Colorado’s prison chief and previously incarcerated man share stories, empathy

It was an unusual meeting of the minds: In April 2021, the head of Colorado's Department of Corrections read a monologue written by a previously incarcerated man. Daniel Guillory spent more than a decade locked up in the system Williams now leads.

The reading, in which Guillory describes his crime and punishment, was part of Boulder-based MOTUS theater's JustUs project. It features stories by formerly incarcerated people -- some read by the former inmates themselves, others read by officials who work in the justice system.

After the presentation, the two shared their impressions of the reading.

We're re-sharing this discussion now that Williams has announced he's leaving the Department of Corrections on December 2, 2022, after nearly four years.

Michael Ensminger