'Jailhouse Lawyer' Series Character:
Brando Barajas

My name is Brando Barajas. I have served three sentences. My last sentence was intended to keep me in prison for my natural life. My friend, and 'jailhouse lawyer', Perry Grant, found a way to free me, for which I'm ever grateful. He helped return me to my wife and kid. For that, I'll do whatever it takes to find the evidence he needs to prove his innocence.

There ain't too many people who know what it's like to sit in a cell all fucking night, believing you'll never be free to do anything again. I know that feeling. Ain't nothing worse than that except maybe if you're also innocent of the crime you got convicted for. As a former gangbanger, I've done a lot of shit I ain't been punished for, and I got baggage, man. Shit I've done I feel guilty about. I told myself, if I ever got out, I was gonna dedicate my life to helping others. It ain't ever gonna make amends for the shit I've done, but it's a start, right?

Imagine if you're innocent or undeserving of your excessive sentence. I've known people like that. It's one thing to be paying a penalty for your actions but to have to pay a penalty for something you didn't do? That shit ain't right. I thought of my good friend, Perry, and others like him. There ain't no one to go that extra mile to set things straight. I mean, think about it, there's thousands of cold cases cops routinely take turns working on. What about cases of those wrongfully convicted? You don't see much in the news about any of them being helped. So that's what I decided to do.