'For Life' Recap: Season 1 Episode 1

The pilot episode begins with an introduction to the life Aaron Wallace the series main character had before he got to jail. He used to be like you, a wife, a daughter, his business as a club owner, he paid his taxes and had his friends. Well, some friends he would have been better off without. A raid at his club, Aaron Wallace got arrested for drugs that weren’t his serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit.

9 years later, Aaron has a way to fight back. Due to some provision in the law that allows an inmate to study online and take the bar exams. Aaron Wallace becomes a defense attorney taking on cases of fellow inmates in the bid to fight the system that got him locked up for something he did not do.

Aaron’s first client is Jose Rodriguez, a fellow inmate that’s doing time for something he shouldn’t have. The case today is just for Aaron to argue why a retrial should be allowed in Jose's case.

The attorney for the state is O’Reilly, one of the prosecutors that took Aaron’s case 9 years ago and Aaron wasn’t expecting O’Reilly here but it’s okay, he is taking the fight to them.

The justice department would not let Aaron work over them. D.A Glen Maskins needs O’Reilly to make sure Aaron loses this case.

Marie, Aaron’s wife comes to see him with their Jasmine’s report card. Marie is with his friend Darius now but still loves Aaron. It turns out Aaron got a plea deal but would not take it. 

The prison warden Safiya has been coming up with lots of reforms in the prison system but the guards don’t seem to like them. Lots of improvement has taken place by her orders it for the guards to accept it and sell it to the inmates.

Wild Billy, the Supremacist leader in jail needs Aaron to look into one of his boys Joey Knox's case as prison’s rep. Wild Billy needs Joey out of solitary but Aaron would not represent Joey, this would affect his stand with his community.

Aaron has been working with Safiya, giving her information about the guards and the reforms she is putting up. Safiya also informs Wallace that he got the retrial. He needs to watch his back.

Aaron’s second day in court has Rodriguez on the stand to give his testimony. He was dating a girl that was 15 but he had to break it off because he was going to clock 18 because for an 18years old to date a 15years old girl is statuary rape. The night Rodriguez was going to break it off, he fell asleep and when he woke up he found her unconscious with a note saying she was going to kill herself. O’Reilly objects, there was no note at the scene and they have gone about this in the previous trial. The Judge allows it, she would only admit the note into evidence if there is any proof that the note was there. 

Aaron intends to call the drug dealer who sold Molly the drugs and officer on the scene who saw the suicide note.

After watching Aaron on TV talk about the failed justice system under Glen Maskins to the press, Maskins wants O’Reilly to drop anything else in his plate and not even contemplate losing this case. Maskins is in a race against Anya Harrison for AG of the state. Anya is also Safiya’s wife.

Anya shows Safiya the interview Aaron gave to the press and how it might affect her campaign with Maskins. It would only back Maskins into a corner where he going rattling out his way.

Jasmine wants to go see her father in jail, he needs to know she is pregnant. Marie does not think that’s a good idea, he would only think she failed and that’s not going to be good for her. Jasmine thinks Maríe is only protecting herself because her dad would think she is the one that failed. Darius tries to support Marie’s decision against her going but Jasmine tells him the fact that he is banging his best friend’s wife doesn’t give him an opinion before she storms into her room.

Marie has to go talk to her in her room. Darius is just trying to help the best way he can.

Marie is torn between accepting Aaron is never getting out of jail and not totally giving up on him because she still loves him.

After Aaron speaks with Freddy the drug dealer that sold the drugs to Molly six years ago, he agrees to give the right testimony in court that Molly was the one that got the drugs, not José.

Due to a two hours delay in the prison navigation system, Aaron missed the police officer who was supposed to testify in court today. Trying to still salvage his case, Aaron wants to call his second witness Freddy. O’Reilly shows him an affidavit from Fred’s lawyers affirming his testimony six years ago that Jose bought the drugs from him.

Aaron gets emotional at this point, shouting and pointing out that the D.A has tempered with his witness. The Judge decides not to hold Aaron in contempt rather advises that he pulls himself together before he loses his license that is already tenacious at this point.

The ride back to the prison is one that is depressing for both Aaron and Jose.

Aaron is welcomed by the disappointing look he gets from the guards and the inmates so he gets to his cell to vent his anger by throwing down boxes and files. His only consolation is pictures of his family. The need to get back to them.

Safiya has to talk sense into Aaron he cannot go spatting to the press before he even accomplishes anything.  Maskins intends to make the press look into Safiya’s relationship with Aaron. Aaron’s game plan was to rattle Maskins up hoping he makes a mistake but after the talk with Safiya, Aaron is going to stay away from the press and worry about his credibility.

After a visitation to Jose’s cell, Aaron comes up with a brilliant idea to forge the old suicide note Molly wrote when he sees a similar note Molly sent José in jail. 

First, Aaron calls Marie to help him get the exact stationery then makes a deal with Wild Billy. He would take on Joey’s case if he gets his guy to forge a letter for him. Aaron also uses the prison typewriter to send an anonymous letter to himself claiming to be one of the cops on the scene from the day Molly overdosed and the suicide note enclosed inside.

He does everything in time to hand Marie the letter back so she can post it back to him.

In a close meeting with the Judge, O’Reilly tries to state the letter was forged but there were no fingerprints found on the note. Aaron takes the opportunity to ask that Molly be subpoenaed to come to testify. They have already proved that the letter was in existence in the first place. The Judge allows it.

Molly is called to testify and her parents are in court as well as Glen Maskins, watching to see Aaron fail but Aaron nails it in court sending a message to Maskins as he does.

Aaron takes a big risk when he hands Molly the exact letter he and his guys forged. The suicide note she wrote 6years ago. It is the exact words that she used those years ago but this is not the note. Aaron gets Molly to state her parents destroyed the original version of the note because they did not want her going to jail for buying the drugs. Molly then apologizes to José, she lied all those years again.

Marie is in court and has some sliver of hope after watching Aaron win his first case.

Jose and his grandmother thank Aaron for what he did to get her grandson out.

Aaron gets back to jail and he is the inmate's hero now, more guys would be coming to him with their cases.

Safiya congratulates Aaron on his win but needs him to cool off till after the elections that’s the deal they made with Maskins. If he wins the election he would take away all reforms they made and also his license with one stroke of his pen.

Jasmine and Marie come to see Wallace. She finally shows her father the reason why she has not been coming to see him. She is having a boy and they are going to name him Aaron but she needs her father to get out so he can be a part of the blessing.

After Jasmine’s visit Aaron decides he is not playing the long game anymore, he does not care who he needs to fight from the guards, the inmates to Maskins, Aaron would get out and he would get his life again.