Eric Braswell

Home After 23 Years

Eric Braswell is, at heart, a true people person. As a maintenance technician, one of his favorite things is helping people and connecting with them at work. He says, “It’s the best job I’ve ever had. When they have plumbing issues, flooding, or they’re having a hard day…to see them with that sigh of relief at the end makes everything worth it.”

Just a couple of years ago, Eric was facing a sentence of 41-years-to-life. But he returned home from prison after serving 23 years, when San Diego District Attorney Summer Stephan used Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing to recommend his release.

Now 56 years old, Eric lives with his father, and they share a strong sense of faith. Eric is also a voracious reader and podcast listener. He is deeply interested in history and motivational speaking—anything that sharpens the mind.

As someone who loves to fix and tinker with things, Eric’s newfound hobby is flying drones. It allows him to explore nature in his hometown. He says one of the most bewildering sights after coming home from prison was the horizon line: “Seeing the ocean, the openness, the mountains, the horizon… I hadn’t seen that in 23 years.” We are so grateful that Eric is home, and we can’t wait to see all of the amazing things on his horizon.