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Inside Story ·

Filed 11:00 a.m. EST

11.07.2024

Inside Story Meets Woman Jailed for Pregnancy Loss After She’s Released

Veteran rapper Styles P talks about the criminalization of rap lyrics, and we revisit the story of a woman who was imprisoned after the stillbirth of her child.

By Lawrence Bartley and Donald Washington, Jr.

We revisit the story of Cherie Mason, who served a prison sentence for manslaughter after the stillbirth of her child in Oklahoma and whose story was featured in Inside Story’s first season. Correspondent Cary Aspinwall meets up with her for the first time after her release from prison.

Veteran rapper and wellness entrepreneur Styles P sits down with host Lawrence Bartley to discuss the value of artistic expression, the use of rap lyrics in criminal trials and investing in the health of his community.

We meet a formerly incarcerated magician who found that a hobby on the inside would be the key to his success on the outside.

Incarcerated people tell us about the smells they miss from the outside, including fresh-baked cookies and a grandmother’s cooking.

Reading List:

They Lost Their Pregnancies. Then Prosecutors Sent Them to Prison.

CONTRIBUTORS

Cary Aspinwall, Leslie Eaton, Belle Cushing, Cassandra Giraldo

REPORTING PARTNER(S)

AL.com and The Frontier

Lawrence Bartley is the publisher of The Marshall Project Inside, the organization’s publications intended specifically for incarcerated audiences. He is an accomplished public speaker and has provided multimedia content for CNN, PBS, NBC Nightly News, MSNBC and more. News Inside is the recipient of the 2020 Izzy Award for outstanding achievement in independent media.

Donald Washington, Jr. is the director and executive producer of Inside Story, a video series designed to reach audiences both inside and outside of prison walls. He is a self-taught filmmaker who honed his skills working with local Brooklyn artists and grassroots organizations. Donald holds a graduate degree from the New York Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science degree from Mercy College. Previously, Donald was the co-founding president of the Back-To-School Fund, a fundraising group supplementing the educational needs of children with incarcerated parents in New York State prisons. In 2015, he was presented with the Ossie Davis Award for his excellence in community service by Hudson Link for Higher Education.