About Frank
Susan Mantle Photography (@susanmanville)
Hello, and thanks for stopping by! My story is a bit unusual, to say the least -- I spent 43 years behind bars, including 22+ years in solitary confinement. I have the dubious distinction of being the longest living survivor of solitary in Nevada. How I survived it, I will never know. But this much I can say: solitary confinement is torture -- nothing less.
On December 21, 2018, I finally stepped out of prison, a free man. I was 62 years old -- a far cry from the vibrant 18-year-old I’d been when I was first sentenced on a relatively minor charge. Over the decades, my parents died, and the world had changed. Faced with poverty, homelessness, and failing health, my prospects for survival were grim. I well remember sitting upright on a park bench on a frigid winter night, afraid to lay down, fearful of drawing police attention. More than anything else, I wanted to remain free.
That was almost seven years ago, and with the help of friends, strangers, and I’m convinced -- a few angels – I’ve been slowly making my way in the world. In 2021, I testified before the Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee about the torture of solitary confinement. This testimony led to reforms, as well as the 2024 publication of my life story, Never to Surrender!
The whys and wherefores of why my life took the course it did is something I’ll never understand (My book explains everything that happened). But if all those decades, especially the years in solitary, are to have any meaning, then it would be for me to expose the depravity of life behind bars and in particular, to speak up for the voiceless – the 122,000 people hidden away and suffering inside solitary cells across the country. This is my purpose.
Thanks and feel free to drop me a line! I'd love to hear from you.
Unfortunately, due to my years of incarceration, I don't have many photos, but here are some recent pics.The first two were taken at a birthday party thrown for me by members of the Nevada ACLU. It was my first birthday party in over forty-five years. It was the best one ever!
Frank
Frank and friend, Jessica Taylor
Fatty
Frank with good friends, Nick Shepack and Bradlyn Wissert
Frank votes for the first time.
Casting his vote -- right on, Frank!
Frank with Dr. Karen Gedney
On a tour of the now-shuttered Nevada State Prison. This is where I was first sent for a non-violent offense when I was 18 years old. A smile for the camera, but an otherwise sober day.
Frank with filmmaker, Ash Jones
Frank as a boy