A new art exhibit in Flagstaff focuses on the experience of incarceration. Locked Up: Pain and Resilience features the artwork of inmates past and present. It shines a light on the need for criminal justice reform from the courtroom to inmate care.
Friday, the exhibit has a featured speaker, Khalil Rushdan. He was exonerated from a murder charge after spending 15 years in prison. Rushdan now a board member of the group that helped free him, The Arizona Justice Project. He spoke with KNAU’s Zac Ziegler.
Zac Ziegler: Before we get to criminal justice reform, let's start with you. How did you get to where you are today?
Khalil Rushdan: “I was wrongfully convicted in 1997 of first-degree felony murder. I ended up being sentenced to life and ended up serving 15-and-a-half of those years before I was able to be freed by the Arizona Justice Project do to prosecutorial misconduct and vindictiveness. I was not aware that this crime is going to take place. I didn't participate, and didn't do anything to further it. However, because Arizona has very harsh laws around felony murder and mandatory sentencing, I was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole for 25 years.”
ZZ: “When you were talking about how you got exonerated you mentioned the Arizona Justice Project. Tell us about that group.”
KR: “So, the Arizona Justice Project, it's a nonprofit organization. They were one of the first five organizations that eventually became the National Innocence Network. They represent people who have been wrongfully convicted or where there's been issues of manifest injustice.”
ZZ: You wrote an op-ed piece in the Arizona Mirror recently that said if Governor Doug Ducey is serious about criminal justice reform, as he said he is, these are some places to start. What did you highlight?”
KR: “I believe the discussion was around second chances because that's what the governor really push forward was this second chance movement. But society has not fully embraced the notion of second chances. Now, when people get into the system, they go in Class 6 felony, low-level. They may do a year, up to two years, come out and then moving forward it's hard for them to obtain stable employment or have a career.
ZZ: “What needs to happen for there to be progress on this issue, in your opinion?
JR: “There are a multitude of organizations looking at this issue and addressing it. There's bipartisan support. I'm excited that there’s discussions on the ground, serious discussions, because people are saying, ‘We can't keep moving in the same direction.’”
ZZ: “Khalil Rushdan, thank you very much for joining me today.”
KR: “Thank you.”
