About this episode

Quentin Lewis discusses his wrongful conviction and his journey as a jailhouse lawyer and poet.

Quentin Lewis has been incarcerated since he was 16. He's now 45 and an inmate at Wende Correctional Facility in upstate NY. He earned his G.E.D. and an Associates Degree in prison. He's been fighting a wrongful conviction since 2001. Students at Cardozo School of Law and Yeshiva are assisting with his case. Quentin is certified as law clerk in the prison system. Read his article in the New York Times here. Read Quentin's poem below. Jailhouse Lawyer, by Quentin Lewis You not a Jailhouse Lawyer Unless you won a case Stop sitting on the sideline Looking out of place You sitting down at Chowtime Looking at your plate Like wait How I'm gone get out From behind this gate Go escape in the law library Lifting weights Damn straight This time is scary As your fate No date upstate The cell your sanctuary Like a braincell Where your energy is carried The law legalise In my memory is buried Due process Came way before slavery Maybe you need to learn Johnson verse Avery Supreme Court said Jailhouse Lawyers amazing Filing torts Trying to get back to the pavement A better person More than before I was caged in Trailblazing Champion of human rights Hell raising The right to counsel never dies…

People in this episode

Host: Harriet Hendel

Guest: Quentin Lewis

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva, New York Times

Books & works: Jailhouse Lawyer

More episodes of Pursuing Justice

• [Re-Air] Writing From Behind The Wall with John J. Lennon [Part 2] · July 16, 2026 · 25 min
• [Re-Air] Writing From Behind The Wall with John J. Lennon [Part 1] · July 9, 2026 · 21 min
• Quentin Lewis: Jailhouse Lawyer, Poet, Fighting His Wrongful Conviction [Part 3] · June 25, 2026 · 20 min
• Quentin Lewis: Jailhouse Lawyer, Poet, Fighting His Wrongful Conviction [Part 2] · June 18, 2026 · 21 min

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