It was a normal Saturday morning.

Alphonso was 17 years old, sitting on his mom's porch in the summer of 1985, eating breakfast and talking about life when a police car rolled up.

The officer told his mom it was nothing serious…

They were just canvassing the neighborhood and wanted to ask Alphonso a few questions.

12 hours of interrogation later, they slid a document in front of him and said his mom was waiting in the lobby… all he had to do was sign and he could go home with her.

He signed it.

The next morning, he learned he'd been charged with first-degree murder.

Alphonso was sentenced to 105 years in prison for a murder he had absolutely nothing to do with.

What followed is legitimately one of the craziest ones I’ve heard on the show.

Here’s a tiny teaser…

Alphonso was thrown onto a "high profile tier" with serial rapists and convicted murderers… grown men twice his size.

After surviving an attack from a 300lb predator, Alphonso defended himself and was sent to solitary confinement for 5 years.

He was actually grateful to be there, because he didn’t have to defend himself anymore.

Then, one day, a prison chaplain named Emil started showing up at his cell.

Alphonso, full of rage at a system that had stolen his life, would fill a cup with his own urine and throw it in the chaplain's face.

Week after week.

Every time, the chaplain would simply wipe himself off and say, "Alphonso, I love you. And so does God."

After a couple of months of this, the chaplain showed up one day with a chair and an extra towel. Alphonso threw the urine on him again. The chaplain wiped his face, sat down in front of the cell, and said:

"Why are you angry?"

In Alphonso's own words: "He loved the hate away from me."

The chaplain became the first person in over a year to look Alphonso in the eye and say, "I believe you."

He taught Alphonso (who couldn't read at 17) how to read using children's coloring books. He brought him a Bible. And from that moment in solitary confinement, Alphonso began to envision a completely different life.

Fast forward 32 years.

On February 14, 2017 Alphonso was released from prison with the help of the Wisconsin Innocence Project.

He had appeared before the parole board 21 times and refused to accept responsibility for something he didn't do.

Crazy… and me writing this doesn’t even come close to doing the story justice. I can’t WAIT for you to listen.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How Alphonso transformed the worst injustice imaginable into a life of unconditional love, forgiveness (including forgiving himself), and service.
The mindset he used to refuse to accept the label of "offender" for 32 years… including the small daily acts of protest that kept his identity intact when the entire system was trying to crush it
What he's building now through Unfragile Farm, which is a place where formerly incarcerated people can heal, find work, and experience the kind of love that loved the hate away from Alphonso

If you're someone who believes in the redemptive power of love, forgiveness, and the human spirit's ability to transform unimaginable pain into wisdom… please don't miss this one!

Show Notes Generated With The Help of AI!

00:00 – Introduction to Beyond Curious and today’s guest, Alphonso James.

Brandon Fong welcomes listeners and introduces Alphonso James, teasing a jaw-dropping story of wrongful conviction, prison survival, and radical forgiveness. He previews Alphonso’s 105-year sentence for a murder he did not commit, his 32 years in prison, and his eventual release on Valentine’s Day 2017 with the help of the Wisconsin Innocence Project.

00:04:25 – Alphonso’s presence and the story behind his unforgettable hugs.

Brandon reflects on meeting Alphonso in person and describes his deeply intentional hugs. Alphonso shares how, after solitary confinement, an elderly nun hugged him in prison—an experience so transformative it inspired him to “love the pain away” from others.

00:08:04 – Addressing the wounded 8-year-old within.

Alphonso explains how childhood molestation and not being believed shaped his inner world. He describes “peeling back the layers” of trauma to reconnect with and love the frightened 8-year-old boy inside him—a pivotal step in his healing.

00:15:42 – July 27, 1985: The arrest that changed everything.

Alphonso recounts being 17 years old, eating breakfast with his mother, when police took him in “just for questioning.” After a 12-hour interrogation and signing a document he couldn’t read, he was charged with first-degree murder. Within four months, he was tried as an adult and sentenced to 105 years.

00:30:43 – Entering maximum security: violence, fear, and survival.

Thrown onto a high-profile tier with murderers and serial rapists, Alphonso describes witnessing a man commit suicide on his first day, being assaulted for claiming innocence, and living in constant readiness for violence. He eventually stabs a man who threatened him, resulting in five years of solitary confinement.

00:37:34 – Solitary confinement: confronting himself in the silence.

Strapped down in a “five-point” restraint cell, isolated and stripped of dignity, Alphonso explains how solitary forced him to stop “running” from himself. With no distractions left, he began confronting his trauma and searching for meaning.

00:39:51 – Throwing urine at the chaplain—and being met with love.

Consumed by anger, Alphonso repeatedly throws urine on the prison chaplain during weekly visits. Instead of retaliation, the chaplain responds, “I love you, and so does God.” Week after week, he returns—bringing towels and eventually a chair—until Alphonso breaks and opens up.

00:42:18 – “I believe you.” The moment everything changed.

When Alphonso tells the chaplain he is innocent, the chaplain says he believes him—the first person ever to do so. The chaplain begins teaching him to read using children’s books and coloring pages. Alphonso’s life shifts from punishment to purpose.

00:47:30 – Discovering identity beyond prison walls.

After years of introspection, Alphonso answers the question “Who am I?” He describes journaling for 32 years, confronting insecurity and self-hatred, and discovering his essence beyond trauma, beyond his body, and beyond the prison label.

00:55:43 – A suicide attempt and a spiritual awakening.

The day before the chaplain’s breakthrough visit, Alphonso attempts to hang himself in solitary confinement. He vividly describes seeing two possible futures at his grave—and feeling a familiar hand lift him back to life. From that moment, he commits to sharing his story.

01:09:11 – Returning to general population transformed.

After five years in solitary, Alphonso reenters prison changed. At Prison Fellowship, a nun hugs him—and the shanks hidden in his pants fall to the floor. He throws them away. He later tests at post–high school level, scoring among the highest in Wisconsin’s prison system.

01:16:45 – Meeting Viktor Frankl and discovering shared purpose.

Alphonso recounts meeting Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning. Frankl encourages him to “hold on,” reinforcing Alphonso’s belief that suffering carries purpose and that meaning can be chosen even in the darkest places.

01:39:12 – Unfragile Farm and building second chances.

Now free, Alphonso shares his vision for Unfragile Farm—a healing space offering employment partnerships, mentorship, sheltering support, and personal development intensives for formerly incarcerated individuals. He also discusses his upcoming book and reflection journal.

01:45:16 – 21 parole hearings and unwavering truth.

Terry reveals that Alphonso faced 21 parole hearings over 19 years. He could have been released at any time by admitting guilt—but he refused to lie, even as loved ones passed away. His commitment to truth ultimately led to freedom.

01:47:17 – A call to share the story.

Brandon closes by urging listeners to share this episode with someone who needs hope. Alphonso expresses deep gratitude, emphasizing love, truth, and purpose as the foundations of his life today.

Links & Resources

Alphonso James website
Wisconsin Innocence Project – The organization that helped secure Alphonso’s release.
Unfragile Farm – Alphonso’s healing and mentorship initiative for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Prison Fellowship – Faith-based prison outreach program involved in Alphonso’s transformation.
Watchman Nee – The Spiritual Man – Spiritual text Alphonso studied during incarceration.