In 1981 James Allen, Jr. was sentenced to death at the age of eighteen. Inside prison, James began to understand what went wrong, and slowly, realized what he could do to alter his inevitable fate by following the rules and becoming a person who could be trusted and help others down the path of righteousness into salvation. His sentence was commuted in 2003, making him eligible for parole. 

Since his parole and release in 2008, James has shared his story, offered his mistakes, and instructed teens how to live a respectable honorable life. Grateful that he was given a chance to live, James will never stop praying for forgiveness or helping others see the light before the violence ensues.

His story is told in the book Not My Chair.