Can you state your name.
I was born Chautah Jean-Pierre Laveaux. My nam was chaged to Bryan Walker when I got to the U.S.. Then to Bryan Dorsey because my grandma didn't want me to be last in line at school. I hate those last two names because they are signs of weakness to me. I love my ZOE roots and I wear it as a badge of honor. I don't think a person should hide who they are just to fit in with society.
What part of Haiti you're from?
Port-au-Prince in the section called Soleil Neuf in Cite Soleil, just north of LaSaline.
When did you come to the U.S.?
I was about 2 or 3 years old with I first come to the U.S. with my grandmother in 1983. I been back and forth, from the U.S. to Haiti a few times as I was coming up.
Where did you live when you made it to the U.S.?
When we left Krome Detention Center, we moved into a neighborhood called Lemon City, which is now Ti Ayiti (Little Haiti) in Miami Florida.
What was life like growing up as a immigrate?
It was bad on Haitians, at first I didn't want to fight because I thought I would be kicked out of the country. I got tired of the way that was treating Haitians and I staryed standing my ground, the Americans never fought one on one. The first time I got in to a fight, about three older dudes jumped me as I got off the bus.
What is your sentence and what is you serving time for?
I'm serving a LIFE sentence for a first degree robbery which I was sentenced under the three strikes law. This is a bullshit law because I wasn't even in the state when the crime was committed. They convicted me because people needed a scapegoat for them to get a better plea deal. All the evidence against me was from out of state. I was arrested in California in 2009 for a gun charge and they used that some gun to convict me in Washington state with no nexus to the crime.
So your saying that Washington convicted you falsely?
Exactly! I was extradited to Washington state from California to serve 120 day on DOC violation for leaving Washington without permission. The day I was suppose to go home, I was transfered to downtown King county and charged with first degree robbery on a crime I knew nothing about. I was never interviewed by detectives, I was never read my Miranda rights, they held me pass my 72 hours investigation, I didn't get arraigned until after I was in the King county jail for 30 days and my public pretender never spoke with me to set up a defense.
Did you go to trial or did you take a plea?
I went to trial. I didn't have anything to do with the crime. They offered me a deal of 5 years I'm not stupid if I had something to do with the crime I would have jumped on that ASAP. The victms said that there was only three people two females and one male. The key witness for the state which was also one of the people involved in the crime stated the she make her state off what the police told her. Another state's witness said he was there but he was to intoxicated to remember what happened he was never labeled a suspect. The other female testified that she didn't know me and that I wasn't with them during the robbery. I was sellomg pounds of weed and crack why would I have to rob an old woman for $2,000 dollars for. I'm serving time for my prior convictions, that's what I'm serving a Life sentence for because they didn't have a lack of evidence to place me at the crime.
How did you get to Washington?
In 1994, I was 14 years old. I went to Memphis, Tennessee because a contact pull us up on a lick for some high powered weapons. While we were in Memphis my mom lived in West Memphis, Arkansas so we passed time going across the bridge and robbing dopeboy. We got popped while in the middle of snatching up the weapons, I took a plea were I was locked up until I turned 18. I was transfered to Arkansas to serve time for two robberies I was wanted for over there, for a robbery of a Subway and a gas station. The Subway was being use as a front for dope but they made it look like I was a sandwich robber. In all I had served 10 year in lock up before I filed for a interstate compact to come to Washington because while I was locked up in Arkansas my mom move to Seattle.
So you pretty much been locked up for 25 years as of 2020?
Not counting all the juvenile time. I've pretty much been doing time all my life.
Did you run into any Zoes while you were locked up?
Naw but when was in Arkansas, I was locked up at Brickey's Unit in 2000. We use to rig the TVs up so we could watch The Box. I saw a video were surburbans had wraps that read House of Fire and dude with Haitian flags. I was like that's my family right there but I was kind of hurting I wasn't in contact with nobody. I had been locked up for about 6 year by then. They had the thing called 309, were you can serve your prison time in the county jail as a trustee, I ended up going to a jail in Lonoke county and that's when I got a cell phone from there my life got right. I was transfered back to Brickey's because shit started getting hot but I was politicking with my cousin Zoeface (RIP). He was killed in Haitian back in 2006. I meet a Zoette that worked as a officer and I gave her a number to call. I was pushing weed and crack sending home $2,000 twice a week. I helped people pay house and car notes just from hustling in prison. I was doing my thang, for real!
What do ZOE Pound mean to you?
Family, unity, love, loyalty, honor, respect, life, power.
What do you see for the future of ZOE Pound?
I would like to see my ZOE Pound family turn ZOE Pound into a brand name as common as Amazon. We need to help build the Haitian economy, help bring I.T. and Fortune 500 companies to Haiti. We need to build S.T.E.M. courses and education courses that can give Haitian the tools to fuel their economy. ZOE Pound needs to become business minded. My big brother has a book out called, The Hip-Hop B.L.A.C.K. Republican Party. Big Buh', got some knowledge that we need to take the time to check out.
Kommentare