Justin Phillips’ health started deteriorating soon after police arrested him on drug charges in 2016. He grew gravely ill while waiting for his court date at the Smith County jail in Tyler, and doctors diagnosed him with kidney disease. Now, after serving more than 3 years of his 10-year prison sentence, Justin suffers from end-stage renal failure.
Justin, 40, and his wife, Casey, cited both his declining health and the progress he’s made behind bars in letters asking for his release on parole. During his time in lockup, Justin has successfully finished a gang-renouncement program, completed substance abuse counseling, and reconnected with his 7-year-old son, who now visits him regularly. “I am determined not to let my past define me, and I’m eager to prove I am a better person, and I’ve learned from my mistakes,” Justin wrote to the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole last September. “I want an opportunity to be a present and active father and husband to my family, as well as a productive member of society.”
