Mary Buser

Frank De Palma went to prison at 18 years old on a relatively minor charge that should have had him out in two years. Instead, he spent 43 years in prison – 22 of them in solitary confinement at Nevada’s Ely State Prison. Despite the lasting trauma caused by his time in solitary, he is determined to speak out against the horror of this brutal practice. In March 2021, he testified before the Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee in support of a bill to abolish solitary confinement. In collaboration with award-winning author, Mary Buser, he has published a book about his entire ordeal -- Never to Surrender! 22 Years in Solitary: The Battle for my Soul in a U.S. Prison.

Mary Buser is the author of the award-winning book, "Lockdown on Rikers: Shocking Stories of Abuse and Injustice at New York’s Notorious Jail," which is based on her work as an assistant mental health chief at Rikers Island. She met Frank De Palma when the two of them testified before the Nevada Senate Judiciary Committee as it considered abolition of solitary confinement. Deeply moved by Frank’s devastating story, as well as his fierce determination, the two quickly became friends and set to work writing Frank’s incredible story!