At a San Diego prison, a unique group of inmates, including Erik Menendez, can now call themselves college graduates.
At a San Diego prison, a unique group of inmates, including Erik Menendez, one of the most famous prisoners inside the facility, can now call themselves college graduates. This is the second graduating class from UCI’s lifted program which gives inmates the opportunity to earn their bachelor’s degree behind bars.
All 15 graduates majored in sociology with 11 of them minoring in English. Last year was the first UCI Lifted graduating class, which included the elder Menendez brother, Lyle. Erik did not attend the commencement ceremony Wednesday as he wished to avoid cameras and media coverage, according to prison staff.The Menendez brothers, who were convicted of the shotgun murders of their parents inside their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989, are awaiting aThe brothers’ attorneys have argued their pursuit of education inside the prison showed they have been rehabilitated and do not pose threat to public safety.Joel Baptiste Abreu, another graduating inmate, was sentenced to life for accessory murder but education gave him another chance. “I was able to absorb knowledge and really understand I could do things I didn’t think I could – those small victories translated to big ones,” Abreu said. Jose Flores, a former gang member and now in prison for 13 years, celebrated his accomplishment hugging his mom. “She’s just so proud,” Flores said while holding back tears. “My life was out of control, so for her to see me, for her to share this special moment with me, it means the world for her.” Flores was able to walk with pride and purpose after not expecting being a college graduate was in the cards for him. “I still can’t believe it. I took a college class. I took a chance I didn’t think I would do well,” Flores said. “At the end of the semester, I ended up getting a ‘B’, and I was like you know what? That made me believe I could do it.”
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