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William "Mecca" Elmore
In 1993 Mecca was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced at the age of 23 to spend his natural life in prison. He had been dealing drugs, shot a gun and a man had died. Mecca fired in self-...view moreIn 1993 Mecca was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced at the age of 23 to spend his natural life in prison. He had been dealing drugs, shot a gun and a man had died. Mecca fired in self-defense, but the jury disagreed. Before trial, Mecca was offered a plea that required he plead guilty to murder with intent. Mecca refused to sign. For the next 24 years he lived as a "lifer" in eleven North Carolina prisons.
In 2011, Mecca learned about the MAPP, a program that offers offenders who committed crimes before October 1, 1994, the opportunity to be granted a parole. In 2012, Mecca was granted a MAPP, awarded honor grade and moved to the Orange Correctional Center, a minimum security prison. On Dec. 15, 2015 he was released.
Since regaining his freedom, Mecca has committed himself to outreach. He works with youth through RSN, a support network for young people with problems related to addiction. He is involved in prison ministry, mediation, arbitration support, and teaches job-readiness workshops at Step Up Ministries in Durham. Mecca is a founder and lead facilitator for Wounded Healers, a program that brings together people who have been released with the incarcerated., and a member of the board of The Human Kindness Foundation. Outside of work, Will is an avid athlete and a certified personal trainer.view less
Books by William "Mecca" Elmore
Prison From The Inside Out: One Man's Journey From A Life Sentence to Freedom