For the past two years, The House of The Lord Church in Akron has been the center of Lisa and Anthony Taylor's life. The Taylors are there all day Sunday; he sings in the choir and she helps with the spiritual dance ministry. But the Taylors had a secret they couldn't tell their friends in church. Then last July, they were surprised when their bishop Joey Johnson preached about it.
Joey Johnson: Sometimes people who have a warrant begin to feel disgust in themselves with who they are because of the warrant that is hanging over their heads, because of how other people look at them. But we're trying to give them air so they can breathe and come out and have dignity.
Anthony Taylor said it was as if their pastor had read their minds. Taylor had a suspended driver's license. His wife, Lisa, had a seven-year-old warrant out for driving with a suspended license. But the couple faced fines they couldn't afford. They'd bee n avoiding the situation and driving to work, even though if they were caught they could go to jail.
Anthony Taylor: Sometimes I'd take a chance on trying to drive the car. And that bondage was still on me.
Lisa Taylor: It was scary.
Anthony Taylor: And you're looking over your shoulder all the time knowing you got to get to work.
Their pastor explained that something called Fugitive Safe Surrender was coming to their church. For four days, the church gym would house a makeshift justice center. People with outstanding nonviolent warrants could turn themselves in -- and possibly get a break -- though none were guaranteed. Fugitives were fingerprinted, photographed and waited their turn before a judge. For Lisa Taylor, surrendering was one of the hardest things she's ever done.
Lisa Taylor: It was legitimate shame.
Saito: What do you mean legitimate?
Lisa Taylor: You knew you should've gotten the situation done beforehand and then you come and your pastor, your assistant pastors are here. But it was a shame that was okay to be shame because you were doing something right.
Fugitive Safe Surrender started two years ago after a Cleveland police officer was shot and killed by a fugitive. Peter Elliot, the U.S. Marshall for Northern Ohio, helped create the program and says its no get out of jail free card, though prosecutors and judges will take into account a fugitive's voluntary surrender.
Peter Elliott: For each (fugitive) that peacefully surrenders to us that's one less dangerous confrontation our law enforcement has to have on streets and residents have to face.
The program was authorized by congress last year and has now been held in six cities around the country. But not everyone is comfortable with the role of the church in this government program. Last year, the New Jersey state Supreme Court blocked a surrender program set for Camden because they were concerned about holding court proceedings in a religious building. Marshall Elliott says if a fugitive asks, they do have secular alternatives.
The fact that the Taylors could turn themselves in at church made all the difference for them. They wouldn't have surrendered anywhere else. The US Marshall's Office says nearly 80% of the fugitives who come to a Safe Surrender say the same thing.
Lisa Taylor: Sometimes you think a situation is going to be really bad, but actually when you face it..its like I was given a second chance...
Anthony Taylor: Amen.
Lisa Taylor: ...to clean up this part of my life. Its like a completion.
As a result of the Akron Safe Surrender program, Anthony Taylor got his license back. A judge gave Lisa Taylor community service instead of a $500 fine she couldn't afford. I'm Mhari Saito, 90.3.
