Texas

Nanon W.:
Nanon was born in a Los Angeles ghetto. When Nanon was 12, his father died during a drug deal; as a result, Nanon was raised by his mother and stepmother. As a teenager, Nanon veered off the right track as a star football player and student to become involved in selling drugs. During a drug deal in Harris County, Texas, when he was 17 years old, two people were shot, one died, and Nanon was blamed for the murder. Still a teenager, he was tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Overwhelming ballistic evidence and the confession of another individual brought Nanon’s guilt into question, but no appeal was granted. In 2005, a U.S. Supreme Court decision forbidding the execution of minors changed his sentence to life in prison. Nanon has spent the past 15 years in prison devoting his time to reading and writing. His published books include Still Surviving, an account of his experience on death row, and The Ties That Bind U, a collection of poetry. As a result of his advocacy work behind bars, Nanon has received a Youth Activism Award from the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. He currently spends his days writing, studying, and assisting other wrongly convicted prisoners with their cases in the hopes that some day his appeal will be heard and the injustice against him overturned.

Nikon J.:
Nikon grew up in Longview, Texas, in a loving family with seven siblings, but all that came to an end when he was arrested for his first and only offense. At only 16 years old, Nikon was tried as an adult and sentenced to 50 years in prison for one count of armed robbery. He was forced to grow up in prison, fighting for survival amid brutal violence and harsh living conditions. Through all this, Nikon has developed a passion for reading, writing, and sports. Now 27 years old, he is eligible for parole in 16 years. Despite his callous treatment by the criminal justice system, Nikon has not given up hope that caring people will learn about his case and help him gain release through the courts.