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Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside
An empowering memoir of courage and hope in the face of injustice―and the basis for the ABC television show, For Life ― Marked for Life is the true story of Isaac Wright Jr.’s battle to win his freedom after being wrongfully imprisoned for crimes he didn’t commit, and a critical indictment of America’s judicial system.
“If I waited around for someone to save me, I’d be waiting my whole life. Unless I took the reins of this thing myself, I was going to die in prison. If that was my destiny, then I was going to die fighting. The desperation of that equation kept me up most nights. I would never find a gladiator. So I had to become him.”
In the summer of 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was a 28-year-old independent music producer, who’d struck out on his own and became one of hip hop’s early success stories. With his dance crew Uptown Express, Wright won recognition on Star Search , toured with Run-DMC, and transitioned into management, co-founding his wife Sunshine’s music group, The Cover Girls. They’d settled in the New Jersey suburbs to raise their six-year-old daughter, never imagining that Wright would fall victim to gross police misconduct and a corrupt district attorney.
Accused of being a drug “kingpin” and incarcerated in Somerset County while the prosecutor and police built their case of lies against him, Wright realized he would get no help from any defense attorneys―white men uninterested in uncovering the truth or in proving the innocence of a black man. Pressured to take a plea deal offer of 20 years behind bars, Wright chose to take the law into his own hands by educating himself in the legal system so he could represent himself in court.
Studying statutes and cases in the jail’s law library, Wright became an adept legal mind. But despite acquiring knowledge that he put to use in defending his fellow inmates, he lost his trial and was sentenced to Trenton State Prison for life, plus 70 years in 1991. For the next five years, Wright would continue learning law, become a paralegal with the prison’s Inmate Legal Association, and appeal his case. Threatened by corrupt correction officers and convicts, his family falling apart, Wright fought for his life with every legal means at his disposal, eventually uncovering the smoking gun that unraveled the conspiracy perpetrated by law enforcement officials against him.
Marked for Life is not just the story of how Isaac Wright Jr. won his freedom. It is the story of how he found his true calling as a gladiator fighting on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized communities victimized by an unjust system of law.
“If I waited around for someone to save me, I’d be waiting my whole life. Unless I took the reins of this thing myself, I was going to die in prison. If that was my destiny, then I was going to die fighting. The desperation of that equation kept me up most nights. I would never find a gladiator. So I had to become him.”
In the summer of 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was a 28-year-old independent music producer, who’d struck out on his own and became one of hip hop’s early success stories. With his dance crew Uptown Express, Wright won recognition on Star Search , toured with Run-DMC, and transitioned into management, co-founding his wife Sunshine’s music group, The Cover Girls. They’d settled in the New Jersey suburbs to raise their six-year-old daughter, never imagining that Wright would fall victim to gross police misconduct and a corrupt district attorney.
Accused of being a drug “kingpin” and incarcerated in Somerset County while the prosecutor and police built their case of lies against him, Wright realized he would get no help from any defense attorneys―white men uninterested in uncovering the truth or in proving the innocence of a black man. Pressured to take a plea deal offer of 20 years behind bars, Wright chose to take the law into his own hands by educating himself in the legal system so he could represent himself in court.
Studying statutes and cases in the jail’s law library, Wright became an adept legal mind. But despite acquiring knowledge that he put to use in defending his fellow inmates, he lost his trial and was sentenced to Trenton State Prison for life, plus 70 years in 1991. For the next five years, Wright would continue learning law, become a paralegal with the prison’s Inmate Legal Association, and appeal his case. Threatened by corrupt correction officers and convicts, his family falling apart, Wright fought for his life with every legal means at his disposal, eventually uncovering the smoking gun that unraveled the conspiracy perpetrated by law enforcement officials against him.
Marked for Life is not just the story of how Isaac Wright Jr. won his freedom. It is the story of how he found his true calling as a gladiator fighting on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized communities victimized by an unjust system of law.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published November 8, 2022
23 people are currently reading
2802 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 2, 2022
I will never tire of books about people who fight for justice after being wrongly convicted. The heartache of this happening to so many people in our society is devastating. Nothing seems to be done about it either. I've been reading about these stories for 30 years! This has to stop.
Isaac Wright Jr. tells his own story, and he writes very well. Jailed for being a "drug kingpin", he was pressured into making a false confession. He studied, he handled his own case, he took the bar exam and passed! He won, and was released. He now fights for the oppressed. A heroic man, I heeded that call of St. Martin's Press to read this book and spread the word. A call to action in cases such as this is always warranted.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for forwarding a copy for my honest review.
Isaac Wright Jr. tells his own story, and he writes very well. Jailed for being a "drug kingpin", he was pressured into making a false confession. He studied, he handled his own case, he took the bar exam and passed! He won, and was released. He now fights for the oppressed. A heroic man, I heeded that call of St. Martin's Press to read this book and spread the word. A call to action in cases such as this is always warranted.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for forwarding a copy for my honest review.
January 12, 2023
Marked for Life is an amazing story. It is powerful, thought-provoking and one that made me very angry. It follows Isaac Wright Jr's journey through an unjust and corrupt justice system. He was wrongly accused, and used by a system that was more concerned about appearing to be cleaning up the drug situation than actually finding and putting the real culprits behind bars. This is a story about never giving up, not letting something that could break you actually break you and fighting for what was right. There are bad apples in every walk of life and every profession, but learning about this case was eye opening. How often does this happen? It definitely makes the death penalty look less appealing as a consequence for crime. I was in awe of what Isaac Wright Jr. did with his life, he could have gone in so many different ways. Not only did he finally get justice for himself, but for so many others as well. Using his time while incarcerated to become a lawyer and spend his life helping others who were wrongly imprisoned is inspirational. I listened to this book and it was narrated by the author. Hearing him tell his story made it easy to connect and be pulled in to his life. If you enjoy memoirs, books about finding justice, books about characters (in this case real) who make the best of terrible situations and never give up, then you need to read this book. Thank you Isaac Wright Jr for sharing your story and reminding us that everything is not what it seems. I definitely recommend Marked For Life.
December 31, 2022
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book was a powerful, thoughtful and thought provoking read. It follows Isaac Wright Jr's journey through an unjust justice system. It was well written and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in the prison system, the rule of law or racial discrimination. That, or anyone who is simply interested in memoirs. You can't really go wrong, this was a great book.
October 7, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio version of Marked for Life. Everything I write is of my own thoughts, feelings, and opinions. I am writing under my own free will.
I initially heard of Isaac Wright, Jr from a ABC television series. I was and am highly interested in his story. When I heard he wrote a book I just had to read it. I am highly impressed that he is such an amazing person. He was wrongly accused put in prison, yet he used his situation to better himself and those around him. He was motivated to educate himself to take his terrible situation and make it right. I love when the author takes the time to read the story- that way you can hear the tone the writer is conveying. This is a great book
I initially heard of Isaac Wright, Jr from a ABC television series. I was and am highly interested in his story. When I heard he wrote a book I just had to read it. I am highly impressed that he is such an amazing person. He was wrongly accused put in prison, yet he used his situation to better himself and those around him. He was motivated to educate himself to take his terrible situation and make it right. I love when the author takes the time to read the story- that way you can hear the tone the writer is conveying. This is a great book
August 11, 2023
Wow, it's hard to put into words how great this book is. Isaac was wrongfully accused and convicted, and he not only fights for years to overturn his own conviction, he helps those around him understand the law and their rights. I'm sure it's a great audiobook, but seeing those pictures in the hardback copy (especially of him and his daughter) was wonderful.
Mandatory reading!
Mandatory reading!
July 15, 2023
This book was hands-down, the best book I have ever read. It shows the injustice of our government, prison system, and judicial system. For anyone who is interested in the truth, this is the book for you.
July 11, 2022
Want to start off by thanking NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for a ARC to review.
I've never heard of Isaac Wright Jr but I did watch the TV show inspired by his life. So once I stumbled across that link I knew I had to read this book.
Growing up in Indiana I was always pro death penalty and stayed that way until my 30's when I learned about the West Memphis Three. Since then I've learn just how messed up the justice system can be. Add in a race factor and it's easy to see just how messed up the justice system can be..
I'd give the book a solid 5 stars and highly recommend it.
I've never heard of Isaac Wright Jr but I did watch the TV show inspired by his life. So once I stumbled across that link I knew I had to read this book.
Growing up in Indiana I was always pro death penalty and stayed that way until my 30's when I learned about the West Memphis Three. Since then I've learn just how messed up the justice system can be. Add in a race factor and it's easy to see just how messed up the justice system can be..
I'd give the book a solid 5 stars and highly recommend it.
February 1, 2023
The best wrongful conviction book I've ever read. Mr. Wright has a remarkable story about his wrongful arrest, his self-representation at the trial level, his assisting other inmates while in prison, and then his successful postconviction motion. This book is the proper balance of Wright's youth and his plight through the criminal justice system. His drive to learn the intricacies of the law from scratch while fighting his case is inspirational. His descriptions about the realities of the prison system don't break new ground, but are told in an eloquent manner. Below are two of my favorite excerpts:
Pg. 59: Being locked up is a scarring, powerless experience. But what exacerbates that feeling is the inmate's separation from the legal process. He doesn't know what's coming, or sometimes, what's already happened. He just waits to hear his name and be told where to wait and where to stand. His decisions are no longer his, yet he is asked like a child if he understands what he's agreed to. From cell to holding cell to court he is paraded like an object, traded like currency, argued over in a language he doesn't comprehend, conversed about in rooms he is not allowed in.
The legal proceedings are so opaque to him, so disorienting, that when a plea deal is offered, it's like a mirage in the desert. In pleading, he feels like he's wresting back control of his life. It's a deception, of course: the plea deal is presented as a way out, but it's the opposite. A plea is an agreement to serve time and forfeit the right to appeal. But to the accused, who's been behind bars and lost in the nooks and crannies of the system, it can fell like an escape hatch out of the helpless and hopeless dark.
Pg. 201: The prisoner's experience is piled up with irony after irony. You're ignored when you need someone's attention and singled out when you want to be left alone. You are never by yourself, though you are always on your own. You are completely forgotten yet constantly on display. You have to mind your business while everyone else's spills out and blends together into a combustible mix. Its either too loud to think - a cacophonous noise of banging, buzzing, and yelling - or too quiet not to. You have all the time in the world, but every single minute drips, drips, drips the life out you.
A lot of really powerful, insightful stuff here because of Wright's firsthand experience. I do have a couple of minor gripes with the book: one, Wright overuses the word "literally;" two, some nonfiction books that report a trial drag out portions like jury selection - Wright is the opposite end of that spectrum and glosses over jury selection completely because his trial starts with the jury already chosen and walking into the courtroom. I expected his recounting of the trial to be a little more detailed in terms of the testimony. Other than that it was extremely well written and edited. A must read for attorneys and non-attorneys.
Pg. 59: Being locked up is a scarring, powerless experience. But what exacerbates that feeling is the inmate's separation from the legal process. He doesn't know what's coming, or sometimes, what's already happened. He just waits to hear his name and be told where to wait and where to stand. His decisions are no longer his, yet he is asked like a child if he understands what he's agreed to. From cell to holding cell to court he is paraded like an object, traded like currency, argued over in a language he doesn't comprehend, conversed about in rooms he is not allowed in.
The legal proceedings are so opaque to him, so disorienting, that when a plea deal is offered, it's like a mirage in the desert. In pleading, he feels like he's wresting back control of his life. It's a deception, of course: the plea deal is presented as a way out, but it's the opposite. A plea is an agreement to serve time and forfeit the right to appeal. But to the accused, who's been behind bars and lost in the nooks and crannies of the system, it can fell like an escape hatch out of the helpless and hopeless dark.
Pg. 201: The prisoner's experience is piled up with irony after irony. You're ignored when you need someone's attention and singled out when you want to be left alone. You are never by yourself, though you are always on your own. You are completely forgotten yet constantly on display. You have to mind your business while everyone else's spills out and blends together into a combustible mix. Its either too loud to think - a cacophonous noise of banging, buzzing, and yelling - or too quiet not to. You have all the time in the world, but every single minute drips, drips, drips the life out you.
A lot of really powerful, insightful stuff here because of Wright's firsthand experience. I do have a couple of minor gripes with the book: one, Wright overuses the word "literally;" two, some nonfiction books that report a trial drag out portions like jury selection - Wright is the opposite end of that spectrum and glosses over jury selection completely because his trial starts with the jury already chosen and walking into the courtroom. I expected his recounting of the trial to be a little more detailed in terms of the testimony. Other than that it was extremely well written and edited. A must read for attorneys and non-attorneys.
November 9, 2022
Isaac Wright, Jr. , thank you for sharing your story with the world. Several years ago I read The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row by Anthony Ray Hinton. That book had a profound effect on my naive perception of criminal justice. There are so many parallels to your stories and I find myself with the utmost respect for your perseverance, tenacity, and determination to seek justice, both for yourself and others. On the other hand, I can’t help but think of the thousands of others the system has failed that don’t have the intelligence or strength to fight the wrongs against them. I cannot imagine spending even one hour in the cockroach infested cell. My heart actually bleeds for those innocent people subjected to the inhumane treatment you describe.
There are honest and dishonest people in every profession, but to think that those who have control over another’s very life can so cavalierly lie to achieve their own goals is so very disheartening. I was gladdened to read that several prison employees recognized your determination and grew to respect you.
Congratulations on receiving your law degree - well earned for sure. Keep making the noise and shaking the bars loud enough for everyone to hear you. Your story is a true inspiration and should be required reading for everyone. On a personal note, I am hoping that you have been able to reconnect with your beloved daughter.
My sincere appreciation to Isaac Wright, Jr. for sharing your story, St. Martin’s Press for publishing this profound read, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this incredible book, published on November 8th.
There are honest and dishonest people in every profession, but to think that those who have control over another’s very life can so cavalierly lie to achieve their own goals is so very disheartening. I was gladdened to read that several prison employees recognized your determination and grew to respect you.
Congratulations on receiving your law degree - well earned for sure. Keep making the noise and shaking the bars loud enough for everyone to hear you. Your story is a true inspiration and should be required reading for everyone. On a personal note, I am hoping that you have been able to reconnect with your beloved daughter.
My sincere appreciation to Isaac Wright, Jr. for sharing your story, St. Martin’s Press for publishing this profound read, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this incredible book, published on November 8th.
April 6, 2023
Marked for Life is a surprisingly positive memoir written by a man who has every reason to be angry.
Isaac Wright, Jr.’s story should have shocked me. The fact that it didn’t speaks volumes about how broken our so-called justice system was then and still is now.
Isaac shares the facts of his own case, in which he was basically set up, arrested, and imprisoned for being a successful Black man. He also shares general background information on the effects of racism and corruption within police departments, courts, and jails.
His initial arrest took place in the late 1980s. I’d like to believe things have improved since then, though progress is marginal.
I love that, instead of letting anger and bitterness swallow him up, Isaac used this horrific experience as a launching point to help others in similar situations.
*I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*
Isaac Wright, Jr.’s story should have shocked me. The fact that it didn’t speaks volumes about how broken our so-called justice system was then and still is now.
Isaac shares the facts of his own case, in which he was basically set up, arrested, and imprisoned for being a successful Black man. He also shares general background information on the effects of racism and corruption within police departments, courts, and jails.
His initial arrest took place in the late 1980s. I’d like to believe things have improved since then, though progress is marginal.
I love that, instead of letting anger and bitterness swallow him up, Isaac used this horrific experience as a launching point to help others in similar situations.
*I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*
November 16, 2022
Thank you Isaac Wright, Jr. for sharing your story! As a reader, I felt like I was looking over your shoulder as you fought the injustice of being arrested as a “king pin,” Later, sitting as a defendant in a courtroom with a crooked prosecutor, judge, and detectives. Then, your time in prison and the prison library. Your book should be required reading for anyone going into law enforcement! Thank you for channeling your anger into good as you help others! I know I will be reading your memoir a second time! I will also be asking my book club to read your memoir. My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.
July 5, 2022
An incredible story of a young black man being wrongfully accused of a drug crime. Exposed as a “king pin” by the prosecuting attorneys, judge and jury. They bribed witnesses, police and unknowns to testify against Isaac, offering the real culprits reduced sentences to lie in court.
Sentenced to life in jail Isaac realised that to survive he had to look after himself and soon learnt he could trust nobody. He started reading law books in the prison library. He soon became immersed and was determined to find a way to exonerate himself. An amazing man and an amazing story, so well written you won’t want to put it down.
Sentenced to life in jail Isaac realised that to survive he had to look after himself and soon learnt he could trust nobody. He started reading law books in the prison library. He soon became immersed and was determined to find a way to exonerate himself. An amazing man and an amazing story, so well written you won’t want to put it down.
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November 11, 2022
Marked for Life by Isaac Wright Jr. quickly became one of my favorite books of 2022. Powerful and impactful, Wright writes with his emotions first and then reinforces those feelings with facts. As a white woman in America I understand that I will never understand what Isaac Wright Jr. and others who look like him, face on a day to day basis but it is stories like Wright's that make me stand up and fight too. He did not deserve the injustices handed to him, no human being does, and it is frustrating to know we still have the same laws and bias' in place that allow it to happen.
This is a book I hope every American reads. This is a book I hope every teenager in America reads because they are the future who will dismantle the oppressive systems we have in place now.
Great job, truly, I know this feedback is a bit messy and I'm not generally an emotionally reviewer but this book will stay with me forever.
Thank you to Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for allowing me access to an audioARC in exchange for feedback.
This is a book I hope every American reads. This is a book I hope every teenager in America reads because they are the future who will dismantle the oppressive systems we have in place now.
Great job, truly, I know this feedback is a bit messy and I'm not generally an emotionally reviewer but this book will stay with me forever.
Thank you to Macmillian Audio and NetGalley for allowing me access to an audioARC in exchange for feedback.
June 30, 2024
A memoir about a man wrongly accused, and convicted, not only does this person spend years fighting his conviction. He also strives to make things better for those around him, providing insight and education into the laws and their actual rights.
“The prisoner's experience is piled up with irony after irony. You're ignored when you need someone's attention and singled out when you want to be left alone. You are never by yourself, though you are always on your own. You are completely forgotten yet constantly on display. You have to mind your business while everyone else's spills out and blends together into a combustible mix. Its either too loud to think - a cacophonous noise of banging, buzzing, and yelling - or too quiet not to. You have all the time in the world, but every single minute drips, drips, drips the life out you.”
Honestly, this one was just so well written, emotive, and simultaneously both heartbreaking and empowering.
I urge everyone to pick up a copy of this one.
I paired the physical and audiobook together for this one, I love memoirs, narrated by the author, but also really appreciated the physical as there were photos that were a fantastic addition.
“The prisoner's experience is piled up with irony after irony. You're ignored when you need someone's attention and singled out when you want to be left alone. You are never by yourself, though you are always on your own. You are completely forgotten yet constantly on display. You have to mind your business while everyone else's spills out and blends together into a combustible mix. Its either too loud to think - a cacophonous noise of banging, buzzing, and yelling - or too quiet not to. You have all the time in the world, but every single minute drips, drips, drips the life out you.”
Honestly, this one was just so well written, emotive, and simultaneously both heartbreaking and empowering.
I urge everyone to pick up a copy of this one.
I paired the physical and audiobook together for this one, I love memoirs, narrated by the author, but also really appreciated the physical as there were photos that were a fantastic addition.
August 2, 2022
This book was frightening to read. It made my blood boil to read how the justice system in this case was so flawed. The case against Isaac was racist and simply a matter of wanting to convict him no matter what. The prosecution had to win even if they had to play dirty, and they did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 29, 2022
Phenomenal story told by a brilliant man. Sadly this unfortunate experience happened to an innocent man, robbing him of many years of his life for a crime he never committed. Convicted to life in prison by a corrupt DA, judge and police officers who corroborated and offered plea deals to criminals in exchange for a false statements accusing him of being a drug Kingpin. It’s possible, but very unlikely, that they thought they had a guilty man. All the evidence pointed to the contrary. I couldn’t put this down, I kept cheering for the good guy to win as he was in the battle for his life. Incredibly he analyzed every play to the smallest detail, hedged his bets and kept on the positive side of the terrible hand he was dealt. He did so much good representing the underdogs that didn’t have a fighting chance in improving their situations. What an amazingly strong, obviously brilliant individual. I’m thankful he shared his story, it’s one that needs to be told. I believe everyone comes to earth with a purpose, and his path, although not pretty is definitely clear, you just can’t physically can’t see his wings.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2022
This is a powerful book. What a story! It brings up all kinds of emotions. Isaac Wright, Jr. was a black man- I can’t really say in the wrong place at the wrong time but I don’t know how else to describe how the story starts. I don’t like making my review into book reports and I especially do not want to give away this story. For the most part, I loved this book. What I didn’t personally find the sections where Mr. Wright went into the history of rulings and background of different points. I understand why that was necessary but I usually read to relax and didn’t find those parts interesting to me. Very powerful book. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.
November 13, 2022
Marked for Life: One Man's Fight for Justice from the Inside
by Isaac Wright Jr.
Published November 8, 2022
<3 I could not put this audiobook down! I devoured all 9 hours in less than a day. I do hope this man is getting ongoing therapy for this personal and collective trauma brought about by an unjust Prison Industrial Complex. He is just one of so many men and women that get trampled by the systemic racist practices within the judicial system and throughout society. They took down this man robbing his wife, child and family members years of uncertainty as he spent years in prison. Yall got to #audiobook this! I don't want to reveal any spoilers. How folks can harbor such evil is beyond comprehension!
I have to say, listening to this author reenact his calculating defense as he represented himself in court was #ORGASMIC! There is a podcast and TV series he Executively Produced on PrimeTime ABC7NY. I am not sure I can handle watching this unfold on screen though. To experience this all to common injustice from a victim turn lawyer, gives the reader a unique view and exposes how jacked up the written law is and what it allows. These laws and the systemic injustices allows the perpetuation towards poor BIPOC folks. His passion reminds me of the lawyer #BryanStevenson, his book gives similar accounts of the lunacy atrocities and inhumane conditions of prison life! This is a #MustListen! I hope a YA version will follow, this is a book that should be added to every curriculum and made available to those imprisoned. <3
#MarkedforLife #NetGalley #NewJersey #HipHop #PoliceBrutality #ABC #MiniSeries #FORLIFE: #ThePodcast #SetUp #ChompedUpCharges #LifeImprisonment #MUSTREAD #ForLife Macmillan Audio #50Cent #ARC
An empowering memoir of courage and hope in the face of injustice—and the basis for the ABC television show, For Life—Marked for Life is the true story of Isaac Wright Jr.’s battle to win his freedom after being wrongfully imprisoned for crimes he didn’t commit, and a critical indictment of America’s judicial system.
“If I waited around for someone to save me, I’d be waiting my whole life. Unless I took the reins of this thing myself, I was going to die in prison. If that was my destiny, then I was going to die fighting. The desperation of that equation kept me up most nights. I would never find a gladiator. So I had to become him.”
In the summer of 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was a 28-year-old independent music producer, who’d struck out on his own and became one of hip hop’s early success stories. With his dance crew Uptown Express, Wright won recognition on Star Search, toured with Run-DMC, and transitioned into management, co-founding his wife Sunshine’s music group, The Cover Girls. They’d settled in the New Jersey suburbs to raise their six-year-old daughter, never imagining that Wright would fall victim to gross police misconduct and a corrupt district attorney.
Accused of being a drug “kingpin” and incarcerated in Somerset County while the prosecutor and police built their case of lies against him, Wright realized he would get no help from any defense attorneys—white men uninterested in uncovering the truth or in proving the innocence of a black man. Pressured to take a plea deal offer of 20 years behind bars, Wright chose to take the law into his own hands by educating himself in the legal system so he could represent himself in court.
Studying statutes and cases in the jail’s law library, Wright became an adept legal mind. But despite acquiring knowledge that he put to use in defending his fellow inmates, he lost his trial and was sentenced to Trenton State Prison for life, plus 70 years in 1991. For the next five years, Wright would continue learning law, become a paralegal with the prison’s Inmate Legal Association, and appeal his case. Threatened by corrupt correction officers and convicts, his family falling apart, Wright fought for his life with every legal means at his disposal, eventually uncovering the smoking gun that unraveled the conspiracy perpetrated by law enforcement officials against him.
Marked for Life is not just the story of how Isaac Wright Jr. won his freedom. It is the story of how he found his true calling as a gladiator fighting on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized communities victimized by an unjust system of law.
by Isaac Wright Jr.
Published November 8, 2022
<3 I could not put this audiobook down! I devoured all 9 hours in less than a day. I do hope this man is getting ongoing therapy for this personal and collective trauma brought about by an unjust Prison Industrial Complex. He is just one of so many men and women that get trampled by the systemic racist practices within the judicial system and throughout society. They took down this man robbing his wife, child and family members years of uncertainty as he spent years in prison. Yall got to #audiobook this! I don't want to reveal any spoilers. How folks can harbor such evil is beyond comprehension!
I have to say, listening to this author reenact his calculating defense as he represented himself in court was #ORGASMIC! There is a podcast and TV series he Executively Produced on PrimeTime ABC7NY. I am not sure I can handle watching this unfold on screen though. To experience this all to common injustice from a victim turn lawyer, gives the reader a unique view and exposes how jacked up the written law is and what it allows. These laws and the systemic injustices allows the perpetuation towards poor BIPOC folks. His passion reminds me of the lawyer #BryanStevenson, his book gives similar accounts of the lunacy atrocities and inhumane conditions of prison life! This is a #MustListen! I hope a YA version will follow, this is a book that should be added to every curriculum and made available to those imprisoned. <3
#MarkedforLife #NetGalley #NewJersey #HipHop #PoliceBrutality #ABC #MiniSeries #FORLIFE: #ThePodcast #SetUp #ChompedUpCharges #LifeImprisonment #MUSTREAD #ForLife Macmillan Audio #50Cent #ARC
An empowering memoir of courage and hope in the face of injustice—and the basis for the ABC television show, For Life—Marked for Life is the true story of Isaac Wright Jr.’s battle to win his freedom after being wrongfully imprisoned for crimes he didn’t commit, and a critical indictment of America’s judicial system.
“If I waited around for someone to save me, I’d be waiting my whole life. Unless I took the reins of this thing myself, I was going to die in prison. If that was my destiny, then I was going to die fighting. The desperation of that equation kept me up most nights. I would never find a gladiator. So I had to become him.”
In the summer of 1989, Isaac Wright Jr. was a 28-year-old independent music producer, who’d struck out on his own and became one of hip hop’s early success stories. With his dance crew Uptown Express, Wright won recognition on Star Search, toured with Run-DMC, and transitioned into management, co-founding his wife Sunshine’s music group, The Cover Girls. They’d settled in the New Jersey suburbs to raise their six-year-old daughter, never imagining that Wright would fall victim to gross police misconduct and a corrupt district attorney.
Accused of being a drug “kingpin” and incarcerated in Somerset County while the prosecutor and police built their case of lies against him, Wright realized he would get no help from any defense attorneys—white men uninterested in uncovering the truth or in proving the innocence of a black man. Pressured to take a plea deal offer of 20 years behind bars, Wright chose to take the law into his own hands by educating himself in the legal system so he could represent himself in court.
Studying statutes and cases in the jail’s law library, Wright became an adept legal mind. But despite acquiring knowledge that he put to use in defending his fellow inmates, he lost his trial and was sentenced to Trenton State Prison for life, plus 70 years in 1991. For the next five years, Wright would continue learning law, become a paralegal with the prison’s Inmate Legal Association, and appeal his case. Threatened by corrupt correction officers and convicts, his family falling apart, Wright fought for his life with every legal means at his disposal, eventually uncovering the smoking gun that unraveled the conspiracy perpetrated by law enforcement officials against him.
Marked for Life is not just the story of how Isaac Wright Jr. won his freedom. It is the story of how he found his true calling as a gladiator fighting on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized communities victimized by an unjust system of law.
November 4, 2022
Finished reading: November 3rd 2022
"It is impossible to put away an innocent man without a conspiracy."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
December 22, 2022
Marked for Life is the legal memoir of Isaac Wright, Junior, and it is a compelling story. At age 28, Wright was framed as a “drug kingpin,” though he had never used or sold drugs, and when he rejected the plea deal offered him, he was convicted and sentenced to life plus seventy years.
Through his own efforts, he was able to prove his own innocence and regain his freedom. This book is for sale now, and you should get it and read it.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy. Listening to the recorded version is all the more powerful, because the author reads it himself. Readers should know that this book starts out painfully harsh, with the blow-by-blow events of the day he is arrested, and his subsequent treatment. There’s not a tremendous amount of physical violence, but the emotional toll could just about bring me to my knees; imagine how it must have been for Wright, who lived through it! I begin to fear that I will dread listening to it, and so I promise myself that this will be my car book; I will listen to it while I am driving around, and when I get home, I will turn it off. However, only the beginning is harsh, and once I am twenty percent of the way into it, it becomes so interesting that I quickly change my mind, and it joins me in the kitchen. So reader, don’t be afraid of this book. The rough part is all in the first few chapters.
Wright is targeted by corrupt local officials, who are under the misapprehension that he has a small fortune socked away in the safe in his bedroom. In fact, Wright is a successful businessman; he starts as a music producer, then moves into management, touring with Run DMC, and indeed, he and his family live well. Although he doesn’t say as much, part of me wonders if that is his crime, in the eyes of the local cops and courts: he’s a Black man with money. As soon as he is arrested, the shakedown begins. Give us the money, Wright, and we’ll make it all go away.
He doesn’t, and they don’t.
The most fascinating part of this is learning how a prisoner is able to study the law and represent himself. Obviously, not everyone is as literate and intelligent as Wright is; he makes himself indispensable to other prisoners by assisting them with their own cases also. His ability to juggle a lot of moving parts—his own appeal, his fellow inmates’ cases, and the rigors and restrictions of the prison system, along with the endless pressure on him from those that framed him—is impressive. A lot of his success lies in his perception of what other people want. What does the warden want? What do his fellow prisoners want and need? If this had been me, I don’t think it would have gone well. I’d have been good with the research and the paperwork, but I doubt I could have read the wishes and intentions of those around me as successfully as Wright has done. Ultimately, it is an inspirational story, and I highly recommend it to you.
Through his own efforts, he was able to prove his own innocence and regain his freedom. This book is for sale now, and you should get it and read it.
My thanks go to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy. Listening to the recorded version is all the more powerful, because the author reads it himself. Readers should know that this book starts out painfully harsh, with the blow-by-blow events of the day he is arrested, and his subsequent treatment. There’s not a tremendous amount of physical violence, but the emotional toll could just about bring me to my knees; imagine how it must have been for Wright, who lived through it! I begin to fear that I will dread listening to it, and so I promise myself that this will be my car book; I will listen to it while I am driving around, and when I get home, I will turn it off. However, only the beginning is harsh, and once I am twenty percent of the way into it, it becomes so interesting that I quickly change my mind, and it joins me in the kitchen. So reader, don’t be afraid of this book. The rough part is all in the first few chapters.
Wright is targeted by corrupt local officials, who are under the misapprehension that he has a small fortune socked away in the safe in his bedroom. In fact, Wright is a successful businessman; he starts as a music producer, then moves into management, touring with Run DMC, and indeed, he and his family live well. Although he doesn’t say as much, part of me wonders if that is his crime, in the eyes of the local cops and courts: he’s a Black man with money. As soon as he is arrested, the shakedown begins. Give us the money, Wright, and we’ll make it all go away.
He doesn’t, and they don’t.
The most fascinating part of this is learning how a prisoner is able to study the law and represent himself. Obviously, not everyone is as literate and intelligent as Wright is; he makes himself indispensable to other prisoners by assisting them with their own cases also. His ability to juggle a lot of moving parts—his own appeal, his fellow inmates’ cases, and the rigors and restrictions of the prison system, along with the endless pressure on him from those that framed him—is impressive. A lot of his success lies in his perception of what other people want. What does the warden want? What do his fellow prisoners want and need? If this had been me, I don’t think it would have gone well. I’d have been good with the research and the paperwork, but I doubt I could have read the wishes and intentions of those around me as successfully as Wright has done. Ultimately, it is an inspirational story, and I highly recommend it to you.
November 9, 2022
🎧 𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 🎧
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲
𝗕𝘆 𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗮𝗰 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗝𝗿.
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿
𝟵 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝟮𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝗡𝗼𝘃. 𝟴𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮
Out yesterday!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ • 5/5 stars
Imagine meeting your business partner for a totally legal, completely innocuous transaction, only to find yourself being arrested and thrown in a jail cell.
Imagine learning that you'd been set up.... By your friends and acquaintances, by the police, even by those within the court system.
Imagine having the will to spend your sentence teaching yourself the law so that you could defend yourself, and others.
Marked for Life completely blew me away! I picked it up on a whim, as I am incorporating more non-fiction for Non-Fiction November. I ended up finishing it in less than 24 hours. This is perfect for fans of Just Mercy and The Sun Does Shine, or anyone who enjoys a well-written true story that makes you feel a range of emotions.
Wright's story is one of the most inspirational stories I have ever encountered. It is also completely tragic and horrific. I found myself with my mouth hanging open in shock. What happened to Wright is unbelievable, and yet it happened, and it continues to happen every single day, especially to Black and Brown Americans.
Thank you, Mr. Wright, for masterfully sharing your story and shedding light on the injustice and corruption that exists in this country's criminal justice system. You are such an inspiration and I will be recommending your book for years to come! 🙌
Wright is a force! And Marked for Life is brilliantly told, perfectly paced, and the audiobook narrated by the author makes it all the better. Wright is a born narrator and did an excellent job!
𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲
𝗕𝘆 𝗜𝘀𝗮𝗮𝗰 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗝𝗿.
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿
𝟵 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝟮𝟭 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝗡𝗼𝘃. 𝟴𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮
Out yesterday!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ • 5/5 stars
Imagine meeting your business partner for a totally legal, completely innocuous transaction, only to find yourself being arrested and thrown in a jail cell.
Imagine learning that you'd been set up.... By your friends and acquaintances, by the police, even by those within the court system.
Imagine having the will to spend your sentence teaching yourself the law so that you could defend yourself, and others.
Marked for Life completely blew me away! I picked it up on a whim, as I am incorporating more non-fiction for Non-Fiction November. I ended up finishing it in less than 24 hours. This is perfect for fans of Just Mercy and The Sun Does Shine, or anyone who enjoys a well-written true story that makes you feel a range of emotions.
Wright's story is one of the most inspirational stories I have ever encountered. It is also completely tragic and horrific. I found myself with my mouth hanging open in shock. What happened to Wright is unbelievable, and yet it happened, and it continues to happen every single day, especially to Black and Brown Americans.
Thank you, Mr. Wright, for masterfully sharing your story and shedding light on the injustice and corruption that exists in this country's criminal justice system. You are such an inspiration and I will be recommending your book for years to come! 🙌
Wright is a force! And Marked for Life is brilliantly told, perfectly paced, and the audiobook narrated by the author makes it all the better. Wright is a born narrator and did an excellent job!
October 20, 2022
Pub Date 11/08/22
A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. The opinions are my own and freely given.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from the publisher as well as from NetGalley. I was excited to read this book because I was a fan of the show For Life which is based on Isaac's story. This book, written by Isaac, chronicles his life from the arrest to the conviction to him fighting the courts and prosecution for his freedom. It tells the story of one man who is falsely imprisoned and how he fights to get freed. It goes through why he decided to defend himself and how that defense leads him to fight for others in the prison system. He fought to change the way things are done within the prison and he fought to change laws. As much as he tried to keep to himself, he just found himself in with the wrong people that lead him down this path. I learned a lot about the justice system and a lot about the prison system. I would highly recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Isaac Wright Jr.
A digital ARC of this book was provided to me by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. The opinions are my own and freely given.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from the publisher as well as from NetGalley. I was excited to read this book because I was a fan of the show For Life which is based on Isaac's story. This book, written by Isaac, chronicles his life from the arrest to the conviction to him fighting the courts and prosecution for his freedom. It tells the story of one man who is falsely imprisoned and how he fights to get freed. It goes through why he decided to defend himself and how that defense leads him to fight for others in the prison system. He fought to change the way things are done within the prison and he fought to change laws. As much as he tried to keep to himself, he just found himself in with the wrong people that lead him down this path. I learned a lot about the justice system and a lot about the prison system. I would highly recommend this book. Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Isaac Wright Jr.
November 28, 2022
I love prison stories, I’ve read and listened to many but most are stories of redemption and hope by people whose lives were such a mess that it took finding Jesus in prison to bring them up out of the pit. This is not one of those stories. This is one of the most tragic of all: an innocent person convicted because of extensive corruption in the county prosecutor and police departments where he was arrested and tried. A gut wrenchingly horrifying story. Though justice does prevail eventually, his loss is beyond grievous. His determination and brilliance is inspiring. I do think it’s important to remember that corruption in one county doesn’t mean corruption in all counties everywhere, and the reaction of the new judge (who replaced the corrupt judge) is a hopeful testimony that there are good people within the system who are willing to fight against corruption. I pray that truth will prevail across all departments and all counties in our country. And that this book will inspire others to join him in his fight to free innocent prisoners.
November 15, 2022
First and foremost, thank you @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy!
In Marked for Life, Wright details his horrific experience being set up for a crime, found guilty of being a “drug kingpin”, and sentenced to life in prison. Incredibly, Wright taught himself law while imprisoned, was his own defense, and successfully navigated his appeal. His story is the basis of the TV show “For Life”.
This memoir absolutely blew me away. I cannot even express how infuriated I was reading the conspiracy amongst the prosecution, court, and detectives to fabricate evidence and send Wright to prison for a crime they know he didn’t commit. And honestly, I’m still in awe of how Wright learned law/legal principles and defended himself in court. Like WHAT?!?! Unheard of.
One of the most important discussions in this book is reiterating how importance legal defense is—and often how lacking it is. Many individuals in prison barely understand the law, let alone enough to know their rights and options.
This memoir is also another prime example of the corruption and racism embedded in the criminal justice system.
This is, hands down, a must read.
In Marked for Life, Wright details his horrific experience being set up for a crime, found guilty of being a “drug kingpin”, and sentenced to life in prison. Incredibly, Wright taught himself law while imprisoned, was his own defense, and successfully navigated his appeal. His story is the basis of the TV show “For Life”.
This memoir absolutely blew me away. I cannot even express how infuriated I was reading the conspiracy amongst the prosecution, court, and detectives to fabricate evidence and send Wright to prison for a crime they know he didn’t commit. And honestly, I’m still in awe of how Wright learned law/legal principles and defended himself in court. Like WHAT?!?! Unheard of.
One of the most important discussions in this book is reiterating how importance legal defense is—and often how lacking it is. Many individuals in prison barely understand the law, let alone enough to know their rights and options.
This memoir is also another prime example of the corruption and racism embedded in the criminal justice system.
This is, hands down, a must read.
Read
December 2, 2022A memoir of courage and hope in the face of injustice, and the basis of ABC tv show For Life, this is the story of Isaac Wright Jr. He is wrongly convicted as a drug "kingpin" and learns the law to help himself and fellow inmates. Threatened by corrupt correction officers and convicts, his family falling apart, Wright fought for his life with every legal means at his disposal, eventually uncovering the smoking gun that unraveled the conspiracy perpetrated by law enforcement officials against him.
This book helped me understand why the #DefundThePolice movement exists. The justice system is unfortunately not just in a lot of cases. This book highlights the corruption, racism and loopholes in the system. Despite everything, Wright's ability to stay hopeful and keep fighting was an inspiration to read. It would have been easier to give up and become the victim in his circumstances, but he remained strategic and stoic.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy!
This book helped me understand why the #DefundThePolice movement exists. The justice system is unfortunately not just in a lot of cases. This book highlights the corruption, racism and loopholes in the system. Despite everything, Wright's ability to stay hopeful and keep fighting was an inspiration to read. It would have been easier to give up and become the victim in his circumstances, but he remained strategic and stoic.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my copy!
January 1, 2023
Marked for Life: One Man’s Fight for Justice from the Inside by Isaac Wright JR.
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If ever truth was tried and came out victorious this testimonial more than exemplifies that fact. I've heard many say God has a way unlawful is our ways. Mr. Wright was afraid of his brilliance ( intelligence) as a child and didn't want his peers to know he was smart, NOW the WHOLE WORLD knows! I couldn't put this book down... The enemy may have marked him for a life of death and destruction, LIFE marked him for life more abundantly and for LAWYER!!! A must read for all who sometimes feel like going on but need a little push.
If you haven’t watched the ABC show when it was out called For Life! Find it and watch it! I wish there was more seasons!
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
If ever truth was tried and came out victorious this testimonial more than exemplifies that fact. I've heard many say God has a way unlawful is our ways. Mr. Wright was afraid of his brilliance ( intelligence) as a child and didn't want his peers to know he was smart, NOW the WHOLE WORLD knows! I couldn't put this book down... The enemy may have marked him for a life of death and destruction, LIFE marked him for life more abundantly and for LAWYER!!! A must read for all who sometimes feel like going on but need a little push.
If you haven’t watched the ABC show when it was out called For Life! Find it and watch it! I wish there was more seasons!
February 3, 2023
I happened to settle for this after walking into my library not being able to pick up the initial book I wanted.
“Settling” for this book is an inadequate description as I read this book in 2 days. This book perfectly encapsulates the systemic issue of what’s not only wrong with our justice system but also the deep rooted corruption that keeps it afloat.
As we were told in law school that the law is created by rich white people to benefit rich white people, you see the evidence accurately support that statement in this book. If you want a deep look into how the law actually works while also being able to root for what justice should be, read this book.
You’ll end on a note of feeling relieved but also sickened by the amount of disparity that the American justice system is founded on.
“Settling” for this book is an inadequate description as I read this book in 2 days. This book perfectly encapsulates the systemic issue of what’s not only wrong with our justice system but also the deep rooted corruption that keeps it afloat.
As we were told in law school that the law is created by rich white people to benefit rich white people, you see the evidence accurately support that statement in this book. If you want a deep look into how the law actually works while also being able to root for what justice should be, read this book.
You’ll end on a note of feeling relieved but also sickened by the amount of disparity that the American justice system is founded on.
March 21, 2023
I loved this book because it explained Isaac's thinking processes and his upbringing that helped to keep him strong and positive in his conviction that he could, and should, defend himself and reveal the corruption that led to his false imprisonment. I particularly enjoyed reading his strategic thinking in choosing which arresting police officer to 'grill' in court. An inspiring human story while also shocking in its exposure of the racial and social inequities of a legal system that is meant to serve everyone. It was also interesting how, within prison, Isaac found his life calling - to defend those who are victims of corruption within the legal system.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
This started off as a sad tale of the police abusing their power to have this man locked behind bars for life. This turned into one of the most inspirational GANGSTA ASS stories of a man getting himself out of prison and using his self taught knowledge of the law to get others from marginalized communities (mental health to my surprise as well…) out of prison too! There are so many other stories like this that haven’t seen the light of day! The details of the trials that he was apart of were so interesting. Going inside the mind of an attorney is fascinating! Fantastic read!!!
July 19, 2022
I think that book is good and awful. It was scary how the justice system violated a black man. He fought unfair legal systems against himself without using evidence.
He screamed for help and thought of his family.
I talk about what I read every sentence that gives me a long time to happen then does not give much attention. I expect that book could describe more and follow the pace with time of what happened. I gave 4 out of 5.
He screamed for help and thought of his family.
I talk about what I read every sentence that gives me a long time to happen then does not give much attention. I expect that book could describe more and follow the pace with time of what happened. I gave 4 out of 5.
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