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Joel Castón

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Joel Castón
7F Advisory Neighborhood Commission
In office
June 29, 2021 – January 2, 2023

Joel Castón (/dʒoʊˈɛl kæsˈtoʊn/, joe-EL kas-TONE[1]) is an American politician and convicted murderer who served as a member of the Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) in Washington, D.C. from 2021 to 2023, and is the first incarcerated person to win an election in the city.[2][3] He is currently under consideration for appointment to the Washington, D.C. Sentencing Commission, which helps shape sentencing guidelines for judges in D.C. Superior Court.[4]

Early life and incarceration

Castón was raised in Ward 8 of Washington, D.C.[3] His parents separated when he was a child due to his dad's alcoholism.[3] At age 12, Castón began dealing drugs with his cousins.[3][5] When he was fifteen, his house was destroyed in a fire and his family was left homeless.[3] In November 1994, Castón was charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of Rafiq Washington which occurred on August 14, 1994.[3][6] In 1996, he was sentenced to 35 years to life.[3] Castón was incarcerated a federal prisons until he was transferred to the D.C. Jail in 2016.[7]

While incarcerated, Castón earned a GED and took courses hosted by Georgetown University. Castón also led a jail newspaper and wrote papers on criminal justice reform.[3] He was a Christian worship music leader, a financial literacy officer, and started a mentorship program called the Young Men Emerging Program.[8]

Kim Kardashian filed a motion for Castón's release.[3] He was granted parole in April 2021, and released from prison in November 2021.[3][9]

Political career

In November, 2020, Castón sought to run for a vacant Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat in Ward 7, but was disqualified due to his voter registration showing his old address in Ward 8.[3] On June 15, 2021, while still residing in the D.C. Jail, Castón was elected to fill the ANC seat in Ward 7, winning about a third of the vote.[3][7][10] The Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat was created in 2013, but Castón is the first person to hold the seat and the first incarcerated person elected to public office in Washington, D.C.[7][10][3] In the election, Castón beat four other incarcerated candidates.[7][11]

Castón was sworn into office on June 29, 2021.[12] While incarcerated, Castón was given a laptop or tablet, an email account, and a workspace within the D.C. Jail to work on his ANC duties.[3]

In January 2024, Castón was nominated to serve as one of 17 members of the Washington, D.C. Sentencing Commission, which would help shape sentencing guidelines in the city. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves opposed Castón's nomination, saying that current sentencing guidelines led to a "revolving door" for those prosecuted in the D.C., and that Castón would further reduce incarcerations during a period of rising crime. A vote on Castón's nomination, scheduled for January 9, 2024, was postponed by D.C. Council chairman Phil Mendelson, saying that the temperature was "too high" after Graves' objections. A majority of council members have favored his appointment.[13][4][14]

Personal life

Castón has one daughter.[3] Castón is a Christian.[8] He speaks Spanish, French, Arabic, and Mandarin.[8]

References

  1. ^ District of Columbia Department of Corrections (June 21, 2021). Candidates running for ANC7F07 Commissioner, June 2021 ANC election, Washington DC (Video). Neighbors for Justice. Event occurs at 7:11. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ "Joel Castόn". OpenANC. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Lai, Stephanie (July 5, 2021). "D.C. reforms gave inmates a vote. Now an elected official is working from jail". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "DC Council's nomination for the sentencing commission faces pushback from US Attorney". wusa9. January 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Dwyer, Devin; Cruz, Abby; Herndon, Sarah (August 1, 2021). "Elected from jail, DC official advances voting rights and racial justice". ABC News. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  6. ^ Thomas-Lester, Avis (December 5, 1994). "DELTA UNIT PROGRESS REPORT". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d Austermuhle, Martin (June 16, 2021). "'I May Be Incarcerated, But My Voice Still Matters.': Resident At D.C. Jail Wins Local Election". DCist. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Lai, Stephanie (June 17, 2021). "26 years after being convicted of murder, a D.C. jail inmate is elected to public office". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  9. ^ Gathright, Jenny (November 23, 2021). "Ward 7 ANC Commissioner Joel Castón Is Free After 26 Years Of Incarceration". dcist.com.
  10. ^ a b "Prison Scholar Joel Caston Elected to Local Government". Georgetown University. June 17, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  11. ^ "'My Voice Still Matters.': Resident At D.C. Jail Wins Local Election". NPR. June 17, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  12. ^ Doerfler, Grace (July 16, 2021). "How Jesuit-educated Joel Castón became the first person to win an election from jail". americamagazine.org.
  13. ^ "D.C. Council delays vote on controversial nominee to sentencing commission". Washington Post. January 9, 2024.
  14. ^ "'Stop this revolving door': US attorney pushes back on DC Council's sentencing commission nominee". wtop. January 8, 2024.
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