It’s not a secret that life in prison is tough and difficult. There are a lot of regulations to adhere to, and ignoring one could result in serious sanctions. Prison life can break even the most ardent of criminals and forces them to alter their behavior. The A&E series ‘Kids Behind Bars Life or Parole’ follows those who had committed grave crimes and were sentenced to death when they were children. This year’s United States Supreme Court abolishes life-without-parole sentencing to juveniles. The show showcases how prisoners attempt to resentence themselves. Let’s see the current location of each individual and how we can help them.
Bobby Gonzales
Bobby Gonzales was just 15 years old when he was sentenced to prison for the murder of his girlfriend’s mother. His girlfriend, Krissi, told him that her parents were accused of inflicting abuse on her (which was later proven to be an untruth). In the end, taking matters into his own hands, Bobby entered his girlfriend’s home in Texas on March 7, 1992, and killed her mother. Her father, Vernon Caldwell, was severely injured but was able to escape by escaping with his life.
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After being found guilty, Bobby was tried as an adult and sentenced to life imprisonment. Surprisingly, Vernon and Bobby reunited on good agreements as the former apologized to Bobby for his deeds. Vernon was also Bobby’s advisor and has stated his regret for being too harsh with Bobby in his youth. Bobby is still incarcerated in the Alfred D. Hughes Unit in Texas and will be eligible for parole in 2027.
James Wiley
James Wiley committed a heinous crime when he was 15 years old age. According to the evidence, James murdered his stepmother, three brothers, and stepfather in cold blood. On November 24, 1990, James Wiley armed himself with a shotgun and violently killed his stepmother and two brothers at their house in Thermopolis, Wyoming. The third brother tried to escape the violence; however, James got him. Then, he brought his younger brother home and killed him with a shotgun.
The horrific nature of this crime pleased the most seasoned police detectives. James was sentenced to life imprisonment for three counts of murder in the first-degree and one second-degree murder. As of today, James Wiley is still imprisoned at Torrington, Wyoming. Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington was denied after his request to reconsider his life sentence.
Curtis Brooks
Curtis Brooks had a difficult childhood that left him without a place to stay for quite an extended period of time. He was in the Aurora Mall in Colorado when an acquaintance, Roosevelt “Deon” Harris, was adamant that he would be the carjacker’s accomplice. Harris had previously permitted Curtis to sleep at his home, and the teenager accepted the offer without much consideration. The carjacking was horribly disastrous, and Harris ended up killing the victim. The incident was not fatal. However, Curtis was charged with first-degree murder.
While he was not accused of murdering the victim, the jury found Curtis in the wrong and sentenced him to life in prison without parole in 1997. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling against the life-without-parole sentence for minors, Brooks won a resentencing and was granted the right to clemency by then-Governor John Hickenlooper. Curtis returned to Maryland after his release and was scheduled to join The Prince George’s County Education Council.
He also wanted to assist State Senator Joanne C. Benson with her advocacy work. Currently, Curtis resides in Largo, Maryland, and married Kaitlin Brooks in August 2021. The couple is reportedly happy, and Curtis is trying to catch up on the things he missed out on during his time in prison. It appears that Curtis can turn his life around and is optimistic about the future he has planned for him.
Lacy Aaron Schmidt
Lacy Aaron Schmidt had 14 when he killed his Ex-girlfriend Alana Calahan. The murder took place within Columbia County, Georgia. According to court documents, the relationship between both of them was getting worse, and Aaron was already planning Alana’s death. Some sources say that the gun was taken from the victim’s father. On January 31, 2011, Aaron went up to the victim and fired a shot from behind while she was using her mobile. The teen even tried to conceal the body in the woods.
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When he was taken into custody, Aaron was convicted of numerous charges, which included felony murder engaged in, aggravated assault, theft through carrying a gun or firearm at the time of the offense, and murder with malice. Aaron was sentenced to life in prison without parole based on his conviction. In addition, he was given an additional ten years in prison for conviction of possessing a firearm, and his conviction for theft earned him an additional five years in the sentence. Aaron’s request for a fresh trial was denied, and the prisoner is serving a life sentence without parole in the Hays State Prison in Trion, Georgia.
Ronald Bell
Ronald Bell, then 17, was sentenced to death when two teenagers were found guilty of the abduction, torture, and murder of an individual in Florida. The truth is, Ronald was saved from death row when an execution for juveniles was declared illegal under the constitution. So, Ronald remained incarcerated for the rest of his life following his conviction for killing in the first degree and abducting.
When when the Supreme Court passed a law that barred juveniles from life without parole, Ronald tried to get a resentencing appeal heard and was even granted one. However, the next trial gave Ronald an identical sentence and returned him to prison. Ronald Bell is incarcerated in the Taylor Correctional Institution in Taylor County, Florida.
Timothy Preston Chavers
Timothy Preston Chavers was just 17 when he and two others set out to rob a teenager under the pretense of purchasing drugs. The victim has enticed the beach to Fort Walton Beach in Florida. The group then attempted to steal him. But, things got out of hand, and Preston was able to shoot the victim in cold blood. When he was taken into custody, he was found guilty of murder in the first degree and was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
After appealing his sentence, Preston was granted reconsideration of his sentence, but in August of 2018, the judge sent the man to life imprisonment. The judge, however, stated that his sentence could be appealed within 25 years. Preston is incarcerated in the Wakulla Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida.
Brandon Moore
Brandon Moore was only 16 when three teenagers attempted to rob a 21-year-old student at a college in Youngstown, Ohio. While they initially planned to take the victim’s money, the robbery escalated into an assault and a brutal rape. After being caught, Brandon was convicted of various crimes, including kidnapping and assault, aggravated robbery, and complicity in rape. Brandon was later sentenced to 141 years of prison.
Brandon’s sentence has undergone several changes. After a few revoking his sentence, the third one granted him a jail period which was 112 months. When Brandon contested the ruling and was sentenced decreased to fifty years in the year 2018. Then, the judge permitted him to seek judicial release after he had served 47 years. Brandon has since absconded from his petitions amid an act adopted on January 9, 2021, making Brandon eligible to be paroled as of today. But, he hasn’t received parole yet and is currently incarcerated in Marion Correctional Institution. Marion Correctional Institution is located in Marion, Ohio.
Otis Daniels
Otis Daniels was 16 when it was discovered that he had been implicated in murder and theft in Georgia. According to reports, Otis was the one who carried out an intruder at home, in which he broke into a house and killed the owner of the home as well as her daughter. When the woman who was older died of her wounds, The investigation became a murder investigation, and Otis was taken into custody.
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In the 1998 trial, Otis was convicted of various charges and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. After the supreme court eliminated the life sentence without parole for juveniles, Otis sought a resentencing appeal but was resentenced to serve the rest of his life in prison. He is currently detained at Ware State Prison. Ware State Prison in Ware County, Georgia.
