Ben Owen

In and out, in and out. But my whole story is punctuated with highs and lows where everything looks great. I wasn't homeless for five years. I wasn't running from that warrant for five years. But all in, I was battling South Memphis for five years. That run stopped when they found me on that warrant. Wow. And, you know, we were talking about Godwinks.

In and out, in and out. But my whole story is punctuated with highs and lows where everything looks great. I wasn't homeless for five years. I wasn't running from that warrant for five years. But all in, I was battling South Memphis for five years. That run stopped when they found me on that warrant. Wow. And, you know, we were talking about Godwinks.

I feel like this was a missed Godwink on my behalf. But maybe not, because if I'd taken it, I wouldn't be sitting here with you today. Veterans Court refused to take my case. I did serve long enough to be eligible for Veterans Court, even though I don't get, like, VA benefits. I was eligible for that. They wouldn't take my case because of the gun charges.

I feel like this was a missed Godwink on my behalf. But maybe not, because if I'd taken it, I wouldn't be sitting here with you today. Veterans Court refused to take my case. I did serve long enough to be eligible for Veterans Court, even though I don't get, like, VA benefits. I was eligible for that. They wouldn't take my case because of the gun charges.

I feel like this was a missed Godwink on my behalf. But maybe not, because if I'd taken it, I wouldn't be sitting here with you today. Veterans Court refused to take my case. I did serve long enough to be eligible for Veterans Court, even though I don't get, like, VA benefits. I was eligible for that. They wouldn't take my case because of the gun charges.

They were convinced the feds were going to come after me. Now, I knew that wasn't the case because I legally owned the guns and I wasn't actually selling drugs. So I had faith that justice would prevail. But the drug court judge heard about my case and decided to take a chance on me. And he told me that if I would sign up for his program, he would send me to rehab and he'd pay for it.

They were convinced the feds were going to come after me. Now, I knew that wasn't the case because I legally owned the guns and I wasn't actually selling drugs. So I had faith that justice would prevail. But the drug court judge heard about my case and decided to take a chance on me. And he told me that if I would sign up for his program, he would send me to rehab and he'd pay for it.

They were convinced the feds were going to come after me. Now, I knew that wasn't the case because I legally owned the guns and I wasn't actually selling drugs. So I had faith that justice would prevail. But the drug court judge heard about my case and decided to take a chance on me. And he told me that if I would sign up for his program, he would send me to rehab and he'd pay for it.

And I jumped at it. And so... After spending two months out there in the traps, that run, I was actually excited. I thought, you know, things are going to be better. And he sent me to rehab. I spent 54 days in there. And, like, I was serious about it. I wanted to be clean. I did not want to go back to that life at all. I graduated the rehab program and got off to...

And I jumped at it. And so... After spending two months out there in the traps, that run, I was actually excited. I thought, you know, things are going to be better. And he sent me to rehab. I spent 54 days in there. And, like, I was serious about it. I wanted to be clean. I did not want to go back to that life at all. I graduated the rehab program and got off to...

And I jumped at it. And so... After spending two months out there in the traps, that run, I was actually excited. I thought, you know, things are going to be better. And he sent me to rehab. I spent 54 days in there. And, like, I was serious about it. I wanted to be clean. I did not want to go back to that life at all. I graduated the rehab program and got off to...

fairly good start on drug court I think I got released back into the free world early November and I made contact with Aaron you know I wanted to get back in the kids lives and I mean because this just hit them completely out of the blue like they didn't see any of this coming you know so from July to November there had been very minimal interaction with my kids they didn't know what the fuck was going on or I don't know what they knew

fairly good start on drug court I think I got released back into the free world early November and I made contact with Aaron you know I wanted to get back in the kids lives and I mean because this just hit them completely out of the blue like they didn't see any of this coming you know so from July to November there had been very minimal interaction with my kids they didn't know what the fuck was going on or I don't know what they knew

fairly good start on drug court I think I got released back into the free world early November and I made contact with Aaron you know I wanted to get back in the kids lives and I mean because this just hit them completely out of the blue like they didn't see any of this coming you know so from July to November there had been very minimal interaction with my kids they didn't know what the fuck was going on or I don't know what they knew

Let's put it that way. And, you know, Erin had filed for divorce. Her attorney told her it would help her if she got a restraining order against me. And so she did that. And they served me with it in the middle of drug court in front of everybody on my birthday. Like, that was humiliating. Mostly because I've never laid a finger on her. I've never threatened any of them.

Let's put it that way. And, you know, Erin had filed for divorce. Her attorney told her it would help her if she got a restraining order against me. And so she did that. And they served me with it in the middle of drug court in front of everybody on my birthday. Like, that was humiliating. Mostly because I've never laid a finger on her. I've never threatened any of them.

Let's put it that way. And, you know, Erin had filed for divorce. Her attorney told her it would help her if she got a restraining order against me. And so she did that. And they served me with it in the middle of drug court in front of everybody on my birthday. Like, that was humiliating. Mostly because I've never laid a finger on her. I've never threatened any of them.

I've never, you know, made her be afraid of me or the kids or any of that. But she had to attest that I've done all of those things on this piece of paper. So I did what any good addict would do, and I went and got high over that. Now, when they released me from rehab, they court-ordered me into Rebo's, which is a halfway house in Memphis, sober spelled backwards.

I've never, you know, made her be afraid of me or the kids or any of that. But she had to attest that I've done all of those things on this piece of paper. So I did what any good addict would do, and I went and got high over that. Now, when they released me from rehab, they court-ordered me into Rebo's, which is a halfway house in Memphis, sober spelled backwards.

I've never, you know, made her be afraid of me or the kids or any of that. But she had to attest that I've done all of those things on this piece of paper. So I did what any good addict would do, and I went and got high over that. Now, when they released me from rehab, they court-ordered me into Rebo's, which is a halfway house in Memphis, sober spelled backwards.