About me

My name is Christophe Lewis and I was incarcerated for 12+ years. I chose to write this blog partly due to influence from a friend, Rea, I see you. Other than that, I have always had a passion for expressing myself through written and spoken words. Hence the reason I would write poetry/music as a young man. Throughout my incarceration, I adopted writing as a coping mechanism of sorts involving journaling and keeping notes. The reason for this practice stemmed from maltreatment bestowed upon me via the actions of those positioned to oversee me (my captors). Ultimately, I chose to write this blog to raise awareness of injustices taking place throughout “our” criminal legal system. I hope to reach many, even if I only help and inspire a few.

My History of Incarceration

Life before my current incarceration was spent trying to pick up the pieces from a previous 18-month imprisonment from 2007 to 2008. I was eventually released from provincial custody on Christmas eve in 2008. I spent all of 2009 on house arrest until early 2010 when all charges brought against me were dismissed. This made it difficult for me to work on restarting my business as well as fostering productive relationships with my family and friends, especially my daughter. I feel as though she suffered the most. She had just turned 7 years old when I got arrested in 2010 and she is now 18 years old (not to mention all the other time we spent apart because of trumped-up charges brought against me by the Toronto Police in 2006, 2007 and 2008). As soon as all charges placed against me from a 2006 case that had been stretched out through the courts were dismissed, suddenly the Toronto Police found “new” evidence to charge me with a 2005 murder.

I then spent two years at Maplehurst Correctional Facility in Milton, Ontario. I was later transferred to the Don Jail (the Dirty Don) in Toronto for 5 months. After my conviction and sentence were handed down, I was transferred to federal custody. I spent 6 months at Millhaven Assessment Intake (Ontario’s reception centre at the time). I was then sent to Millhaven Institution, a maximum-security prison. At the time it was mandatory for all prisoners serving life sentences to serve 2 years in maximum security regardless of their behaviour. I spent only 3 months in the regular population (J-Unit) before being segregated and involuntarily transferred to Donnacona Maximum security in Quebec to finish my 2 years mandatory. After about 2+ years in Donnacona max, I was eventually granted a security declassification to Cowansville medium security in Quebec where I spent another 6+ years. After 73 months in Cowansville medium security, I was once again declassified to the Federal Training Centre a Minimum Security institution in the Quebec region where I spent 16 months. Now I have been granted day parole to a transition house.

Please re-post, tag and share this blog so we can raise awareness about the truths of the Canadian carceral system. Freedom is a must, but ultimately a state of mind.

Real talk
From a real Prisoner
Doing real time
In a real systemically racist system

Christophe Lewis