"Duane would talk to me about breaking the cycle of violence in himself. As he turned the pages in the books he read, I saw him turn the pages in his life, ultimately changing the decisions he made and actions he took." -- Jesse Clyde Burleson, In-Custody Program Coordinator,
All of Us or None
and Duane's former cellmate in San Quentin
In September 1987, Duane Fitzpatrick was sentenced to 27 years to life in prison for first-degree homicide--a crime he didn't commit.
The Forgotten Crip
is Duane's autobiography, written over the course of 20 of his 33 years of incarceration.
From a young boy trying to fit in with his peers to finding acceptance within the confines of a street gang, a series of bad decisions ultimately land Duane in prison, where he's forced to grow up and learn life lessons under difficult conditions.
In the end, he comes to realize that some of the important lessons to be learned come from not only a handful of trustworthy friends but most importantly, from the inner work he does to "get real" and identify what ultimately matters most.