this is shawn mefford's story. >> my name is arthur mefford. i'm serving a 54-year to life sentence under the california three strikes law. >> arthur mefford was a career criminal with a string of aliases. these days he goes by shawn. >> i did drugs out there. i chased women out there. i shot dope for 20 years, and if i wasn't using you for my betterment and you weren't doing what i was doing, i was running over you and didn't care. >> but with a rap sheet that spans decades, there's one crime that still haunts him. >> i walked by this house. i thought it was empty. broke into the house. was confronted by a person, and i subdued him. i ransackled his house. i was in the house probably 15 minutes tops. >> mefford has never fully revealed all of the events that took place that night. he thinks he's finally ready to open up. >> hey, tower. >> but fears what may happen if he tells the whole story. >> you know, in my mind's mind tells me, you know what? suppress it, you know. deal with it yourself and be safe. >> on the yard the inmates have their o

earlier, shawn mefford shared his story with the group. he explained how a lifetime of abandonment and reckless behavior led to a crime that took decades to admit. a crime against a woman. this week's session is focused on the past. the counselors ask each of the inmates to go as far back as they can remember. now, ron brook must tell his story. >> i grew up in the san joaquin valley. and we moved a lot. we'd spend a year or two in one place and then move. i didn't know how to build strong friendships with anyone, because by the time i got to know somebody, i was moving. my parents did the best they could. i don't know how to describe it. and i saw the miserable life that they had and i knew that's what i had ahead of me. i thought she was looking down on me. >> brook felt abandoned by his parents but he says it was his mother who laid the foundation for his crime. >> when i was 5 or 6, i would play like any kid, and i would get bit by mosquitos like any kid. but when i'd get bit, they would turn into a blister. to keep them from getting i

>> amen >>> shawn mefford was a career criminal with a violent m.o. >> i would put fear in your life, >> but there's one crime that even he can't forgive. >> i tied a person up and terrorized him and left him on their floor tied up. one of the things that t

. >>> shawn mefford was a career criminal with a violent m.o. >> i would put fear in your life, and you >> but there's one crime that even he can't forgive. >> i tied a person up and terrorized him and left him on