Greetings, my name is Carmen Woods, First, I would like to thank you for visiting my website. Secondly, I welcome your support at whichever level you can help.

My family, love ones, and I have been fighting to reverse my wrongful conviction for the last 40 years; however, this draconian system is apathetic about innocence or justice. I was falsely accused by Homer Lane of killing Chester Laws Jr. (a young man), on May16, 1982 approximately at 2:10am. May Allah guide his soul!
Let me be the first to say, I was not an Angel growing up in society; I was delinquent and I regret the follies of my youth. At an early age, I adapted to the streets as a way of life; not realizing that I was corrupting my personal morals. My mother and extended family tried to redirect my focus in life; however, I was too caught up and therefore, unable to redirect my attention to my purpose in life. Today, I hold myself accountable for my mistakes and I realize that at the time, I was young and immature making grown up decisions. Little did I know… but there are no excuses today.

Over the years, I spent much time thinking back to that place in my life when nothing really mattered. I was again young, naive and caught up in the wrong life style… the streets. At the time, I thought I was mature enough to fin for myself; I thought I was a MAN. However, truth is I was NO MAN. I had nothing; I still lived with my mother who tried her best to steer me in a different direction. She was always there to get me out of trouble; but, that one day when my life took a wrong turn; there wasn’t much she could do to save me. Many years later, there is one thing that I can say that has not changed. That is the streets…that lifestyle has not seem to go anywhere. However, I would have to say that the streets seem far worse today. That street mentality was the demise of my future and it is unfortunate that there are many other troubled youth heading down that wrong path I once took.

Today, 40 years later, I hold myself accountable for my mistakes, reflect on them and try to make them life lessons for others who may be going down the wrong path. Despite my circumstances, I think I have matured and I am proud of the man I have become. I can’t change the hands of time, but I can take advantage of it. Therefore, I have spent many years studying and devoting my time to my faith, Islam, which has made me a wiser and stronger MAN. Yes, I said it, I am a MAN now. I am remorseful for my mistakes in life and I accept that this was Allah’s plan for me. In 1985, I accepted Islam and since then, purified myself from all vices and learned how to truly live, Allah is the best of planners and he will test us, and this is my test. I will fight this conviction, as I will live my life as a Muslim until death, Allah willing.

As a Muslim, Islam has showed me how to live and appreciate life in spite of my wrongful conviction, circumstances, and conditions; I can make the best of a bad situation. I’m very optimistic. I’m hopeful that change will come sooner than later; therefore, I will remain patient and steadfast for the blessings of belief and freedom by the Grace of Allah, who is the best of planners.

After being incarcerated for so long, I’ve realized how much I miss everyone. I yearn for those relationships as a father, brother, uncle, cousin, friend, and neighbor. I look forward to my freedom, which is something I hope to never relinquish or take for granted. As I think back to the beginning of my incarceration, I was just a young teenager. I was 19 years old when I entered the prison system. I had a head full of black hair and no facial hair, not even peach fuzz.

I chuckle now because I grew from being this wide eyed, stiff neck young buck to a grayed out, semi balding, old head. Funny thing is the young brothers here in prison refer to me as their “old head”. It took some time for me to get use to this reference because in my eyes I still felt like a young man striving to get home to his family. I’ve learned to accept this as a term of endearment. I believe my experiences and advice can steer these misguided adolescents from being another statistic. The youth today, seem to show respect to those who have gone through similar hardships and the schools of hard knocks. I feel that we connect because they identify with my experiences and consider me a person they can listen to, not to say they won’t to others.

Given my circumstances, a long time ago I decided to take advantage of this time. My mission in life is to be productive in my current society; therefore, prison has been my university. I am proud to say, over the years I’ve obtained my GED and college credits for business. I’ve acquired business planning skills, metal shop experience and culinary apprenticeship. I am involved with several programs mentoring inmates about illiteracy and drug addiction. Most importantly, I share my experiences with other young men and encourage them to educate themselves, which was something I didn’t appreciate during my adolescent years.

In conclusion, I believe self-improvement is the key to reformation: acknowledging Allah (God) first and foremost, education, promoting the right and forbidding the wrong, and surrounding myself with positive people. All praise is given to Allah because it only by his grace that any of us will survive.