Dirty Karma Sean Brown
The ConTextos Authors Circle was developed in collaboration with young people at-risk of, victims of, or perpetrators of violence in El Salvador. In 2017 this innovative program expanded into Chicago to create tangible, high quality opportunities that nourish the minds, expand the voices and share the personal truths of individuals who have long been underserved and underestimated. Through the process of drafting, revising and publishing memoirs, participants develop self-reflection, critical thinking, camaraderie and positive self-projection to author new life narratives.
Since January 2017 ConTextos has partnered with Cook County Sheriff's Office to implement Authors Circle in Cook County Department of Corrections as part of a vision for reform that recognizes the value of mental health, rehabilitation and reflection. These powerful memoirs complicate the narratives of violence and peace building, and help author a hopeful future for human beings behind walls, their families and our collective communities.
While each author’s text is solely the work of the Author, the image used to create this book’s illustrations have been sourced by various print publications. Authors curate these images and then, using only their hands, manipulate the images through tearing, folding, layering and careful positioning. By applying these collage techniques, Authors transform their written memoirs into illustrated books.
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ALN 21.027 awarded to Cook County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Dirty Karma
Sean Brown
This is a short story about three young men whose lives intertwine with one another, told from the perspective of their lawyer. The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Johnwasa21yearold,third-yearcollegestudent.Hehadnopriorinvolvementin thecriminaljusticesystem.Hewasaskedbyhiscousin,adrugdealer,tocarrya bagforhim.Thecousin,whoknewitwas
“hot” onthestreets,wasservingJohnup likeahappymeal.
Johngotbusted.Thepolicestoppedhimandaskedhimiftheycouldsearchhis bag.Hehadn’tdoneanythingwrong,soheconsented,likeadummynever consent!Ifhewerebustedbythefeds,theamountofdrugsinthebagwould havehadJohnfacinglifeimprisonment.
Inthiscase,hewaslucky,Iguess. Hewasbustedbylocaldetectives.Inthestate thathewasbustedin,themaximumprisontermforhiscrimewastwentyyears. He waschargedwithafirstdegreecrimebutbecauseofhislackofpriorinvolvement thepleaofferwasalesserseconddegree,weight(meaningthemaximumamount hewasfacingwastenyears,ifhetooktheplea).
“ Ibelieveyoubutwhatdoyouthinkajuryisgoingtobelieve , ifyougototrial?
Thedetectiveswilltestifythattheyhadatipthattherewouldbeaperson carryingagreenbagwhowasdeliveringcrack .
ButMr. Brown , Ididn’tdoanything
Theysawyouandthebagandaskedyoutoconsenttoasearch
. Youdid . Yougaveupand searchandseizureissueyoumighthavebysigningtheconsent . Andtheydon’thavetolieto proveyouhaditinyourpossession .
“Infact,youhavetoknowwhatitis, whereitisandthenature
“Yes ”Iresponded.
“Don ’tyouhavetoknowsomethingistheretopossessit? ”heasked.
’sgoingtobeyourword alone.
ofit. Justunderstandthatifyouelecttogototrial,it
Pleasethinkthisthrough . I’mnotsayingyoucan’twinbutbedamnsureyouwanna takethisshot. I’mprettysureIcangetyouanofferdowntosevenyears,you’ll probablydotwo. That’salotbetterthanfifteenyou’dgetwithamandatoryfive, if
youlose”
“Mr.Brown,Idon ’twanttodotwominutesinjail.” Johnrefusedthepleabargainandwenttotrialandwelost.Healsorefusedto believethathisdrugdealercousinlefthimouttodry.
Johnwassentencedtofifteenyearsinprison, fiveyearswithoutparole. Sincehehad nopriorinvolvement,hequalifiedforanearlyreleaseprogramandwasbackonthe streetsattheageoftwentyfour.
Jobless,onparole,angryandlabeledasadrugdealer,hefelthislifewasruined sohetookupdealingdrugswithhiscousin.Onedayhiscousintoldhimnottobe
ontheblockbecauseitwas “hot”
In the meantime, he watched as his cousin, who had never been busted, called one of his runners and asked him to deliver a package somewhere. The runner (some kid called DC) got busted and was later sent to prison.
Johnbegantoseetherealworldclearlyforthefirsttime. Artiswasalife-long criminal.Hehadnowturnedtoarmedrobberiesasawayof“gettingmoney ” . Whenhewasarrestedthestatewasabletotiehimdirectlytofivearmed robberies. Ifconvicted,hefacedlifeinprison.
Hewasready,willingandableto makethedeal
“JustgetmethebestdealyoucanMr. Brown ”Herequested.“Thebestdealtheyareofferingyouisthirtyyearswithfifteenin, beforeyou're eligibleforparole. ”Hethoughtaboutitforaminute, smiledandsaid “Tellthemthis, tellthemcutittofifteenwithfivealltorunconcurrentandI’llgive themabody. ”“Abody? ”Iasked. “Somethingyoudidorsomeoneelse? ” “SomeoneelseMr.
B.They'vebeenlookingforthatshootingoutoftheeastside.Theychargedsomekid,buthewasthedriverandtheycan ’tproveeventhat.IsawwhosmokedthatkidandIcanproveitforthem.
”
“They are going to want specifics. Times, dates, how you know about it. And they are going to want a lie detector” I warned. “No problem”, he returned with confidence.
“Ijustwanttoincludeoneotherthing. Theyhavemehereforfivearmed robberies, Ididfifteen. Iwanttoconfesstoallofthemandhavethemwrapped upasapartofthedeal.NoadditionaltimeandIwantitinwriting ” .
Artis' information checked out and his deal was made. It appeared that not only did Artis witness a gangland style shooting, he was also a part of the planning. He was supposed to be the getaway driver, but declined in order to rob the gas station two blocks away. The robbery went so well that he thought he could still get to the block and still make the loot as the getaway driver, maybe even create an alibi (if needed). He arrived on the block just in time to see the hit go down and to see the shooters.
“Somecollegekidwhohadjustdoneabid).TheycalledhimJohnboyor
something.Smokedthisotherkid,abigtimedrugdealer.Iheardhimsayitwas hiscousin.Didhimdirtytoo.HegavehimThreebulletstothehead”
Thestategotit
’smurder.Artisgothisdealandwasbackonthestreetsinfive
years.ThistimeJohn,nowknowntothestreetsas “JohnBoy ” , tookaplea.His lawyerwasabletoconvincethestatethatifArtiswastheireyewitness,theycould loseJohnaltogether,sothestatemadehimanofferhecouldn’trefuse.
Seventeen years in prison with seven years of parole ineligibility.
RememberDC?DCwaseighteenyearsoldwhenhewasbustedforpossession withtheintentionofdistributingonehundredvialsofcrackcocaine.
Hewas “the runner ”forthe “bigtimedrugdealer ” wespokeaboutearlier. DClookeduptohim andhewouldoftentellDCthathewastooyoungtogotoprisonifhegotbusted. DCfollowinghisarrest,wassentencedtothreeyearsinprison.
Hewasreleased afterservingninemonths.Heenteredprison,certainthathis
“boy ” , John ' scousin, hadhimsetup.Whenhecamehome,hedecidedthathewasgoingtogethislife inorder. Hegottwojobsandworkedtirelesslyuntilhewasoffparole.
Hemoved inwithhisgirlandtheyhadachild.
He was twenty four years old and finally beginning to do well. One night, while he was on his way home, he was stopped by an old friend who wanted to know if he wanted to go to a party. DC hadn’t been out in a while, so he agreed. He went home, showered and changed, and when his old friend arrived, he was ready to party. He walked over to the car and noticed that there were three “brothers” in the car that he didn’t know. He sat in the front passenger seat and his old friend introduced him to the guys; his “cousins” from out of New York.
They were going to the party too. However they wanted to go to the Southside to grab some weed, or so they said. DC used to hustle out there so he agreed to show them.While they were there, this one guy named Artis pulled out a gun and they started robbing the drug dealers on the block. He didn’t know what to do. They left him in the car and before he knew what was going on they had robbed everyone and were heading back to the car.
One of the dealers refused to give up his money and Artis shot him. DC panicked and tried to drive off but put the car in reverse and ran into a pole.
They jumped into the car and told him to drive at first he hesitated then Artis put the gun to his head and said “DRIVE NIGGA” so he drove off.
When they made it to the safe spot Artis turned and said thanks nigga for the hook up and then BOOM, BOOM, BOOM…Safe to say they never made it to the party… Aint karma a bitch!!
I Am From
I am from South Kingston
Sean Brown
From beautiful waters and barefoot soccer games
I am from I am from beautiful mountains, no phones
I am from white sand, sky blue green water
And shark infested waters
I’m from Grandma Leola and A black queen
From long walks, deep conversations
And from hustle, never take no as an answer
I’m from nothing is impossible
And from Jah has your back
I’m from Rastafari faith
I’m from Jamaica
From Jumbalia, stuffed, fruit stuffed peppers
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter - African Proverb
