"The phone rang and rang and a lady picked up on the other end and I still remember the operator saying, 'You have a collect call from Ian for Debbie. Will you accept the charges?' And I remember Debbie saying, 'Yes, I accept.' And I just remember blurting out, 'Ms. Baigrie, I just called to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and to apologize for shooting you.'"
At 14 years old, Ian Manuel was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, and spent an estimated 18 years in solitary confinement. Today, he tells his story.
His book is My Time Will Come.
You can listen to our full conversation with Bryan Stevenson in Episode 46: Just Mercy.
For a transcript of this episode, send an email to transcripts@thisiscriminal.com with the episode name and number. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Artwork by Julienne Alexander.
Learn more about our upcoming live shows at thisiscriminal.com/live.
Criminal is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX. Please review us on Apple Podcasts! It’s an important way to help new listeners discover the show: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.
We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.
48 Hours, Part 1
The Hunt
Tokyo Joe
The Gargoyle Cat, the Taylor Swift Goat, and the Runaway Cow
The Questions I’m Asking
Send Her to the Island
The Kit
Masterpiece
Fine Art and Meat Cleavers
The Liverpool Exchange
Interrogation Room
How to Sell a Haunted House
The Spy
Chesa, Kathy, and David
Jiminy Crickets
The Confession, Part 2
The Confession, Part 1
Phoebe vs. Oyster
Under the Crabapple Tree
The Newsroom
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
This is Love
This American Life
Casefile True Crime
Stuff You Should Know
On Being with Krista Tippett