Apology the right step for ‘Muscles’ Davis

Stanley “Muscles” Davis’ last words before moving onto prison were worth their weight in gold.

“I would like to apologize to my family, my community, my wife and kids, and to the City of Trenton, which gave me an opportunity for a job. I just want to apologize,” Davis said. Apology accepted. Maybe a list of other local people caught up in FBI investigations could save us a lot of time, admit their guilt, apologize, then head off to temporary confinement.

Hamilton Township Mayor John Bencivengo and Trenton Mayor Tony Mack have allegedly classified their questionable money reception as “a loan” but they both may find themselves “a-lone” in prison.

Davis and co-workers Robert Keith Williams and Wally Nance were arrested after a prosecutor’s office sting netted them for performing private jobs while working for the Trenton Water Works.

Davis accepted a plea deal that acknowledged two counts of official misconduct.

Case closed now that Davis accepted full responsibility for a scheme that netted him thousands of dollars.

In fact, even before Davis fell, word on the street alerted that Mack’s half brother had a wad of cash that he flashed around city streets.

Big money eventually moved Davis toward a major fall from grace.

However, Davis took a significant step forward, and sounded right-minded, with an apology.

Real men admit their mistakes, then take whatever their actions deserve. In this case, it means six years away from freedom; six years removed from his wife and children; six years away from the television remote, NFL football even with poor performances by replacement refs; 72 months without a nice cold Corona.

For men who fall hard, it’s always either one of two items: money or women.

Davis, who had intimated that he might want to change his guilty plea, finally took his medicine. I don’t know if I could ever do a day behind bars. I’m not prison material although, depending upon the eye of the beholder, I could be a perfect prison victim.

Listen, I just did five days inside a local hospital suffering from a severe case of food poisoning. On separate days, I reluctantly shared a bathroom with two different patients.

No way in the world I could do six years in a cell with a guy who waters the toilet seat. I wear one of those hazardous material outfits just to remove my own pubic hair from my bathroom.

This is all sad because Mr. Davis had a good life as a supervisor with a half-brother as mayor. Good salary. Beautiful home. Nice pension down the road for a guy who had a few brushes with law enforcement, as Mayor Mack acknowledged.

Everything is shot now with a life behind bars for Davis followed by a society that punishes ex-cons. Work will be hard to find, but more importantly freedom is lost.

Young black men should understand that freedom remains a precious social commodity. The moment we are captured by the system, our lives turn into incredible challenges that usually lead us back to prison.

At least prison is not death. That’s a thought that connects to 19-year-old Tre Lane, the city’s 15th homicide victim. What a waste of a good life. Actually, Davis wasted a part of his good life.

Six years may sound like an eternity but it’s not death.

From this perch, Davis still has a chance to live a better life.