Cellblocks to Mountaintops

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​​"Cellblocks to Mountaintops"  examines how America addresses violence, defines justice, and seeks accountability through the journey of one man. Years after committing a horrific crime, Sterling Cunio continues to face the ripple effects of the harm he caused. Through the power of artistic expression and human connections and inspired by restorative justice principles, he forges a remarkable personal transformation while serving decades in prison. This story is a poignant reminder that hope, healing and redemption are never beyond reach, even in the darkest of places. This show has 8 podcast episodes and 14 mini-documentary companion videos. For more information, please go to our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com

​​"Cellblocks to Mountaintops"  examines how America addresses violence, defines justice, and seeks accountability through the journey of one man. Years after committing a horrific crime, Sterling Cunio continues to face the ripple effects of the harm he caused. Through the power of artistic expression and human connections and inspired by restorative justice principles, he forges a remarkable personal transformation while serving decades in prison. This story is a poignant reminder that hope, healing and redemption are never beyond reach, even in the darkest of places. This show has 8 podcast episodes and 14 mini-documentary companion videos. For more information, please go to our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com

After serving more than 25 years in prison, Sterling Cunio goes before the most important audience of his life: the Oregon Board of Parole. His supporters and attorneys argue that Sterling has rehabilitated, and deserves a second chance for a life beyond prison walls. But even if that’s true, does that mean he should be set free? Locking him up for the rest of his life won’t bring his victims back, but will it send a message that demonstrates respect for the lives he took? Will it improve public safety or help his victims heal? What does justice demand? Please note: There are many types of parole board hearings. In this episode, Karuna Thompson speaks of one kind of hearing. Rehabilitation Hearings, however, on average tend to run between 4-5 hours and it has been reported that the Oregon Board of Parole has consistently been prepared for these hearings. Be sure to watch our mini-documentary video The Hearing where you will see live excerpts of the hearing. To watch our companion videos, read the transcripts, and see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Featured in this episode: Sterling Cunio Professor Melissa Buis,  Professor and Chair of Politics, Policy, Law and Ethics Department (PPLE)  and Director, Transformative Justice Initiative at Willamette University.  Since 2016 she has taught  “Restorative Justice” classes at Oregon State Penitentiary with both “inside” and “outside” students. Dr. Buis is also a founding member and Board Chair of the nonprofit, Transformative Justice Community. Lauren Kessler teaches Storytelling for Social Change at University of Washington, former writing teacher at Oregon State Penitentiary, author of 15 books including A Grip of Time and Free, Two Years, Six Lives and the Long Journey Home, both of which feature Sterling Cunio. Ryan O’Connor, Criminal Defense Attorney Ryan Joslin, Chief Deputy District Attorney, Benton County, Oregon Michael Chiu, Board Chairman, Oregon Board of Parole Karuna Thompson, Former Prison Chaplain & Victim Liaison at the Oregon Department of Corrections Rosemary Brewer, Former Prosecutor, Victims Advocate & Director of Oregon Crime Victims Law Center Danielle Sered, Founder & Executive Director of Common Justice; Author: Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration, and a Road to Repair Anthony Pickens

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Sterling Cunio faces the Oregon Board of Parole at a prison term hearing to decide his fate. Held during the peak of the pandemic, Sterling, his attorneys, and supporters must present his case over video. Sterling has committed the past twelve years of his life to changing himself and expresses deep remorse for his crimes. Will this be enough to earn his freedom? To hear more about Sterling’s bid for freedom, listen to Podcast Episode 1, *Throw Away the Key.*

Sterling Cunio used to play football and ride bikes around the neighborhood with his friends.  He won The Most Mannerly Kid award.  But several tragic circumstances changed the trajectory of his life, pushing him into foster care, and later the juvenile justice system. What happened? How did he come to commit such a horrific crime? Watch Sterling’s lawyers explain the complexities of his case in our 3-minute video: A Legal Quagmire To watch our companion videos and to see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Featured in this episode: Sterling Cunio Anthony Pickens Carly Baetz, JD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, Purdue University Northwest (formerly Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine) Rosemary Brewer, Former Prosecutor, Victims Advocate and Director of Oregon Crime Victims Law Center Companion Video for this Episode:   Video 2A - A Legal Quagmire

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com See attorneys Aliza Kaplan and Ryan O’Connor delve into juvenile sentencing complexities, centering on Sterling’s case and his bid for freedom. They discuss the infamous “super predator scare” of the 1990s and advancements in understanding adolescent brain development as it relates to the law.  Listen to Podcast Episode 2, The Making of a “Superpredator”???,  to hear how Sterling went from a loving home at age 12 to prison by age 16.  

In 1994, Sterling walked into prison a scrawny, 17-year-old biracial kid. His mettle was immediately tested by a much older white supremacist cellmate. That first night would set the tone for the years to come. But eventually,  he would discover new ideas and new ways of being -  in unexpected places. Sterling adjusts to living in prison and meets a friend for life - get to know him in our mini-documentary,  Anthony’s Story. This episode includes a description of a suicide attempt about 10 minutes into the program.  Listener discretion is advised. If you or anyone you know is struggling with a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts, please call 988. That’s the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988. To watch our companion videos, read the transcripts, and see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Featured in this episode: Sterling Cunio Anthony Pickens Carly Baetz, JD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, Purdue University Northwest (formerly Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine) Cheryl Cunio Companion Video for this Episode:   Video 3A - Anthony’s Story

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Join us as Anthony shares his life story with both “inside” and “outside” classmates from Professor Melissa Buis’ “Reforming Criminal Justice” class held inside Oregon State Penitentiary.  He details step by step what led to his incarceration at age 15.  Anthony emotionally reflects on a surprising moment from his sentencing hearing which fuels his transformation on a daily basis.   Tune into Podcast Episode 3, Push. The. Button., to hear what adult prison does to teenage boys.

Relationships with people in the outside world are essential for maintaining hope, working towards rehabilitation, and reducing recidivism. Letters, emails, and in-person visits from friends and family bring a shred of humanity to an otherwise inhumane environment. In Sterling's case, he found a pen pal that would become very dear to his heart. And in writing, he began to express himself in a way that people would finally listen. To see Sterling’s transformation unfold through pictures and stories watch Turning Points.   Watch Sterling perform in the award-winning play, The Bucket. This episode includes a description of suicide ideation about 8 minutes into the program. Listener discretion is advised. If you or anyone you know is struggling with a mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts, please call 988. That’s the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988. To watch our companion videos, read the transcripts, and to see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Featured in this episode: Cheryl Cunio Sterling Cunio Lauren Kessler, teaches Storytelling for Social Change at University of Washington,  former writing teacher at Oregon State Penitentiary, author of 15 books including A Grip of Time and Free, Two Years, Six Lives and the Long Journey Home, both of which feature Sterling Cunio. Performers in *The Bucket:* Troy Ramsey, Key Davis, Ben Pervish Becca Stevens, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Antonio Sánchez, 4x Grammy Winner, Film Composer of 2014 Best Picture Winner, “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Thana Alexa - Grammy-nominated vocalist, composer, arranger and producer.  She performs a portion of The Bucket in this episode. Companion Videos for this Episode: Video 4A - Turning Points Video 4B - *Excerpts from The Bucket*

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com With acute self-awareness, Sterling recounts several of the key turning points in his life that enabled him to transform. Thanks to an unexpected letter and a surprising connection to a novel he randomly read, Sterling’s perspective on himself and his crime turns upside down.  Witness this unfolding transformation enhanced with old photographs.   Hear how letters, love, and creative expression propelled Sterling’s transformation in Episode 4, Love, Loss & Art.

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Watch excerpts of Sterling’s performance from “The Bucket,” an ensemble play about solitary confinement which won first prize from the PEN America prison writing contest. Directed by our podcast host Phil Stockton and co-written and co-starring Sterling Cunio,  these dramatic pieces provide a glimpse into Sterling’s gritty real life experiences . How did Sterling evolve into the award-winning artist he is today?  Be sure to listen to Podcast Episode 4, Love, Loss & Art.

Sterling’s intense educational pursuits led him to a class on restorative justice, where  he developed a vision for completely changing the toxic prison culture where he’d likely spend the rest of his life. What started as a path toward forgiving himself grew into a tool for brokering peace and mediating clashes between gangs inside. We hear from Danielle Sered, a foremost expert on alternatives to incarceration. For an intimate look at the men inside Oregon State Penitentiary discussing accountability, guilt, shame, reformation, and making amends, watch our three mini-documentaries, Restorative Justice,  Class Inside, and True Accountability.  To watch our companion videos, read the transcripts, and to see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.comSterling leads a candid discussion with fellow restorative justice facilitators on what it means to live your amends.  The men discuss taking responsibility, personal growth, and the struggle for self-esteem while incarcerated.In Episode 5, Restorative Justice, hear how Sterling and his friends manage to change prison culture.

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Join undergraduate students from Willamette University and men from Oregon State Penitentiary in the classroom. Professor Melissa Buis and Sterling Cunio co-teach “Reforming Criminal Justice,” a class about mass incarceration. Classmates discuss cycles of violence, trauma, and the effect of societal expectations. Find out how Sterling’s awakening affects life at Oregon State Penitentiary in Episode 5, Restorative Justice.

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Watch an intimate “inside class” discussion on shame and personal accountability, inspired by Danielle Sered’s book, “Until We Reckon: Violence, Mass Incarceration and a Road to Repair.” The men comment on how the current criminal justice system does not promote accountability and in many ways even discourages it. Sterling and his classmates reflect on the difficulty of acknowledging the pain and harm, as well as the lasting impact of their past actions. They are being accountable. Now what? Find out in Episode 5, Restorative Justice.

Should juveniles who commit murder ever be given a second chance, or do they deserve to be locked up for life?  In 2012 that question made its way to the Supreme Court in a landmark case argued by renowned attorney and activist Bryan Stevenson. While not a slam dunk, their ruling gave Sterling hope for an eventual release.  Watch Sterling share some good news with his friends in the video Fresh Hope. In The Rehearsal, we see Sterling’s legal team prepare for the 2020 hearing.  To watch our companion videos, read the transcripts, and to see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Featured in this Episode Ryan O’Connor, Criminal Defense Attorney Sterling Cunio Chloe Williams, Criminal Defense Attorney Professor Aliza Kaplan, Professor of Lawyering and Director of the Criminal Justice Reform Clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School. Karuna Thompson, Former Prison Chaplain and Victim Liaison at the Oregon Department of Corrections Companion Videos for this Episode: Video 6A - Fresh Hope Video 6B - The Rehearsal

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Sterling shares a potentially life-altering announcement with his peers.  The news evokes emotional reactions as Sterling expresses both  hope and apprehension to the news as well as his concern for the effect it may have on his victim’s families. Hear about the complex evolution of juvenile law that keeps Sterling behind bars in Episode 6, Standards of Decency.

This episode is a video. If your podcast player does not support videos, please go to our website to watch: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Hear from Sterling’s legal team about the intricacies of his case while they prepare for his prison term hearing. The team focuses on how best to present Sterling’s story of rehabilitation to the parole board. In Episode 6, Standards of Decency, hear renowned activist Bryan Stevenson at the U.S. Supreme Court making the case for juvenile justice reform

Everything stopped in 2020 with the global Covid-19 pandemic, but in Oregon, another catastrophe was underway… unprecedented wildfires. Prisons across the state were forced to evacuate, adding even more strain to an outdated infrastructure. The twists and turns of Sterling’s legal battles finally come to a head. Watch Sterling’s attorneys and loved ones react to the results of the hearing in The Decision.  See Anthony’s life take a sharp turn in Yellow Fire Hydrant. Correction: Four prisons were evacuated to Oregon State Penitentiary in September of 2020 not three as mentioned in the podcast.  Coffee Creek Correction Facility, a women’s prison also has an Intake Center which processes both men and women.  The men from Coffee Creek Intake Center were evacuated to Oregon State Penitentiary. To watch our companion videos, read the transcripts, and to see our complete show notes with media links, sources, and references please visit our website: www.cellblockstomountaintops.com Featured in this episode: Sterling Cunio Karuna Thompson, Former Prison Chaplain and Victim Liaison at the Oregon Department of Corrections Alleen Brown, Independent Investigative Reporter covering climate change and its impact on communities with a focus on prison populations Ryan O’Connor, Criminal Defense Attorney Cheryl Cunio Professor Aliza Kaplan, Professor of Lawyering and Director of the Criminal Justice Reform Clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School. Chloe Williams, Criminal Defense Attorney Anthony Pickens Companion Videos for this Episode: Video 7A - The Decision Video 7B - Yellow Fire Hydrant