Suzanna Rising

This is in many ways a victory story.

It is about a young woman who, for the purposes of this writing, we will call Suzanna. She ran away from her family’s home in Texas as a young teenager after being sexually abused by her stepfather from the time she was nine.

As is often true in such cases, Suzanna was in no way equipped to deal with life on the streets of Los Angeles, which was where she landed. She fell in with older guys, began using drugs, then more drugs. Then one night everything turned tragic when two of the adult men Suzanna hung out with murdered another young girl.

Suzanna did not participate the killing, but she was present for it—drunk and high out of her mind as usual—and she did nothing to try to save the other girl’s life. So at fifteen years old, Suzanna was charged as an accessory to murder. The DA offered her a deal of eleven years in an adult prison.

Suzanna’s lawyer told her it was a good deal, and that she’d better take it. He was probably right. Another teenage girl who was fighting a nearly identical case during the months that Suzanna was going to court, got 25-to-life.

Of the eleven year sentence, Suzanna served just under ten, most of it in Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla

Suzanna found adult prison brutal and frightening, but it allowed her to clear her head. She coped by staying as busy possible. She took as many classes as she could, got her associates degree, got three different kinds of vocational degrees plus a pile of vocational training. She even did volunteer work fixing and refurbishing computers for donation to elementary schools.

Now, at 26-years-old. Suzanna has recently been released. She has managed to get a scholarship to Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley, and is looking for a good part time job.

I know of Suzanna’s story because she was featured some years ago in a highly regarded 2004 documentary directed by my friend Leslie Neale. The film was co-produced by John Densmore of The Doors fame, and actor/producer Mark Wahlberg, and was called Juvies. It examined the excesses of the juvenile justice system while profiling 12 juveniles who were tried as adults. Suzanna was one of the twelve.

Leslie first met Suzanna in September of 1999 when she was invited to observe a writing program at Los Angeles Central Juvenile Hall, and quickly became fascinated by the lives of the kids she was observing. Juvies was the result. Suzanna and Leslie have remained in contact ever since.

“I’m so proud of her,” Leslie said when we talked a few days ago. “She is really bright and very determined.”

But Leslie is also worried. Suzanna is staying at a sober living house in one of the rougher pockets of the West Valley. In the past few weeks, Leslie says that Suzanne has been stopped and rousted by police when she was walking home from a late class. And one night she was chased by a carload of men.” (Suzanna is blond and quite pretty.)

“So I’m worried,” Leslie said again.

Hoping to help Suzanna, Leslie sent an emailed note around to a number of her friends. It read in part:

“If you or if you know of someone who can help her in the Valley with a part-time job or a room for her to rent, please let me know. [Suzanna pays $500 a month at the sober living home.] I have known her for nearly ten years and know her to be honest, trustworthy and have a positive attitude. She is a fast learner and would no doubt be a valuable asset to any work environment. You can see from her attached resume that she can do most anything from working as a receptionist, file clerk, electronics or computer technician to restaurant work.”

Indeed, her resume is pretty impressive for someone who has spent most of the last decade behind bars.

I told Leslie I would do what I could to get the word out.

Hence this post.

Plus it was an excuse to tell you a victory story. Even though it’s still early days in Suzanna’s efforts to remake her life, it appears that all the signs are good. And that’s victory enough for now.

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PS: Anyone who knows of a part time job or a suitable room for rent in the West Valley may email me and I will respond with Suzanna’s information.