Calvin Buari was formerly a crack cocaine dealer in the Bronx, describing himself as young, flashy and foolish. He dropped out of school in the 10th grade to help his single mother with bills, and before long fell in with the wrong crowd. Pretty soon, money from drug deals came rolling in, and the teenager was able to buy the Air Jordans, Rolex watch, chains, and designer clothes he had always wanted. That decision, however, would have consequences. In 1992, His rivals took the opportunity to pin the murder of two brothers on him, with Calvin being sentenced to 50 years to life in prison. He originally kept up with his dealer lifestyle in prison, until he realized that he needed to change his life if he wanted to be exonerated and stay out of jail. Access to the Internet gave him the opportunity to earn his GED and take courses in criminal law. It wouldn’t be until 2017 that his conviction would be overturned, when 3 witnesses stepped forward, one who said she was with Calvin down the street when they heard the gunshots. She hadn’t known that he was arrested until seeing a news story years later. “Going to prison saved my life,” said Calvin. He said prison had the “butterfly effect” on him. He was initially a caterpillar, then he went through the cocoon phase in prison, and now that he’s out, he feels he’s in the butterfly phase. Calvin was awarded a $3.75 million settlement from New York State. Since being released from prison, he has opened a rideshare company called Ryderz Van Service that takes relatives to visit inmates at prisons in New Jersey and New York. Calvin, now 53, said he’s convinced that if he hadn’t been arrested on that fateful day in 1992, he would most likely would have died on the streets.
