A mysterious entity becomes judge and executioner to unsuspecting citizens who display a particular type of deplorable behavior. ***FINALIST in 2021 Script Awards Los Angeles***

SYNOPSIS:

After many calls for justice from enslaved and oppressed Black people, Ori is sent as an answer from Heaven to observe, judge, and sentence White people who harbor racist views to various amounts of hard time in prison, according to their level of wickedness. However, Ori’s prison is not made of brick and mortar. These convicts’ “prisons” will be the day-to-day existence in a Black body.

I Hereby Sentence You was inspired by a simple idea that was sparked two decades ago: what if White people had to "serve time" in a Black body with the goal of being rehabilitated from their racist ideals/views/behavior? To walk a mile in Black people's shoes, so to speak.

State Senator Stewart Mendelson is sentenced to 20 years of being Black for drafting the Three Strikes Law (amongst other laws that disproportionally affect Blacks). As young Black Khalil, Stewart makes a few poor decisions and ultimately lands in a brick and mortar prison for life — ironically serving two concurrently running sentences — caught up in an unforgiving legal system courtesy of the very law he crafted as a White legislator. Finally aware of the magnitude of his actions, Stewart repents by helping younger POC inmates navigate the complex legal/penal system to exonerate themselves.

Stewart's noble efforts and promise to spend his life atoning for his sins attracts the attention of Ori, who allows him to resume his previous life. A reformed Stewart joins forces with his sworn enemies to reverse the Three Strikes Law and fight other racial injustices in the legal/penal system.

Officer Timothy Holly is sentenced to 15 years of being Black for repeatedly harassing and detaining innocent young Black males. He's also killed a few for "lack of compliance" and arrested hundreds more on trumped up charges.

Timothy experiences first-hand all the terror and violence he has dished out his entire career from the point of view of several Black men — Tyrone, Terrence, and Tahid, respectively — courtesy of his colleague Officer Cunningham.

After almost becoming Officer Cunningham's latest murder victim, Timothy finally understands the impact of his horrible actions. His changed attitude attracts Ori's attention, and Ori allows him to resume his previous life.

Heather White is sentenced to 10 years in a Black body for discriminating against her direct report, a recent grad named Melanie. As young Black Chinue, Heather suffers the indignities of racial discrimination at the hands of her White supervisors in Corporate America. After realizing the damage she caused to her Black direct reports' careers, Heather vows to become an ally in the fight against racial discrimination.

Sheltered Korean housewife, Mrs. Holly (Officer Timothy Holly's wife), is sentenced to five years as six-year-old Renee for being more hospitable to destructive, feral, White Cathy than well-behaved Black Renee. After being called the N-word at Cathy's house during a playdate, Mrs. Holly (as Renee) is now treated as "the other," just for existing in Black skin.

The wake-up call causes Mrs. Holly to do some much-needed reflection to shed her racially biased views towards other people of color. She realizes her perceived cocoon of White privilege transferred to her via marriage to her White husband doesn't really exist outside of her head.

The experience cuts deep and hard, transforming Mrs. Holly to the extent that Ori gives her early release from her sentence.