Draft:Bryan Seddens

Bryan Seddens
Bryan Lamont Seddens (born February 2, 1973) is an African American public speaker and Podcaster, who was convicted of a murder he did not commit, in St. Louis, MO, in 1990. He was convicted of First Degree Murder and received a Life Sentence at the age of 17. After serving 31 years in prison, Bryan was unexpectedly released in May 2021 due to Missouri Senate Bill 590. He is now a motivational public speaker, runs a successful podcast called "Growing up on Death Row at 17", and he is currently writing his autobiography.

Personal Life
Bryan Seddens was born on February 2, 1973 in the Lima, OH. He moved to St. Louis, Mo with his family at a very young age. He has one younger sister. Before he was convicted, Bryan fathered two daughters, and now has thirteen grandchildren. Bryan talks on his podcast, about how he felt rejected and alone after his mother made him live with his grandparents at a young age, because her new husband refused to raise another man's child.

Bryan grew up on the west side of the City of St. Louis. As a teenager, he hung out in a neighborhood local residents called, "The Horseshoe". There were tight-knit family bonds at its outset, until the introduction to drugs, gangs, and gun violence, that eventually plagued the community. As an adolescent, Bryan was surrounded by heavy gang activity in the neighborhood, which were primarily bloods.

Bryan is now a free man. He now lives a quiet life in Missouri but still makes time to advocate, spread awareness, and teach young people a better way.

The Crime and Conviction
On May 7th 1990, Bryan rode in a car with Jerome Wilhite and his uncle Larry Wilhite. During the drive, they made a stop by a liquor store and a White Castles restaurant. The group then spotted a group of people they knew standing near an intersection, they drove past the group a couple times and ultimately were involved in a drive by shooting.[3] A pregnant woman, Beatrice Mixon, 32, an innocent bystander inside a car nearby, was shot and killed. Bryan states in his speaking events and his podcast that he was not the shooter. He said that about a month after the incident he was arrested and told he was being charged for Beatrice's Murder.

Bryan was convicted of First Degree Murder, where he received a life sentence plus "consecutive 50 year terms on two charges of armed criminal action and 10 years in prison for first degree assault". He was sent to prison for life, at the age of 17. After serving 31 years in prison, Bryan was released in May 2021 due to Missouri Senate Bill 590. This Bill states that, "A person who was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole prior to August 28, 2016 for a crime committed before the person turned 18 years of age is eligible for a parole hearing after serving 25 years." He said he went through a lot while in prison.

Podcast
Bryan Seddens started his podcast called "Growing Up On Death Row at 17" as a way to share his story so that others don't follow the same path he took. The podcast is what Bryan describes as "real and raw". It is heard in over 22 countries around the world. The podcast unveils the raw chapters of his upbringing in the city of St. Louis, revealing the troubled path that led him to prison and the unconventional upbringing surrounded by men on death row. Each jaw dropping episode beckons listeners to the edge of their seats, providing unimaginable insight into the astonishing realities of life behind bars, with mind-blowing accounts that will leave a lasting mark. Bryan vividly recounts enduring solitary confinement for lengthy periods of time, witnessing crimes, and other activities in the adult prison system as a teenager throughout his adult years. Bryan gives a testament to resilience beyond even the limits of the strongest soul.

Public Speaking
Bryan Seddens started public speaking shortly after he was released in 2021. He passionately advocates for positive change in the justice system and empowering youth to avoid the life changing consequences of crime, drugs, and gangs. Bryan speaks to students and organizations to inspire people on both sides of the law and to advocate for change by telling his own experiences in a genuine and unfiltered way. Bryan was a presenter at an NDIA Conference in St. Louis, April 2023, he participated in a MacArthur Justice Center Missouri Prisons Virtual Town Hall, Dec 7th, 2022, he testified in front of Missouri Lawmakers Jan 23rd, 2023 to describe how mentally damaging it can be for juveniles in the adult prison system. He most recently spoke at an event at Washington University in St. Louis, in Jan 2024.