Joel Castón

Joel Castón
Member of D.C. Sentencing Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office
February 6, 2024
Commissioner of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 7F
In office
June 29, 2021 – January 2, 2023
Personal details
Born1976 or 1977 (age 47–48)[1]
Washington, D.C., U.S.[2][3]

Joel Castón (/dʒoʊˈɛl kæsˈtoʊn/, joe-EL kas-TONE[4]) is an American politician and convicted murderer who is currently serving on the Washington, D.C. Sentencing Commission. In 2021, Castón was elected to serve as the commissioner for Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) district 7F07 while imprisoned in the D.C. Jail for murder, where he completed his sentence of over 20 years prior to being paroled. He became the first incarcerated person to win an election in the city and served on the ANC from June 2021 to January 2023.[5][6] The election was the first in U.S. history where both the electorate and winning candidate were incarcerated.[7] In February 2024, Castón was appointed to the D.C. Sentencing Commission, which helps shape sentencing guidelines for judges and prosecutors in D.C. Superior Court.[8][9]

Early life and incarceration

Castón was raised in Ward 8 of Washington, D.C.[6] His parents separated when he was a child due to his dad's alcoholism.[6] At age 12, Castón began dealing drugs with his cousins.[6][10] When he was fifteen, his house was destroyed in a fire and his family was left homeless.[6] In November 1994, Castón was charged with first degree murder in the shooting death of Rafiq Washington which occurred on August 14, 1994.[6][11] In 1996, he was sentenced to 35 years to life.[6] Castón was incarcerated a federal prisons until he was transferred to the D.C. Jail in 2016.[12]

While incarcerated, Castón earned a GED and took courses hosted by Georgetown University. Castón also led a jail newspaper and wrote papers on criminal justice reform.[6] He was a Christian worship music leader, a financial literacy officer, and started a mentorship program called the Young Men Emerging Program.[13]

Kim Kardashian filed a motion for Castón's release.[6] He was granted parole in April 2021, and released from prison in November 2021.[6][14]

Political career

In November, 2020, Castón sought to run for the vacant Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat 7F07, but was disqualified due to his voter registration showing his old address in Ward 8.[6] On June 15, 2021, while still residing in the D.C. Jail, Castón was elected to fill the seat, winning about a third of the vote.[6][12][15] The Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat had been created in 2013, but Castón was the first person to hold the seat and the first incarcerated person elected to public office in Washington, D.C.[12][15][6] In the election, Castón beat four other incarcerated candidates.[12][16]

Castón was sworn into office on June 29, 2021.[17] While incarcerated, Castón was given a laptop or tablet, an email account, and a workspace within the D.C. Jail to work on his ANC duties.[6] After being granted parole, he continued to represent the district while living at a new apartment complex across the street.[18][19][20] He successfully campaigned to have a new district made for just the jail, to exclude the growing apartment complex.[21] Leonard Bishop was sworn in as the first commissioner of the new district, 7F08, in 2023.[22][23]

In January 2024, Castón was nominated to serve as one of 17 members of the D.C. Sentencing Commission, which would help shape sentencing guidelines in the city. US Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves opposed Castón's nomination, saying that current sentencing guidelines led to a "revolving door" for those prosecuted in the D.C., and that Castón would further reduce incarcerations during a period of rising crime. A vote on Castón's nomination, scheduled for January 9, 2024, was postponed by D.C. Council chairman Phil Mendelson, saying that the temperature was "too high" after Graves' objections.[8][24][25] A majority of council members favored Castón's appointment, while mayor Muriel Bowser supported Graves' concerns.[25][9] On February 6, Castón was appointed to the sentencing commission as one of 12 voting members. 12 city council members voted in favor of Castón, with one, Brianne Nadeau, voting present.[9]

Personal life

Castón has one daughter.[6] Castón is a Christian.[13] He speaks Spanish, French, Arabic, and Mandarin.[13]

References

  1. ^ Adams, Biba (June 17, 2021). "Joel Caston becomes 1st incarcerated person in Washington D.C. to win elected office". TheGrio. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "'I May Be Incarcerated, But My Voice Still Matters.': Resident At D.C. Jail Wins Local Election". DCist. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Weil, Julie Zauzmer (December 21, 2020). "While incarcerated in the D.C. jail, a candidate fights for an ANC seat". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  4. ^ District of Columbia Department of Corrections (June 21, 2021). Candidates running for ANC7F07 Commissioner, June 2021 ANC election, Washington DC (Video). Neighbors for Justice. Event occurs at 7:11. Retrieved December 16, 2023 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ "Joel Castόn". OpenANC. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Lai, Stephanie (July 5, 2021). "D.C. reforms gave inmates a vote. Now an elected official is working from jail". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  7. ^ Dwyer, Devin; Cruz, Abby; Herndon, Sarah (August 1, 2021). "Elected from jail, DC official advances voting rights and racial justice". ABC News (Video and article). Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  8. ^ a b "DC Council's nomination for the sentencing commission faces pushback from US Attorney". wusa9. January 8, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Man convicted of murder appointed to D.C. sentencing commission". The Washington Post. February 6, 2024.
  10. ^ Dwyer, Devin; Cruz, Abby; Herndon, Sarah (August 1, 2021). "Elected from jail, DC official advances voting rights and racial justice". ABC News. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  11. ^ Thomas-Lester, Avis (December 5, 1994). "DELTA UNIT PROGRESS REPORT". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c d Austermuhle, Martin (June 16, 2021). "'I May Be Incarcerated, But My Voice Still Matters.': Resident At D.C. Jail Wins Local Election". DCist. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Lai, Stephanie (June 17, 2021). "26 years after being convicted of murder, a D.C. jail inmate is elected to public office". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  14. ^ Gathright, Jenny (November 23, 2021). "Ward 7 ANC Commissioner Joel Castón Is Free After 26 Years Of Incarceration". dcist.com. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Prison Scholar Joel Caston Elected to Local Government". Georgetown University. June 17, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  16. ^ "'My Voice Still Matters.': Resident At D.C. Jail Wins Local Election". NPR. June 17, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  17. ^ Doerfler, Grace (July 16, 2021). "How Jesuit-educated Joel Castón became the first person to win an election from jail". americamagazine.org.
  18. ^ Gathright, Jenny (November 23, 2021). "Ward 7 ANC Commissioner Joel Castón Is Free After 26 Years Of Incarceration". DCist. WAMU. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  19. ^ Gathright, Jenny; Austermuhle, Martin (June 6, 2022). "Last-Minute Changes To New ANC Boundaries Draw Pushback And Concern Over Fate Of D.C. Jail Seat". DCist. WAMU. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  20. ^ Gathright, Jenny (November 23, 2021). "Ward 7 ANC Commissioner Joel Castón Is Free After 26 Years Of Incarceration". DCist. WAMU. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  21. ^ Gathright, Jenny (November 23, 2021). "Ward 7 ANC Commissioner Joel Castón Is Free After 26 Years Of Incarceration". DCist. WAMU. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  22. ^ Ryals, Mitch (May 9, 2023). "Leonard Bishop Wants to Give Incarcerated People Access to D.C. Council Hearings and ANC Meetings". Washington City Paper. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  23. ^ Hall, Lorenzo (February 16, 2022). "DC elected leader adjusts to freedom and new role after release from jail". WUSA. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  24. ^ "'Stop this revolving door': US attorney pushes back on DC Council's sentencing commission nominee". wtop. January 8, 2024.
  25. ^ a b "D.C. Council delays vote on controversial nominee to sentencing commission". Washington Post. January 9, 2024.