Letter from Dawud on June 11, 2014
Interview #1
Please tell us something about yourself. Feel free to include whatever you feel comfortable or interested in sharing.
My name is David Lee and I am referred to as Dawud inside of the prisons I’ve done time in. I have been in prison now for 26 years for an act which I have always maintained that I did not commit. I am a victim of not turning into a state informant; had I done so, I would have been home long ago. I was offered a deal of 12½ to 25 years to testify against my codefendent, but I refused. Thus, I was given a life sentence. On June 13th, I’ll turn 51 and I’ve been in prison since the age of 24. I have a daughter whom I have not seen since she was 17, and she is now 31. I have a grandson whom I have never seen in person, and he’s 9 years old now. I am a prison activist who is involved with all types of projects to bring about awareness on various levels – whether it be cultural or political awareness, or some sort of youth development. I have two sisters left in my immediate family. My brother Darryl Lee and mother Edna Lee both passed away while I’ve been in prison. My father Henry Lee died in 1986 while I was still on the streets, but his passing had a devastating effect on me. Thus, Wanda Bush and Zenobia Johnson are all who are left in my immediate family, and Zenobia is very ill. I have a host of nieces and nephews whom I love very much and do the best I can to aid in their growth and development. Continue Reading