3-Strike Stories: Lawrence Martin

I honestly don’t know where to begin, but from the beginning, is the best way I can begin to tell/describe the hardship I’m suffering because of another violent nature.

First of all, let me point out that I paroled from Delano State Prison in 1993, with no place to go and no help from anyone or wait for me, upon release.  From the very first day, I’ve worked and even worked two jobs, to accomplish some of my goals. No parole violations, stayed out of trouble, moved to Sunnyvale, started working for Xerox. I got my own place, married, brought my son from Alabama and put him in school and got him a job with Solectron, etc. In 1995, I was fortunate enough to prevent a woman from being raped, one night on 12^th street, right outside my car.

Things started turning bad for me when I couldn’t find a steady job. People and friends were stealing from me, and even my newly married wife wanted out of the marriage. There is some other hardships that would also only impose on your conscious, but I soon started using drugs and my wife left me. Heartbroken and confused and frustrated with no wher to turn. I was fortunate to still have one friend, who encouraged me to go to a drug meeting and seek a drug program.

One night she came home angry, so I, call myself doing the right thing, went for a walk. (We lived downtown). Leaving some apartments, I got stopped by San Jose State University police. I had a pocketknife on me. I went to jail for possession of a dirk or dagger.  From that point on my life has been a nightmare. I’ve been advised wrongly, represented down the path of no hope. I was found guilty, 5/11/98, with no defense on my behalf, because my attorney offered none. Now I await sentencing, 7/7/98, in Dept. #18. Hopefully with the support (Romero Motion), my life can be spared. I haven’t any violence on my record at all.

Please call my girlfriend at ----- and direct her on what she should do.