UPDATE 2023 still at Fox Lake Correctional Institution FLCI
November 13,
2015
Andrae L.
Bridges #
248420
 |
| Andre Bridges 47 in 2023 FLCI |
248420
Fox Lake Correctional Institution P.O.
Box 200
Fox Lake, WI
53933-0200
The Honorable
Victor Manian
901 N. 9th St. #608 6774
N. Argyle Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233-1425 Glendale,
WI 53209-4346
Dear Mr.
Manian:
Hello sir! I
must open this letter with a prayer that you and everyone dear to you are well.
I also pray that you receive this letter, and upon doing so, you will be so
kind as to grant me a few minutes of your time. You may not remember me Mr.
Manian but my name is Andrae L. Bridges and you presided over my criminal case
at a time when acts of violence started to reach new heights. Especially at the
hands of juvenile offenders, who, as a result were considered degenerate and
incorrigible. Locking them up and throwing away the key seemed to be the best
solution.
In 1992, at
the age of 16, I was waived into adult court.
Shortly thereafter I came before you, was convicted of First Degree Intentional
Homicide-Party to a Crime, and subsequently sentenced to life without the possibility
of parole until the year 2037. As a juvenile I couldn't comprehend what life in
prison meant because I didn't have a real understanding or appreciation for my
life, let alone the life of another. So, at this point you might be wondering
why I decided to write you?
To put it
simple Mr. Manian, I'm writing you because I feel I owe it to you, the victim's
family, my family, and the community as a whole. It has to be duly noted that
I, Andrae L. Bridges am no longer the angry, impressionable, misguided,
self-destructive teenager who stood before you nearly 24 years ago. I'm not
sure what this may mean to you, but it means the world to me to be able to tell
you that I have grown in ways I never thought possible. No thanks to The
Department of Corrections...
Sir, I say that because The
Department of Corrections is not and has not been in the business of helping
offenders become better men and women. This is seen moreso now than in the
past, as the system has moved more towards punishment verses rehabilitation.
Change is solely dependent upon the individual. Thankfully everything worked
itself out for the good in my situation--no matter how bad. This is owed to my
faith in God. "An untested faith is weak and ineffective. When we face
trials with wisdom and endure them with Godly perseverance, we will find
blessings never thought possible." With that being said, do you think it's
fair that I continue to be punished for an act that took place when I was a
minor? Please make no mistakes about it Mr. Manian, absolutely NOTHING written
here is intended to minimize the seriousness of my offense and the affect it
had on all parties involved, both directly or indirectly.
My crime was undoubtedly senseless
and grave. I have acknowledged my role in the crime and have expressed deep
remorse to the victim's family. Mylife before the crime was marred by physical,
emotional, and sexual abuse by the adults in my life. I don't know what
difference it would've made to the courts, if any at all, but a true picture of
my life was not available at the time of my sentencing. This was due in part to
the fact that I believed the violence and abuse I experienced was the norm as
opposed to the exception. I do not, however, offer my circumstances as an
excuse for my actions.
At sentencing you acknowledged my
having accepted responsibility for my actions. You also acknowledged my youth,
however, you did not appear to consider it a mitigating factor. Instead, you
emphasized the strong need for punitive action in the case because the
community simply could not tolerate this type of behavior. I'm curious to know
if your opinion would change in knowing that everyone who comes in contact with
me, professional or otherwise, are unable to believe the life I once lived and
the sentence I received based on the person I am today. Mr. Manian I'm truly
honored by this fact, but I'm also torn because I'm forced to remain
incarcerated when my beliefs, character, attitude, and behavior does not
support the need for such.
On a number of occasions I've been asked, "What
do you regret about coming to prison?" Answering that question is never
easy because on one hand I regret absolutely nothing about coming to prison
because everything I've gained and obtained through this experience is
invaluable. I've not only learned to love myself, but life and everything it
has to offer. On the other hand, I'm greatly saddened by how I ended up in
prison... A life was taken and that's my ultimate regret, as there's nothing I
can do to change that. I've changed me, but I can't change that one aspect and
it breaks my heart. This makes it difficult for me to fight for a second chance
at the life I never had. But I fight with a clear conscience because I believe
I deserve a second chance and getting that second chance will not diminish the seriousness
of my offense. In addition to that, prison no longer has anything to offer me.
I've did everything asked of me and some...
I have been blessed with a family, including and not
limited to a fiancee, with whom I am planning a life with. There are a number
of individuals who support my being released ranging from staff members to community
leaders. In fact, I will close with an article written by one such supporter,
but not before thanking you for your time in regards to this matter. Your
thoughts are welcomed. Please be well Mr. Manian.
Sincerely,
Andre
L. Bridges
cc:
file
Terri
Fleming, Fiancee
Moving Beyond Punishment
by Stan
Stojkovic, Professor and Dean of Helen Bader school of Social Welfare at UW-Milwaukee.
Moving
beyond punishment
Moving beyond punishment
I read with
interest the recent editorial by the Journal Sentinel (A broken parole system
leaves the inmates behind," July 18). The story of Anthony K. Brown is not
unique. In fact, I have been corresponding with one such inmate for the past
two years who is trying to get an early parole hearing. Andrae was convicted of
a brutal murder when he was 15 [16], received a mandatory life
sentence and has been in prison since 1994 [1992]. He is seeking an early parole
release hearing in 2017. This does not mean he will be released in 2017, but he
could become eligible for release. Without the hearing, he may have to wait
until 2037 before a release is possible. If he is not released until 2037, he
will cost the tax payers $700,000-$800,000. Is this cost worth it?
If we as a
society are solely retributive in our reactions to serious crime, then Andrae
deserves only punishment, and in his case, the maximum punishment under law is
what he received and the cost may be irrelevant to us. But do we not want
correctional systems to-do more than simply punish, and in the case of
eligible parole cases (offenders who have done what was asked of them in
prison), how has our practice of parole denial and protracted incarceration become
nothing short of institutional cruelty? The only way out of this dilemma is to
ask more of our correctional systems and to refocus efforts away from being
simply retributive and vindictive and recognize atonement and an opportunity
for redemption. When we go beyond legitimate punishment, as we have in our
faulty parole system, we diminish ourselves and respect for the law diminishes.
According to
the Bureau of Justice Statistics, we have more than 1.8 million people in
prisons in this country. We have learned that we cannot spend any more of our
limited dollars on correctional efforts that not only dehumanize offenders,
but, more important, serve no good purpose for the prisoner or society.
Stan
Stojkovic is professor and dean of the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
