Monroe prisoners donate to Lakewood fallen officers fund
MONROE, Wash. -- The families of the four fallen Lakewood officers got money from an unexpected place -- prisoners.
Some prisoners in Monroe took their earnings and donated them to the fallen family fund.
"We don't have a cold heart," prisoner Joe Garcia said. "We see the children out there who are being raised without a father."
Anthony Snow added: "Knowing that as a father, being in prison and knowing what my children are going through not being at home personally."
Snow is serving a life sentence for rape, but he said he thought of his children when he heard Sgt. Mark Renninger, and officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards had been gunned down in a Lakewood coffee shop on Nov. 29.
"I deserve to be in a prison, to be honest with you," Snow said. "But there has to be a point where you say enough is enough and if I can give back I'll do that."
Snow and other prisoners couldn't sit by and do nothing. They pooled the small earnings they make in prison and gave that money to the fallen officers' families.
"They did their job arresting us and locking us up for the wrongs that we've done," Curtis Katon said. "And that's their job, and I have to give them respect for putting their lives on the line the way they do."
Garcia added, "There's compassion here inside these walls, there's men that have kids, there's men that see things. We're not callous."
Prisoners can't make any more than $55 a month. Most donated $10. One donated more than $100 -- two months worth of pay. But that didn't even cross Snow's mind.
"If I could give myself I would," he said. "Money will never cover the pain that they face."
Most who donated are with a group called Concerned Lifers because they are serving a life sentence. They spend their time mentoring kids to keep them out of a life of crime.
Some prisoners in Monroe took their earnings and donated them to the fallen family fund.
"We don't have a cold heart," prisoner Joe Garcia said. "We see the children out there who are being raised without a father."
Anthony Snow added: "Knowing that as a father, being in prison and knowing what my children are going through not being at home personally."
Snow is serving a life sentence for rape, but he said he thought of his children when he heard Sgt. Mark Renninger, and officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold and Greg Richards had been gunned down in a Lakewood coffee shop on Nov. 29.
"I deserve to be in a prison, to be honest with you," Snow said. "But there has to be a point where you say enough is enough and if I can give back I'll do that."
Snow and other prisoners couldn't sit by and do nothing. They pooled the small earnings they make in prison and gave that money to the fallen officers' families.
"They did their job arresting us and locking us up for the wrongs that we've done," Curtis Katon said. "And that's their job, and I have to give them respect for putting their lives on the line the way they do."
Garcia added, "There's compassion here inside these walls, there's men that have kids, there's men that see things. We're not callous."
Prisoners can't make any more than $55 a month. Most donated $10. One donated more than $100 -- two months worth of pay. But that didn't even cross Snow's mind.
"If I could give myself I would," he said. "Money will never cover the pain that they face."
Most who donated are with a group called Concerned Lifers because they are serving a life sentence. They spend their time mentoring kids to keep them out of a life of crime.