I Was Wrongly Convicted To Life In Prison

Rico's first lawyer, 'Billy Bob,' was ineffective and exploitative, accepting small payments without performing due diligence. He failed to appear in court, didn't file necessary motions, and gave discouraging advice, leading to Rico spending two years in jail without any progress on his case and missing crucial opportunities to challenge the prosecution's narrative.

Rico's first lawyer took money from his girlfriend's Burger King paychecks and her mother, but 'would not show up' and 'would not go see you until you pay him.' The lawyer told his family, 'He's going to have to do at least one life sentence. I can't even help him.'

The media's portrayal of the incident, highlighting the victim as a Marine and Rico as a 'gang member' with a menacing mugshot, created a biased public narrative. This narrative, disseminated through local news and social media, made Rico hesitant to go to trial, fearing a jury would be swayed by prejudice rather than facts.

News articles stated, 'Fallen soldier slain by gang member.' Rico noted, 'I look like a thug. He looks like a just citizen.' He explicitly stated, 'I didn't trust that enough to put that in the hands of a jury and let their opinion decipher cuz the jury is not going to be of my peers.'

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to court shutdowns and postponements, particularly for capital offenses. This extended Rico's pre-trial incarceration by several years, exacerbating his mental and emotional strain due to prolonged uncertainty and isolation.

His trial was set for March 14th, 2019, but was postponed multiple times due to the 'first case of Corona' in Rhode Island. Court was eventually 'shut down for capital offenses,' leading to 'a year, no court,' then 'two years, no court.'

Rico's second lawyer, Miss Dawn Huntley, actively sought and analyzed evidence that his first lawyer neglected. She found video footage showing Rico's apologetic body language after the initial collision and discovered that the victim's friend had admitted to robbing Rico's chains, directly contradicting the prosecution's narrative of an unprovoked attack.

Miss Dawn showed the judge a video of Rico getting out of his car, making apologetic gestures, and saying, 'My fault. I hit your truck, bro. I don't want no problems.' She also revealed that the chains were found in the victim's vehicle and the friend 'admitted in open court that he robbed me.'

Spending eight years in jail awaiting trial, without the programs and stability of a prison, severely impacted Rico's mental health. He experienced bitterness, misery, and a sense of being 'frozen in time.' His eventual spiritual journey, prompted by desperation, provided a framework for resilience and purpose.

Rico describes his mental health deteriorating, becoming 'bitter and miserable,' and feeling 'lonely.' He notes the difference between jail and prison: 'jails are not designed for long-term housing. There's no comfort.' He turned to prayer and the Bible, feeling 'God is protecting you... your purpose is important.'