The Marshall Project

I Survived a Violent Crime, Then the Justice System Let Me Down

"I was made to feel like a second-class victim."

It was an April morning when my personal trainer came into my home in Irvine, California, to take a look at the treadmill I’d been planning to sell.

Then he gave me this pill, this little yellow “weight loss” pill, and a chocolate drink.

“What is this?” I asked. “There’s something blue in the drink.”

He was like, “Oh, don’t worry about it. It’s probably something in the cup…”

Life Inside Perspectives from those who work and live in the criminal justice system. Related Stories

I don’t remember much of the next half hour, but do remember vividly what I felt next: I was undressed and in my son’s bed. I couldn’t get words out of my mouth. I felt like I was under anesthesia.

Before I knew it, my trainer had

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