California Governor Jerry Brown commuted Earlonne Woods’ 31-years-to-life sentence for attempted armed robbery, citing Woods’ leadership in helping other inmates and his work at “Ear Hustle,” a podcast he co-hosts and co-produces that documents everyday life inside the prison.
Oakland, California — In California, inmates typically are granted parole by doing good deeds or showing they have been rehabilitated by becoming pastors, drug counsellors or youth advocates. For Walter “Earlonne” Woods, the path to freedom was podcasting.