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Justice for Anthony Crawley
Anthony Crawley was incarcerated for nearly 23 years—twenty-three long years behind bars, paying his debt to society. But long before his sentence was over, he had paid enough. He was a human being. A son, a brother, a friend. His release was overdue—not by months, but by a document error. Yes, a simple piece of paperwork stood between him and his freedom. The paperwork had already been mailed. All we were waiting on was for it to reach a judge’s desk. Once that happened, he would have walked out of those prison gates and come home to us, where he belonged.
But that moment never came.
Instead, we received a phone call no family should ever have to answer: Anthony had taken his own life.
We believe the prison system failed him—not only by delaying his release, but by failing to protect him when he needed them the most.
Anthony had been involved in a sexual relationship with a prison counselor—someone employed by the facility. When that relationship was discovered, the consequences were devastating. Not for the staff member. For him. In the aftermath, Anthony experienced harassment. And not just from other incarcerated individuals—but, we believe, from members of the prison staff. The same people who were supposed to keep him safe.
What happens when someone is trapped in a place where there’s no escape—not just from walls and bars, but from retaliation, humiliation, and psychological abuse by those in power? What happens when the people responsible for safety become the source of harm?
Anthony had no protection. No advocate. No escape.
Now we have no son. No brother. No grandson. No cousin. No friend.
We are heartbroken. And we are angry. We are speaking out not only for Anthony, but for the many others still inside who are enduring abuse, retaliation, and institutional neglect. Prisons are not meant to be death sentences. They should not be places where human rights are erased the moment someone enters.
We are calling for a full investigation into what happened. We are seeking accountability—not just for our family, but for the countless others who’ve been silenced by fear, or worse, by death.
The facility where this occurred has previously faced allegations involving inmate mistreatment and deaths. We cannot rest until we understand what happened—and why.
We are raising funds for:
Legal support to uncover the truth and pursue justice
Funeral and burial costs to lay Anthony to rest in the way he deserves
We lost Anthony just as he was about to begin again. After 23 years, he was almost home. Now, we are left with grief, questions, and a fight for the answers he—and all of us—deserve.
If you can give, we thank you deeply. If you can’t, please share. Every bit helps us move closer to truth, closure, and justice.
With love and gratitude,
The Roman & Crawley Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Jessica Atwell
Beneficiary