Original subtitles

WOMAN:

(RAPID GUNFIRE)

♪ (OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

WOMAN 2: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

WOMAN 3: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

♪ (INSPIRING MUSIC PLAYING) ♪

WOMAN 4: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

( music playing )

Man: ...after this stuff,

I got way behind on the...

( voice fades )

( music playing )

( child cooing )

Man: All right, come on.

Can I have that white shirt?

( voice fades )

Gotta hit the road.

( indistinct chatter )

( overlapping chatter )

Child: Uncle Rudy?

Rudy: What?

I'm getting ready for my dance recital.

Are you gonna watch me?

Rudy: Yep.

Woman: Let me get you the stuff, and I'll put it right here.

Now all we need is a brush.

- Okay. - ( phone rings )

Rudy: Hello?

Automated voice: This call is from

a federal prison.

Woman on phone: Hello?

Man: Well, not yet. Hold on.

- Are you there? - Not yet?

Man: Okay.

- Here. - Hello, Mom!

What?

Um...

Man: Are you dressed like a princess dancer?

Tell her not yet. You're getting dressed.

Not yet. I'm getting dressed.

Mm-hmm.

What?

Okay.

Okay.

Autumn: I think about her when it's time to go to bed.

And I think about her in the morning.

I think about her every second

of the day and the night.

( male interviewer speaking )

I think if she would be--

If she was there, that we could have

so much fun together.

And that she would make us--

if we have t-- if we have time...

She used to make us a very special breakfast.

It was Papa's eggs, and sausage, and toast.

Uh-huh.

Rudy: Do you wanna interview me?

Autumn: Yes.

Rudy: You see the red light on?

Autumn: Uh-huh.

Okay.

Hi, Autumn.

Okay. What are your questions?

Well, I'm pretty sad about Cindy being somewhere far away.

I wish she was a lot closer.

I'd like to be able to see her more often,

and I'd like to be able to give her a hug whenever I want to.

So, it makes me sad that she's far away.

Um... pretty sad.

She watched over me,

she took good care of me.

She always, you know, looked out for me

and helped me be a good person.

Done? Okay, then you have to say, "Cut!"

Autumn: Cut!

( music playing )

Rudy: Our family's always been

the type of people who...

when bad things happen, we figure out a way

to look on the bright side.

We, you know, try to make the best of it--

of things.

My parents were migrants before they had us.

They grew up working in the fields.

That was the life that they knew.

And they wanted something different for their kids.

They decided to stop in Lansing, Michigan,

and plant roots here.

My father eventually fulfilled his dream

of becoming a small business owner,

and my mother, with a third-grade education,

was able to-- through hard work

in night school, she became a teacher.

They tried to cultivate

the small Mexican community in our city.

Being the youngest by seven years,

I basically had five parents.

My oldest brother, Val,

trying to show me the ropes

and, you know, making his own mistakes,

but always making sure that I learned from his.

My older sister, Nina,

being like a second mother to me

and always being very honest with me about life.

Then there was Cindy.

She took me everywhere she went,

and she really encouraged me

to not be afraid of taking chances.

I mean, she's really the first one

who introduced me to film.

She wanted to be a filmmaker when she was younger.

I don't know what it is about...

standing behind a camera, but it's allowed me

to be able to cope with a lot of the things that I've seen.

And I find this sort of little refuge behind the lens

that allows me to look at it

through this little, tiny screen,

and-- and, um...

sometimes I feel like it's a coward's way out.

Ava: Uncle Rudy, do you know what this is?

It's apple juice.

Man: ( speaks indistinctly )

Come here, Autumn.

- It's cold. - I know.

No, please. Yes, please.

( phone ringing )

( Cindy over phone )

( Anna cooing )

Hi, Mama!

Hi, Mama!

( Anna gibbers )

Yes, we're going fishing.

Mama, Uncle Rudy's coming with us.

Yeah.

I'm here with the girls and Adam, just filming.

Yeah, yeah. I'll get on the research.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

She says, "I ti-ood."

- Cindy: Aww! - I'm ti-ood.

- ( child screaming ) - Mm-hmm.

- Adam: Stop. - ( child screaming )

( Adam mutters )

Ava, Mommy's talkin' to ya.

Come here.

( Ava crying )

- I love you too, Mama. - I love you too, Mommy.

- Ava: Hey! - Adam: Okay.

Girls.

I love you too, Mommy.

( Ava gibbers )

Bye. Tell Mommy you love her.

( children fussing )

Autumn, you say-- hold on.

Autumn, you tell Mommy you love her.

- I love you, Mama! - ( Ava squeals )

( Ava fussing )

Yes, Mother.

( blowing kisses )

Don't! Okay, Autumn.

Now let Ava. Let Ava.

Love you! ( blows kisses )

I love you. Bye!

- Tell Mommy you love her. - ( Autumn blows raspberry )

I love you.

Say goodbye.

Say, "See you later."

- ( child crying ) - Say, "See you later."

( laughs )

She's-- She's pouting.

( Autumn giggling )

Okay, there...

I love you.

Hang in there.

We'll get it all figured out.

Come and get me!

We'll get it figured out.

( items clattering )

I know, I know.

I'm takin' it with me.

So, I'll just put more...

All right, all right.

I love you, too. Okay.

I miss you.

Okay, yep.

We'll try to-- we'll come down

after your Ma gets back from Texas.

I promise.

And there it is.

- All right, girls. Come on. - Let's go!

( birds chirping )

( sighs )

You may have to move that mic.

( laughs )

The only-- you just...

You get so angry and frustrated,

and just, you know, why?

You know, and you get depressed,

and then I look at it and say,

"Well, I can't. I can't even be depressed

because I have to take care of these kids," you know.

I have to go-- I have to work with people.

I have to go to school. I have to-- you know,

I don't have time to be depressed.

And it's hard, you know?

You can't really express how you feel.

You know, you just have to kinda keep moving

like a machine, and...

I mean, it's-- it's hard.

( chuckles )

They have to have that relationship with their mom.

They cannot grow up

without having their mom in their life, and...

You know, I'll die trying.

I mean, I will make sure that that happens.

And, uh, it's-- it's hard

because it's only been eight months,

but it seems like it's been an eternity.

I mean, it seems like it's been years, and...

Knowing what she has facing--

you know, what we're facing, and what's ahead of us,

I mean, it just--

It's gonna be a tough road.

Rudy: Cindy definitely strived

early on, and all through high school

to break the mold.

She wanted to go to college,

and she started in that direction.

She didn't quite make it.

In our family, it was very difficult

because nobody had ever done that before.

And when nobody has made that leap before,

it seems like it's impossible.

She was working and finding her way,

and then she met Alex and fell in love.

And that's when things got out of hand.

( water droplets dripping )

( Cindy over phone )

Rudy: When the police got there,

they saw guns and drugs and money.

The state threatened to charge her right away

with all of these crimes.

( Cindy over phone )

Rudy: The state dropped the case.

The federal government dropped the case.

And we encouraged her, you know.

"This part of your life is finally over.

It was terrible, but it's the past now,

and you need to move on."

And over the next couple of years, she did.

- ( Adam grunts ) - ( Cindy laughing )

There it goes!

He said he wanted big!

( Cindy laughs )

Cindy: February third,

2004.

We love you.

Daddy's not here, so you're Mama's girl right now.

( Cindy laughs )

Mama! Mama!

No, I'm Da-da.

Cindy: "We're six weeks, Dad."

Are you going crazy over there?

Autumn: Sister!

( Cindy laughs ) Sister!

♪ A big belly ♪

♪ A big belly ♪

( Cindy over phone )

Cindy: I love you, girls!

Love you, too.

Cindy: Te amo!

Adam: Te amo!

Amo!

Te amo! ( chuckles )

Love you, Adam.

Love you, Cindy.

Rudy: Almost six years after all this happened with Alex,

Cindy was finally settling into a life

that she always wanted.

And then came a knock on the door.

Adam: It was just the eeriest knock.

I mean, it woke me up out of a dead sleep.

Cindy jumped up, and later she told me she knew.

She knew the minute she heard that door knock.

I said, "Who would be knocking on the door at,

you know, 6:30, quarter to 7:00 in the morning?"

Something like that, 7:00.

I can't quite remember exactly.

And she didn't say a word.

She got up, grabbed the girls,

you know, and went in their room

and just was hugging them, and unbeknownst to me,

I really wasn't paying attention.

I went into the living room,

and opened the front door, and they said

they had a warrant for her arrest.

And when I turned around and saw her,

you know, hugging the kids, I--

( scoffs ) That was tough.

That was tough because she knew already, and...

( sniffles )

Sorry. ( sniffles )

Rudy: The federal government immediately took her away,

and they sent her to trial

where she was found guilty of conspiracy.

( Cindy over phone )

( children giggling )

Adam:

Because she didn't--

she didn't know that the kids that lived with her

were doing bad things-- disrespecting their parents,

and not listening.

And that's why she's there,

'cause she was actually with those kids.

She told me that only is six weeks,

and then we go back to see her.

And that's not very long.

Rudy:

She does sometimes.

Not too often.

She says that it's gonna be like

probably when I'm 12--

13 years old that will happen.

She'll come home. She thinks that.

And I'm only six right now.

So, it won't be that-- that early.

It will be later on.

Woman: Can we get up?

Adam: Okay. Girls, you ready?

Everybody went potty?

All right, do I got everything?

I gotta think.

- Uh, pillows, blankets. - All their clothes.

- All their clothes, diapers. - Diapers.

Wipes, toothbrush,

toothpaste, blah, blah, blah.

Here, I guess I'll make a mess out of these.

No, we got already two pillows.

You got two pillows.

She can have that. Let me go take those out.

And we gotta go, it's 5:00.

Wanna trade for goldfish?

Okay, let go.

Whose coat's on?

Annalis, get your coat on.

Oh, are you kidding me?

- Hey. - Hey, you got any bags?

I'm gonna throw those in a bag first 'cause I can put the--

That's my bag. That's the only thing I have.

- Okay. - And this is the lunch.

What's that? Well, they already ate.

Yeah, but for later. They're gonna be hungry.

- Oh, okay. ( laughs ) - Packed us a lunch.

- Holy smokes. - Holy smokes, yeah.

You're gonna want it, too. Taquitos.

- Oh, geez, all right. - Mexican bread.

All right. All that?

All right, I gotta find more room.

Remember, we got a smaller van now.

- Well, it might fit. - ( Adam laughs )

( sighs )

All right, we're ready.

You girls, where are we going?

Mama!

All right.

Where are we going, Annalis?

I go Mommy!

- You wanna see Mommy? - You wanna go Mommy?

Uh-huh.

♪

Okay.

We're in, girls.

( baby cooing )

( child coughs, coos )

( Adam sighs )

Adam: They won't give you anything.

Yeah, they said four and up.

( Cindy's Mom in distance )

Oh, my gosh.

Want it pushed back a little bit more?

- Mm-mm. - You want it there?

- Mm-hmm. - Okay, looks good.

Autumn: Grandma gets up really early.

'Cause she always wants the first table.

We need the big tables.

The little tables just have like four seats,

and we take, um...

We take five people,

so we need one more chair.

So, we need one of those tables

that are big.

Cindy's Mom: In a few minutes we're gonna be where?

Girls: Mama!

Mama, okay.

And today is her what?

- We're celebrating her what? - Girls: Birthday!

Okay, so she gets to pick everything, right?

Autumn: Yep!

Rudy: When they sentenced Cindy to 15 years,

I had a lot of questions.

You know, on my nights and weekends

and any free second that I had,

I was Googling, I was researching,

I was reading articles, reading case laws,

and trying to do everything that I could.

So, I started calling people in Washington, D.C.,

I started calling lawyers-- anyone who would listen.

Marjorie Peerce: Mandatory minimum sentences

were ruled unconstitutional for a while.

They really took hold at the end of the 1980s.

They're a disaster, and pre-guidelines,

judges had discretion to impose the sentence

that they wanted to impose.

And when the guidelines were mandatory,

there was no option for a judge.

The judge had to sentence within the guidelines.

We are now seeing people warehoused

for nonviolent drug offenses.

Here you have Cynthia, who played a minimal role

in a drug conspiracy, who had righted her life,

and years after the underlying drug events happened,

she got arrested.

She got 15 years in jail-- mandatory.

There are thousands and thousands of people

just like her, serving the same ridiculously insane sentences.

It's astounding to me.

( Cindy over phone )

Cindy's Mom: Okay, the turkey is served.

( overlapping chatter )

There's nothing there.

I see this!

I see the inside of the stomach!

- Eww! - ( laughter )

Autumn: Thank you!

- Ahh. - ( giggles)

Autumn: I wonder what food it ate!

Ava: Yum!

Oh, that's one big turkey.

Mm.

( giggles )

( Cindy over phone )

Nothin', just eating some turkey.

Oh, you're-- how many miles you run already?

Ten?

Okay, that's good.

Yeah...

I miss you, too.

I don't know what to do.

I go by there every day and look for piece--

I mean, I don't find a lot of metal--

they just throw odds and ends like that,

and sometimes they put 'em right next to the dumpster in a pile,

and I figure they're leaving it for people who do this, you know,

I'm not the only one doing this.

A lot of people doing it, but they kinda do that

so you won't have to climb up there and get the metal,

and they leave it for you on the side, you know.

So, sometimes I'll see that, and I'll just say to myself,

"Well, thank you very much," you know.

You know, even though they're not there...

but I still give 'em the thanks.

I mean, they might not know who I am, but it could be that

they probably think, "That's somebody who needs the money."

That's why they do it.

But you have to have it real clean

in order to make a little bit extra.

I probably got enough here to send Cindy another $40,

you know, for the week.

That's what I try to do every day.

Just try to have enough money for her,

so I'll never miss the week.

You know, so she can have money.

I can't afford to go out there all the way right now to see her,

you know, but I would rather have the money sent to her

so that she can see or she can hear--

talk to the kids every day--

every week or something like that.

But I do miss her a lot,

but I-- I don't know what else to do.

( sniffling )

When she talks about... you know,

how good of a dad I was, and... ( sniffles )

that she misses me a lot,

and she misses my fajitas--

she liked my fajitas--

( crying )

and she also thanks me very much

for the money I send her

because that's what keeps her going,

because of talking to her kids.

To her children. ( sniffles )

I mean, I just do the best I can to help her out

in this situation.

- You sure? - Yes.

I mean, I don't feel like saying much, but--

( crying ) That's why I don't write to her.

♪

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

Adam: Hey.

I'm just trying to navigate this appeals process.

Um, I'll keep you posted.

Rudy: Can you describe where you are now?

Have you talked to Adam?

Adam: You don't be there?

Well-- well, what's going on?

If you feel that strongly about it, then I guess...

put in for a transfer.

I mean--

Well, no, I do-- I mean,

don't-- don't-- don't put words in my mouth.

But, I mean, I just--

I know.

Yes, I know, Cindy.

Well, that's the thing, though.

I want you to talk to me about it

because I tell you about everything

that I deal with that's hard.

You know, I tell you about all of our hardships.

I mean, we're a family, Cindy.

You're my wife.

I love you, too.

I love you with all my heart, too.

I love you more than anything in the world and the sky.

Where's Mommy--

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

What?

In my heart.

In your heart.

Mm-hmm, and I carry your heart.

I love you, too.

Adam: Annalis, wanna talk to Mama?

( Cindy singing over phone )

I got like a ballerina singing and dancing

when you, um, there's a back thing.

I need to show you.

No, I'm gonna let you hear it.

( music box playing )

The ballerina's dancing.

( girls laughing, chattering )

( girls chattering )

Hey, Daddy, can we put on our dresses?

Mommy's gonna watch this video.

- Adam: Like this. - Autumn: These are the dresses

that you made for us for Easter.

( Cindy over phone )

Well, you know, we have the next set of appeals.

So, you know, we gotta get--

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

Yeah.

( birds chirping )

( cutlery taps )

Of course, I always cook for-- for 12 people.

( laughs ) I never could change--

never could change my ways.

Cindy's Mom: I've lost track of time.

I just pray for her every day,

and God willing, she will come home soon.

So, I don't even keep track of time.

What some people don't understand

is that when you have someone like that locked up,

it's-- you're locked up, too.

You know, um,

yes, we go on every day,

but it's-- it's one child missing.

We're close. I open the--

I open these blinds, and the moon comes in.

The moonlight.

And sometimes I can see the moon through the--

through the tree branches, and I'm close to my Cindy.

So, I know she looks at the moon every night.

She thinks about the family.

( voice breaking ) And I think about her.

( sniffles )

Want me to dry your clothes?

So they'll be dry?

Gonna put 'em in the dryer.

( sniffles )

Oh, Rudy, do I have to put these in plastic?

Okay.

( mutters indistinctly )

That's all you're taking, Rudy?

Rudy: Mm-hmm.

How many can I put in a bag? Three?

- Four? - Four-- Three.

Rudy:

To go see Cindy.

I haven't seen her in three years.

( clears throat )

( sniffles ) Rudy, I can't do it.

It's hard for me to talk about her.

( cries )

Really, I can't.

( sobbing )

( Nina sobs )

Rudy: You there?

( Cindy over phone )

Rudy: I know getting the denial

from the last appeal wasn't what we wanted to hear,

but, you know, it opens a whole new option for us.

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

( Cindy sighs )

Rudy: Yeah, we're still gonna try.

I'm trying to film

as much as I can to, you know,

make sure that you see the girls

grow up a little bit more.

Rudy:

I'm Autumn, and I'm 7 1/2 years old.

Well, she went to... ( clears throat )

...Florida about a little less than a year ago.

So, probably a year and a half.

Rudy:

Ava's okay with it

because she knows

that she's seen Mommy a lot,

but Annalis doesn't like it

because she hardly got to see Mom.

( inhales deeply ) Most of the time

when she was born, her eyes were closed

and Mom left a little bit after she was born.

Rudy:

Mm-hmm.

Because I was the first one born.

But Dad was the one that most got to see her.

Autumn: Most of the time,

when she was home,

Dad would forget his lunch on purpose

when he went to work so we could go

and drop it off and see him.

Adam: On to the next topic.

You know, I'm about to divorce,

so, I mean, that's--

you know, I don't know exactly when,

but I just sat down one day, and I was like,

( sighs ) I just can't do this anymore.

And I thought I could, and I was disappointed.

I was angry. You know, I said,

"No, you gotta keep-- you can't not do this.

This is what you have to do."

I've never lost the love for her,

but it's just-- now it's shared

between the girls and her and I.

It's-- I don't know how to say it.

I mean, it's just-- I--

we just couldn't-- we could-- we didn't have a relationship.

We couldn't have a relationship.

I mean, it wasn't like we didn't want one. We couldn't.

We're not gonna be the same people we were when we were together.

I mean, there's already been 3 1/2 years--

over 3 1/2 years, you know,

since we've been together.

You know, and the damage that it's caused already,

( sighs )

I mean, I just can't imagine another nine years

trying to stay together and trying to actually be a couple.

And it's not Cindy's fault.

I mean, I don't blame her for any of it.

But I don't want them to grow up without having

some type of mother figure in their life.

I don't want them to grow up

without having support.

You know, I owe it to them

to give them the best quality of life that I can.

You know, I don't wanna be

the one responsible for them not having it.

( Cindy over phone )

Rudy: No pressure.

Yeah, thanks.

( Cindy chuckles )

( music playing )

( child gibbers )

Autumn: Who had the floaties?

( blowing )

Annalis: Are the floaties in here?

Cindy's Mom: You just did a belly flop!

Ava: We can't get that wet.

Autumn:

I was... um, two.

Autumn:

Uh, we're going down to eat,

and then we're going-- we're having breakfast

and then we're going to see Mama.

Oh, every day.

I know she shouldn't be there.

She should be home raising her daughters.

Working like she used to work, and being a mommy.

Cindy's Mom: It's sad for all of us.

Annalis: Where's my shoe?

Autumn: I know that she's gonna give us

a lot of hugs and kisses 'cause we haven't seen her

in a really long time, and that she's gonna have us

sit on her lap a lot, and we're gonna play with her,

and play, like, play games

and it's gonna be a lot of fun.

I already know that.

It may be a small place, but it's still...

big enough for us to have fun.

Rudy:

Autumn: Sometimes they ask,

and I just say that she's in Florida.

They don't really ask any more questions.

But sometimes they'll ask, like,

"Why is she in Florida?"

And I'll just say it's something

that only the family really needs to know about.

And they won't ask any more questions.

Autumn: Most of the time,

I sat on her lap and hugged her.

And when I wasn't sitting on her lap and hugging her,

I was playing games with her.

She was really happy, and I could tell.

She didn't really have to tell me that.

I could just tell by her face and her emotions.

Rudy:

Annalis: Mama.

Good.

Yes. I love her.

It feels like I'm--

Feels like I'm going to get sick.

Because I just love her.

'Cause I can't-- I just can't wait to see her.

( Annalis chuckles ) Happy.

Grateful.

For seeing her.

Seeing her's fun.

I like it.

She makes me happy just as I make her happy.

And...

um, silly faces.

Ava: She says it's funny.

Everyone gets happy and just feels great.

And happy.

It doesn't feel great when everyone's sad.

It's good that we got to see her.

W-We won't get to see her for a long time more.

Silly faces again!

( Rudy laughing )

( laughs )

- Yeah. - Okay.

Ava: It's too heavy.

Rudy: It's too heavy? You wanna hand it back?

You wanna interview me with this instead?

How-- When was the last time

that you saw your sister?

I haven't seen my sister, before this visit,

it had been about a year and seven months.

That was a long time.

Yeah, it's a really long time.

Well...

I know you like seeing her.

Rudy: I do. I love Cindy.

It was-- I couldn't sleep

the past few nights 'cause I was so excited

because I was coming to see her.

Ava: Same with me.

Eric Sterling: The Congress referred to

one of the major problems of the mandatory minimums

that were enacted in 1986 as "the girlfriend problem."

They are treated as co-conspirators,

and therefore, they're fully liable

under the sentencing guidelines

for all the quantity of drugs

that the conspiracy handled.

And so, many members of Congress

referred to the need to fix what they called

Eric/Interviewer: "the girlfriend problem."

Duchy Trachtenberg: You know,

these are depressing stories,

and they speak to the failure of government.

And that is a difficult envelope to push.

Duchy: The natives have to be restless.

Eric: Clemency. This is a power

that is in the same sentence of the Constitution

that says the President is the Commander in Chief.

And the simple question is:

Will you be able to force President Obama

to stop ignoring your sister's case?

Rudy: I wanna try and tell your story,

you know, and try and figure out a way

to make something good out of all of this.

( Cindy over phone )

Radio Reporter: Cindy Shank, who is incarcerated,

also as a result of conspiracy laws

and the mandatory minimums...

You can go to Democrats, Republicans.

They've all said, "Whoa, we really need to fix this.

We really-- This is wrong,

and it's a drain on our economy,"

and it's all of these things,

but nobody's fixing it.

And nobody's fixed it for 30 years.

Just because Cindy was a good person,

and she really turned her life around,

and she was going in the right direction,

does not mean that she wasn't guilty.

- Right, right. - And we're willing to accept that.

And we're willing to say that.

She was guilty. She knew what was going on.

She didn't go to the police for whatever reason.

To me, you know, she didn't go to the police

because she felt she couldn't, but the fact of the matter is,

in black and white, she did not go to the police, so she was guilty.

What we cannot wrap our heads around as a family,

as her brother, as her children,

is the sentence that she received.

And it's 15 years on paper,

but her entire life has been changed.

There has to be a better way to deal with this

that is beneficial to everyone.

That is fair. That is just.

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

- Rudy: Hey. - Cindy over phone: Hey.

Rudy: I don't wanna take up too many of your minutes,

but I wanted to let you know

I'm meeting with the clemency lawyer.

I'll have more info soon.

Cindy over phone: Okay.

She's just done absolutely the maximum,

absolutely everything she could've done to better herself,

to make the best of this time, you know, in prison,

to be the best person that she can,

and be the best mom that she can be even from afar.

And I think that's very commendable.

Clemency Project, I believe screened

well over 30,000 applications.

Of those 30,000, only 1,100 got approved

and submitted to the Office of the Pardon Attorney,

and Cindy's is one of those petitions.

Those are staggering numbers,

and I hope we get her there.

( Cindy over phone )

Rudy:

I'm Autumn, and I'm ten years old.

My name's Ava, and I'm eight.

Hi, my name is Annalis,

and I'm six.

Sometimes... we--

we go to see her.

I like that.

She used to be in Florida,

now she's in Kentucky,

so I can see her a lot more.

It only takes six hours away.

Rudy:

I remember she always used to

play with me, and she used to comb my hair.

Well, because I--

And I do remember one time I wanted chocolate milk,

and she said-- for dinner-- and so I snuck away

while she was, um, I think she was knitting,

and I snuck away while she was absorbed in her knitting,

and I got onto the counter and opened the drawer

and grabbed the chocolate milk mix.

And I thought it was, like, just the chocolate milk

'cause I thought that's how she did it, 'cause I was younger,

and so I opened it and tried to eat it,

and I ended up slipping off the counter and falling,

and all the chocolate milk powder,

um, fell on top of me,

and she came rushing in and saw that

and she grabbed her phone and took pictures

and sent it to Daddy.

( younger Autumn crying )

( Cindy gasps )

Cindy: What'd you do?

( crying )

( screeching )

Didn't Mommy just give you a bath?

( crying ) No.

Didn't we just do a bubble bath?

( crying ) No.

Why are you crying?

( sobs )

( screeches )

( crying )

Rudy: I know I ask you this all the time,

but where are you now?

( Cindy laughs over phone )

You know, we're still trying to figure out

a way to get clemency.

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

Rudy: Yeah, I'll never give up hope.

Van Jones: There's no advocate, no lawyer

who can touch the advocacy of a family member.

There's nobody that feels the pain

the way family members feel the pain.

When the cameras leave, the family's still there.

When the court adjourns, the family's still there.

When everybody wants to forget,

mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers...

- Rudy! - Van: ...can't forget

that there are people who are locked away

for offenses that

should've been forgiven a long time ago.

Nobody out here can say they're perfectly innocent.

Nobody out here can say that we haven't all needed second chances.

Congress passed laws that said a judge has to do

exactly what's on a piece of paper

and not what wisdom would have him or her do.

That's an injustice in itself.

The people who we are here for

are people that if they came home,

America would be better and not worse.

And we stand here in front of the White House

that presently has a beautiful leader.

We beg the President, do not let the sun set

on the Obama administration

while there are good people behind bars

who could come home.

( Cindy over phone )

Rudy: Yeah.

Rudy: Val and I finally convinced Dad to come.

Rudy: Yeah.

Yeah.

Rudy:

Yep.

I don't remember how long it's been.

Probably. Wasn't she-- the last time I saw her

when she was still here in... County.

Yeah, but I don't-- I don't like to go see her.

It's hard.

Two years, but now that she's closer,

it'll make it nicer.

Val: I think about her every day.

Rudy:

( laughs ) Not quite Vegas.

( snoring )

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

Rudy:

Rudy: And I forgot to grab quarters, but I have cash.

I got a lot of metal in the back trunk.

Do they take metal?

( laughs )

( Cindy over phone )

( Cindy and Dad laughing )

No, we're taking turns sleeping at the wheel.

( Cindy laughs )

Okay, love you.

Love you, bye.

Love you, too. I'll see ya.

Rudy: Bye.

( line clicks off )

( Val sniffles )

( music playing )

Rudy:

Yeah.

Okay, you gotta take everything off, right?

Autumn: Can you shut the door?

Rudy: Yes.

Um, I'm Autumn Shank, and I'm 13 years old.

It has been tough for the last nine years

without her being here.

Even though she can call us,

and she sends candy

on Halloween and on Easter,

and writes us lots of letters, it's still not really the same

as having your mom there every day with you.

At the end of every phone call,

she says that she loves me and that she misses me,

and that she'll try her hardest to be home as soon as possible.

Automated voice: This call is from a federal prison.

Rudy: Hello?

( Cindy over phone )

What? What?!

Cindy's Mom: Let's go in the car.

Nina:

- Something happened. - Yes.

Cindy's coming home!

Today?

Oh! ( screams )

( both crying )

O Jesus!

Jesus, you're so good to me, Jesus!

( sobbing )

( phone ringing )

Ava: It's Mom.

( Cindy over phone )

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Rudy: That one is Anna's.

- Ava. - This one is Ava's.

- Cindy: Ava's. - And there's mine.

- I hope. - This one is Autumn's.

( Anna laughs )

Girls: Yes.

Rudy: It's inside. Right in there.

It says, um, it says "March."

In the box.

Twenty-second?

Yeah. "2017".

Ava: What?

( gasps )

( laughing, cheering )

Cindy's Mom: It's my happy girls!

- Autumn: I'm happy. - Look at the smiles.

Look at the smiles! My God!

- Your mom's coming. - Nina: I'm so happy.

- I'm so happy! - Yeah, me too.

( phone rings )

- It's Mom! - Come on in!

( Cindy over phone )

I know, baby girl.

I-- I can't-- I can't wait

to hold you and you can just come and go

and we can go to the mall.

We will cuddle.

Fajitas?

I love you, too.

Hi, Cindy. ( cries )

I know.

I appreciate that.

Cindy? Cindy?

You can say that again.

He's a hell of a man. A hell of a man.

We love-- We love Adam like a son.

We've never stopped loving him for a moment.

Yeah, he took care of them.

He's taking care of them right now.

He's our son.

I love you, too.

Nina: Hold on.

Hey.

( crying )

( continues crying )

Cindy's Mom: It's okay, Melly.

My baby. It's okay.

You did so much, Rudy.

You did so much.

Yes, papito. Yes, you did.

Never. Never gave up.

I know. I know.

You're welcome, Mel.

I love you.

I love you, mijo. I love you.

- Ya, mamacita. - I love you.

Ya, mama.

( sighs, sniffles )

Here, somebody take-- give me the camera back.

( all laugh )

Girls: In ours.

In Mama's heart.

Yeah.

We love you, too, Mommy.

Say bye.

- Bye, I love you. - Girls: Bye!

( all chattering )

( indistinct chatter )

( chatter, laughter )

Rudy: Hello?

- Cindy's Mom: Hi, mijo. - Rudy: Hey, Ma.

I'm on my way to go get Cindy.

Early.

Yeah.

That's... ( screams )

( laughing )

We were told four months,

and then Cindy called saying that

she's gonna get to come home

on home confinement even earlier.

( Cindy's mom laughs )

We just have to not let the girls find out.

Okay, Ma, I love you.

Rudy: December 21st, 2016.

Hmm.

She better have my two dollars.

Either that or made me another bracelet.

One or the other.

She never made me a sweater.

( laughs )

Is that her right there?

( crying )

( car door opens )

Cindy: Brother!

Brother!

I'm okay.

( Val crying )

No, brother. No, no, no, no!

- ( Val crying ) - No, no, brother.

- ( Val sobbing ) - No, no, no. I'm okay.

I'm okay, brother.

- ( Val sobbing ) - I'm okay.

I'm okay, brother.

I'm well. I'm okay.

( Val sobbing )

I'm okay.

I'm okay, brother.

Yeah, babe.

Come here, brother.

Okay. Okay, I'm home.

Okay? You did it, Melly.

Melly, you did it.

( Cindy and Val chattering )

You did it.

He did.

My brothers.

Cindy: Oh, my gosh.

I think I'm shaking.

Cindy: This is crazy.

Everybody was always telling me,

"When you get out, everything's changed so much."

- Yeah, it is. - I don't see no hover cars.

- ( Val, Rudy laugh ) - We said, we said,

"She better not come out saying, 'Not!'"

( all laugh )

"I wanna go back in there, guys.

- Not!" - Not!

We were waiting for you to come out with

a New Kids On The Block t-shirt.

I don't remember you going in there

with that Garfield sweatshirt.

( all laugh )

( music playing )

I don't need--

All right, let's go. This is too much.

They tell me, "Oh, by the way,

we re-did your day, and now you get to go home

in 20 days, 21 days."

That, it-- it almost felt rushed.

Like, I was like, "Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait. I'm not ready." ( laughs )

I mean, I'm ready, but that felt like

the rug got pulled out from under me in-- in a good way.

I know.

That's scary and exciting at the same time.

I can't believe they don't know...

( laughs ) that I'm coming soon.

Rudy:

Home for Christmas.

( chuckles )

I can't wait to see the girls.

Rudy: They're gonna crap.

( laughs ) I hope so.

Cindy: I'm back!

Cindy, you're home!

I'm home!

Awesome. I cannot believe

how good it will be to surprise them!

- You're out. - I'm out!

Going home.

It's that one with the light on

right there, with the star on it.

Okay, so how long do I wait?

Wait like three minutes.

Okay. Go!

- Hey, my girls. - Uncle Rudy!

All: Hi!

( Cindy outside )

Wouldn't be Uncle Rudy if there wasn't a camera in his hand.

Rudy: Always with the camera, ain't I?

I think your mom's gonna call in a second.

I scheduled a call, so come to the table.

( Cindy outside )

It's 91 days until Mother comes home.

Ninety-one.

- ( phone ringing ) - Anna: She's calling!

Is it her?!

Ava: Is it?

Rudy: Hello?

( Cindy over phone )

- Hi! - Hello, Mother!

I know.

And you have 92 days until you come home.

- Ninety-one. - Ninety-one!

Two thousand and twenty-four.

( Adam laughs )

I think, um, over a billion seconds.

( door opens )

- Somebody's here. - Who is that?

- ( Anna gasps ) Oh! - You sure about that?

Are you sure about that?

( all exclaiming )

Oh, my God!

( girls exclaiming )

- Mommy! - ( Ava squeals )

Are you sure about that?

Oh, my God.

( Ava laughing )

( Ava crying )

Cindy: Oh, my goodness.

( Ava chuckling )

Mora.

Mora, I'm home, mama.

( both crying )

( both sobbing )

( sobbing continues )

( whispers ) My babies.

( all crying )

Cindy: Hi.

Hi. ( laughs )

Good to see ya.

( laughs )

( laughing )

Here they come. They're running in right now.

What's wrong? What's... ( gasps )

( Nina crying )

( Nina sobbing )

( Cindy laughs )

( fake nonchalant whistle )

Cindy: Hi, Dad!

I told you!

( all laughing )

"Something's up!"

( crying, laughter )

How'd you get bigger than me?

What happened?

You're supposed to be a little squirt.

Little squirt!

♪

Cindy's Mom: We've been waiting for my tamales.

Using a real fork, everyone.

Not a spork.

( cheers and laughter )

Yay!

( all laughing )

( girls giggling )

Those are grandma's famous tamales.

( laughter )

I love you guys.

Cindy: Now I have five best days of my life.

The day Autumn was born,

the day Ava was born,

the day Anna was born,

the day I got married,

and the day that I came home back to you guys.

- Lay down, Mom. - Everybody gets to cuddle with their mama.

( birds chirping )

Rudy:

( clears throat )

Well, I mean, it's, you know,

it's a good thing.

( chuckles ) You know, I mean, she's out.

She's where she needs to be.

Uh, you know, kids are happy.

Family's happy.

Um, you know, I'm glad for her

that she's got time to, you know,

spend with her children and her family,

and, you know, that she can watch

her girls grow up, you know?

And so, I mean, it's a good thing.

It's good-- everybody's happy.

Uh, no, no.

It's not.

I mean, there's still, you know,

the fact that she's been gone,

you know, for nine years,

and you can't replace the time that was lost.

And, you know, you can't...

you know, she can't get back what she missed.

And, I mean, the damage was done,

I guess.

And the kids felt the impact,

I felt the impact,

you know, family did, friends, the community.

You know, it's, you know, when something like that happens,

it doesn't just affect that person.

She lost a lot. We lost a lot.

I'll be completely honest,

a lot of people give me praise

or, you know, say that I'm a great guy for doing it,

and I feel like I didn't do enough.

You know, and sometimes, I-- you know, I do regret it

and I wish I could've done more.

But, you know, I mean, it is what it is at this point,

and so, I don't like to take any credit

or anything for it.

It's just, you know,

they needed their mom in their life,

and I wasn't gonna, you know,

push her out or try to prevent that at all.

So, you know,

I'm glad they could-- they maintained a relationship

throughout all this, and I appreciate the efforts

of family and friends, you know, to help make that happen

'cause I couldn't have done it without that.

Just waiting for my stinky brother to come get me.

- Cindy: How does it feel? - I hate it!

Oh, yeah, I'm gettin' all of it.

- I don't miss a beat. - Rudy: Oh, yeah.

I don't miss a beat.

- Oh, yeah. - Okay.

Something was wrong.

Yeah, something happened that maybe

shouldn't have happened all the way like it happened.

Mm-mm.

Thirty-six thousand qualified?

Do we know how many got through?

( sighs )

( crying )

I didn't know it was so few.

Cindy: We all make bad choices in our lives.

It shouldn't have to cost us so much.

Look at her.

( laughs, sniffles )

I was home for this picture.

Look at how tiny it is.

This is the one I missed.

When I left, she had to do this.

A dance... ( cries ) and I wasn't there.

This is what I missed.

( crying )

Mom kept it all these years in this little bag.

Oh, my God, her little wrist--

( sniffles ) Her little wrist things.

( crying )

I missed so much.

( music playing )

Cindy reading: "Dear, Cynthia, I want to personally inform you

that I'm granting your application for commutation.

The power to grant pardons and clemency

is one of the most profound authorities

granted to the President of the United States.

It embodies the basic belief in our democracy

that people deserve a second chance

after having made a mistake in their lives

that led to a conviction under our laws.

Thousands of individuals have applied for commutation,

and only a fraction of these applications are approved.

I am granting your application because you have demonstrated

the potential to turn your life around.

Now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity.

It will not be easy, and you will confront many

who doubt people with criminal records can change.

Perhaps even you are unsure

of how you will adjust to your new circumstances.

But remember that you have

the capacity to make good choices.

By doing so, you will affect

not only your own life, but those close to you.

You will also influence, through your example,

the possibility that others in your circumstances

get their own second chance in the future."

♪ Love is stronger ♪

♪ Than these four walls ♪

♪ It walks straight through ♪

♪ These cement halls ♪

♪ Straight through the steel doors ♪

♪ Through barbed wire fences ♪

♪ Runs down the road ♪

♪ It leads to you ♪

♪ And your heart ♪

♪ Is with my heart ♪

♪ And my heart ♪

♪ Is with your heart ♪

♪ I carry your heart deep inside ♪

♪ Wherever you are, just shut my eyes ♪

♪ Close to me ♪

♪ You're close to me ♪

♪ You set me free ♪

♪ Thought I was dreaming ♪

♪ Felt like a stranger ♪

♪ In this world I've known ♪

♪ Then I saw you, sank down to my knees ♪

♪ 'Cause there you were in front of me ♪

♪ And your heart is with my heart ♪

♪ And my heart is with your heart ♪

♪ I carry your heart, carry mine ♪

♪ Wherever you are, just shut your eyes ♪

♪ You are close to me ♪

♪ Close to me ♪

♪ When I got the sentence ♪

♪ What scared me most was it was for you ♪

♪ It was not for me ♪

♪ 'Cause what could I do to be there for you ♪

♪ Across all these miles ♪

♪ Fifteen minutes on the telephone line ♪

♪ And your heart is in my heart ♪

♪ And my heart is with your heart ♪

♪ Carry your heart deep inside ♪

♪ No matter how far ♪

♪ Just shut your eyes ♪

♪ You are close to me ♪

♪ You're close to me ♪

♪ Close to me ♪