REPLAY: The Jailhouse Lawyer

In this powerful replay from a live event at Upper House, we hear the extraordinary story of Calvin Duncan, a man wrongfully convicted at age 19 and sentenced to life in Louisiana’s Angola Prison. Over 23 years, Calvin became a jailhouse lawyer, fighting for his own freedom and advocating for countless others. Joined by criminal justice reform advocate Sophie Cole, co-founder of the Visiting Room Project, Calvin shares his journey from incarceration to exoneration and ultimately earning a law degree at age 60. Moderated by journalist and ordained minister Phil Haslinger, this conversation explores the brokenness of the justice system, the transformative power of advocacy, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.Guests:Calvin Duncan – Jailhouse lawyer, law school graduate, co-founder of the New Orleans Innocence ProjectSophie Cole – Criminal justice reform advocate, co-founder of the Visiting Room ProjectModerator: Phil Haslinger – Journalist and ordained ministerTopics Covered:Wrongful conviction and the flaws in eyewitness testimonyLife inside Angola Prison and the role of jailhouse lawyersThe fight for access to legal records and justice reformReentry challenges after incarcerationFaith, resilience, and the meaning of advocacyResources & Links:https://slbf.org/eventshttps://slbf.org/studiohttps://www.visitingroomproject.org📙 Book:The Jailhouse Lawyer by Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull (Penguin Random House, 2025) https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771367/the-jailhouse-lawyer-by-calvin-duncan-and-sophie-cull/Send us Fan MailCONNECT WITH USSubscribe to The UpWords Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and visit slbf.org/studio to learn more about our work at the intersection of faith, the academy, and the marketplace.This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO at Upper House.Produced by Daniel Johnson and Dave ConourEdited by Dave Conour