THIS EVENT IS BEING HELD AT GEORGES AUDITORIUM AT DILLARD UNIVERISTY
Author Talk at Baldwin & Co.: The Jailhouse Lawyer with Calvin Duncan & Sophie Cull
📖 From Wrongful Conviction to Relentless Advocacy—A Story of Justice, Hope, and Unbreakable Spirit
Join us for a powerful and unforgettable evening with Calvin Duncan and Sophie Cull, co-authors of The Jailhouse Lawyer—the remarkable true story of Duncan’s 30-year journey through the Louisiana prison system after being wrongfully convicted, and how he emerged from behind bars as one of the most respected jailhouse lawyers in the country.
At just 19 years old, Duncan was sentenced to life at Angola for a crime he didn’t commit. With no formal legal education and no access to adequate defense, he taught himself the law from inside a prison cell—and began helping others do the same. His first motion? A handwritten request titled “Motion for a Law Book.” From that moment forward, he became a fierce advocate for incarcerated men, teaching law classes inside Angola and filing successful appeals on behalf of hundreds of fellow inmates.
In conversation with co-author and criminal justice reformer Sophie Cull, Duncan will share his extraordinary journey—from surviving wrongful imprisonment to becoming a beacon of hope for those still silenced by the system.
Sister Helen Prejean, renouwned author of Dead Man Walking, and one of the world's leading voices against the death penalty, will join as a special guest.
🎤 Event Highlights:
- Live author talk and conversation with Calvin Duncan & Sophie Cull, moderated by Sr. Helen.
- An inside look at the making of The Jailhouse Lawyer
- Q&A session with the audience
- Book signing & photo opportunity
- A chance to engage in meaningful dialogue on justice, resilience, and reform
This is more than a book event—it’s a call to consciousness. Come hear one of the most inspiring stories of resistance and redemption in modern American history.
