Daniel Gwynn: Interview
.
TW: Does the state of Pennsylvania provide reparations or any form of compensation for prisoners who were wrongfully convicted?
DG: No they don’t, not even an apology.
TW: When you were incarcerated, what was the thing you missed the most about loosing your freedom?
DG: I missed my family the most, especially when they started getting sick and dying. I couldn’t be there to hold their hands, say goodbye, or apologize for my misdeeds.
TW: What was a typical day like living on death row and in solitary confinement?
DG: Waking up every morning at 6am to stand at the door for count; catching the guard with the sign-up sheet for the yard/ shower; then the morning meal. Most of the day was spent in my 8’ x 10’ cell watching TV, painting and educating myself about fighting this injustice.
TW: You met the legendary Mumia Abu-Jamal who like you continues to profess his innocence. Why do you think the state of Pennsylvania won’t provide him with a new trial even though in 2011 he was taken off of death row and moved into the general population?
DG: In my opinion, Mumia is in a political quagmire that has spiraled out of control. His accusers forged this case against him to blame him for the death of Officer Faulkner in spite of the evidence leading to a more likely suspect. Mumia is a political activist in the wrong place whom they wanted to silence.
TW: What was that first day like when you were released from prison on February 28th, 2024.
DG: I was very disoriented and fearful, thinking that the guards were going to come after me and drag me back because I know how evil these people can be. Also, it didn’t feel real, even after I walked into my aunt’s house and saw my family standing there in front of me. Sadly, I couldn’t recognize any of them. I missed watching them grow up. I couldn’t feel the immediate connection.
TW: What was the key to surviving 30 years in prison mentally and physically?
DG: The keys to my survival were educating myself and learning to paint. Some of the other death row prisoners like Mumia taught me the importance of education and finding my strengths to make it from one day to the next. One of my strengths was painting. My paintings helped me navigate through my childhood traumas and pains. It also helped me acquire income to purchase books, commissaries and to provide charity to pay it forward.
TW: While incarcerated you started to tap your creativity as an artist by relaying on canvas the things that you went through leading up to and during your incarceration? How much did your creative pursuits assist you in enduring the daily trauma of prison life?
DG: Prison, especially death row solitary confinement is a Hell that can make you or break you. My righteous indignation over my unjustified imprisonment lit a fire in my belly to fight back. Through art, I found my voice to tell my story in a way that the public could relate and sympathize with what I was going through. I didn’t know this at the time. I was just trying to survive by putting one foot in front of the other. My art and story drew local and international attention.
TW: You have a perspective on life like most folks if fortunate never will have. What would say to those who have never been imprisoned that take their freedom for granted?
DG: I would say that it’s a shame that they are taking their precious freedoms for granted: the right to vote; the freedom to choose how you live; the freedom to have a family and raise them; and the freedom to make this world a better place. I was trapped in a box where the walls closed in on me day after day, and I was suffocated by the onslaught of corruption, biases and injustices with my hands tied. Out here, I see people walking around with their hands tied and taking for granted those precious freedoms; a self-inflicted debilitation that’s leaving people angry and feeling hopeless.
TW: Why do you think there is such a high recidivism rate amongst black men in America?
DG: I believe it’s due to the intentional systemic miseducation and socio-economic attack on the black community. The game is rigged, and with boots on our neck we can’t breathe. When I got out, I had to sign up for welfare benefits to help get me started. A couple of weeks later I found a part- time job and a place to live. Seeking to follow the rules, I reported this to the welfare office. Would you believe that they immediately cut my benefits.
TW: What is a typical day like for Daniel Gwynn these days?
DG: Most of my time is spent alone studying, working and exploring. I’m trying to learn about the world out here and how to be a good steward. Tackling technology and social scenes has been my greatest challenges. I’m also battling the mental imprint left on me by prison. I’m making progress though while advocating for the next wrongful conviction to be overturned.
To access the artwork of Daniel Gwynn, the 197th person to be exonerated from Death Row in America, link here: https://www.danielgwynn197.com
