Roy Blackmon, a former Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI) student, was imprisoned in 1999 for a crime he did not commit. Exactly 27 years later to the date, Blackmon was exonerated on March 31, 2026. Blackmon, in rebuilding the life that was stolen from him, will continue his education at Calvin’s Knollcrest campus in the fall. 

Wrongful conviction and faith

“Can you just imagine somebody coming right, rushing into the Chimes office, putting you in handcuffs and taking you to jail? And you have to spend the next 27 years in prison for something you didn’t do? You can’t grasp the meaning behind it unless you went through it. And even just by me giving you that visual, you will never fully understand unless you really went through what I went through,” Blackmon said while visiting the Chimes office on April 22. 

Blackmon shared the hardships he endured during his time in prison, including losing two of his immediate family members, the grief of which he had to suffer from afar. He highlighted one specific difficulty he faced while being separated from his life outside: “For years, I’ve just been a voice. All I’ve been was a voice. So on holidays, I would call and pray over the food while everybody else is at home.”

“When I came to prison, I lost my twenties, my thirties and my forties,” Blackmon continued. 

Following years of fighting for his freedom and advocating for himself, Blackmon says that “God is always in the details,” given that he was released on the exact date that he was imprisoned 27 years prior. 

Blackmon, a person of faith, has learned to reconcile with his wrongful imprisonment and all the losses that have come with it through “a lot of prayer … because if I’m left in my own vices, then I’m just a bitter person, mad at the world for what the system did to me. I’m not bitter — I’m just mad that a culture was allowed to fester for so long.” That culture that Blackmon refers to is the corruption that has run rampant throughout the Detroit Police Department (DPD), which has allowed “these corrupt officers to constantly victimize men” — including coercion of witnesses and lies from the prosecutor, Blackmon explained. 

In spite of it all, Blackmon said that “them cops didn’t create me, so they can’t break me. They took something from me that I can never forget, but I’m a man of faith. So I believe in God. And God blessed me with the opportunity to turn my pain into purpose.” 

For Blackmon, faith, hope and kindness have been guiding principles in his journey. He describes hope as “never giving up” and faith as “perseverance.” In terms of kindness, Blackmon said that “always be kind to everyone you meet” is an important lesson he’s learned, and is one that has helped him to remain peaceful and humble. 

CPI

Blackmon obtained his associate’s degree while attending the CPI at Calvin’s Handlon campus. He explained that CPI was unique in comparison to other prison programs, as it “sought lifers and people who were doing long, indeterminate sentences,” which he described as “a dope concept in itself.” 

Attending the CPI “was a pivotal moment in my life” as “it really helped me understand how my mind worked,” Blackmon explained. Growing up, education was looked down upon in his community, and those who sought an education were shamed. 

“Education gave me a purpose,” Blackmon said. “If I had this education opportunity when I was younger, I’d be on top of the world by now … I fell in love with learning through the CPI program.” 

Rewriting 

Blackmon was 21 when he was imprisoned, and he noted the possibilities that he lost along the way, such as marrying his first love and having children. Now that Blackmon is a free man, he is in the process of rebuilding his life from the ground up. 

By his third day after returning home, Blackmon had already earned his chauffeur’s license. He noted that the Organization of Exonerees has been extremely helpful in helping him to get on his feet, as they have helped to provide him with clothes, food, cash, lawyers, doctor’s appointments and more since his exoneration. “That was a blessing for a guy coming home to nothing,” he said.

This fall, Blackmon will be continuing his education at Calvin’s Knollcrest campus, where he will be working towards his Applied Leadership and Human Services degree. He hopes to later get his master’s degree in social work. With his degree, Blackmon hopes to work with the youth in his community to help promote education and anti-violence. 

As a last remark, Blackmon shared that “I’m part of it … the Calvin community. And to all the guys on the inside, it’s a beautiful struggle out here. I’m one of them and I’ll never forget that. I represent them in everything that I do. I represent Calvin in everything that I do. So, I’m just one of them.”