Locked In with Ian Bick - I Was Disabled in Prison — This Is How They Treated Me | Joseph Murphy

Episode Date: April 1, 2026

Joseph Murphy grew up in a good family in Wisconsin, but at just 17 years old he made a decision that changed everything — committing an armed gas station robbery that sent him into the criminal justice system. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Joseph opens up about living with mental health disabilities while navigating county jail, prison, and years on probation, where violations kept pulling him back in. Despite receiving a rare pardon from the governor, he later found himself facing new charges for check fraud and business fraud, leading to more time in both Iowa and Wisconsin jails and prisons. Joseph shares what it was like being stuck in the system for decades, the challenges of surviving incarceration with a disability, and how difficult it is to truly break free once you’re in. After finally getting out, he landed a job with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, only to be fired for discrimination related to his disability — a case he fought and ultimately settled. _____________________________________________ #PrisonStories #TrueCrime #JailLife #Probation #MentalHealth #ExInmate #CriminalJustice #realstories _____________________________________________ Connect with Joseph Murphy: Email: [e-mail] _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 From Robbery to Prison — His Story Begins 01:10 Growing Up & Family Background 02:00 Mental Health Struggles Early On 02:30 The Gas Station Robbery 03:43 Arrest, Charges & Juvenile Sentencing 05:55 Fighting for a Pardon & Lessons Learned 07:17 Second Chance… Then Another Arrest 09:45 Legal System Challenges & Court Battles 13:10 Probation vs Prison — What’s Worse? 15:32 Mental Illness Inside the System 17:19 Life in Prison — Reality & Conditions 20:00 Loss, Survival & Breaking Points 23:02 The Truth About Probation & Parole 25:00 Violations That Send People Back 29:29 Life After Probation — Marriage & Growth 33:31 Building a Business After Prison 36:45 New Charges & Legal Consequences 43:10 County Jail vs Prison — Key Differences 46:40 Playing the Legal System Like a Game 48:01 Release, Relocation & Starting Over 51:21 Becoming an Advocate in Mississippi 53:38 Helping Others After Prison 56:01 Learning From Setbacks & Moving Forward 01:00:20 Criminal Justice Reform Efforts 01:07:20 Working Inside the Corrections System 01:12:30 Workplace Discrimination & Legal Fight 01:18:35 ADA Rights & Systemic Issues 01:23:00 Finally Off Probation — Freedom 01:24:42 Calling for Criminal Justice Reform 01:27:19 Final Thoughts & Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Would you have rather had stayed in prison knowing what you know now instead of getting that probation? My name is Joseph Murphy. Since age 17 years old to age 60, I have spent as a total of incarceration, about nine years incarcerated as a total. On probation, I've spent 20 years. Joseph Murphy entered the system at just 17 years old and spent decades trapped in a cycle of jail, prison, and probation while struggling with mental health disabilities.

In this episode, he shares how one decision changed his life, why he kept getting pulled back in, and what it really takes to break free. I grew up in the state of Wisconsin. What was that like growing up? It was nice. I came from a family of eight. I have a twin sister.

My mom and dad were older in life when my twin sister and I was born. But I had lived there for 40 years until I relocated to Iowa for about a year or so. And then after that, after that, I moved to the state of Mississippi. And I've been there now for 10 years. What did your parents do for work? My dad worked at Parker Penn Company, made pens, and my mom was a Wisconsin telephone operator. Back then, during that time, they had the operator, their old days. If my parents were alive today, they would be in their hundreds.

Oh, wow. What was young Joe like? The young Joe was a person that was struggling with mental illness. I had ADHD, I had been through a lot of counseling, a lot of psychologists and psychiatrists. and psychiatrists. It was a challenge when someone has suffers from manifestations of mental health. And then when I was 17 years old, I always wanted to get into politics. That was my vision and my dream. And when I was 17, I made a childish and foolish act that wasn't consistent who I was or my character. But I robbed a Blois, Wisconsin gas station on January 11th of 1984 for armed robbery.

never had no prior record. But because of the severity of the offense, I was waived to the adult system. How does this come about? How do you even get the idea to rob this gas station? At the time, it was to get attention, maybe a cry for help. I was with someone that was older, who was 19, not blaming him or anyone. I was the driver. My mom and dad was playing bingo at a local church, and I was using my mom and dad's car.

and all of this was from getting to the gas station and leaving the gas station and it was five minutes and it was over facing 20 years in prison to this day as I look back at that time in my life it's a moment that I will never forget because it devastated my parents and family and what everyone needs to realize is that when you commit a crime it's the ripple effect It doesn't just affect yourself, but the loved ones and your family and friends. How did you guys go about robbing it? Pulled up to get gas. Had no mask on or anything like that.

And I had Mace and I mace the clerk. And I've never been in trouble before. And when that happened, I left and was pulled over by the Rock County. Sherr's Department in Wisconsin and went to jail facing 20 years in prison. And since then, of course, I apologized to the gas station clerk and I and the owner of the gas station. My deepest apologies because that wasn't who I was, but I was facing accountability and responsibility because I did it. What happened when you went to jail, did they keep you there? or did you get out? Did your parents come pick you up?

Back in 1984 in Wisconsin, Juvedo has to go to the county jail. And at that time, you couldn't be bonded out. So I had to wait until I got waived to the adult system, which I sat in the jail for about two weeks. I got waived to the adult system. And the judge posted a $5,000 cash bail on me in 1984. and my mom and dad immediately paid it and I got out.

And then I was sentenced in July 23rd of 1984 to 30 days in the Rock County jail in four years probation, primarily because the judge went to a Catholic school with my mom and the local sheriff knew who I was and a neighbor at the time. and I learned at a young age that we live in a system of who you know. So I got sentenced, went to the county jail. I took advantage of the, at that time, it was called Huber privileges. So I got out to go to, you know, to see a carpenter, go get out, my mom and day got to pick me up. So I rolled those 30 days out.

Then when I got out of jail, I said, now I got a felony. What can I do? because now I can't get into politics or I can't do none of that. So I realized that maybe I can apply for a pardon. And at the time, Governor Tony Earl was our governor in the state of Wisconsin. So at this point, we're at 1985 and applied for a pardon, but I was denied. And because I didn't know Governor Tony Earl, like I knew the sheriff, Joe Black, and knew the sheriff or the judge that sentenced me,

I was denied. And in Wisconsin, no one's ever gotten a full and unconditional pardon while still serving a sentence opposed by the court. So I've always liked challenges. So Tommy G. Thompson announced in 1986 that he was running for governor of the state of Wisconsin. So I thought if Governor Tommy Thompson had an opportunity to know my character and knew who I really was,

like the sheriff and the judge knew that I had a great family, and just made a mistake that just maybe I would have a chance to break historically a record by getting a pardon. So I reached out to Tommy Thompson and asked if I could help him in his campaign. I got to know who I was, found out who his first cousin was. And the election night was the happiest time in my life because now I was putting the system to a test. In January of 1987, he was sworn in his governor in his first term. in in in in in Wisconsin. I applied for a pardon shortly thereafter but he deferred action for six months so it was it wasn't a lost it was it was it was I viewed it as a halfway to the home plate

and then he wanted me to go in front of the pardon advisory board again so I spoke to his wife and she goes yeah Tommy you know you know you know it's all about you know your pardon you know just go through the process so I went to the pardoned advisory board shortly late 1987 and I was still on probation because my discharge of probation wasn't going to be to July of 1988 because I got four years probation in July of 1984. Governor's office called me and said, Governor Tommy Thompson wanted you to be advised immediately. He issued you a full pardon. That day I was so excited.

It was still in the afternoon. I rushed down to my probation officer and I said, hallelujah. you see you later what do you mean well i just received a full in a conditional pardon by governor thompson and if you don't like it called the governor god bless you and they go they their faces still live in me their expression so then i was running for a seat on the janesville school board at that time paul ryan who later became our congressman for 20 years and a speaker of the house and ran for president with Mitt Romney. He was in high school for the school board that I was running for. He's from Jamesville, Wisconsin, and small world. So I, you know, that's what happened there. And I've

got into, got my pardon, and then got in 19, 92, I was, I had a clean record up till then, and then I was arrested for party dual crime of a possession of a car that my girlfriend at the time had purchased. I didn't co-assigned the loan or nothing was in my name, but she came home one day and says they're charging me with party dual crime. I go, you've got to be kidding. I didn't co-sign the loan, nothing in my name. The longest time I've ever been in jail was 30 days when I was a 17-year-old youth. So I drive to Walworth County, is by Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Elkhorn. And I went to the clerk and I said, would you pull the file?

Apparently they're charging me with a felony of a report. So I walk in and the district attorney says, well, judge, I recommended $5,000 cash bail in that case. And I said, Judge, the purpose of bond is clearly to guarantee court appearance. I come in this court today with no handcuffs, no shackles, but my free will. for this court to give me a $5,000 cash bail for someone to volunteer themselves to the court is appalling. I got $5,000 cash bail, went to jail. I sat there until my first preliminary hearing, and I didn't know who to call, so I reached out to Gerald Boyle and Bridget Boyle, who was representing Jeffrey Dahmer at the time.

And they came to the jail to see me. And they said, this is the worst complaint I've ever seen. unbelievable. So I had my prelim in front of the first circuit judge that just got elected. And he said, in light of the state's case, I got to reduce this bail to $1,000. And the judge turned the DA and says, I don't know, how are you going to approve what Joe Murphy did? So I got out of jail. My girlfriend at the time got two years probation.

And that's it. I got sentenced. I was going to a trial. They offered me a plea agreement, a year on a bracelet, and three years probation. I said, no, I'm innocent. So I go to trial. Now we're in 1993. And as I went to trial, it was my anxiety and my depression and my mental health, it was overwhelmed.

My dad had just died a year prior. My mom had just died five years prior. and everything was closing in on me. So I just was hoping that the judge was going to consider what they gave my girlfriend, two years probation at the time, would consider given me the same or what, and I was just going to just roll the dice. So I sent the jury home and no verdict, went for sentencing. And the district attorney was recommending five years in prison in 1993, November 29th.

And the judge asked, it's called a right of allocution. Do you want to say anything as a judge? The longest time that I've ever been in jail was 30 days is a 17-year-old youth. And our governor, who went on to become our longest-term governor in Wisconsin's history, pardon me full and conditionally at March 25th of 1988. And for this court to go from 30 days in jail, and I got a full pardon to five years in prison, and this is not even, wasn't even my car, is disturbing. And the judge says, well, I read all these newspaper articles

from the Milwaukee Sentinel and all that, making Tommy Thompson look bad, you know, bit the hand that fed you. I almost believe you, but I think you're trying to con me. Five years in prison. So I go to prison. Jeffrey Dahmer then was convicted, and I'm all never been to prison before, very scared and nervous. So I go to prison.

And a year later, the new lawyer that I was able to get, the judge heard the case and said, okay, maybe I was wrong after he heard about my mental health. So now he gave me the maximum, 10 years probation. I wish I would have never even disturbed nothing because I would have been out anyway, being a nonviolent offender, four or five months later. Can you explain what exactly that crime was?

My girlfriend bought a car in July of 1991, a Ford Escort, and she gave a post-aided check, and they agreed to hang on to it. But they cashed it anyway. And I didn't call sign the loan or nothing was my name. I was worth her when she bought the car, but I didn't call-signed the loan or anything. but Walworth County was a diehard Republican county and a diehard fan of Tommy Thompson at the time. And a combination of that, it was a losing battle and they were going to do everything they could to get back at me for what I did to the governor by telling a reporter back when I was running for the seat

on the Janesville School Board in Wisconsin, how did you get this part? And my only response was, how do you think former President Richard Nixon, a September 8th of 1974, received a pardon by our former president, Gerald Ford? We live in a system for we you know. Knowledge is power. Adversity brings strength. And I looked them straight in the eyes, and that was the truth. I played politics.

And it went back to Tommy Thompson. in one of his interviews and, you know, and he was upset. Yes, maybe I shouldn't have said the truth when I was asked that question. I was 22 years old. Too Good and Co coffee creamers are made with farm fresh cream, real milk, and contain three grams of sugar per serving. That's 40% less than the five grams per serving and leading traditional coffee creamers for a rich, delicious experience.

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Miami, San Diego. With Expedia, your trip can earn rewards which you can use towards your next eligible stay. Soon, people will dooms scroll you. Expedia, the one place you go to go places. Terms apply. What were people's opinion or the stigma around mental health and mental illness at that point in time? Pretty consistent in what it is today. Mental illness is like high blood pressure.

Our society has a long way to go to grass. the reality of mental illness. Mental illness took, I'm going to be 60 years old in June. I celebrated my 50th birthday in June in Mississippi. Never thought I would be there 10 years. And to this day, I see a counselor. Just to balance the weaknesses and strengths in understanding the manifestations of my mental health,

But our society and our correctional system need to do so much more because being incarcerated like I was, I didn't know I could grow a beard. I had one down here. And for the first year and a half, I was not given no medications. And it was like 50 years. And then they started giving me medications, which they started giving me too much. and I didn't know when I was coming and going. And finally, I stopped that medication because when you're incarcerated, they're not giving you the proper or appropriate treatment that you really should receive. How do you think the inmates treated you back then at that time?

Inmates treated me actually surprisingly very good. I was called the podfather because I was in. the, the Sheboygan, Wisconsin County Jail for three years, eight months, fighting my most recent case. And then in the 90s when I was in prison, they, in that year, I was treated very well. I always knew from the common sense standpoint that when you're incarcerated, whether it's a state county, a county jail or a prison facility, state or federal. Only thing that you need to do is stay in your lane. If you stay in your lane, vast majority of cases, you will not be bothered.

It's a stigma or it's, you know, you're not going to be bothered. What happens is that in prison, you don't stay in your lane. People go out there and if they're trying to buy drugs or doing this and that or they owe money to someone, whether it's canteen, drugs or whatever, that's how you get in trouble. But at the end of the day, if you stay in your lane when you're incarcerated, for the most, the vast majority of, you know, you're not going to have no problem. What were the conditions in that prison in the 90s in Wisconsin? For me, it was tough because I've never been there.

And then dealing with mental health. So during that time in my life, when I went to prison after I received my pardon, you know, in the 90s, I describe it like being in a coma and then waking up and seeing the realization of what was going on in my life. I had just lost my mom and dad in a short period of time, and they always took care of me. And at that time, I had no income, no nothing.

My mom and dad took care of me. My disability and mental health was severe. Um, I have, my anxiety was so bad and I didn't hold a job. I couldn't do nothing. Then when I lost my parents and then I was, um, I, and then I, I, I went to prison. It was the conditions and, and my personal health as, as a combination wasn't good whatsoever. What kind of facility are you put in? In Wisconsin, like a lot of states, you're sent to the, to the maximum facility.

It's called the DCI, a department of corrections in Wisconsin, and everybody goes there. It's called Dodge Correctional Institute, DCI. And when everybody goes there and you get classified. And back then in early 90s, you've seen a board, a committee to determine if you're max, medium, or minimum,

security. And I was so scared that they were going to classify as me as Max. And, and a matter of fact, I called a guy with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections a couple days before that overseas classifications. And I said, this is Joe Murphy. His name was Mr. Like. And I said, you know, would you make, would you please, you know, write my name down? Because as you know, when you're in prison, if you don't have anyone in the free world to help, you're stranded in a willerness in the life of incarceration. So as I went there, they called me down to get classified. And so the next one, Murphy, and I'll never forget this. So there was five members on this committee to determine your security level.

And this is the case from the report of the car, being in prison for the first time. prior to me getting my full pardon. And the gentleman said, I don't know why you're in prison. I said, sir, I don't know either. And he goes, you're minimum security. So, and I go, okay, thank you. And so I left in about two weeks later,

they picked me up and I was getting ready to get hands shackles. Oh, you don't have to do all that. Oh, I don't? Oh, you're minimums. So I left, went into a van. They brought me to an amendment security facility that had no offense or anything. And I sat there for about a year until they called the case back in Walworth County. And that's when the judge, my psychologist testified about my bipolar, about my lack of my impulse.

And the judge said, okay. And this doctor was well respected. He says, okay, I'm going to grant this motion to reconsider my sentence that he initially imposed in November 29th of 1993. And this time now we're at July of 1994. And he gave me the maximum 10 years probation. Would you have rather had stayed in prison knowing what you know now instead of getting that probation?

Absolutely, because I was a nonviolent offender and I would have only had to stay in, in Wisconsin, a prison for an additional three, four months, and then I would have came out and then been shortly discharged. The alternative by accepting that 10 years probation, my entire 90s up to 2002, I didn't get discharged until then. And I couldn't go back to Tommy Thompson, who initially gave me a pardon in March of 1988

because he went on to become our longstrom governor in Wisconsin's history at that time, and he was still upset with me. And then he went on to work for George Bush in 2021 for he became the Secretary of Healthful Services. But shortly after that, I was discharged. That's crazy that they gave you a 10-year sentence or probation when you were only a couple months away from getting out with parole. Why did you accept that deal? I was so scared and still battling my mental health and being incarcerated and having a mental illness,

two months remaining, three months remaining felt like 10 years remaining. It's the only way I can describe that. And in Wisconsin, they've always had a saying that you come to Wisconsin on probation, You leave on vacation, you come back and, you know, on revocation. That's the saying. You know, you come to Wisconsin. It is a hindsight is always 2020. I wish I would have never accepted that.

But I was discharged in 2002. And, you know, and, you know, and then I got in one additional trouble after that. Tell us about those 10 years on probation, what some of the challenges were, especially someone that has a mental illness. I had to report to my probation officer weekly and then it went into biweekly. Then I had violated a couple of the rules of supervision, so I got revocated for rule violations. Bought a car without permission, some minor rules, no new charges. And then I went to, I went back to prison, and then got out a year later.

And then I was stuck between a rock and a hard place because I knew I couldn't go to Tommy Thompson to help me because he went on to become our longest term of governor in Wisconsin's history. So I befriended my probation officer. And I had an affair with her. What do you mean you had an affair with her? In order for me to not be subject to so many ridiculous rules, you know, I bought her cigarettes.

I gave her, you know, she needed, you know, some money just for like, you know, things. I, you know, she would call me at midnight at night. And then she got caught up, water more she was calling me late at night. and then so I came in one day and the supervisor cornered me who was my PO back in 1984 for the armed robbery but he was a supervisor now and he goes hey we suspended Brenda come and talk to me and so they wanted me to tell them what's going on and and and I never did I said I don't know what you're talking about you know at that time and um so um she ended up getting she um they picked me up in the um in in the walworth county jail um because i was i was now getting revocated or trying to because of this okay

and um and so they picked me up um sergeant bob did good guy and he he also knew that i should never have been on that on this case that ate my life up for the 90s and i said so there taking me to an unemployment hearing because he wanted to get unemployment benefits. And Department of Corrections was there and I said, well, are they, are they joking? I'm not testifying about nothing. I don't know anything, but I'm going for a ride because I got to go for about 40 miles and been in jail for so long. And so went out and I said, after I got done going up there and saying, you know, hey,

So then after they knew I wasn't going to talk about nothing, I left. And then as Sergeant Bob was taking me back to jail, and I said, I know you're not supposed to do this, but we got a good relationship. When you stop at my sister's house so I can just give her hug and see her, and when you stop at Hardy so I can get some breakfast food, and he always said, yes, Joe, just keep that between us. But I don't think that you should never have been on any of this. and he's retired today. Statue limitations have exceeded. That's why I'm sharing the story today in my life, which will one day be a chapter in my book.

How do you even navigate life and get ahead in life when you have 10 years of probation? You continuously get violated. You know, can you even live a normal life? No, because probation today is set up for failure. The reason why I say that is because someone that's going out to, trying to go to work. And for example, in Wisconsin, I had 65 different rules to follow. You couldn't have a credit card. You couldn't buy a car without permission. You couldn't. I mean, it was just so many rules.

It was always impossible to keep up with. And probation is, probation, and 10 years probation is, is counterproductive. And so it's, and not just Wisconsin on a national level. And probation is just, it's, it's, it's,

it's not good. I mean, you know, for, for, for 10 years, 10 years probation for somebody, a non-violent offender, it's just, it's just way, way, way too much. So you finally get off of probation, What happens after that? I was discharged from that, that 90s case that I've never did on that repo of a car.

And that was in early 2002. And I got married in 2005. And my ex-wife has always encouraged me. My wife at the time, but my ex-wife today, I always encouraged me that I could do more. And so I started doing disability cases. And so a lawyer that used to work for Social Security hired me at a law firm in Madison, Wisconsin. And I started making the law from a lot of money. I started being on the road doing hearings and before the hearings and appeals.

Challenging and so many ALJs I've told that this claimant is sitting next to me, judge has manifestations of mental health based on his or her age and education training there's no doubt in my mind that this claimant is under a disability within the letters of the social security act i understand that mental illness is not detected by an x-ray or an MRI or a CAT scan but long-dude history this record is consistent and credible and judge i can tell you about mental illness because I have suffered and still suffer to this day all my life. And most of a lot of these ALJs was really touched with these stories. And I've helped a lot of people.

Then one day the main lawyer in the law firm said, called me and says, Joe, these paralegals and everything, you know, don't tell them what we're paying you, okay, or these young lawyers. Don't tell them what we're paying you, number one. But number two, because I was making them a lot of money. But number two is they're mad because you get to not stay in the office a lot, but you're making us a lot of money. And so, and they're upset that you talk loud.

And so he said, if you can't just reduce the volume a little bit, but continue to do what you're doing. You're doing great. Well, then I left in 2007, or, 2007, 2008, and I attempted to create American disability entitlements. It was my dream to maybe do more in my life. I was on disability myself, okay? And I thought I could do more because my mom and dad took care of me until they died.

So I felt like I was lost in a wilderness. And then all those things was happening in the 90 case. and then and then thereafter. And so I was, I got, I went from there and, and created American Dispill Entitlements, but I needed to bring a lawyer partner with me because I wasn't a lawyer in order to be in 40 phone books, start broadcasting cable commercials on TV, outdoor billboards,

and to market my business. And so I brought an attorney by the name of Carl Creedy, attorney out of Wisconsin. And so I never held myself out as a licensed attorney because under the Social Security regulation, you don't have to be one. And so I started getting 10 to 15 new cases every week. My commercials were flying.

My phone book covers of phone books in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Madison. I was never was making this kind of money my whole life, ever. You know, it was sometimes, you know, 20,000, 25,000, just in a week. You know, at the time, they paid $5,000, $25% of past two benefits. Today it's $9,400 a case. And so the attorney said, hey, in some cases, get a deposit. Some could afford it, but the ones that couldn't, you know, and our contract said that if you would terminate us, you would get the money back.

So some cases wanted their money back. So Attorney Creedy said that he returned the money. But returned a couple, but he never returned a lot of the money. So I was charged with a felony in a business setting, 40 felonies in Iowa and Wisconsin in 2010. And up to 2010, Prior to that, the 90s and 80s that I described, 2010 now I'm going to jail. And I was out of Holiday Inn in Dubuque, Iowa.

And I was getting ready to go to two Social Security hearings the next morning in Madison, Wisconsin. And there was a knock at the door. And it was five police officers. So they got a felony warrant for you, $25,000 cash bail. And I go, what? And so I went to the Dubuque, Iowa jail, and I was on a video court, and I said to the judge, judge, I have ties to the tri-state area of Wisconsin and Iowa. Could you reduce that bailed to $20,000, which would be 10%, so I'll end up pay $2,000?

And he goes, yeah, I can do that. Well, I didn't have no money. So I called a bail bondsman, and I said, listen, my watch is worth at least $3,000. Okay. I just got it. And I have a ring that's probably worth $2,000. I want them back, but if you could take that,

go appraise it and get me out of here. Give me two days, three days to get you the $2,000. I want my stuff back, but you don't problem. So you went, oh, yeah, okay, deal. So you went and praised the jewelry, and then I got out. then then the charges in Iowa and the Wisconsin hit me with 10 or 12 felonies Iowa altogether there were about 30 felonies give or take so I sat in the Iowa then finally I said in the Iowa jail after I got bonded out for 10 months and the

only way that I would settle that case if I was if I could do an Elford plea I'm not going to do I'm not guilty I had an email document to that I could have provided that I provided to social security saying hey can you clarify the policy on deposits and money because my family or the lawyer my partner's telling me this and I want to make sure that I'm not doing nothing unlawful and I had an email document that I could have presented to a jury to argue against intent It wasn't my intent to steal anyone's money, especially the disabled, because I'm disabled. It didn't make no sense. And so I, so I, they sent me to a mental health hospital to get invalidated in Iowa. And so after 10 months, I went for sentencing and they gave me 30 years in prison. Box cards, box card. What does that mean?

Consecutive. 30 years? 30 years consecutive. if I violate the five years probation. Exema is unpredictable. But you can flare less with ebbglis. A once-monthly treatment for moderate to severe eczema. After an initial four-month- or longer dosing phase,

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at home. You're clearly. Working at it. Zootopia 2. now available on Disney Plus rated PG that they imposed in Iowa. And then I know that after I accepted that deal, Wisconsin then would come and pick me up because now I had 20 felonies over there waiting for me to be addressed on. So I wanted to close the chapter in the Iowa case.

So Judge Monica Ackley, a district judge in Iowa, gave me 30 years, but under an old Anderson law, while I was sitting in the jail, I was grandfathered in, and that time was ticking of the five years probation. So I was already in the jail nine, ten months. I went over to Wisconsin, and they picked me up on December 9th of 2011. And I sat in that jail for three years, eight months, the time was. ticking from the Iowa case. I get out on March 24th, coincidentally, of the date today, 2006. But I got released. They opened the jail cell in Sheboygan, Wisconsin jail on March 24th of

2014. I sat in that jail from December 9th, 2011 to March 24th of 2014. They opened the door and they said, The good news and the bad news. The good news is that you're released. I met some young kids in the jail, and they promised to pick me up, and you know how sometimes you get stories. They all come and get you. Well, these young kids, 1920, they were there, and they picked me out. They said, you got three hours to report to Manus, Wisconsin,

to do another eight months after serving three years, eight months. And I said, you're joking. Well, my lawyer in Shiboy, Wisconsin, had forgotten. to consolidate that Dane County, Wisconsin case into all of these other cases in Wisconsin because in Wisconsin, my lawyer was successfully able to consolidate all of these felonies in all of these counties in Wisconsin because I was in so many phone books into one county. The alternative was that I would have had to go into each county jail and fight my case. because I believe that I would have been found not guilty.

But the bad thing is I would have done eight months or so in each jail all over the state of Wisconsin. Do you think the lawyer made you a fall guy for this? Absolutely. And the reason why I say that is this. The district attorneys and the district attorney in Rock County, Wisconsin, Janesville, the same city were Paul Ryan, who was 20 years in Congress, Speaker of the House. ran for president with Mitt Romney is from my city. We lived in the same neighborhood.

I ran for school board when he was still in high school. Funny story. But the district attorneys that was in law school at the time when Governor Tommy Thompson gave me a pardon. And I spoke the truth. But the ripple effect was, hey, in politics, you don't speak the truth. You shouldn't have said nothing. Well, these are now DAs today.

So these district attorneys teamed up from all these counties. And they wanted to get back at me like the judge did in Walworth County on the report of a car that wasn't mine. Now, were all those felony charges just fraud? Yes, business related because of the money that was withheld in a trust account. So yes, it was however you categorize it, fraud. it was money that she had been released from a trust account that I didn't have no control over. In hindsight's 2020, he's I trusted my lawyer friend who was my partner that withheld the money who said that he would would give the money back to people that wanted it back.

But all these DAs teamed up and I ended up in the Suburban case. But finally got all these cases consolidated into one with the exception of the Dane County case. So on March 24th, 2014 got released. They said, get over to Dane County, Wisconsin, three hours. Well, I didn't get there in three hours. I got there about one in the morning. And this big sergeant was snowing out. And he says, oh, you're going to get it for escape.

You had a few hours to get here. I said, well, find a jury that's going to convict me. I showed up. I didn't have no transportation. no car. I was just done doing three years, eight months. Nothing happened. So I went there, did my eight months.

Got released on November of 2004. And then in 2025, or excuse me, not 2012, November 24th or 2014, and then in 2014. And then in 2015, I moved over to Iowa, Quad Cities for a short time. And then I ended up moving to the state of Mississippi. So now the Iowa County Jail, what was that like for those 10 months? It wasn't no holiday end. I can guarantee you that.

They held a lot of fed inmates. But again, if you stay in your lane when you're incarcerated and have a little street, smarts and book smarts and common sense, you can survive. So, but I was, I was, I was very, very happy when they said, pack up, Wisconsin is here to pick me up. And what was Wisconsin like? Wisconsin, Sheboygan Jail, for the most part was, was, for a jail was, for a jail was good. That's where they, I was referred to as a podfather.

I helped a lot of the young kids with, with their legal work. You know, a lot of them, you know, I, you know, I did, overall, I did, you know, I did pretty good. Although dealing with mental health and my mental illness, that always was a challenge. But, you know, when I looked back, it was, you know, adversity brings strength. It was, you know, you know, it was okay. That's a long time to do in a county jail. I watched the first Super Bowl, 2012, the second Super Bowl in 2013, the third Super Bowl in 2014, you know, until I was released, you know, in March of 24th or 2014, and then end up going to the Dane County Jail.

There'd be inmates that would come in to the Sheboygan Jail and said, you're back? I said, well, I haven't left yet. And the consolidation was so important because in the Wisconsin case in Sheboygan, my last and only case ever, and hopefully we can get into that in a minute. But the Sheboygan case was the last time that I've ever been incarcerated. And that case was so important to get consolidated because if it didn't get consolidated, some of these judges in those counties would have been ready to give me 20, 25 years. The system is like playing chess.

You have to know when to checkmate and you have to be proactive with your public defender, if you're fortunate enough to have paid legal counsel, because if you're not proactive, it's not good. So my lawyer in Chaboygan came to me and said, I'll never forget this. And this was in December of 2012, or excuse me, January of 2013. He said, the good news is that I finally got all the counties to sign off. but the only problem is you can't do the agreement is this you cannot um you cannot plead enough for plea like you did in Iowa you got to plead no contest and the other thing

which is amazing is that you don't have the right to elocution you cannot speak because they know that if i had an opportunity to speak to this judge who today were I'm friends with who left the bench and we email today he would have given me time served so the deal was eight years per or eight years probation and and an additional eight months in the county jail of Sheboygan after already serving all that time and I got Heber privileges which means I can get out and you know if to you know if he had an appointment or what have you. Yeah. So that chapter is behind me. And then I went to Dane County Jail and that chapter is behind me. And then ultimately got released in November of 2014. And then 2015 moved over to Iowa for a short time.

And then my life began as a new chapter going to the state of Mississippi in 2016. Did you find that the staff treated you with kindness because you had a disability? or do you think it was the opposite? It was totally the opposite. The epidemic on a national level, not just here in Connecticut or New York or Mississippi or Wisconsin, but on a national level, health care is horrible.

Most all inmates would tell you that being sick, mental or physical, and you need treatment, whether it in an antibiotic or whatever, it's the last place you want to get sick in is when you're incarcerated. In my opinion, based on my personal opinion and belief. Do you think the staff was equipped to handle an inmate like yourself? Not at all, similar to community corrections, also known as probation of parole officers. When Commissioner Brokeen was appointed as our commissioner in the state of Mississippi, he used to be the warden at Argola State Penitentiary,

the largest state penitentiary in this country. The largest county jail in this country is the L.A. jail. And 17 years as warden. So when we went to lunch in 2020, along with the chairman of the Pro Board, at that time, Steve Pickett and Jim Cooper, I handed them a two-page letter. and I said, Commissioner Brokane, it's an honor to meet you. And as we were eating lunch, I said, he was reading my two-page letter.

And he said, these are really great ideas. And one of them was probation and parole officers have too many cases. We need to give a probationer parole officer any mental health cases and train them. any domestic violence cases and the officer would just handle them. Any drug cases give an officer that can handle them. Don't give a probation and parole agent 150 different cases that have 150 different problems dealing with what led them to the criminal justice system. It just didn't make no sense.

So when you finally get out of those county jails, do you have probation hanging over you as well in 2015 or 2014? Yes. I had eight years probation. Another eight on top of that? Yes. On these, on the last, on the last case in the last chapter of my life. And I went, I came to Mississippi on Interstate Compact.

And when I came to Mississippi and Interstate Compact, I became a criminal justice reform advocate. And my goal and objective as I entered Mississippi in early 2016 was nothing more or nothing less but to try to have an impact on a returning citizen's life. I wanted to be a voice because as we all know that when you're incarcerated, they didn't need a Perry Mason or Ben Manlock. They needed someone that had common sense that was diligent, and that was aggressive, and that was a bad rash that didn't go away. And that's what Joe Murphy was. I went out, and when I started being an advocate in front of the Mississippi Pro Board,

I helped a few lifers get out. And I explained to the Pro Board that no one takes away a loss of life. But in Mississippi, there's capital murder, life with the, without the possibility of parole or life with parole. So I remember one case I had where a guy was convicted in 1974. He spent 47 half years in prison. He was 18 years old. He's in the 60s now.

And I said to the Pro Board, if you're not going to parole him today, I was sitting at the table with the board. He's never had an RVR, also known as a violation, a report. in over four decades. If he can adapt to the rules of society or of an institution, he can certainly adapt to the rules of society. By granting parole today,

does it mean granting a clemency petition? He still has to report to a parole officer for the duration of his life. And you never try to talk to him long because you lose him. But he got out and they agreed with me. So today, there was a few lifers that call me. and say, Mr. Murphy, I just want to let you know, if I've never heard your name before, I'd still be in Parshments, State Penitentiary in the state of Mississippi.

But for you, you help me with that second chance. I can never undo what I did, but I can change my present and my future. But with your advocacy and your voice, you help me do that. and I just want you to know that I'm doing great. Then when the word got out, I traveled like wildfire. And then I was able to help people from getting health care. I had people that said, I have staff affection.

I wrote slips to the doctor. It's running to my arm and on my scalp. And it's really bad. And I said, you've got to be kidding. I said, you hang tight. And that same day, I got him to see a doctor. I got his antibiotics. Someone that needed glasses couldn't see reading his Bible.

Literally, he couldn't see at all. He needed his glasses. It took months. Those are just examples. I would call and got his glasses. There was a young lady that was at CMCF in the flow would, or in Pearl Mississippi. It's the central facility

where everybody goes to get processed when you're sentenced. And they weren't given her prenatal vitamins and taking her the doctor she was pregnant. Not in there,

but when she was sentenced, she was already pregnant. And I got them to immediately get her to a doctor. Again, when you're incarcerated, people desperately need a voice that cares. I'm not a vast fan of lawyers.

In my personal opinion, vast majority belong in jail. They're thieving crooks. They take lots of money from people. Sell dreams that are not realistic, in my opinion. And then you still end up with 30, 40 years in prison. Or years of probation like in your... Whatever your thing, it could be... anything. Canva helps you make that thing a thing. Canva is a simple online tool thing. It's a way to

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Real California milk by Real California Farm Farm. families. Or years of probation, like in my case, a very good point, Mr. Big. How did it feel after getting that pardon and, you know, running into the law not only once again, but twice in your case? I felt embarrassed and heartbroken because I knew I could do more in my life. And when I created this American disability entitlements and worked for this law firm in the 2000s and then ended up in Mississippi,

I said to myself, Joe Murphy, you can do better what's going on here. Murphy's Law, if anything can go wrong, it will. And that's why as we move forward one day, I will make sure that you get my first book that's called Murphy's Law as amended. Despite propaganda or poor decision-making, don't let anything or anyone impede your vision to be all you can be the sky's the limit. So as I got to Mississippi,

to make a difference in people's lives, I got the attention of, you know, our mayor where I live, he just presented me the mayor's coin along with Senator Chuck Younger, who's our state senator in where I live. Mayor's coin is,

is a coin that I'm very proud of, of good work. And he just presented that to me on December 22nd of 2025, I think I presented you a picture of that. In April 2023, Commissioner Burrell-Cain presented me with a commissioner's coin. I believe I presented you a copy of that photograph, which would probably be maybe also a cover of my book, but I've been preserving a photograph of Tommy Thompson's picture with me, doing this to me. And I think that might be my front cover because he parted me for armed robbery.

And so as I, so I'm in Mississippi today in my life. I got through, I'm on probation now for many years. And in 2017, 18, up to 2020, until Burl Cain was appointed as our commissioner of Mississippi Department of Corrections, who I have respect for. I'm very humbled and grateful for Commissioner Burl-Kane of giving me the opportunities for my second chance in light of what has happened in the past. But I'm sadden that Commissioner Burl-Cain is getting bamboozled by a lot of his appointees and staff within the Department of Corrections within the state of Mississippi.

I told them that myself, that you're being fed 3D-old baloney. Commissioner Brokane, if you talk to him, he's a truthful person, a believer of God. He would tell you what I told him. And as I was at the Capitol in Jackson, Mississippi, sometime in 2021, early. And he said, Joe, when are you going to come work for me? And I said, I don't know if I ever told you this, but I'm a convicted felon. He said, how do you expect the state of Mississippi to hire convicted felons if the state of Mississippi don't give you a chance? I said, I'm with you 100%. And so I had to, I initially worked for Mag Corps.

which it was a nonprofit, but working with corrections in the state of Mississippi. And my primary responsibility in that job was to, I was assigned to regional facilities. Some counties have regional prisons and they have a contract with the Mississippi Department of Corrections to house inmates. and then I was assigned to joint state county work programs. Those were county jails at HALS state inmates. So I would go visit them. And I would make sure that upon your release, I would get a list who was getting released.

And I would come and see them. My primary role was, hey, do you have a birth certificate? Do you have an ID? Do you have a Social Security card? Do you have a resume? do you have a job lined up? Where's your housing? And my role was to reach out to employers

and to say just because you have an employee or an applicant or a future prospect has a criminal record does not mean that he or she would not be an asset to your company. Matter of fact, there are employees that have no criminal record that are bad employees. And I was successful. and convincing HRs and employers to do that.

Then May Corps, I was hired in March of 2023. And then sometime in late 2024, May Corps hired a new CEO that was overseeing May Corps. That was on October 31st. 2004. And he called me after our team's meeting that morning when he was introducing himself to everybody. And he says, hey, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you know, you're in so many words, you're fired. You're late. You're laid off. And they told Commissioner Burrell Kane, who's on that board, that that because the grant something to do with a grant that that that you know but the grant was good

for another year but they they weren't being truthful and I knew that and I was sad so my last day was effective the day that he was a I had my team's meeting that morning but the afternoon October 31st 24 that was it so my depression and anxiety sat in but I still my boss Mr. Dante Jones, who's the director of reentry for my court today. I just talked to him earlier before I came here, still reaches out to me. I don't get paid for it or anything or money, and I like a hot dog and a little sourcrow. I will never be a rich person. My compassion and my love and my DNA is about helping returning citizens and people that made mistakes in their life.

and but Mr. Jones reaches out to me as we speak and and I consider him a friend. He knows the truth and he knows what happened to and I should have still been there. So as we move the clock forward after I was fired on October 31st, 2024, late, 2024, early 2025, Commissioner Burrell Kane calls me. and he says, Joe, I'd like to have you come now and work for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. You have to go through the personal board. And you don't have no degrees, but under the policies of all your training over the decades and all your advocacy work, the personal board can consider that as equivalent to a degree. So I did a resume, a lot of letters of recommendations from a lot of good people and even ones that are in office.

And that supported me. They said, hey, we agree in this committee. So they sent it over to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. I finished up my hiring process. and my official date was April 1st, 2025. So I was sent to Parshments, State Penitentiary, to do my training for a week. And the superintendent, Mark McClure at the time was the superintendent, was trying to find him and the secretary was.

And truth of this manner, I thought, I don't think he liked me because he was from my area. And him and two, three other people got appointees by the country. commissioner and they all know each other and that's a that's another story and I um so initially I was driving back and forth for the week to Columbus Mississippi which would have been which was three hours two and a half hours you know five hours a day to go back but so I called the commissioner um on the second day and I said the superintendent of Parshman's our maximum state pendant injury. He's, I think, ignoring me.

I'm not trying to cause no problems. I'm not asking any favors. I'm just telling you that it don't make no sense. They go, oh, Joe, I agree. I said, well, I'm going to stay in Cleveland, Mississippi at a hotel. And, you know, I can't afford it. Don't have really no money. But, oh, no, the state will pay that.

you just we were going to send send that in so i i went to the hotel and kept my receipts and and then then i was going and my and my job title which i was really blessed was assistant ministry of assistant to the ward and he calls me the day before bless his heart and he says joe be careful i demoted that warden when i first came here because i always believe that a woman should oversee a woman prison and a man should oversee a men's prison. And I took him out of that capacity and just be careful. And also he said you're the only Caucasian at that facility. Be careful.

I said, God bless you. Thank you. And my anxiety was already kicked in. So I got up the phone and my significant other said, that's weird why you know um he called you that you know commissioner and i got him program in my phone commissioner brocane but very nice that he warned me so i drove the next day sat at my desk everybody looking at me i was like walking into a funeral home i was the everybody looked at me like oh my god you know i may have been the very first Caucasian that's

ever worked there and if not maybe not many but there's none there so i go there and um and i've never been a racist i've never been never been taught that way i look i don't look at anybody as color and how i was raised you know we're all human and um so i sat at my desk and and i was waiting for the warden to come you know, he's, he's my boss, I'm his assistant. So he says, okay, you know, and I was not too sure what I'm even doing. And so he said, okay, he or fill out, or, you know, we need some new beds at this one facility. He'd go, not the first day.

He took a few days from him to do that. And then he said, do this. And I felt like, you know, how you feel like you're just not wanted. And then he, um, once. time he drove the Mississippi Department of Corrections state car and I had to go to a facility once but sometime in May I sent an email to the HR and I said that I'm having anxiety really bad and could I respectfully be considered to reduce my schedule because my psychiatrist wants me just to right now only work four hours a day just for a little bit

Too many things have been happening, working for May Corps, getting a rapidly fired for no reason. Commissioner Burl-Cain wants me to work for Mississippi Department Corrections, and then I get fired for, and then I get, you know, I get, you know, the HR in two days was like being very insensitive. So Friday, May 30th of 2025, I go into work. And I get to the bubble and I see that the two officers snorn. And at this point, I'm scared anyway because, you know, I know I wasn't wanted there. My anxiety was off the chart. but I was starting my half a day there, you know, working just from, from, I came in there at 635 in the morning and I was going to just work till, you know, to 11 or 12, you know, 4 hours.

And so the warden comes to me at about 11, 15, says, oh, I just got this, this email from the deputy of corrections, Nathan Blevins, who's the deputy commissioner. He's a second in charge. And he said that you're terminated. Give me the keys to the gate. Don't say nothing when I walk you out. And I said, what did I do wrong? I never got a performance complaint, nothing or anything.

I was presented to the commissioner's coin from Burl-Cain. our commissioner in 2023. I love what I do. And so I had some tears in my eyes. And it was on a Friday, I'll not forget that. And then, matter of fact, Commissioner Brocane, who I have respect for, forwarded me a text message that he got from his secretary

that said, hey, what was going on? and it was like, it was a nightmare. I couldn't believe it was happening. So it was on a Friday, that weekend, I couldn't sleep. So I filed a former complaint with EEOC on June 4th of 2025. It was with a heavy heart because I didn't want to make Commissioner Brocane look bad because he was loyal to me and I was very humbled for his opportunities. But at the same time, right is right and wrong is wrong.

So I filed that. So then my first interview with EEOC wasn't until September of 2025 because of the backlog. As the Krispy Chicken Sandwich from 7-Eleven, people always call me loud. And I'm like, yeah, I know. I'm crispy. Did you expect me to whisper? If you want quiet, go eat some soup and reflect. Like, I know I'm a handful.

I'm bold, I'm juicy. Throw some pickles and barbecue sauce on me, and baby, I'm a whole meal. And with seven rewards, I'm just $4. Quiet. No. Krispy, saucy, and $4? Very. Only at 711.

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he goes seven and i said how many of does this make the last one that you just presided over in mississippi he goes that's four so i said 11 total and he said yes and i said and he goes joe it was so it was unfortunate that you left your job post i said what do you mean i never love my job post is that what you've been told he goes yes i go i was fired let me text you you the documents. You've been misled and lied to again. I was appalled. You know, my, my girlfriend said, I had it on speaker.

She goes, unbelievable. And so I said, I was, I had, I filed an ADA complaint. Commissioner, I didn't want to do that because I didn't, I didn't want to make you look bad, but I also know that you can't control. your staff, that is not being truthful with you. So, Commissioner Brokane says, no, you should file that ADA complaint. And so I had his blessings. So it reduced my anxiety a little bit.

So then I, the deputy legal counsel of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, her name is Courtney Cockrell, C-O-C-K-R-E-L-L-E-L. She's the deputy legal counsel for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. So she had told EOC, well, we want to go through mediation. We want to settle. And the most important thing of that settlement, to be honest with you, was not the money damages that they gave me because I file a disability complaint for race and for disability. And I encourage anyone in this country that suffers from a disability to understand

that we have something called the American Disabilities Act that was signed by former President Bush to, and that was signed on July 26 of 1990, if an employer has 15 or more employees and you suffer from a disability or race and many other elements within ADA that, has coverage. I encourage you to file that complaint and never let anything discourage you

to do that. And one of the, in this signed document that was signed by me and Courtney Cockrell, the deputy legal counsel of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, one of the most

important things in this in this agreement. Within 90 days of the agreement, the respondent, known as the Mississippi Department of Corrections, shall provide an initial two-hour training on the anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC, including the ADA.

The training may be live, virtual, or recorded and shall be given to all employees, supervisors and managers, all at its Mississippi locations, respondents shall provide the training at least annually for the duration of this agreement and to each employee within 30 days of the employers hire. And I will also say this. if anyone in Mississippi has an opportunity to listen to this podcast, I believe this statement and this agreement also applies to inmates that are in the Mississippi prison system today working as garbage collectors for counties and everything else that when they have a bad day

or depression or anxiety, that self-reported by other inmates who told me that, oh, you're you're going to go to parchments or you're going to be transferred out of here if you're if you're if you're if you're if you're having a bad day or having anxiety well whether you're an inmate or not and you're working and you have anxiety or something in my opinion based upon my personal opinion and belief this agreement also gets extended to inmates that are in the prison system in Mississippi and The reason why I'm able to make reference to this EEOC complaint, and moving forward, I plan on doing some content daily, three or four or five a day, is that there's no

non-disclose provision, which I found that I was surprised but happy, which gives me the absolute right, even under the Constitution in Mississippi. the right of freedom of speech. And my only goal and my only objective is to do my very best as I move forward to make a difference in people's lives. I traveled from Mississippi to meet one of the most respected podcasters' voices,

Mr. Ian Bick. It is a pleasure to fly here. I came here with a very tight budget, but it was okay because my journey and my trip here was worth it. And all of the probation that Mr. Bick was asking me earlier about when I came to Mississippi and after I got the job, I was reporting to a probation officer in Mississippi. And when the probation officer said, did you pay your supervision fees? do you know how it felt like when I said, well, when you get paid, I get paid. I was an employee of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

And I went to Wisconsin in 2020. And the new judge over in Wisconsin in Sheboygan wanted to hear my case. So I went to Wisconsin because they extended my probation from the age. years to 11 years. And I never thought I would ever get off because the former judge was an appointee of Scott Walker, who also ran for president at one time. And, you know, I felt like I was never going to get off. Well, he wasn't seeking re-election.

New judge came in. Wanted to hear the case. So I called Commissioner Brokeen in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. for my hotel room. And I said, I know it's a short notice, but would you be willing to testify or speak on my behalf? And so he wrote a letter,

essentially telling the court that I was an asset to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. And then I contacted the chairman, the former chairman of the Mississippi Pro Board, Stephen Pickett. And I asked him if he could write a letter or what he says, Joe, I'll go on Zoom.

And he did and ready to testify. This judge turns to the district attorney and says, why is this guy still on probation over 10 years? I looked at the bio of Commissioner Burl-Cain. We have the former chairman of Steve Pickett here on Zoom. Mr. Murphy adopted a little boy who was five years old in 2016 and went through a home study and got approved. The judge went on to explain that she used to be a family law lawyer.

And those home studies is a challenge. The district attorney looked at the DA and went, I don't know. So I got back to my hotel. Commissioner Brokane wanted me to call them to see the end result. And I said, well, the judge just says, doesn't want to see this case again. And then in about nine months, I'll be off everything. And then I'm going to try to seek an expungement. So when I got back to my PO in Mississippi, I was reporting twice a month.

And the PO said, oh, you're good. I'll see you in four months. I go, are you sure? Oh, yeah, you on, this is the first time ever for, from 2016 to 2002, 22, 23, I was twice a month. For the first time after I got back from Wisconsin and the judge said this to the DA, so I got the report every four months. I discharged from that case in 2022.

And as I move forward today, my only goal and my only objective, as we all know my life is half over, I'll be 60 years old in June, is to move forward and to be the cheerleader, to be the voice, to be the advocate, to be that bad rashshed, don't go away,

to help every returning citizen or anyone in communities throughout this country, to give them good advice, to give them direction, to help provide resources, because that's the problem. The prison system on a national level, inmates are leaving with lucky a nickel in their pocket. And if I had one wish, I wish that every person that has a podcast would come together as a coalition

and have Joe Murphy's that could lobby every state legislation in every state of this country and every congressman and every U.S. senator. to say, let's create change. Let's restore common sense. The prison system on a national level has became a business. Empty beds don't make money. Let's rehabilitate. Let's rehabilitate. Let's not be greedy.

Let's have a heart. And I hear a lot of individuals on podcasts. but it's time to restore common sense and restore or to create solutions to the problems. We can talk about it, but it's time to be about it. We need to create change, and I would love to have an opportunity as I move forward. And only God knows when I look at Jeremiah 29-11, and as we get older, we understand that plan more, but the plan that God has for all of us. But I will do my very best to make a difference in people's lives because I care.

And I want to emphasize that I respect Commissioner Brokane for the opportunities that he has afforded me. I in no way want to try to cast a negative light on Commissioner Brokane. But Commissioner Brokane knows in conversations that, I just believe that he needs to reevaluate his A-team, that he needs to have a new crew. Because, and Parshments, which is the maximum state penitentiary in Mississippi, Mississippi has part-time legislatures.

We need to create and build a new prison in Mississippi. That system, and if you read the press, it is old or spending a lot of money on it. It don't make no sense. Time has come to stop business as usual, apply common sense, create solutions, and be a real voice for real people that have real life stories that affect their stories

or their families. It's time to all come together, to be together, not against, but together, and help create a more of a logical and practical and common sense criminal justice system on a national level. And I have to say two things that's important. I have, we all heard of scribal monopoly. I have a board game that I've always dreamed about that I believe will outsell them to put together and to help and to assist when I'm not here no more. And that is called the Political 101. To,

to help families. The board game is to teach family how to navigate the local and state and federal government. And I just want to say thank you so much, Mr. Big, for the opportunities that you afforded me. And God bless you and everyone that has taken time to listen to what I had to say. Well, I appreciate you, Joe. And same thing to you and safe travels back to Mississippi. Thank you.