Problem child:

Early childhood trauma made me angry, violent and dysfunctional in school and society. That behavior led me to the introduction of the “94” crime bill. I was classified as a super predator at 17yrs old then certified as an adult and sentenced to 2 1/2 1O years term for robbery and related offenses. 2 years in to my sentence i received some tragic news, that my brother Kenneth Griffin was shot and killed by Pennsylvania State Parole Agents in an attempt to arrest him for a parole violation. 6 months after that incident occurred I was eligible for parole. My prison record was clean and clear but  politics were now involved with me being his brother and my family suing the state in a wrongful death lawsuit. My parole hearing was the fastest hearing in P.A. history. I literally walked in and out with a wait for your green-sheet for our decision. 4 weeks later their decision came back under with a 24 month review. Being infuriated and needing to get out of prison to help support my family through these trying times I went to the law library to see if there was anything that I could do within my case that could get me released sooner than later. After some brief research I found a valid issue. At my time of certification in 1994 I did not meet the criteria set forth to be certified as an adulthood. The only crime that was certifiable at the time was homicide, you had to have been given the opportunity to have been rehabilitated at least once before certification. I did not meet any of those criteria. With this Information i filed a motion [P.C.R.A.] Post Conviction Relief Act. The judge informed me that I was correct with my assessment of the fact of law pertaining to my issue but that I was time barred. I only had 3O days after my initial conviction to raise this issue. My rebuttal was that I was only 17 with a high School diploma and that I could barely understand the legal language let alone anything else. The judge’s  reply to me was that ignorance of the law is no excuse. From that point on I made it my personal business to learn at the bare minimum of the language of the law so that I would never be taken advantage of again,  if I or my family and friends were ever in a legal situation. 

 A few years after my release I was arrested again. Equipped with my limited but formidable education I invoked my 5th amendment right to be silent while being arrested. I was charged with possession with intent to deliver conspiracy for possession with intent and a firearm charge. After reading my probable cause affidavit I knew that the officer had no probable cause for stopping me let alone searching me. I Hired an attorney to represent me at my preliminary hearing for these charges. At my preliminary hearing the D.A. did not have a field test nor a toxicology report to determine if the substance was actually an illegal substance, so they dropped the drug charge and kept a conspiracy to sell drugs and a firearms charge. This is where thing got crazy for me. I asked my attorney at the time how was I still charged with conspiracy to sell what they just determined was not identifiable ? His reply was “don’t rock the boat” There is a legal term that lawyers use, the lieutenant follows the general which means that if the initial charge is dismissed so should the conspiracy charge. There can be no conspiracy without a supporting charge. My lawyer the D.A. The Judge and the cop all knew this. I fired that lawyer and hired another lawyer and gave him specific instructions to file a HABEAS CORPUS on my behalf to address this issue of conspiracy. The second lawyer ignored my wishes, at that point I was done spending money for lawyer’s who were intentionally misrepresenting me. I hired a third ATTORNEY who I made sure agreed with me before I paid a retainers fee.  Discovery is unexpected. I was aware of what was happening. My charge of conspiracy was illegal, forcing a re-arrest and new preliminary hearing with my third attorney. He crossed examined the officer properly and I was held over for trial. We filed a motion to suppress. I was so frustrated at that point that I unexpectedly created the first legal-t in 2OO4 and  we successfully defended me using Commonwealth Vs Dales . Years later i was wondering how many other people could  be going through this miscarriage of justice. I forgot about it for a while until I had another encounter with an over zealous officer who said everyone thinks that they’re a lawyer. At that moment I said you know what you’re right “StopTheFrisk” was born. Everyone should be aware of their rights!  

Home of the Legal-t Apparel with a purpose App & Docu-series. Thank you for the inspiration and motivation

Malcolm X there is nothing wrong with having been a criminal there is something wrong with remaining a criminal. Martin Luther king an injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.

Napoleon Hill: Laws Of Success & OutWitting The Devil 

Earl Nightingale: The Secret   

And last but not the least ALL OF THE MEN WHO WROTE THE CONSTITITION