Freed July 7, 2022
Incarcerated 15 years, 10 months, 7 days
Larry Hall was sentenced to 60 years in prison for drug distribution. He was never found with any drugs or money, but a jury believed that he told a drug dealer to sell cocaine to undercover police and he was convicted as a principle to the crime. On July 7, 2022, at 60 years old, he was re-sentenced and released.
Mr. Hall had been a Class A trustee for over three years. He earned his associates and bachelor’s degrees in Christian Ministry from Leavell College while incarcerated and also earned over 40 certificates through participation in rehabilitative and faith-based programming, including many programs which he facilitated. He was also a mentor in Angola’s re-entry program. Mr. Hall’s job at the prison was to minister to people being held in the cell blocks at Camp D. In addition to his faith-based programming, he completed programs in anger management, substance abuse education, a 100 hour pre-release curriculum, and parenting.
A judge agreed to resentence Mr. Hall largely because of his truly remarkable records of achievement in prison. We too are awed by what he has been able to accomplish under the most difficult physical and psychological conditions. But people should not have to achieve beyond all expectations to be worthy of a chance at freedom. People should not be shouldered with life sentences for crimes where no one was hurt. People should not be thrown away because they commit crimes of survival in the throes of addiction or poverty or both. We are so happy to welcome Mr. Hall home. IPNO will keep working to bring home everyone unjustly sentenced to spend their lives in Louisiana’s prisons.
