Man freed from 241-year prison sentence shares what he finds strangest in the outside world
A man who was freed from a 241-year prison sentence has shared all the things he finds strange about the world.
Bobby Bostic was given consecutive sentences for 17 crimes he committed at the same time in 1995, which added up to 241 years behind bars.
In what was described as a ‘drug-fuelled day’ in which they smoked weed and PCP and drank gin, 16-year-old Bostic and his friend Donald Hutson went on an armed robbery spree. They stole a car from a woman at gunpoint, stole from a group handing out Christmas presents to those in need and fired a gun.
But after almost 30 years locked up, Boston was released from prison which was quite a culture shock for the 44-year-old.
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Some of the biggest shocks were the tech gadgets we all now take for granted such as wireless headphones which made Bostic think 'why are dudes talking to themselves?' he told BBC. He was also confused about people talking to their speaker and thought, 'I’m like, what is Alexis?' he told the news organisation. Self-service drink machines were also a point of confusion.
The biggest surprise once he was released from prison was how people treated him. Seeing people smiling and children waving are things he obviously had not seen in a while being held in the Algoa Correctional Center in Missouri.
"It's how friendly they are, compared to prison.
"You go into a grocery store, and it's 'Sir, can I help you?' In prison, you got nothing but mean mugs [faces] and harassment…"
Bostic said it hasn’t been hard to adapt after being in prison, 'because deep down inside, you always wanted that humanity. You wanted that human connection… that’s life. That’s beauty. That’s the joy of being a human.’
Bostic was released from prison with the help of a very unexpected ally – the same judge who sentenced him and condemned him to die in prison.
Judge Evelyn Baker, who told Bostic ‘You will die in the Department of Corrections’ in 1995 was one of the well-wishers who greeted him when he was released on 9 November.
During his time in prison, Bostic became a changed man and started reading self-help books and writing on his typewriter. "I've gotten close to Bobby and his sister. I've seen him turn from basically a juvenile delinquent into a very thoughtful, caring adult. He grew up," Judge Baker told the BBC.
Bostic’s journey to freedom began in 2010 when the US Supreme Court ruled that juveniles should not get life sentences without parole for non-homicidal offences. Six years later it was confirmed that this rule would apply to old cases like Bostic’s.
The Bobby Bostic law was adopted in 2021, allowing Bostic and other inmates like him to apply for parole.
Gregory Robinson