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CityAndStateNY.com
January 24, 2022
Q & A with Assembly Member-elect
By Jeff Coltin
Eddie Gibbs
I will be. And it’s a lot of pressure, now that we’re so close to it, and you think about it actually happening. You think about the millions of ex-offenders who will probably hear what’s happening, and you can either inspire these guys to change their lives around. You can inspire these guys to want more and do more. So there’s a responsibility attached to this. It’s bigger than me. I spoke to (Assembly) Speaker (Carl) Heastie today. He said, are you sure you want to do this? And I laughed when he said it. And when I got off the phone, I was like, damn, that’s a good question. It’s a lot of pressure. But that’s what kept me straight for the past – you know, this happened 35-plus years ago. Let’s get this out the way: 17 years old, was hustling. This guy attacked me. I was defending myself. I turned myself in. I didn’t hide from the police. I walked to the precinct and I turned myself in. I gave a statement right then and there. I was given three years. A plea. I think because of the remorse I was showing and mitigating circumstances, I was given that lenient sentence. But until this day, I’m very apologetic and disappointed in my actions. I make no excuses for them. But I can promise you, and I can assure you, the 17-year-old boy who made those poor decisions 35-plus years ago, that’s not the man you’re talking to today. I’m
tearing up as I talk to you, because (of) what I went through over the past 28 years trying not to get to this point, but trying to prove to people that I’m not that monster that the papers said I was. The murderer. I knew I defended myself. The courts knew I defended myself. I was hustling. I wasn’t making money. We couldn’t afford an attorney like a Murray Richman to represent me. So when the judge sends your Legal Aid attorney into your cell and says, “Hey, man, you’ve been here now 17 months, we’ve got some good news for you. The judge is offering you three years.” I was on Rikers Island for 17 months.
Do you hope to get involved in criminal justice and sentencing issues in the state Legislature? Or have you had enough of that in your life? Criminal justice reform has got to be something I focus on. I want to be part of that discussion. I’m still studying the effects of bail reform. But criminal justice is definitely on my mind. I sent
the email out to (Assembly Member) David Weprin. I know he’s the chairman of the prisons committee up here in Albany. I’m focusing on housing and seniors, but that committee, I want to put my emphasis on it. I don’t think anybody out there will have better insight than me. I’m the product of a fair criminal justice system. I’m that story of redemption. When I came home, I was trying to do everything to fit in. I did stand-up comedy for like, two years. Did a lot of shows. My stage name was Good Buddy. And this name was fitting because I am a good buddy. I didn’t want that stigma. When people come home from prison, especially with a manslaughter charge, or if you’ve been in prison five, 10 years, people form this opinion about you, that you’re tough and you’re rough and don’t bother them and they’re afraid of you. You’re intimidating. I didn’t want people to feel like that around me. I wanted to show people I was funny. I talked about prison. I talked about life. I talked about everything. Talked about becoming an ordained deacon. Because I wanted people to relax and laugh. I did that, I did acting. I did rapping. I was rapping with everybody. I’ve got to show you these videos. I did rapping with Jungle Brothers with, God bless the dead, Biggie Smalls. I rapped with Mase, I opened up for him.
EDDIE GIBBS
You’re on the path to becoming an Assembly member. I believe you’d be the first state legislator who previously served time in prison. Is that right? Tell me about your story.
