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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Jack Lawrence
And between the posts, it's Grimace.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
And then you remember. Your mind remembers what it felt like to be kind of in a community or to be in a neighborhood to see cars. You know, I remember I used to say this all the time. Well, if they're going to have me in here for something I didn't do, then I might as well make it worth it. But that boy shouldn't be in jail. It's too many things to doubt on that case. It's too much. She went and got the truck out
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
and sold it the next day.
Jack Lawrence
Hello and welcome back to One Minute remaining. My name is Jack Lawrence, the host and creator of this show. This is the second installment of Part six and the final part of my chat for now with Evaristo Salas Jr. The man convicted of murder at just 15. Now in his 40s, with less than three years to go on a 30 year sentence, Junior continues to fight to clear his name. Of course, as we know, Junior is fighting to clear his name and get an early release. However, if that doesn't eventuate, he does have less than three years remaining on his sentence. Incarcerated at 15 years old, Junior has missed out on an incredible amount while he's been imprisoned. When he was convicted, the Internet was only just starting to make its way into our homes. There was no such thing as an iPhone. The ipod hadn't even been released. No social media, no emails, Skype or podcasts. Junior will be coming out to a world that he's not used to. One day when he called, we spoke about his feelings about being back out in the real world.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
You may start the conversation now.
Jack Lawrence
Hey, buddy.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Hey. How you doing, Jake?
Jack Lawrence
Good, man. How are you?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
I'm good, I'm good.
Jack Lawrence
How's your day been?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
It was pretty good. When I went to work today, we went and delivered wood all over Spokane. So the city of Spokane, which is pretty big one, it's like the second largest city in Washington state. So we were all up and down the roads and we went even downtown kind of went through there. So it was. It was a little strange because I'm not used to not only seeing that, but I grew up in a small town, so a big city is, you know, a big surprise for me anyways, but even More now after 20 some years, you know. So, yeah, it was good.
Jack Lawrence
Are you nervous about that when you get out? Like, you know, trying to adjust because, I mean, you've basically spent essentially your entire life from 15 till you're 40.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Yeah. Prior to me going on getting this job and everything, I was. I had a lot of anxiety over it. I didn't know what to expect. I kind of felt. Because you play up, you know, what it's going to be like when you get out. Sometimes, you know, you get a little too. Where it's all. It's going to be glorious. Another time you get like, oh, it's going to be too hard. You kind of go back and forth. But then when you get out there and you start to, you know, in these kind of like this job setting, when you go out there, the shock of it, you know, you feel that first day, you know, or week or two weeks, and then you remember, your mind remembers what it means, what it. What it felt like to be kind of in a community or to be in a neighborhood to see cars, you know, to be, you know, kind of the fast pace. I mean, there's. There's a lot of things that are different, but they're. They're small differences that, you know, the cars look different. Electric vehicles that are really strange to me, they got electric power stations, which I've never seen. Before, yeah. People on their phones, that kind of stuff. No pay phones anywhere, because that's what they used to be everywhere. The store names are different besides the, you know, the large brand ones. But other than that, I mean, it was. You know, I thought I was gonna. I thought I was gonna have a lot more anxiety when I went out the first couple times, and it was gonna be more of a shock. But after I went out those few times, I got comfortable really fast with it. And the anxiety that I was feeling about going, you know, getting out and going to places or getting, you know, seeing the world, you know, behind or outside of these fences kind of went away. And so, like today, when we were actually downtown driving through there, it was amazing to see all that stuff. You know, the sad part is I seen a lot of homeless people, which I didn't really expect. Yeah, but there was massive amount of homeless people, you know, and there was people, I think I know drug use was just using out on the streets, which was strange to me because, you know, in a small community I came from, you don't really see that. And I never really been to any big cities like Seattle when I was really young, and I don't really remember them. So that kind of stuff was really shocking to me. But other than that, I was. I was all eyes today, you know, and so it kind of alleviates that kind of anxiety that I was feeling prior to be given the opportunity to go out there. So, like, let's say if I was just to be released straight from, like, a medium custody where I was at for about seven years before I came out here, it would have been shock to the system, you know. You know, the opportunities that I'm getting now to be out there in the community, to work out there and to see it, I think it's alleviating that anxiety. And I don't feel it as much anymore. Like, I got to learn how to drive. I've never driven a car besides up and down. After one time when my mom was too drunk to drive and I had to drive her to her house, which was a town next to Sunnyside, that's my level of experience when it comes to driving. So I have to learn how to drive. I have to get my identification, my driver's license, all those kind of things that I think is going to be a little. It's going to test my feelings of kind of integrating back into society. But I get a little nervous about that. But I have confidence because, like I said, I've been studying all these books I've been trying to prepare my mind by trying to kind of visualize it, reading books, doing these reentry classes that they had here where they had in the main when I was there, and just trying everything I can. So like, even I wish to do these fake scenarios of, okay, this is how much I paid for this month. These are going to be my cost, you know, and just going through all the most is what I'm going to need. And you know, how to build that. That kind of stuff really kind of helps, you know.
Jack Lawrence
So Junior is taking it upon himself to get ready for his eventual release and life back on the outside. Time and again with the men and women I speak with, they tell me how there is just no system in place to help prepare people for the outside. Prison is simply a warehouse to hold someone for a length of time deemed appropriate by the courts, and then they are sent packing back into society. What happens in many cases is those people end up right back where they were. Now I know what a lot of people will be thinking listening to this. These are grown adults that need to take responsibilities for themselves and their actions. And if they want to change, they need to make the choice to do that for themselves. And to that I wouldn't disagree. But as Junior says, even for those people who want to do that, the prison in some ways stops them and won't allow them to better themselves or to take classes. So what then?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Well, that's kind of one of the beefs I have with prison is that they want you to, you know, to kind of reintegrate into society, to live as a responsible person. But then they take away all your responsibilities and they won't give them to you. They're like, okay, we want you to live this way, want you to learn how to, you know, to go out into the world and provide for yourself. But guess what? We're gonna provide you all the clothing, even if you don't work or nothing. We'll give you everything you need, three square meals, all this kind of stuff. And then they don't even provide most of the classes that would be necessary for you to kind of get there. So in a sense, if you've been in prison as long as I have, you almost feel like you've been living at your parents house the whole time where you really, no worries, financial worries at all, which is terrible.
Jack Lawrence
I mean, it's, it's funny, that's kind of my beef with, with the education system as well, because kids aren't really set up to deal with that. Stuff and it's kind of similar. It's, you know, kids are just, you know, given books and stuff and said, I'll, you know, learn this information. But they're not actually taught about life skills. And I suppose that's the same within prison. They don't teach you life skills. Okay, this is what you're going to need to set up a bank account and you know, and you know, those bits and pieces, those everyday things that a lot of people take for granted because they sort of just learn as they go, I suppose. And, and you're just going to be dropped back into society and say, all right junior, off we go. You know, good luck with it.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And by the way, when you owe us this money, you got to pay us one way or another or potentially going back to prison or we're going to violate you or those kind of things. It's almost a setup for failure. It's like, okay, we don't want you here, but when we make money off you some way, so we're going to bring you back. And that kind of stuff. It's just, it's just this weird kind of. Don't get me wrong, there's some people that don't care that this is prisoners or life and that kind of stuff, but I'm definitely not one of them. You know, this is the worst part about the Washington state prison system and it may take place in other, other states, so they don't allow you to take any class that has to do with, you know, like, let's say college courses and those kind of things. You know, that the prison provides computer skills. All these really kind of important classes they had, like where they teach you how to, you know, machine. They have these classes in the main where they teach you how to machine bars. Unless you're under five years, you can't even get into those classes.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, it's the same in Florida as well because another inmate has the same exact argument.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Yeah, it's horrible. So I've been in prison for going on 27 years now that 25 years prior that even if I wanted to get in those classes, they would not let me. They didn't even care. They're like, well, whatever. But what I did is I bugged the hell out of them for years. And just non stop every, every month I sent them a kite or every few weeks and then I would ask my counselors and I would get a good counselor and then we would wiggle my way into those classes. I basically just said, I'm a juvenile. There's a possibility I'm gonna get out because all the laws that are changing, and I use that. My counselor helped me, and they allowed me in. I just kept pushing and pushing, and then what I couldn't get for them, I read books, you know, I got a book on how to build your credit. I got all these reentry books, like five or six of them, you know, stories, people that got out, what to worry about, you know, how to budget all these things. I had to provide for myself because I had that anxiety, and I knew that. And look, I can. My dad. If I go home, my dad will give me a place. He's offered me. He's. I got a car for you. One that you can practice how to learn how to drive, and then one you can have. And I told him, I said no, that I appreciate it, but I got to do this on my own, you know, I got to learn how to live. I. You know, and he felt kind of bad about it. I said, look, how about this? I'll buy the car from you once I make enough money to do that, because I need to be responsible for myself. For 27 years, the state has basically handed me meals, and I don't like that. If they had a program where they said, okay, well, we're not going to provide you with much the basics, but you have to work for everything else. Guess what? I'm going to get up every day. I'm going to work for that. Because there's honor in that. There's a certain amount of, you know, appreciation when you've gone out there and you've earned that money, rather than somebody just coming up to you and say, here you go, that gives you a
Jack Lawrence
sense of purpose as well. Like, you know, it's exactly, you know,
Evaristo Salas Jr.
for me, I mean, some people, they enjoy the fact that they don't got to do something. Some of them sleep all day and they're not worried about their future. But these guys, these are the guys that go out, come back, you know, within a month or two. You know, some of these guys have been out seven different times and are back, and it's like, prison is not
Jack Lawrence
my life, you know, of course, inside prisons, there are some jobs available to inmates, work that they can undertake to occupy their days, learn some new skills, and, of course, earn a little bit of money. And when I say little, I mean a little.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
The maximum amount you make in, like, a correctional industry job is 85 cents an hour. So, well, they give you $1.70 an hour, but then they take Half of whatever you take on. You know what they call it? Cost of incarceration? What they put 10% away to your savings and that kind of stuff. That's a good practice.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, yeah, that one's good.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
But it's. At the most I made every month was $120. What I did is I budgeted that. And so I had this, okay, I'm gonna save 10 to 20,000 by the time I get out. And what I'm going to do is forget buying, you know, the luxury, the little store and stuff, so you can, you know, like the canteen and all that kind of stuff. Yeah. So I opted out and just said, okay. I just. I'm going to focus on just $10 a month because they provide you with food. The food's horrible. But, you know, I can. I can eat it. I just. You just. Once you look at it, it's just sustenance rather than just, you know, something to enjoy. You can kind of get past it.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
But. So, yeah, what I did is I bought one box of ramen, which was like six, seven dollars, two bars of soap. And if I needed deodorant, I'd buy deodorant the next month. If I need lotion, I'd buy lotion. And I maintained that for four and a half years. It wasn't easy because everybody else around me, they're getting there, you know, 50, $5, $55 paychecks, which is for a whole month of work. And they're just buying all the store. Mind you, the store is owned by the prison, of course, or correctional industry. So it's just like a circle. And I always tell them, this is what I tell us. Tell these guys. I said, look, so they're paying you. You're making basically $200 a month. They're taking half of it. And then you're buying their products, getting it back at a. Yeah, they're getting it back at a profit. It's a racket, it's a scheme, and they don't even care. They can't discipline themselves. And me, I'm saving everything as much as I can. It took me, to me in prison, this. This was, you know, to have this amount of money was, you know, a big thing, especially if you work for it. But for people out there, this is not much money. But for me, it took me four, about three and a half years to save on my spendable account, $2,500. But that was four years of work right there, you know, pretty much of only spending maybe $10 a month, $20 sometimes, and then donate here and there. But that made me proud. I could look at that and say, okay, I'm going to build on that, continue. So if I get out this time, I'm going to do this and do that. And I ended up getting that up to about maybe 7,8000, well over a period of the next following years, just on that 120amonth and not spinning it, you know. And then Covid hit and changed everything. You know, I sent all that money to family since my sister didn't want to take it. All know this. And I said, look, it's horrible out there right now. You know, I mean, I. Look, I'll find a way to bring more money and I mean, I'll save up. I'll do all that. I don't need it right now. You guys need it. And so I just pretty much handed it all out. They gave us these stimulus checks, which was strange because they actually gave it to us in prison. I gave all that to my family too. Yeah, went all to them, you know, so. So now I'm back kind of at square one and kind of building it back up, you know, slowly but surely.
Jack Lawrence
So you hear about prison on the outside and anyone with a bit of money or, you know, anyone buying too much store or whatever becomes a target from inside the prison, you know, for other inmates that don't have as much. Does that make you a target to have that money, you know, sitting there?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Well, since I was a, I was at a lower custody, which is a. I was an Mi3, so long term, minimum, the mentality changes if you're like in a level four prison. So I was in a level three prison which is kind of laid back, calm. There's not as much fight, rarely any stabbings, you know, here and there, there's a kind of something happens where I was at before I went maybe two or three years without even seeing a fight. You know, the worst case is they argue because we have so much to lose in a place like this. So you get these jobs or you get these programs. Some of them get visits with their families, you know, extended family visit. But in a close custody's, you know, or the, or the, you know, the supermaxes, there's nothing to lose there. If I had that money there, I would definitely be a target for extortion or those kind of things if the gang wasn't there to protect, you know, so. Man, and I had been down so long, so people know that they don't really kind of Mess with me?
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
Even though I try to kind of be more open. I mean, some of the things when you come to close custody have a certain aura of you that you don't really see it, but everybody else does because you've lived in that environment and it's hostile. And I'm real quiet. I don't really. I'm kind of an introvert. I don't speak much. I kind of stick to myself. That automatically makes people kind of weary of me, you know, I mean, and then knowing that I've been in close custody for 20 years and not in the middle, they get a little weary. So they don't really mess with me in that sense. And then when they do talk to me, they're a little bit surprised. I have a sense of humor, you know, I mean, I read all these books and then they're like, oh, I thought you were just mad all the time. I just, I just. My whole point is staying out of trouble. So I have to really. You know, when you make that amount of mistakes in the beginning of your sentence, you got to prove to the system or to the administration that you're not. You're not that person anymore.
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Jack Lawrence
Another question I get about Junior being incarcerated at just 15 would mean he hasn't likely had a proper relationship. Well, Junior is in fact a taken man and has a fiance. Tell me about your fiance, how you guys met.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
We met almost about four years already that we've been together. We met a little bit, well, a few months after the broadcasting of the Wrong Man. She had watched it and was really moved by it. She has kind of, really kind of a big heart for social justice. And in the Netherlands she used to go to like protests and those kind of things. And she's always there kind of, you know, fighting for the disenfranchised, you know, in one form or another. Whether it's either through writing letters or showing up to protest, you know, that's always been a part of her spirit. And so she wrote me a letter and explained to me how horrible it was to kind of see it, you know, and how moving it was, you know, and that she explained that she had a two year old son. And she explained that for her it was like I couldn't imagine that happening to my own son. How would I take it as a parent? And that's how it started. And then we just kind of grew from there. She's really kind of a deep, intelligent person and her conversations are very enlightening and her compassion for other people, you know, it was really moving to me and I had that kind of same heart and we just bonded on so many different levels. And she's really like, well read. Her mother is a teacher or professor and used to make her read like when she was a kid, used to read Plato's Republic and Socrates and all these, these philosophers on top of what she always used to read on herself. And I studied that for years just because I enjoyed the word play and the understanding of the world around us. So that gave us A wealth of things to talk about. And, you know, as we, you know, got to know each other, we grew in that kind of stuff. And then I think it was maybe, maybe a month or two after that, we kind of thought that, okay, well, there's something here, something that we need to look into or at least, you know, explore the. Over the time that passed, you know, our relationship grew stronger and we understood. She's a. I mean, as a Dutch citizen, they're kind of different in mentality than Americans because America as Americans, we have kind of a. I would say I have like more kind of like a fantasy view of things or we're easier, more like, okay, you know, we kind of have more dreamers, I guess, you know. And the Dutch are really direct. At least they're straightforward. There's no, like, if there's something wrong with, they're going to tell you straight out. I don't know if that's just a European thing or if it's a Dutch thing, but that's how she was. And for me, it was like. When we looked at this, she took a really logical look at it. You know, she's like, you have this much time left if things don't change with it, you know, I mean, we're gonna have to go through this and go through that. So we kind of went into it kind of knowing the obstacles that we're gonna have to face. Her living in the Netherlands, met me living here. I'm hoping that I get out soon, but there's, there's no, that's. That's not written to stone anymore. It may not happen and she may. We had to be, you know, long distance relationship. All the things that come with being far away from each other, not to mention her being a single mother or raising a son. My part I'm gonna play in that. So all these things we spoke about and like I said, she's real logical. She took at it, looked at it, and kind of understood from the get go that it was going to be very hard. But we grew in our love and we began to kind of just kind of attach. Become real attached to each other in that kind of way. And like I said, she's real compassionate and loves me in a way that I have not been loved other than by my father. I mean, she's there for me all the time. I talk to her every day. We struggled, you know, through the pandemic together. She was. They were locked in there. I mean, well, stuck in their houses over there in the Netherlands for a number of months. And they were sending us all around different units and putting us in quarantine, and it was mayhem. But we pushed through that. And she actually came up to visit me right before it hit. So I think it was like a month before they actually shut down her country. She flew up here and met my family, stayed in Sunnyside with my dad and my sisters. That was the first time we met in person. We had video visits, so we were able to see each other in that kind of way. And then I met little 2 year old who is basically my son now. I've been raising him for, I mean, as best I can from a place like this, but. And she spoke English real fluently. She has a slight accent, but it's, it's almost unnoticeable. I don't really notice it. And my little boy speaks just Dutch, which is, you know, but he speaks to me. And then I got all these books and said, well, I'm gonna learn Dutch, you know, But Dutch is a hard language. Yeah, I thought I was speaking great, but every time I would speak to her, she would just crack up and laugh. And I told her one time, I think I was gonna say, you're beautiful. And she started laughing. I'm like, what, did I say it wrong? She goes, you said armpit. What are you trying to say? I was like, oh, no. And then she kind of corrected me, it was things like that. And I told her, I said, look, I'm the best Dutch speaker there is in this prison right now. And even my little boy, you know, I mean, I speak to him. He comes and he kind of, he's getting old, he's six now, but he, you know, he gets on the phone at times and just tells me, just speaks fluent Dutch. Just telling me. And then I, I kind of just know a few words, you know, he call on you, I love you, those kind of things. And he understands them. But then she gets on the phone, she goes, your, your accent is terrible. And I'm like, I, I, I'm thinking I'm sounding just like the way you're saying no, you're horrible at it, you know, because I guess. And she's real particular about she wants our son speaking Dutch really clearly. And, you know, she's a perfectionist in that way. So when she hears me, it's just like, it's just horrifying to her, you know, I mean, and I'm like, hey, I'm just trying to do this. And I'm like, man, I need a tutor or something.
Jack Lawrence
With less than three years to go on his sentence. There is light at the end of what has been an incredibly long and hard journey for junior. But of course, he's still fighting his conviction and hoping to clear his name and get out sooner. Where are we at with your situation?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
So I'm in the court of appeals right now, which is kind of the second level. The first level was the state court, which they pretty much denied all the requests that we had to appeal to the court of appeals, which is the court right above them. We filed our last brief on the 22nd. After that, it goes up to the chief judge, and then they set a hearing. Then they're going to decide within about six to nine months. I think there's three things they can do. Deny me just fully to say, well, your issues are not whatever, and just deny it. And then I can appeal to the supreme court, court above them. Second, they can vacate my conviction altogether and remand for a new trial. That would basically mean that the case is over, that the state court would have to decide where they're going to retry me, which there's almost nothing for them to do that. But they could kind of do it. But they. My lawyers say that there's. There's a high probability they won't. So it's pretty much you'll be immediately, immediate release after that. And then the third thing would be they grant me an evidential hearing, allow me to get a new judge, because that's what we asked for. We asked for a vacation or a vacate. Vacating my conviction.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And remand for a new trial, or grant me an evidential hearing so I can present all this evidence to a judge and then he can rule on the merits right there. And so one of those three things can happen. We're hoping that they'll vacate my conviction altogether. My lawyer said that's the hope. But, you know, the courts might just be like, well, we don't go that far, you know, that kind of stuff. And then they might just grant me, you know, an evidential hearing with the new judge. That would be a positive thing, too. But then it would just kind of prolong the process.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, of course.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And so the course we'd like is them to vacate my conviction altogether. Then they dismiss the charges against me, and I'd be released within a few days of that decision.
Jack Lawrence
Just a waiting game.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
And that's all it's kind of been. Once we had the evidence and we presented to the. To the judges, we had to go through the process, which is two to three year long process. And that's just the way the courts are set up. And especially if they fight you on it and then it gets just longer because they can drag their feet, there's all these little legal things that they can do to just drag it out and that's what they've been doing. My fiance, she sent me a thing where she wanted kind of to say, you know, have a little word in, you know, without kind of. Because she's kind of like really kind of private and she doesn't really. Basically she doesn't want the attention taken away from me. She just wants to be. So if you don't mind, I could read it to you right now.
Jack Lawrence
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I'd love to, for sure.
Evaristo Salas Jr.
So this, this is the words of my fiance right here. So. More than four years ago I saw the documentary of Aristo Salas case and I recognized my son in many ways of the photos that I seen the scenario of the wrong conviction, it really tugged at my soul. And the question came up, what if this was my son serving a life sentence for something he had nothing to do with him? In that time that I got to know Evaristo, this question started to play an increasingly important role in my life. The conclusion of this is that there must be some reason for such a severe sentence. After that I had that pressing question. Who is responsible for this wrongful confidence? I have laid awake for hours, days, months and years thinking about this question. Is the officer Sergeant Rivard, is he responsible for this? Was the jury misled during the trial? Was perhaps this judge who would have given Evaristo the death penalty if he could have? Perhaps everico's mother who didn't raise him the right way? Or is it perhaps because every still grew up with a working single father who could barely make ends meet or be there for his family as much as he really wanted to? Or was the case purely coincident and Evaristo was just unlucky? The answer to these questions of who is responsible for my soulmates years in prison will remain one of the greatest mysteries of my life because I don't know who to point at. I'll have to make peace with that someday. I don't want to dwell on the past. Neither does Evaristo. I live every day between hope and fear. The reality of Evaristo is almost unreal to kind of think of what is taking place with him and how we live each day. Sometimes I wake up, I feel that Evaristo will be magically exonerated. On such a day, I anxiously await a phone call that utters these words. I'm acquitted. Such days give me hope. On the other hand, I feel like a fragile piece of glass that could break into a thousand pieces at any moment. The entire day is a struggle until I can turn off the lights and close the day. Each day that has passed is a day closer to every sosala's release in one form or another. We have great ideas about what we want to do in the future. We want to travel to different countries, have a modest home, plant our own vegetable garden, and go on short trips to different museums. All in all, normal things, my son will be a teenager himself. Once Elisa finished serving this unjust sentence, then will we enter a new chapter in our lives? But even then, the question will come up again. The same question that has given me countless anxiety attacks and kept me up at night. What if it was my son that had to serve a life sentence for something he had nothing to do with? You have 1 minute remaining.
Jack Lawrence
This, for now, is the story of Evaristo Salas Jr. But by no means the end. And we will stay in touch with him to find out how his appeal goes, and I look forward to Skyping with him when he returns home. Evaristo Salas Jr. Was convicted as a child for killing an adult. But what happens when an adult is convicted killing a child?
Evaristo Salas Jr.
I could tell that she wasn't herself because normally she would be running around and laughing, jumping. This particular day she was. She was a little slower than usual. She was not as active and not as happy as she normally would be.
Jack Lawrence
In a first for one minute remaining, we will hear the story of a man whose case has been taken up by Proclaimed justice, one of the many organisations across the US that fights to overturn convictions that they believe to be wrong. Next time on One Minute Remaining. One Minute Remaining is a Mash pumpkin production hosted and produced by Jack Lawrence. Editing and sound designed by Jack Lawrence and Dom Evans. This podcast is part of the Acast Creator Network.
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Evaristo Salas Jr.
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Host: Jack Laurence
Guest: Evaristo Salas Jr.
Release Date: June 9, 2026
This episode of "What I Survived" continues the harrowing and deeply personal account of Evaristo Salas Jr., convicted of murder at 15 and now in his 40s with less than three years left on his sentence. The episode centers on the complex challenges of preparing for life after decades of incarceration, the failings of the prison system to support reintegration, Junior’s relationship with his fiancée, and his ongoing fight for exoneration.
Timestamps: 03:35–07:31
"I thought I was gonna have a lot more anxiety when I went out the first couple times, and it was gonna be more of a shock. But after I went out those few times, I got comfortable really fast with it..."
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (06:15)
Timestamps: 07:31–12:20
"They want you to, you know, to kind of reintegrate into society ... But then they take away all your responsibilities and they won't give them to you... almost feel like you've been living at your parents house the whole time where you really, no worries, financial worries at all, which is terrible."
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (08:40)
Timestamps: 12:38–15:44
"It took me, to me in prison, this ... to have this amount of money was ... a big thing, especially if you work for it. But for people out there, this is not much money. But for me ... three and a half years to save ... $2,500."
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (14:43)
Timestamps: 15:44–17:41
"I'm real quiet. I don't speak much. I kind of stick to myself. That automatically makes people kind of weary of me...after 20 years in close custody...they don't really mess with me."
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (16:44)
Timestamps: 19:43–25:18
"She loves me in a way that I have not been loved other than by my father."
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (24:12)
Timestamps: 25:18–28:12
"We're hoping that they'll vacate my conviction altogether. My lawyer said that's the hope...it's just a waiting game."
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (26:42–27:18)
Timestamps: 28:12–31:30
His fiancée’s moving written reflection is read aloud by Junior, demonstrating both emotional depth and the lasting trauma on loved ones:
"The reality of Evaristo is almost unreal to kind of think of what is taking place with him and how we live each day...Sometimes I wake up, I feel that Evaristo will be magically exonerated. On such a day, I anxiously await a phone call that utters these words: I'm acquitted...Each day that has passed is a day closer to Evaristo Salas’s release in one form or another."
— Junior’s Fiancée (29:30–31:00)
On preparing for reentry:
“I have to learn how to drive. I’ve never driven a car besides up and down...after one time when my mom was too drunk to drive and I had to drive her...that’s my level of experience when it comes to driving.”
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (06:30)
On prison self-sufficiency:
“If they had a program where they said, okay, we’re not going to provide you with much...you have to work for everything else...there’s honor in that. There’s a certain amount of appreciation when you’ve gone out there and you’ve earned that money.”
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (11:17)
On relationships formed from adversity:
“She loves me in a way that I have not been loved other than by my father. I talk to her every day. We struggled through the pandemic together...”
— Evaristo Salas Jr. (24:12)
"Getting Jnr Home – P7" is a powerful testament to the resilience of individuals surviving long sentences and the far-reaching impact of incarceration on families and futures. Salas’s story exposes systemic failings yet also offers hope and agency, as he carefully prepares himself and his relationships for a changed life on the outside—waiting, but ready, for the day he is free.