When Rita left that organization to found Journey to New Life with Sister Rose McLarney and Georgia Walker, Darnell went right along with them. During the first year of operations in 2013, Darnell handled the office along with Rita, her husband, Georgia and Sister Rose. Over the years, Darnell continued to be an advocate for Journey to New Life’s programs and services, frequently giving talks and sharing his story with community members. Ultimately, he became the organization’s volunteer front desk supervisor and mentored many men returning to the community from prison. He also conducted a budget group for Journey to New Life’s clients and facilitated a peer support group for men released from the Kansas City Release Center.
Darnell’s story is one of not only transformation, but a journey toward true restorative justice.
When Darnell was just 16 years old, a crime was committed in defense of a family member’s safety. Darnell was arrested, tried as an adult, convicted and sent to the Missouri State Penitentiary, known as “the Walls,” in Jefferson City. The oldest prison west of the Mississippi, “the Walls” is a maximum security prison for the most dangerous offenders. As a teenager in an adult facility, Darnell was often targeted or tested to prove his manhood. One of these altercations landed him in solitary confinement, also known as “the hole,” for three years. During that time, he wasn’t allowed any visitors.
Once released from “the hole,” Darnell focused on getting his GED and helping teach others. He worked hard and became a paralegal so he could take his case back to court, where he successfully got his sentence reduced. The court found that Darnell never should have been sent to the penitentiary at his age.
He spent 22 years in prison being shuffled to almost every institution in Missouri as well as one in Texas. During Darnell’s time in prison, the mother of the man he killed would come to his parole hearings. At his last parole hearing, she asked for his release, saying it was her son’s fault as well. He was granted parole in 2006. Every year on the anniversary of her son’s death, his victim’s mother and Darnell would visit his grave together — an inspiring story of restorative justice.
In most recent years, Darnell was on dialysis and would spend time telling his story and getting his friends from the kidney center and his medical team to support Journey to New Life’s fundraisers. He always had a table at the annual Celebrate the Journey event. He was certainly an advocate in the community, educating society on the importance of not judging people solely based on the worst day of their lives, but to understand everyone is redeemable and worthy of a second chance.
We celebrate Darnell’s commitment to personal growth, forgiveness and redemption. And we wish him well on his final journey to a new life.
Rest in peace, Darnell. You will be missed.
In His Words
