At East Jersey State Prison, paralegals are helping other inmates learn the law.
AVENEL -- Before he ended up at East Jersey State Prison, Morris Jackmon couldn't imagine a life past age 19.
He said he was a star football player for Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden who lived recklessly. Sometimes, he and his friends would sit around and fantasize about what it'd be like to make it to the second decade of their lives.
But when he was imprisoned for murder and other offenses from an armed robbery in 1994, he realized the steep price of losing his freedom. And he wanted out.
"It didn't sit right with me," Jackmon, 45, said. "I was going to live in prison or do something about that."
So Jackmon became one of a growing number of prisoners in New Jersey to hit the books at prison law libraries and file appeals without the help of a lawyer. Though the state doesn't track self-representation, recent surveys say it's on the rise.
Legal experts said the trend reflects a lack of affordable lawyers and legal services available to the public.
"It's a real crisis," said Rochelle Klempner, who works as Chief Counsel at the New York State Courts Access to Justice Program.
Jackmon is one of several certified paralegals at East Jersey State Prison fighting their cases and helping others do the same. The library is nearly 100 years old and is one of the only ones in the state with access to book and digital databases.
In 1998, four years after he was sent to state prison, Jackmon appealed his case in state Superior Court. Under his original sentence, he became eligible for parole in 2065. But, as a result of his appeal, he now could get out as soon as 2026.
He credited the prison's law library with his victory. Unlike libraries at other prisons, the one at East Jersey is open more often, and on the weekends.
"No one can say they don't have legal access in New Jersey," said Antonne Henshaw, 46, another paralegal at East Jersey State Prison.
A 'dehumanizing' experience
Henshaw saw what he'd become if he stayed in prison.
Sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for murder in the late 1980s, he'd often get into fights with inmates. After guards broke them up, he'd reflect in his cell.
"Prison will give you an identity you don't want," he said.
So he vowed to change. He started researching the law and meeting older inmates in the libraries. It took him 19 years to wrap his head around it all.
And the work's still not easy.
Filing an appeal is a tricky, meticulous and time-sensitive process that involves knowing a lot of legal jargon. The paralegals are tasked with conveying that to the inmates they help, many of whom struggle to read or have intellectual disabilities.
He often has to keep information confidential, and said the library can sometimes be stressful because so many inmates are hoping to appeal their convictions. But he said it changed his life, even if he never saw his sentenced reduced.
"It's not final if it's in your head and your heart, and you just gotta keep trying," he said.
He'll be out soon. He's eligible for parole in two years.
A tough road
Appealing isn't usually successful, says Dennis Braithwaite, a law professor at Rutgers Law School in Camden.
"The system is not designed for do-overs," he said. "It would never end. Some people in our society believe these cases go on too long, in any event."
That's why it's important for paralegals to understand the standards of review, or the amount of deference a court gives when it reviews a decision made by a lower court, Braithwaite said. But he acknowledged there are wrongful convictions.
"So why shouldn't someone -- particularly someone who has a long sentence -- why shouldn't they have access to materials to try to correct that wrong?" he said.
At East Jersey State Prison, inmates can access the law library to learn about how to file appeals. Morris Jackmon, Sammy Moore and Antonne Henshaw are paralegals and help in the library. (Kate Mishkin | For NJ.com) Though the financial burden of hiring a lawyer drives many to self-represent, the process can be empowering, says Janie Rodriguez, who works as manager of litigant services for New Jersey Courts. But whether an appeal is ultimately successful is truly on a case-by-case basis, Rodriguez said.
"Every case is literally different," she said.
But there are downsides. Legal jargon can be hard to understand.
"Our justice system is not always easy to access," Klempner said. "It's built around an initial premise that people have lawyers."
Getting out
Sammy Moore, 41, has wanted to get out of prison since he was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being charged with murder and robbery in 1995.
"As soon as the cuffs went on," he said.
He said he's waiting for his case to get to appellate court, but he can't talk about it. He wants to know his nieces and nephews. When he hears about his cousins, he pictures little kids, but they're actually adults.
"No one likes being in a cage," he said. "I want to be with my family and experience what it means to live, and not just to survive."
His only hope may be the law library.
Kate Mishkin may be reached at kmishkin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KateMishkin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.