“You can’t judge a person by the worst thing they have ever done.”
That was the central message that David Garlock looked to convey to those who attended his presentation “Blood Brothers: Escaping Abuse Through Murder: on the campus of Emporia State University Monday night. This was Garlock’s second appearance at Emporia State in the past year and comes at a time when national attention is again focused on the 1989 murder case of Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were convicted of killing their parents in the den of their Beverly Hills home.
Garlock’s presentation brought a different perspective to the conversation as he and his brother found themselves in a very similar situation back in June of 1999 when they murdered a man who had abused them in their youth. Garlock notes that when comparing the two cases, several similarities are evident between them.
That said, Garlock noted there were also several differences, namely that he and his brother only served 13 and a half years of their 25-year sentence, being released in April of 2013 and later pardoned in the state of Alabama in 2021.
During our interview with Garlock on Monday afternoon, KVOE News asked him if he regretted the situation, to which he stated “Yes,” noting he and his brother did take a life. But when asked if he would go back and change it, he said he would not, as his time in incarceration was a time of evolution and needed change.
He stated that the David who went into prison was not the same individual who left just over 13 years later.
Since being released, Garlock married his wife and became a father in addition to an advocate for criminal justice reform. Garlock says when it comes to the criminal justice system, he believes it is important that, rather than focusing on punishment, we instead focus on rehabilitation and healing, adding that if he had the opportunity to make changes to the justice system, he would start by capping sentences at 20 years.
Garlock adds he believes there should also be adjustments made to parole and probation guidelines, noting that even when someone is released on parole, they’re still in a prison of sorts.
KVOE News did ask if exceptions should be made in that regard for serial killers or mass murderers as an example. Garlock would quote scripture and say that he believes everyone is capable of redemption, adding that rather than simply focusing on what someone might have done, we should focus as much energy on trying to understand why they did what they did.
You can find more information on Garlock, his story and his work across the country online at Davidgarlock.com.
