In 1984 George was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the longest prison term to ever be imposed on a first-time non-violent offender in American history. While in federal prison, George was inhumanely held in an underground solitary confinement area for five years. After being released into the general population, George started to seek out different ways to assist his fellow inmates. Over the course of 32 years, one of George's most credited acts was preventing the hijacking of an aircraft by prisoners attempting to escape from Philadelphia to Oklahoma.
George Martorano not only taught yoga to his fellow inmates, but was also considered one of the most prolific writers in the Federal Prison System having authored over 31 books and numerous short stories, screenplays, and poems. George also started a creative writing course “The Write to Life,” which inevitably guided numerous inmates to receiving their GEDs and developing remarkable creative writing skills. George became a certified suicide watch counselor using himself as an example to help others lead themselves away from the darkness in prison, often saying: “if I have hope facing what I am facing every day so can you.”
In 2015, George was released from federal prison after serving 32 years. Since his release, George has continued in his attempt to better the lives of others and is now a motivational speaker as well as a cannabis advocate, and founder of Hip Hemp Cafe. Now, George's mission is to advocate for prison reform and to help remove the stigma associated with cannabis.
