How Artist Mike Kelley Helped Me Paint My Way Out of a Prison Cell

Order your Copy of "15 to Life" from Amazon by clicking on the book

"Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" is a gripping story of justice gone wrong and an inspiring tale of personal triumph. It is a scathing indictment of the antiquated Rockefeller drug laws that have imprisoned thousands of nonviolent offenders and wasted billions of dollars of taxpayer money" -- NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo--author of Crossroads

Gov. Cuomo just voted by Time Magazine as 100 most influential people in the world!

Will Cuomo Make Any Pardons? (Papa on Capital Tonight video)

Read about the clemency campaign to free Rock Law offenders launched by Papa by clicking here

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO AT RUSSELL SIMMON'S COUNTDOWN TO FAIRNESS RALLY IN 2003 GOV. ANDREW CUOMO ROLLING OUT HIS ROCK LAW REPEAL AGENDA IN HIS FIRST RUN FOR GOV. IN 2002 AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN A HARLEM CHURCH USING MY ART AND STORY AS AN EXAMPLE

GOVERNOR CUOMO WITH THE MOTHERS OF NY THE DISAPPEARED AT CITY HALL

GOVERNOR CUOMO WITH THE MOTHERS OF NY THE DISAPPEARED AT COUNTDOWN TO FAIRNESS PRESS CONFERENCE

GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO AT MY BOOK PARTY WHICH HE HOSTED AT THE WHITNEY

"Tony is the human face of these inhumane laws," said Andrew Cuomo, the former federal housing secretary, now governor of NYS who has in the past been championing the drug-reform cause in New York. -- Newsday 10/24/04

"Breaking the Taboo"

A drug war film Papa is in with Presidents Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Fernando Henrique Cardoso which Rolling Stone Magazine described it as a cinematic pamphlet for the Commission on Global Drug Policy which met in NYC on 6/4/11 where former world leaders called the drug war a failure!

Gov. Cuomo and Papa on Court TV Talking Rock Law Reform

Papa with Sting, Montel Williams and George Soros

Papa featured in the NY Times on Rock Reform

Papa on HBO's Oz (Oswald Penitentiary)

Without Freedom, Reform is Meaningless :Felony Disenfranchisement

Anthony Papa on Prison Writing- PEN Voices from Inside

ARTonAIR Radio Interview with Anthony Papa

A story of inspiration of the human spirit that creates a common path that anyone could follow in transcending a negative experience.

15 to Life tells a rare adventure story: how an average married Joe, was railroaded by the subterfuge surrounding the War on Drugs, was able to get an early release from prison through his art and become a major activist against the draconian drug laws that took his life way. Offered a chance to make a quick $500, Anthony Papa agreed to deliver an envelope in a fated police sting operation. His first and only criminal offense cost Papa a 15-year sentence to Sing-Sing, New York State’s maximum-security prison. Suicide was contemplated when Tony Papa realized that the best years of his life would be spent in a six-foot cell. One day he discovered painting. It gave him hope, and he discovered a talent. When the Whitney Museum chose his painting to exhibit, he had to lie because of the jarring stipulation that the painting chosen would have to be that of a murderer. He did and soon afterward he received intense media attention. Governor Pataki got wind of his case, and after 12 hard years of time, Anthony Papa was granted clemency. Once released Papa spends his life trying to save those left behind. 15 to Life is more than a dramatic story of one mans struggle to survive and change the system — it is also an important sociological piece and a call for reform of the destructive laws of the War on Drugs.

FILM OPTION AVAILABLE

"Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" tells of a heroic escape from a brutal system by a man who refused to give up. A thrilling, unforgettable read! -- Tim Robbins

"Anthony Papa has written a riveting account of how he courageously painted his way to freedom from prison after unnecessarily serving twelve years. His story puts a human face on the nearly one million nonviolent drug offenders confined in prisons throughout the country" --Susan Sarandon -Actor/Activist

"Anthony Papa's "15 To Life" is a must read for the hip-hop community. Over 94% of the 17,000 people locked up under New York's drug laws, the harshest drug laws in the country, are black or Hispanic. Like Papa, I am trying to end these racist laws. We need your voice. You can start by reading this book -- Russell Simmons

Contact Info - speaking venues