Robert King, one of the “Angola 3,” spent three decades in prison — most of them in solitary confinement — for activities involving the Black Panthers. He was released in 2001, but the others remain. One week before the 40th anniversary of their incarceration, he told the ACLU what doing time did to him. –ARK

American Civil Liberties Union:

ACLU: What about the emotional side?

RK: Being in solitary confinement is nothing enjoyable, I can tell you this. It definitely wears you down and tears you down to a great degree.

… Only thing I know is this, when you are in solitary confinement, the best way I could describe it is, the soul cries and I think the brain shrinks. Especially if you are in a 6x9x12 foot cell, your brain is automatically shrinking, and I think everything else shrinks with it. And I think that’s lasting.

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