1 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:07,200 Speaker 1: Alexis Kierka Martin was raised by her grandmother in Akron, Ohio, 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: and had a strained relationship with her birth mother and father. 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: She had a boyfriend to Shawn Spear, but they broke 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: up around age thirteen, the same time that an older 5 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: man named Angelo Kearney began grooming her. 6 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: For the sex trade. 7 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: By the time she was fourteen, she was actively being trafficked. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: Time passed and Deshaun reached out to Kierka to ask 9 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: if the rumors he had heard about prostitution were true. Then, 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: one night, after a party at Angelo Kearney's, Kierka and 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: another woman, Jena Jones, were alone with Angelo and his 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: brother Alicio Samuel. Kierka was aware that robbery was about 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: to take place that would afford her an opportunity to escape. 14 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: While she was being raped by Alicio, Samuel, Deshaun and 15 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: his friend Travaski Jackson broke in, wearing masks and carrying guns. 16 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: Kearney was shot and killed, and Samuel survived. 17 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: A gunshot to his head. 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: When Samuel came to at the hospital, he mentioned nothing 19 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: about the child he had been raping, but he did 20 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: mention the other people he had been with earlier that night. 21 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: A further investigation led to Alexis Kierka Martin. Ohio's brand 22 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: new safe Harbor law was written for situations just like this, 23 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: but neither her lawyer nor the state invoked it before 24 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,319 Speaker 1: she was tried in adult court for the murder of 25 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: the man that held her captive in child sex slavery. 26 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: This is wrongful Conviction with Jason Flamm. Welcome back to 27 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: wrongful Conviction with Jason Flamm. 28 00:01:59,680 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: That's me. 29 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 1: I'm your host, and today if my voice is cracking 30 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: a little, it's because this story is it's painful to read, 31 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: it's painful to talk about. It's an absolute disgrace that 32 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 1: any of this happened. It's also the story of triumph 33 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: over tragedy. Though with us today we have an extraordinary lawyer, 34 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: Sasha Naman from the Ohio Justice and Policy Center. Sasha, 35 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: it's wonderful to have you here. Welcome to wronful Conviction. 36 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,800 Speaker 1: Thank you so much, and we're going to tell the 37 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: story with the person who lived it, Alexis Kierica Martin. 38 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: You'll hear her referred to as Kierica as we go through, 39 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: but she's also known as Alexis Martin. So, Alexis, thank 40 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: you for being here and sharing your story. 41 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 3: Thank you for allowing me the time and opportunity. 42 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: So let's go back to your childhood, Akron, Ohio, Heartland 43 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 1: of America. What was your childhood like before this tragedy, 44 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: this series of tragedies struck. 45 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,079 Speaker 3: It would be what some people would call unstable. I 46 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 3: grew up with multiple family members, but predominantly I was 47 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 3: blessed with having my grandmother raise me. All in all, 48 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 3: through everything, I would say that she did a pretty 49 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 3: good job with at least making sure I knew how 50 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 3: to say thank you. 51 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 4: Alexis was a child when she was trafficked. She had 52 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 4: a tough childhood in some ways, and she said her 53 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 4: grandma was a light in that in a big way. 54 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 4: But at fourteen years old, she was surviving some horrific things, 55 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 4: things that are unimaginable to many Americans. Is a prolonged 56 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 4: and terrible sex trafficking situation, and she wanted a life 57 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 4: that was free and safe and healthy, where she could 58 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 4: go to school, where her and her siblings weren't in danger. 59 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 3: And she was a. 60 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 4: Child, so she was in a position where she hoped 61 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 4: that she could finally have this opportunity to flee from 62 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 4: the trafficking, and that brought her into involvement with the 63 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 4: robbery of her trafficker. 64 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 3: I was fourteen when I met my trafficker, and me 65 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 3: and my co defriend and DeShawn Spear. He was my 66 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 3: boyfriend and we separated before this case occurred, and then 67 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 3: while I was in active trafficking, we would see each 68 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 3: other and check on each other, but I never got 69 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 3: too close with him or really like engaged. Everybody kept 70 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:27,080 Speaker 3: hearing rumors about me being prostituted. Some people were bold 71 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 3: enough to act, some people weren't. They just you know, 72 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 3: kind of turned their nose up to me. Well, he 73 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 3: asked me a couple of times, and I continued to 74 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 3: deny it and just admitted that I was dancing, but 75 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,440 Speaker 3: I wouldn't tell him where I was dancing at. 76 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: So as of that moment, he's left in the dark. 77 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: And before the night that the Shawn Spirit tried to 78 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: free Kierka, which was November seven, twenty thirteen, Sasha she 79 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: had tried to find another way to get out of 80 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: that life. 81 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:56,679 Speaker 4: Right she was trying to reach out to adults for help. 82 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,479 Speaker 4: So before the night of this offense happened. She was 83 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 4: trying to and herself in. She actually proactively went to 84 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 4: the juvenile system because she had kind of an active 85 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 4: case that had kind of been going on in parallel, 86 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 4: and she was hoping that they would take her in, 87 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 4: that they would arrest her, they would put her in 88 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 4: a program. But her trafficker sends her with someone who 89 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 4: poses as her caretaker and says she's fine and she's 90 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 4: cared for, and even though these adults see the way 91 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 4: she's dressed, even though they see these red flags, they 92 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 4: let her back out with that person. 93 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 1: Alexis, as much as you're comfortable with talking about it. 94 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: That night when this robbery occurred, can you tell us 95 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: how this whole thing happened and how somebody ended up dead. 96 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 3: I was caught to the house and Jenney Jones was 97 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,240 Speaker 3: also there. They had a party and Angela was training 98 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 3: me more so to be his madam. So I had 99 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 3: to be there to make sure that the rest of 100 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 3: the girls did what they were supposed to and that 101 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,120 Speaker 3: I made money that night. So during the whole time 102 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 3: that the party occurred, I did what Angelo told me 103 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 3: to do. I danced, I collected money, I served drinks, 104 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 3: and then as it got late, everybody left. But that 105 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 3: means that there was a lot of eyewitnesses that seen 106 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 3: me with him, some of his other brothers, they were 107 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 3: there that night. When they left, it was just me, 108 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 3: Jenny Jones, Angelo Corney, and Alisio Samer. 109 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 4: Alexis was aware that Deshaun and Trevaski were going to 110 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:32,359 Speaker 4: be coming into the house. And in Ohio there's something 111 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 4: called felony murder, as there is in many other states. 112 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 4: And if you're aware of something like a robbery, if 113 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 4: you're found legally culpable in something like a robbery and 114 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 4: then somebody gets killed, then you're culpable for the homicide 115 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 4: that happened. Alexis never shot anybody, never hurt anybody, never 116 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,239 Speaker 4: wanted anybody to get hurt. But there was this robbery 117 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 4: that happened, and when Deshaun Spears and Travaska Jackson break in, 118 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 4: when they shoot her trafficker and kill him, when they 119 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 4: shoot the man who is raping her, although she is 120 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 4: the child and she is the victim there, she became 121 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,559 Speaker 4: legally culpable ultimately for the death. 122 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 3: Once Alicio was shot and Angela was killed, the question 123 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 3: was where was I, Because I was always with him, 124 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 3: and if I wasn't with him, then I was in 125 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 3: a position where one of his brothers knew where I 126 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 3: was at, So where was I was missing? After Alicio 127 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 3: woke up in the hospital, he identified Jane, he never 128 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,640 Speaker 3: identified me, And my theory on this subject is he 129 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 3: didn't identify me because I was a child and he 130 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 3: was an adult. But other people that the police questioned 131 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 3: that night continuously brought up my name. So I turned 132 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 3: myself in and I was arrested. I was fifteen, and 133 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 3: I feel like it was the first time in life 134 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 3: that anybody was actually like listening to me. I kind 135 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 3: of just told him everything that they wanted to know. 136 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 3: My only thing was I just wanted to know was 137 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 3: he alive or was he dead? Because I wasn't sure, 138 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 3: And when he told me Angelo was dead, I didn't 139 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 3: really know how to feel. It didn't click into me 140 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 3: that I was truly being arrested for his death until 141 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 3: they took me away from the detention center. I was 142 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 3: on probation, so I've been arrested a couple times. I 143 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 3: was used to the detention officers and stuff like that, 144 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 3: so it was kind of like finally that night, I 145 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 3: was going to be safe until they pulled away from 146 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 3: there and took me down to the dog question interrogation, 147 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,560 Speaker 3: where they left me in the code for about three 148 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: or four hours. I threw up on the table. They 149 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 3: didn't clean that up. I asked for my mother. They 150 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 3: told me that my mother left, and I knew some 151 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 3: of my rights, and I was like, you know, I 152 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,599 Speaker 3: thought my mom had to be present because I was 153 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 3: only fifteen, and they told me she didn't care. And 154 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 3: then I continuously asked for my attorney. And I was fifteen. 155 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 3: I knew some of my rights right because of Criminal 156 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 3: Minds and whatever else I watched, but I didn't really 157 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 3: know how to enforce my rights. How they knew I 158 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 3: had involvement was I admitted my own involvement. I didn't 159 00:09:12,880 --> 00:09:15,479 Speaker 3: know what human trafficking was. I only knew what prostitution 160 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 3: and escorting was. I didn't understand that I was a victim. 161 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 3: I also admitted to the cops Angela was training me 162 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: to be his madam. And I also admitted to the 163 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 3: cops that I called this man my dad. But that 164 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 3: night and for months on, nobody pays attention to that. 165 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 2: This episode is brought to you by Stand Together. 166 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: Stand Together is a philanthropic community dedicated to helping. 167 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 2: People improve their lives. 168 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: For more than twenty years, Stand Together and its partners 169 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 1: have been on the front lines of criminal justice reform. 170 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: By empowering people to take action, supporting nonpropit fits, and 171 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: working with businesses. Stand Together tackles the root causes of 172 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: problems in our communities and empowers those closest to the 173 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: problems to drive solutions. Solutions like reducing unjust prison sentences 174 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 1: through the First Step Act, empowering community based programs and 175 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: help people re enter society, and now working to bridge 176 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: divides in our communities. To learn how you may get involved, 177 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: visit standtogether dot org, slash conviction. This episode is underwritten 178 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: by the AIG pro Bono Program. AIG is a leading 179 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: global insurance company, and for over a decade, the AIG 180 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 1: pro Bono Program has provided thousands of hours of free 181 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:45,280 Speaker 1: legal services and other support to nonprofit organizations and individuals 182 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: most in need. More recently, the program added criminal and 183 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 1: social justice reform as a key pillar of its mission. 184 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 4: Before Alexis's case happened, iiO had passed this safe harbor 185 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 4: law that was specifically meant to protect survivors of human 186 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 4: trafficking like Kerica. The law would allow juvenile courts to 187 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 4: offer services to children like her who were trafficked and 188 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 4: to help them. And when she was arrested and sent 189 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 4: to juvenile court, that law was in effect, but her 190 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 4: attorney didn't know about it and didn't understand it. And 191 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 4: Kierko is actually the one who brought this question about 192 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 4: this law to the attorney because she had heard about 193 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 4: it somewhere, so she was now advocating for herself. And 194 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 4: this is above and beyond a fifteen year old who 195 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 4: is trying to educate her attorney. 196 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 3: Who then did look into it but didn't. 197 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 4: Understand the law, and then neither he nor the court 198 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 4: nor the prosecutor brings it up. You have this case 199 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 4: that the law is made for, the law is in effect, 200 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 4: and nobody brings it up, nobody applies it. In fact, 201 00:11:50,200 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 4: the only person who had mentioned it in the process 202 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 4: really is Kerka herself. 203 00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: Just to clarify for our audience, the Save Harbor Law 204 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: Ohio specifically mandates that miners under the age of sixteen 205 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 1: do not need to prove that they were compelled to 206 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:10,840 Speaker 1: engage in commercial sexual activity. They're automatically considered victims of 207 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 1: child sex trafficking, and the statute requires juvenile courts to 208 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: appoint a guardian to the defendant, a professional other than 209 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 1: a parent or attorney, who was responsible for advocating in 210 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: the best interests of the child on trial. So here 211 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 1: the defense, lawyer, the court itself, everybody. They just didn't 212 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 1: do what they're supposed to do. Nobody did. It's crazy, 213 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 1: and then to make matters worse, they send you to 214 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: adult court. 215 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 3: At that point, I was educated on what human trafficking was, 216 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 3: so I actually realize that you're a victim and you 217 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 3: hold no power, and that somebody you thought you cared 218 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 3: about was hurting you. To know that they were knowledgeably 219 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 3: hurting you, and that was their only intent ever, was 220 00:12:55,240 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 3: to hurt you, it's pretty defeating. It hurts. So I 221 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 3: know all this now. I learned about what the grooming 222 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 3: process was, and I identified what my grooming process was. 223 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 3: I learned about the trafficking. I learned about the stages 224 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 3: with a juvenile counselor named Hilary Finkel, and she's the 225 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,960 Speaker 3: one who's bringing in this lady named Magan Madimo, who 226 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:23,319 Speaker 3: ultimately brings up the safe harbor law to the juvenile 227 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 3: court after I'm bound over into the adult court, who 228 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:31,640 Speaker 3: ultimately educates my attorney. But while I was in the courtroom, 229 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 3: Judge Theodosia, who leads the Human Trafficking Division in Summon 230 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 3: County still to this day, set, out of her own mouths, 231 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 3: can we take a second in pause? And I want 232 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:49,840 Speaker 3: to ask you, Noah, my attorney and the prosecutor, what 233 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 3: do we do about this fifteen year old's trafficking? She 234 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 3: admits out her mouth that I'm traffic. Not only was 235 00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 3: I sex traffic, but labor traffic. She admits this. Nobody 236 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 3: had a response. The prosecutor and my attorney looked at 237 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 3: each other, looked at the judge and was kind of 238 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 3: dumbfounded when she asked this question. My attorney, I can't 239 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 3: even remember. He mustered up some answer, but it clearly 240 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 3: must not have been good enough for Thiodosia, because two 241 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 3: months later, even after you admit that I'm traffic, I 242 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 3: got bound over, and that made me feel like prior 243 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 3: to the trafficking, I was raped and I've reported it 244 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 3: and I never got help. One of my cousins raped 245 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 3: me from nine to ten and they found him not guilty, 246 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 3: and it made me feel the exact same way that 247 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 3: no matter how many times I tell somebody somebody did 248 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 3: something to me that was wrong, I'm always going to 249 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 3: either be accused of a liar or it doesn't matter. 250 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 3: So I started to lose hope again. 251 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: It's a miracle that you clung onto any hope at 252 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: all after everything you had been through. And so February seventeenth, 253 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 1: twenty fifteen, a day that will live in it infamy. Kieraka, 254 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: you were advised by your attorney that, with the goal 255 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: of returning to juvenile court, you should plead guilty to 256 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: polonious assault and murder. Yes, this was, of course a 257 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 1: terrible strategy, and ultimately you were sentenced to twenty one 258 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 1: to life. 259 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 2: How did you process that. 260 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: Sentence and how did you manage to maintain any sort 261 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: of trace of sanity. 262 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 3: Well, I have a little sister that's three and a 263 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 3: half years younger than me, and we were talking when 264 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 3: I was six years old, and I promised her that 265 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 3: I would never let nobody hurt her and I would 266 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 3: always be there to protect her. While I was fighting 267 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 3: my case at detention center, I tried to kill myself. 268 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 3: I busted all the above vessels in my face, and 269 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 3: I was really close. It hurt her bad while I 270 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 3: was in prison. She's left out in the world with 271 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 3: my father and my birth mother, the two people I've 272 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 3: tried to protect her from my whole life. So if 273 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 3: I gave up fighting, I gave up fighting for her life. 274 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 3: If I gave up fighting, everything that happened to me, 275 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 3: every time a man abused me, hit me, sex with me, 276 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 3: everything that I have ever done to protect her was 277 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 3: ultimately for nothing. If I lay down and just gave up. Now, 278 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,360 Speaker 3: I was scared to go to trial because my co defendant, 279 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 3: Deshan just got forty one to life. I would have 280 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 3: went if I had somebody believe in me that told 281 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 3: me to go. I had two people that told me 282 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 3: you should maybe go to trial. One was another fifteen 283 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 3: year old girl, and all she said was best friend, 284 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 3: if you go, I'm gonna support you. And then I 285 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 3: had my older sister who was paying for my attorney, 286 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 3: and she was telling me she thinks I should take 287 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 3: it to trial. I had an indecisive father that kept 288 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,240 Speaker 3: telling me one minute plead out and act crazy. The 289 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 3: next one, he was telling me to take it to 290 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 3: trial my birtha. She barely went to any hearings, but 291 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 3: she was telling me, plead, because you don't want to 292 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 3: get max out at the box. And then I have 293 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 3: my attorney who knows more than me that's telling me, plead, 294 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 3: we have a good chance of winning your appeal because 295 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 3: of this safe harbor law. So I pled, but I 296 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,360 Speaker 3: kept fighting because I have a baby's sister that at 297 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 3: the end I promise I would protect and if I 298 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 3: didn't protect her, nobody else would. So I fought and 299 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 3: I continue to fight after denial after denial, after denial. 300 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:39,399 Speaker 4: Her new attorney. Ke's new attorney, Jennifer Kinsley, ends up 301 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:43,040 Speaker 4: taking on this case pro bono and appealing it all 302 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 4: the way to the Ohio Supreme Court, arguing that Kierka 303 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 4: should have received the protections of the Safe Harbor law, 304 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:54,199 Speaker 4: and ultimately the Ohio Supreme Court rejected the case. And 305 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 4: they did that while saying that there is ample evidence 306 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 4: that Kierka was a victim of human traffic. But unfortunately, 307 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 4: the original trial attorney didn't present evidence linking the crime 308 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 4: to Kerka being a victim of sex trafficking, So the 309 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 4: Supreme Court said, because he didn't create that link between 310 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 4: the known trafficking and the crime. They were not going 311 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,760 Speaker 4: to apply the safe harbor law to Key, And to me, 312 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,800 Speaker 4: that's a little bit absurd, because of course there's a connection. 313 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 4: You have a fifteen year old child trying to free 314 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 4: herself from being trafficked by adults. It doesn't take a 315 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 4: lot to think about how there could be a connection there. 316 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: While justice was delayed, it surely wasn't going to be denied. Ultimately, 317 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: you petitioned Governor de Wine for clemency and you had 318 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,880 Speaker 1: a hearing on that in September of twenty nineteen. 319 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 3: I went in front of the pro Board on determination 320 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:54,480 Speaker 3: of my clemency. In November I got an eight to 321 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:59,120 Speaker 3: two vote, eight in favor, two against. In January, Governor 322 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,720 Speaker 3: de Wine considered my clemency and said that he wanted 323 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 3: me to do this program Tapestry, and after I completed it, 324 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 3: I would come home. I started Tapestry January twenty first, 325 00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:15,240 Speaker 3: twenty twenty. Tapestry closed down due to COVID and I 326 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 3: was released April twenty of twenty twenty. 327 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: So, after serving seven long years in prison, what was 328 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: it like walking out? 329 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 2: Take us inside that day, that moment. 330 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 3: April eighteenth, on national television. I was told I was 331 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 3: going to be released. It didn't seem real at all, 332 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 3: Like this is something that I dreamed about many days 333 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:44,480 Speaker 3: in prison. It was going home, going home, And now 334 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 3: I'm signing a paper to agree to conditions of parole 335 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,160 Speaker 3: and clemency and being told that I'll be free by monday. 336 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 3: So I signed the papers, and then I'm told, you 337 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 3: have to go to the whole. 338 00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 2: To the hole. 339 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 3: The craziest thing is, yes, I have to go get 340 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 3: COVID nineteen tested and be put in quarantine in the 341 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 3: whole until Monday so that I could be released to 342 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,919 Speaker 3: this program. So I pack up my stuff and for 343 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 3: two days, it's like the longest agony in the world, 344 00:20:16,720 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 3: knowing that in two days you'll be released. In two days, 345 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 3: you'll get to enter into a world of something you 346 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:27,920 Speaker 3: don't know. I left as a kid, and I left 347 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 3: a world of chaos, and I'm supposed to be being 348 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,439 Speaker 3: released into a world of peace and freedom. Right. I 349 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 3: decided that I didn't want to go back to my hometown, Akron, 350 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,879 Speaker 3: because I didn't want to go back to the same people, 351 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 3: the same way, as the same lifestyle. I believe that was, 352 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 3: you know, the biggest reason of why I didn't get 353 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 3: to reach my goals as a kid. I believe God 354 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 3: gave me a second opportunity with the new family, and 355 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:55,639 Speaker 3: I chose to take it. They released me from the prison, 356 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 3: and it's this long corridor you have to walk down, 357 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 3: really really really long, and they hand him my release ID, 358 00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:04,800 Speaker 3: and it's none of this is still real, that I'm 359 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 3: really being released until I passed through the other side 360 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 3: of the metal detectors and there's Jennifer and Sasha and 361 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,239 Speaker 3: they hug me and we walk out the doors and 362 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 3: we walk out the doors to cameras in my face. 363 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 3: They tell me I get to say hi. I say hi, 364 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 3: and finally I get to embrace my little sister. Finally 365 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 3: I get to embrace this little girl that's not a 366 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 3: little girl anymore. I left and she was eleven, and 367 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 3: I came home and she's eighteen and has a big, 368 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 3: old round belly. It was hard seeing somebody that I 369 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,440 Speaker 3: thought was my baby not a baby no more. 370 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 2: So are you are you an aunt? Now? 371 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,360 Speaker 3: I am? I also have another niece. She was born 372 00:22:10,119 --> 00:22:13,120 Speaker 3: four months after I went to prison. The reason why 373 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 3: I mentioned this is that I was supposed to raise her, 374 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 3: and four months before she is born into this world, 375 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 3: I am looking away from her. Currently right now, we 376 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,960 Speaker 3: are in the process of getting temporary custody of her, 377 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 3: and she is here with me. So I am an aunt. 378 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,400 Speaker 3: I am an aunt by a lot. I have eleven 379 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 3: nephews and nieces together. 380 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: So I want to talk now about something you began 381 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: in prison that I hear you're hoping and planning to 382 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 1: continue with on the outside, and that's working with other survivors. 383 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: I heard that when you were in prison. This sounds, 384 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: I mean incredible, but hear me out you improved on 385 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: an existing program by reaching out to someone with the 386 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: f who had actually interviewed you. 387 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,719 Speaker 3: I got interrogated by the FBI about the human trafficking 388 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,120 Speaker 3: and stuff, and so I contacted one of the contacts 389 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 3: and told her like, hey, you know, I'm trying to 390 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:12,920 Speaker 3: run this group. Do you have any pointers on what 391 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 3: I should teach these girls about what is human trafficking? 392 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,439 Speaker 3: And she actually sent me like these packets and stuff. 393 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 3: So me and one of my case managers we went 394 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 3: through what I wanted to touch on, and I created 395 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,600 Speaker 3: a twelve week group on human trafficking and prostitution education. 396 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 3: So it talked about healthy relationships, talked about sex, It 397 00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,400 Speaker 3: talked about what is grooming, It talked about family loves. 398 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 3: It touched on the trafficking part of it, but also 399 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 3: some of the healing process of it. And then after 400 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 3: you went through the group, you became a mentor to 401 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,439 Speaker 3: the new ladies that was going through a group. So 402 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,640 Speaker 3: it was an ongoing cycle that you had somewhere to go. 403 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:54,880 Speaker 3: And every time that group was going on, it would 404 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 3: keep me and a lot of other girls out of 405 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 3: trouble because you had a place where you were not alone, 406 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 3: somebody could feel every emotion that you felt and wouldn't 407 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 3: look at you like you were crazy. I actually have 408 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 3: a mentee that I still talk to. She sits on 409 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 3: a human trafficking board in Columbus, Ohio, and she wrote 410 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,919 Speaker 3: me a letter I was in prison and told me 411 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 3: that because of me is the reason why she believed 412 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 3: that she was a survivor and not just a prostitute. 413 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 3: One thing with a lot of survivors is we have 414 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 3: a problem with men for a while. So somebody that 415 00:24:29,640 --> 00:24:32,120 Speaker 3: may not have had the issue with men, if I say, 416 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 3: oh God, I want to punch him in his face. 417 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 3: Somebody that hasn't had that issue would be like, there's 418 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 3: something wrong with her, But another survivor would be like, girl, 419 00:24:40,560 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 3: I know too, Like yeah, he was talking really mean 420 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,680 Speaker 3: or something. You know. So the group was just very 421 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 3: productive and supportive, and it gave us a family, which 422 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 3: ultimately most of us never really had a family or helped. 423 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 3: We had a family that cared about us. So those 424 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 3: are one of the things that I did in prison. 425 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 3: Since I've been home, I'm working on going back to 426 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 3: college to start my business so I can do a 427 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 3: business for at risk tines. That's ultimately what I want 428 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 3: to work with. I want to work with kids before 429 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 3: they even get involved in a victimization. So that is 430 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:15,919 Speaker 3: my dream. 431 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 1: Oh my god, he's doing more than most three people 432 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 1: I know. 433 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 2: It's a really beautiful thing. 434 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:24,719 Speaker 1: And I know after hearing your story, Kierka, people are 435 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: going to want to get involved even more than they 436 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: already are. 437 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 2: So please, Sasha, you want to. 438 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 4: So there is a GoFundMe for Alexis Kierka Martin. She's 439 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,919 Speaker 4: building up her new future, so she's in a position 440 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 4: where she's gonna need some resources to continue her education. 441 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 4: She hopes to one day start her own nonprofit to 442 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 4: serve survivors, but also just to get up on her feet. 443 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 4: And there's this GoFundMe if you look for Alexis Kierka 444 00:25:53,359 --> 00:25:57,359 Speaker 4: Martin Support Fund, people can donate and help keep it 445 00:25:57,440 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 4: on her way to the bright future that she deserves. 446 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 4: And the other pieces and say is Ohio Justice and 447 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 4: Policy Center does lots of work to free people who 448 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:12,360 Speaker 4: are unfairly sentenced and unfairly incarcerated. And if people want 449 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:16,159 Speaker 4: to learn more about Key's case or about similar cases 450 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 4: or about our work, our website is Ohio JPC dot org. 451 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:26,439 Speaker 4: So Ohio Justice Policy Center JPC dot org. Those are 452 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 4: two distinct ways people can help Key and then also 453 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 4: learn more about the way we need to change our 454 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:33,440 Speaker 4: systems and the work that's being done throughout Ohio. 455 00:26:34,119 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 3: And I wanted to say it's not up and running yet, 456 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 3: but I would just ask that people stay tuned. I 457 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 3: will be releasing my first poetry book. It's all the 458 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:45,119 Speaker 3: poems that I did fighting my case and while I 459 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 3: was in prison. The person that I'm working with, we 460 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 3: are hoping to publish it sometime after my birthday in 461 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:52,640 Speaker 3: twenty twenty one. 462 00:26:53,160 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 1: Well, we will be happy and proud to help support 463 00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: it and promote it when it comes out. Congratulations on 464 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,720 Speaker 1: and we will also be putting the links to the 465 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: GoFundMe in our episode guide, so we'll make it easy 466 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 1: for our audience to get involved, and we'll post it 467 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: on our Instagram as well. 468 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:12,040 Speaker 3: Thank you. 469 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: Now we turn to the segment of the show that 470 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: I always look forward to, closing arguments, where first of all, 471 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:24,720 Speaker 1: I once again thank each of you, Sasha Name and 472 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:30,120 Speaker 1: Kierka Martin for being here and sharing your amazing saga 473 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,359 Speaker 1: of a life and a case. We wish you all 474 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,879 Speaker 1: the best of everything. And then I turned my microphone 475 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:41,679 Speaker 1: off and I kick back in my chair and close 476 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:44,680 Speaker 1: my eyes so that you can share anything you want 477 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 1: to share with our audience. And of course, Kerica, we'd 478 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,640 Speaker 1: like to save you for last. Sasha, if you can 479 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 1: go first, and then whenever you're done, hand the mic 480 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: off to Kierka Alexis. 481 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:03,719 Speaker 4: Kerka Martin is. It's incredibly resilient and smart and kind 482 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,240 Speaker 4: human being, and she has survived a lot and in 483 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:12,840 Speaker 4: so many ways is a unique gift in this world 484 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,160 Speaker 4: and in some ways her story is one that other 485 00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 4: people also have and It's important to keep that in 486 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 4: mind because the work toward criminal justice has to be 487 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 4: centered on the humanity of people like Key, and right 488 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 4: now we have a criminal legal system, it's not always 489 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 4: a criminal justice system. Key came out of prison just 490 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 4: as we had a pandemic, but also this moment where 491 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:44,160 Speaker 4: we're really starting to rethink the way we have justice 492 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 4: and racial equity and the way we treat human beings 493 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 4: in a system that cages people. So there's a lot 494 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 4: of work to do, and we're incredibly lucky that Governor 495 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 4: DeWine granted clemency for Key, because she's going to be 496 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,800 Speaker 4: a major player, I think, in the way we improve 497 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 4: this world. And I'm just incredibly honored to be on 498 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 4: her team and to be her friend and to get 499 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,680 Speaker 4: to see her grow and to be a part of it. 500 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 2: Kierica is all yours, Okay. 501 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 3: I just wanted to thank you, know, the listeners for 502 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 3: staying tuned and listening. I wanted to thank you guys 503 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 3: for having me on and talking with me. I wanted 504 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 3: to clarify just maybe for the listeners, because I was thinking, 505 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 3: like they may have been wondering, why do I want 506 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:37,760 Speaker 3: to be called Kerka? It is taking ownership of who 507 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:43,720 Speaker 3: I am. I feel like alexis Lexi Alex. They all 508 00:29:43,760 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 3: have like a bad past. I feel like holding on 509 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:49,880 Speaker 3: to that part of my name is like holding on 510 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 3: to baggage. I don't plan on dropping my name completely, 511 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 3: but Kierka is something that my grandmother named me, and 512 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 3: that's really the only good of a lot of my past. 513 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 3: So I believe I have a new life, a new start, 514 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:12,320 Speaker 3: or a new home, a new dream, So why not 515 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,520 Speaker 3: a new name. So that is why I like being 516 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 3: called Kiera Kurkey, and my final thoughts and final things 517 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:24,600 Speaker 3: that I would say is the main reason why I 518 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 3: tell my story. I call it getting naked. Main reason 519 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 3: why I get naked in front of the audience and 520 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 3: I let people see the vulnerability is that anybody can 521 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 3: be a victim. Anybody. I was a girl who got 522 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 3: all a's in school. I wanted to go to the 523 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:46,880 Speaker 3: Air Force. I was in rotc. I just didn't have 524 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 3: parents at home that loved me. But I had a dream. 525 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 3: I wasn't some bad kid that a lot of people thought. 526 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,520 Speaker 3: Anybody can be a victim, but it takes love in 527 00:30:56,560 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 3: the community to make that victim into a survivor. And 528 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 3: that's the difference between me and a lot of other 529 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 3: people is that I didn't let my victimization leave me 530 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 3: as a victim. And I'm still fighting and I'm going 531 00:31:11,360 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 3: to continue fighting, and so there's no longer a breath 532 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:17,080 Speaker 3: in my body to fight for survivors and not just 533 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 3: survivors of human trafficking. And I hope that hearing my 534 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 3: story encourages people to if you're not going to, at 535 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 3: least support the calls, support your family, Hug the little 536 00:31:30,040 --> 00:31:33,000 Speaker 3: girl that's alone, play with the little boy that wants 537 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 3: to play, and just let your kids know that they're 538 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 3: loved so that there's not men like my trafficker that 539 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 3: can come in and use and abuse them. 540 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flapp. 541 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 1: Please support your local innocence projects and go to the 542 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,800 Speaker 1: link in our bio to see how you can help. 543 00:31:58,240 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: I'd like to thank our production team Connor Hall, Jeff Clyburn, 544 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: and Kevin Warnis. The music on the show, as always, 545 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:08,760 Speaker 1: is by three time OSCAR nominated composer Jay Ralph. Be 546 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: sure to follow us on Instagram at Wrongful Conviction and 547 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 1: on Facebook at Wrongful conviction podcast Wrongful Conviction with Jason 548 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:18,880 Speaker 1: Flamm is a production of Lava for Good Podcasts in 549 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: association with Signal Company Number one