They Threw Away the Key
2016 • Short Film • In ProductionDocumentaryIn 1979 at age 27, a young man with a 3rd grade education was placed in solitary confinement in the Pennsylvania prison system. 37 years later, Arthur Johnson remains in solitary with no foreseeable way back into the general prison population. Despite having a clean behavior record for 25 years, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections officials insist that he remain in solitary until his death.
Now 63 years old, Johnson suffers from prolonged isolation and lack of human interaction for almost four decades. Aside from necessary contact with prison guards, he has not touched another human being since 1979.
In May of 2016 Julie Burnett (Johnson’s closest relative), hears from a friend that he is on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Unbeknownst to her, a legal advocacy group called the Abolitionist Law Center is suing to have Arthur removed from the cruel and unusual punishment of solitary confinement. Finally, after all these years, there just might be hope that Arthur could get out of “the hole”.
Through letters and visits, Julie remains Arthur’s link to the outside world. As she consults with his lawyers at hearings, she reflects on the pain and brokenness wreaked by violence in her family. She tells of the five men in the family who have done time for murder.
Bret Grote, an activist lawyer from the Abolitionist Law Center meets with Julie and shares that Arthur has a fighting chance to be removed from solitary.
Even as Julie finds hope for Arthur’s situation, she now faces the question of how Arthur and his relatives will react. Most of his friends and family have lost interest in writing or visiting. Arthur has not had physical contact with others for 37 years. How will he react to hugging his eleven grandchildren for the first time?
In 1979 at age 27, a young man with a 3rd grade education was placed in solitary confinement in the Pennsylvania prison system. 37 years later, Arthur Johnson remains in solitary with no foreseeable way back into the general prison population. Despite having a clean behavior record for 25 years, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections officials insist that he remain in solitary until his death.
Now 63 years old, Johnson suffers from prolonged isolation and lack of human interaction for almost four decades. Aside from necessary contact with prison guards, he has not touched another human being since 1979.
In May of 2016 Julie Burnett (Johnson’s closest relative), hears from a friend that he is on the front page of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Unbeknownst to her, a legal advocacy group called the Abolitionist Law Center is suing to have Arthur removed from the cruel and unusual punishment of solitary confinement. Finally, after all these years, there just might be hope that Arthur could get out of “the hole”.
Through letters and visits, Julie remains Arthur’s link to the outside world. As she consults with his lawyers at hearings, she reflects on the pain and brokenness wreaked by violence in her family. She tells of the five men in the family who have done time for murder.
Bret Grote, an activist lawyer from the Abolitionist Law Center meets with Julie and shares that Arthur has a fighting chance to be removed from solitary.
Even as Julie finds hope for Arthur’s situation, she now faces the question of how Arthur and his relatives will react. Most of his friends and family have lost interest in writing or visiting. Arthur has not had physical contact with others for 37 years. How will he react to hugging his eleven grandchildren for the first time?
