Letters from John

The dream/nightmare always brings up the same melancholy, along with the same questions for God: How does an innocent person come to prison?

By |2023-06-06T13:08:13-06:00June 6th, 2023|Categories: Letters from John|

The dream sequence is always the same. I’m 18 years old and an Army Ranger, one of the nation’s most elite fighting operators. Tonight is a big night. Only a few short weeks ago, I watched in horror along with the rest of America as our innocent countrymen were murdered by terrorists on 9-11. My [...]

20th Anniversary of the Iraq War Update

By |2023-04-14T12:44:00-06:00April 5th, 2023|Categories: Letters from John|

My name is John C. Buckley IV, my yard name is "Ranger". The reasons for this is because I was a member of the elite 3rd Ranger Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment for deployments to both Afghanistan & Iraq. As we are in the 20th year remembrance of the invasion of Iraq, I am reminded of [...]

Update – The Broken Grievance Process

By |2022-08-31T08:21:32-06:00August 8th, 2022|Categories: Letters from John|

Hello All! Another day of the hostage crisis.  I have much to share in this latest update. For one, I’m just recovering from COVID.  And yes, I was still in Solitary (the Hole) even though I was not supposed to be.  When this is published, I may still be there.  Believe me, “hell hole” named Cell [...]

Update 7-12-2022 – For Profit Prison Contractors

By |2022-07-16T16:01:17-06:00July 16th, 2022|Categories: Letters from John|

7/12/2022 I’ve thought long and hard about how to specifically craft this letter. I’m sitting in a 4x6 cell in isolation, without resources. Just a pen and paper and my brain. Trying to process how COVID 19 has exposed the massive failure that is mass incarceration. Since I don’t have my actual possessions with me or [...]

Update Healthcare System

By |2022-07-15T13:48:14-06:00June 17th, 2022|Categories: Letters from John|

I used to think the most interesting thing about me was my time in the service which started with parachuting into Afghanistan (Objective Rhino) right after 9-11 and dropping in behind enemy lines 2 months before the invasion of Iraq began, but it’s probably that for the last decade plus I’ve been incarcerated for a crime [...]

Update 5-30-2022

By |2022-07-15T08:54:06-06:00June 17th, 2022|Categories: Letters from John|

This update might be somewhat of a controversial one amongst the incarcerated population. So I’ll use broad strokes to paint this picture.. It’s no big secret that there are drugs in prisons. They are smuggled inside in dozens of ingenious ways and depending on how much or how little are available on the yard at a [...]

A Hostage of the Commonwealth

By |2022-07-15T13:49:02-06:00February 21st, 2022|Categories: Letters from John|

Feb. 2022 My friends, It’s been a little while since I’ve written a new update so I figure its time. In short—I’m still housed at KY State Penitentiary and have managed to endure another holiday season as a hostage of the Commonwealth. Not only have I missed so many with my loved ones, but the 13th [...]

Was It Worth It?

By |2022-07-15T13:36:53-06:00October 13th, 2021|Categories: Letters from John|

Dear Reader, If you keep up with me, I assume you know my origin story: Army Ranger, wrongly convicted and incarcerated for a heinous crime, of which the Commonwealth of Kentucky is fully aware I am innocent of. One of the first 100 soldiers to set foot in Afghanistan (and by proxy the entire Global War [...]