an opportunity. He said, 461 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: but are you in shape? And I remember when he 462 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: asked me, was you know? Are you in shape? I 463 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: remember a smile coming over my face because I had 464 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:10,360 Speaker 1: prepared for this opportunity before it presented itself, and I said, yeah, 465 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 1: I'm in shape. He said, good, but I'm flying you 466 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 1: out tomorrow. I was like, oh, I'm glad I'm in shape, 467 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 1: you know. I made my way to the airport, hopped 468 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 1: on the flight, went to Seattle, had a try out. 469 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 1: They loved what they saw and invited me back for camp. 470 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,880 Speaker 1: I participated in camp and they didn't sign me. I said, 471 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: physically you're there, Mentally you still need some work. I 472 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: went on to try out with five other NFL teams 473 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 1: before trying out with the Atlanta Falcons and sign him 474 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,960 Speaker 1: with the Falcons, and I had an opportunity of playing 475 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: four preseason games. I did spring ball, O, T A S, 476 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: and summer camp along with the four games with the 477 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,000 Speaker 1: Falcons before they let me go. I was a twenty 478 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 1: eight year old rookie when those four games were over 479 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 1: and they let me go. I was I had nothing 480 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: but but but happiness that went across my body. I 481 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: had done something that no one had done before. I 482 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: had done something that I thought at one point that 483 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 1: I couldn't do. But I also did something that I 484 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 1: said that I was going to do, and that was 485 00:26:09,640 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: to recapture a dream. I never said that I would 486 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 1: play a Super Bowl, or lead a team to victory, 487 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: or make a career out of football. I knew where 488 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,160 Speaker 1: my life was. I knew where you know, I knew 489 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: what I had gone through and and and I was 490 00:26:23,560 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 1: honest with myself. UM, the goal was to play, and 491 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 1: I played. So I did what I said that I 492 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: was gonna do. After I was released from the Falcons. 493 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:39,159 Speaker 1: Within UH, the season had concluded. And once the season concluded, UH, 494 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 1: they were gearing up for UH for the draft. And 495 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:45,679 Speaker 1: then the draft took place. And I remember when they 496 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: called up the first round, the first pick of the 497 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:52,159 Speaker 1: first round UH, Roger Goodell walked up on the stage 498 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: and I was sitting at home watching the draft, and 499 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: I said, man, I got a nice suit on, and 500 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 1: I'm thinking to myself, you go on a nice suit. 501 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: He said, They what I'm gonna texting and m you know, 502 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,360 Speaker 1: he got a nice suit on, so I had his number. 503 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:04,119 Speaker 1: I texted me. I said, man, nice suit. R G. Man, 504 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: you looking good and grabs on another draft and he 505 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: texted me back he said, you know what, thank you. 506 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 1: I actually been thinking about you. I got something in mind. 507 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: I'm gonna talk to you about within a couple of 508 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 1: days if you're up to it. Um And eventually we spoke. 509 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,720 Speaker 1: He wanted me to come speak at the Rookie Symposium, 510 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: one of the last ones that they were holding when 511 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: they had all the teams together. So I did the 512 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: Rookie Symposium. I had did a panel discussion, and then 513 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:27,639 Speaker 1: after the panel discussion, I did a bunch of breakout 514 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:32,440 Speaker 1: sessions with individual teams and it went off really well, 515 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: so much so that world got back to R. G. 516 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:39,119 Speaker 1: Roger and he uh gave me a call and said, man, 517 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:40,920 Speaker 1: I want to offer your position at the front office 518 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: here in New York if you're interested. You know, what 519 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:46,120 Speaker 1: you did at the symposium is exactly what we want 520 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,800 Speaker 1: in our office. He said, if you like, come on out, 521 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,360 Speaker 1: Let's give you a tour. I don't need a tour. 522 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: Let's do it, you know, So we uh, we mapped 523 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 1: it all out, We're planned it all out, and they 524 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:58,960 Speaker 1: got me out there. I had an opportunity to work 525 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: with the the league's front office for two years. After 526 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,440 Speaker 1: those two years, I went on to become a certified 527 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:09,199 Speaker 1: life coach, a nationally recognized motivational speaker. I had an 528 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:11,720 Speaker 1: opportunity to do the us SO Tour and travel outside 529 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: the country sharing my story. I went on to host 530 00:28:15,160 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: my first TV show called Final Appeal on Oxygen, which 531 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:23,800 Speaker 1: was a show about investigating other cases where people claim 532 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: to have been wrongly convicted of crimes they didn't commit. Uh. 533 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,680 Speaker 1: And now here I am today with a full length 534 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:33,680 Speaker 1: feature film that's going to be released August nine this 535 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:38,280 Speaker 1: year nationwide, and it's gonna depict my story for the 536 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 1: world to see, for the world to learn from the 537 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: contrast the before and after. U is insane to have 538 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 1: been stripped of everything you know to be true too, 539 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: to fight not to lose all that you know and 540 00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 1: to just want to have a normal life. But surpassed 541 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 1: that and go on to actually being able to help people, 542 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,800 Speaker 1: teach people, and give people hope and courage about their 543 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: own experiences that they're going through in their life. I 544 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 1: could say that on either side it was unexpected, but 545 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 1: I think that that's what life is. I think life 546 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: is so much of the unexpected than it is the expected. 547 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: It wasn't what I was going through, it was how 548 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:24,960 Speaker 1: I was allowing it to affect me. So it's it's 549 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: been a crazy road, man, It's been a crazy ordeal. 550 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: It's been a wild experience. It's something that I wouldn't 551 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:32,960 Speaker 1: wish upon no one. I thank God that I made 552 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: it through that I'm hearing today that I'm able to 553 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,719 Speaker 1: share the story for other people who have gone through 554 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: similar situations, that are currently gone through a similar situation, 555 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:45,480 Speaker 1: or for the person who is grieving in a totally 556 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,680 Speaker 1: different situation that they don't know how to move past. 557 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 1: I'm one of those guys that could look at you 558 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: and tell you it's not what you're going through, but 559 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: it's how you're allowing it to affect you that is 560 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,680 Speaker 1: what's hurting you. Like I said in the beginning, I 561 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: try to live a pause of life despite the negative 562 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 1: things that I've experienced. I try to give out what 563 00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:06,760 Speaker 1: I would like to receive. I treat people the way 564 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,480 Speaker 1: I want to be treated, and I fight for truth 565 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,280 Speaker 1: so instead of allowing this negative situation to hold me 566 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: back and to put me on your rock as a 567 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,680 Speaker 1: hermit and hide from the world, it's giving me the 568 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: power and tools necessary to go out and help the 569 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: next month. This has been the NFL Legends podcast. To 570 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: provide feedback or request a topic for discussion, email us 571 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: at NFL Legends at nfl dot com.