WHEN HER COUSIN WAS RELEASED
FROM PRISON AT THE AGE OF 26,
AUTHOR DANIELLE ALLEN TRIED TO
HELP HIM REENTER A WORLD HE LEFT
AS A TEENAGER.
DESPITE HER EFFORTS AND
RESOURCES, THE THEN DEAN AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO COULD ONLY
DO SO MUCH TO HELP THE YOUNG MAN
STRUGGLING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
A SECOND CHANCE.
IN THE NEW BOOK, "CUZ: THE LIFE
AND TIMES OF MICHAEL A" ALLEN
TRACES HER COUSIN'S LIFE STORY
AND PLACES IT WITHIN THE CONTEXT
OF YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN
DURING THE HEIGHT OF
CALIFORNIA'S CRIME CRACKDOWN AND
THE SO-CALLED WAR ON DRUGS.
AND DANIELLE ALLEN JOINS US NOW.
A PROFESSOR AT HARVARD AND
PREVIOUSLY SPENT 10 YEARS ON THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FACULTY
WAS IN TOWN THIS PAST WEEKEND
FOR THE CHICAGO HUMANITIES
FESTIVAL AND WELCOME BACK TO
CHICAGO.
YOU AND YOUR COUSIN WERE CLOSE
GROWING UP BUT YOUR LIVES
DIVERGED.
HOW DID MICHAEL START TO GET
INTO TROUBLE?
>> WE WERE PART OF A BIG
EXTENDED FAMILY AND COUSINS
WITHIN THAT EXTENDED FAMILY.
WHEN MICHAEL WAS 10 HIS MOTHER
MARRIED A MAN WHO WAS ABUSIVE
AND THE FAMILY EXPLODED IN THE
WAKE OF THAT MARRIAGE.
THEY MOVED FROM CALIFORNIA TO
MISSISSIPPI, TO GEORGIA, BACK TO
CALIFORNIA.
MICHAEL HAD FIVE MID-YEAR SCHOOL
TRANSITIONS AND THE LAST MOVE
SAW HIM LANDING IN SOUTH CENTRAL
LOS ANGELES IN THE EARLY 90s,
A WORLD RIFE WITH GANGS AND
VIOLENCE AND HARD FOR A KID TO
LAND IN A WORLD LIKE THAT.
THE SHORT OF IS KIDS FIND
THEMSELVES NEEDING PROTECTION
AND GANGS OFFER PROTECTION AND
MICHAEL STARTED FLIRTING WITH
GANGS AND THAT IS WHERE THE
TROUBLE CAME FROM.
>> BEFORE HE GOT TO LA HE
COMMITTED PETTY THEFTS BUT HE
WAS TREATED --
LA WAS A DIFFERENT STORY.
WAS WAS MICHAEL SENT TO PRISON?
>> WHEN HE WAS 15 IN 1995 HE WAS
ARRESTED FOR AN ATTEMPTED
CARJACKING.
A SUNDAY MORNING FOGGY MORNING
AND HE TRIED TO HOLD SOMEBODY UP
WITH A GUN TO TAKE THE MAN'S
CADILLAC.
AND THE VICTIM WRESTLED AWAY THE
GUN AND SHOT MICHAEL THROUGH THE
NECK AND IN THE HOSPITAL IN THE
AMBULANCE ON THE WAY TO THE
HOSPITAL MICHAEL CONFESSED THAT
HE ROBBED THREE PEOPLE THE
PREVIOUS DAY.
SO IT WAS A CRIME SPREE BUT IT
CAME OUT OF NOWHERE.
YOU ARE RIGHT.
HE HAD STOLEN 10 FROM A
NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.
HE HAD STOLEN A RADIO BUT THIS
WAS THE EXPONENTIAL INCREASE IN
THE LEVEL OF HIS ACTIVITY AND WE
WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
WE WERE TRYING TO RESPOND TO THE
PREVIOUS INCIDENTS AND IT WAS
THAT HE HAD GOTTEN ENTANGLED
WITH GANGS.
AND THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS
THERE IS A RHYTHM WHERE KIDS
START FLIRTING WITH GANGS 11-13
AND 18 MONTHS THEY THEIR FIRST
ARREST AND THAT IS EXACTLY THE
PATTERN THAT MICHAEL WENT
THROUGH.
>> AND THE OTHER THING WAS A
PROFOUND EVENT WAS THE LENGTH OF
THE PRISON SENTENCE.
TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT IT
MEANT RELATIVE TO HOW LONG HE
HAD BEEN ALIVE?
>> TO MICHAEL WAS 15 WHEN
ARRESTED.
AND HE WAS ARRESTED 18 MONTHS
AFTER CALIFORNIA PASSED THE
THREE STRIKES YOU ARE OUTLAW AND
IT MEANT IF YOU COMMITTED THREE
FELONIES YOUR SENTENCE WOULD BE
25 YEARS TO LIFE.
AND ALTHOUGH THIS WAS MICHAEL'S
FIRST ARREST BECAUSE HE
CONFESSED TO THE OTHER ROBBERIES
HE WAS CHARGED WITH FOUR
FELONIES.
AND THE JUMP TOLD HIM THAT A
CONVICTION AT A JURY TRIAL WOULD
YIELD 25 YEARS TO LIFE SO A
JUDGE ENCOURAGED HIM TO PLEAD
GUILTY AND HE HE DID.
HE COULD NOT MAKEUP HIS MIND HIS
MOTHER DECIDED FOR HIM THAT HE
SHOULD PLEAD GUILTY AND GOT A
SENTENCE OF 12 YEARS AND 8
MONTHS.
>> WHY SUCH A TOUGH SENTENCE?
>> IT WAS CALIFORNIA.
IT WAS GOING THROUGH A MAJOR
CRIME WAVE.
AND CARJACKING IN PARTICULAR WAS
SORT OF THE CRIME THAT STRUCK
FEAR IN EVERYBODY REASONABLY.
IT IS A TERRIBLE THING NOBODY
WANTS TO GO THROUGH THAT
EXPERIENCE AND CALIFORNIA WAS
RATCHETING UP THE SEVERITY OF
THE PENAL SYSTEM.
THEY HAD BEEN LOWERING THE AGE
AT WHICH JUVENILES COULD BE
TRIED AS ADULTS.
THE AGE HAD GONE DOWN TO 14
MONTHS BEFORE MICHAEL'S CRIME.
AND --
>> HORRIBLE TIMING ON HIS PART
IN TERMS OF WHAT HE SAID AND THE
CONSEQUENCES.
>> IT WAS JUST ABOUT THE WORST
POINT OF THE SEVERITY OF THE
CALIFORNIA SYSTEM AND ALSO
THINGS WERE NEW ENOUGH THAT WE
AS HIS FAMILY DID NOT UNDERSTAND
ALTOGETHER WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN
THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM.
WE WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE WHEN
THEY DECIDED TO TRY HIM AS AN
ADULT NOT A JUVENILE.
AND WE HAD NEVER IMAGINED THAT
THREE STRIKES LAW WOULD APPLY TO
SOMEBODY ON THEIR FIRST ARREST
AND SO FORTH.
SO I THINK AS A FAMILY WE WERE
UNPREPARED IN SUPPORTING HIM AND
WORKING THROUGH THIS SITUATION.
>> YOU HELPED HIM AFTERWARDS.
HE GETS OUT OF PRISON AND HELPED
HIM GET A LIBRARY CARD A
DRIVER'S LICENSE AND A JOB AND
SIGN HIM UP FOR COMMUNITY
COLLEGE.
IT DID NOT WORK.
WHY DID IT NOT WORK?
>> WELL, THE SIMPLE FACT OF THE
MATTER IS UP WITH OF THE HARDEST
PARTS OF LEAVING PRISON IS TO
LEAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT
YOU'VE HAD IN PRISON.
AND MICHAEL WAS IN PRISON FROM
AGE OF 15 TO 26.
AND WE ALL HAVE TO THINK WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO BE A 15-YEAR-OLD
YOU ARE DISCOVERING YOURSELF AS
A SEXUAL BEING AND INDEPENDENT
PERSON AND MICHAEL FELL IN LOVE
IN PRISON.
HE FELL IN LOVE WITH A
TRANSGENDER WOMAN IN THE MEN'S
PRISON AT THE TIME.
>> SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF
TRANSITIONING.
>> YES.
BUT SHE WAS IN THE MEN'S PRISON
AND WHEN HE LEFT AND WAS
DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE
AN APARTMENT THAT WAS CLOSE TO
THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHERE HE
ENROLLED, HE SPENT 24 HOURS OF
INDECISION TRYING TO DECIDE
WHETHER TO TAKE IT AND DECIDED
NO THE TO.
AND GROUNDS FOR NOT TAKING IT
WERE THAT HE COULD NOT IMAGINE
WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF HIS
ASSOCIATES CAME BY THERE.
AND AT THE TIME I DID NOT
UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT.
AND MONTHS LATER WHEN HE MOVED
IN WITH BRIE, THAT IS HE WANTED
TO RECONNECT WITH BRIE AND
REKINDLE THE RELATIONSHIP ON
THAT MOMENT WHERE HE IS CHOOSING
WHETHER TO TAKE THAT APARTMENT
OR NOT HE WAS MAKING A JUDGMENT
ABOUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE LOVE
OF HIS LIFE A RELATIONSHIP HE
FORMED IN PRISON WAS IT A
RELATIONSHIP HE WAS GOING TO
TAKE WITH HIM OR NOT?
AND HE CHOSE TO TAKE THAT
RELATIONSHIP AND IN THE END SHE
WAS THE PERSON WHO KILLED HIM.
HE DIED THREE YEARS AFTER HE GOT
OUT.
SO I THINK THAT FOR ME AS
SOMEBODY TRYING TO HELP HIM I
KNEW HOW TO THINK ABOUT COLLEGE
AND JOBS.
I DID NOT HAVE ANY IDEA HOW TO
THINK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS
THAT PEOPLE FORM IN PRISON.
AND HOW THEY NEED TO DEAL WITH
THEM RESOLVE THEM, THINK THEIR
WAY THROUGH THEM AFTER THEY GET
OUT OF PRISON.
>> ONE ELEMENT THAT JUMPED OUT
AT ME.
BECAUSE AS YOU LOOK AT
EVERYTHING HE WAS DEALING WITH,
AND THE CHOICES HE WAS MAKING,
CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYED A ROLE IN
HIS LIFE WHAT WAS THAT ROLE?
>> WELL, MY DAD LOVED CLASSICAL
MUSIC AND MICHAEL SPENT A LOT OF
TIME IN OUR HOUSE WHEN WE WERE
KIDS AND MY DAD IS A PROFESSOR
AND WORKED IN THE STUDY AND
THERE WAS MUSIC OUT OF HIS STUDY
ALL THE TIME.
TO BE IN OUR HOUSE WAS TO BE IN
THE MIDST OF CLASSICAL MUSIC AND
ONE VISIT I HAD WITH MICHAEL
THAT HE REMARKED HE WAS GRATEFUL
TO UNCLE WILLIAM FOR HAVING
PLAYED THE MUSIC BECAUSE THAT IS
WHAT HE WAS LISTENING TO IN
PRISON AND A WAY HE COULD PULL
HIMSELF AWAY AND TURN TIME IN
PRISON TO SOMETHING OF BEAUTY
AND IT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE TO
FIND THAT THE MUSIC WAS DOING
THAT FOR HIM.
BUT IT WAS AMONG THAT THINGS
THAT LIFTED HIM UP DURING THE
PERIOD OF TRIAL.
>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE READERS TAKE
AWAY FROM THE BOOK?
>> A LOT OF THINGS.
ONE IT MATTERS TO ME THAT
MICHAEL'S WRITINGS ARE IN THE
BOOK AND HIS VOICE IS IN THE
BOOK.
HE WAS INCREDIBLY TALENTED
WRITER AND WE HOPED HE WOULD
TELL HIS OWN STORY.
PART OF THE DEVASTATION WHEN HE
DECIDE HE COULD NOT TELL HIS
STORY.
I'M GRATEFUL IF PEOPLE TAKE
MICHAEL'S VOICE AWAY AND
RECOGNIZE THIS TALENTED KID
COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH MORE
THAN HE ENDED UP BEING AND THERE
IS A QUESTION WE ALL NEED TO
ANSWER ABOUT WHY IT IS WE LOSE
SO MANY TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE TO
CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM.
THAT IS THE FIRST THING.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT WE'VE
GOT A WORLD WHERE KIDS FACE
REALLY DIFFERENT DEGREES OF
DIFFICULTY ESPECIALLY IF THEY
COME THROUGH ADOLESENCE.
AND AS A SOCIETY WE ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HUGE
VARIATION AND THE DEGREE OF
DIFFICULTY THAT KIDS FACE.
MICHAEL MADE CHOICES BAD CHOICES
THAT DEFINED HIS LIFE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS
MAKING THOSE CHOICES IN THE
CONTEXT OF DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE STAKES
WERE HIGHER THAN THEY WERE FOR
OTHER KIDS.
SO I TELL THE STORY WHEN I WAS
15 I SNEAKED A RIDE WITH A
FRIEND TO GET TO ONE OF MY
COLLEGE COURSES.
I WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO RIDE IN
THE CAR AND I GOT GROUNDED FOR
THAT.
I HAD A DESIRE FOR BOUNDARY
BREAKING.
BUT THE CONSEQUENCES WERE LOW IN
THE CONTEXT IN WHICH I GREW UP
SUBURBAN, CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA,
A COLLEGE TOWN.
MICHAEL HAD A SIMILAR DESIRE AND
IN HIS CASE IN SOUTH CENTRAL
CONNECTED TO A WORLD OF GANGS IT
LED TO AN ATTEMPTED CARJACKING
AND A SENTENCE THAT DESTROYED
HIS LIFE.
AND IN THAT WE WERE KIDS WHO
CAME UP TOGETHER AND SHARED A
LOT OF BASIC INTERESTS
RESOURCES, ABILITIES LOVE FROM
OUR FAMILY BUT FACED DIFFERENT
DEGREES OF DIFFICULTY THAT
AFFECTED THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR
DECISIONS.
>> DANIELLE ALLEN THANK YOU FOR
JOINING US WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANK YOU.