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Laura Yuen and Evan Frost

Photos and audio: For a marriage made in prison, the going gets tough

Elizer and Shaundelle Darris sit for a portrait.
Elizer and Shaundelle Darris sit for a portrait in the dining room of their Minneapolis home the day after Eli was released from prison on Oct. 18, 2016. Shaundelle had difficulty finding housing that would accept Eli with his criminal record, but was able to secure an apartment in the Phillips neighborhood with help from a family member.
Evan Frost | MPR News

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One part of Elizer Darris' life that has confounded him since his release from prison is his marriage. He and his wife, Shaundelle, met and married while he was incarcerated.

Experts say many couples experience stresses when one spouse comes home from prison. Elizer and Shaundelle fit that pattern.

On the anniversary of his release, we invited them into the studio to have a conversation about their life together. Listen to an excerpt of that discussion.

Gallery
10 of 10
Eli and Shaundelle order at Dairy Queen.
Shaundelle leans on Elizer's shoulder while they decide what to order at Dairy Queen in Minneapolis on Oct. 19, 2017. Eli ate his ice cream in the car while Shaundelle ate at a picnic table.
Evan Frost | MPR News
1 of 10
Elizer and Shaundelle Darris sit for a portrait.
Elizer and Shaundelle Darris sit for a portrait in the dining room of their Minneapolis home the day after Eli was released from prison on Oct. 18, 2016. Shaundelle had difficulty finding housing that would accept Eli with his criminal record, but was able to secure an apartment in the Phillips neighborhood with help from a family member.
Evan Frost | MPR News
2 of 10
Shaundelle drops Eli off at work.
Eli and Shaundelle share a kiss before he heads to his first day working at a Minneapolis telemarketing firm on Oct. 24, 2016. Shaundelle regularly drove Eli to work and his other engagements until he got his license in the fall of 2017, nearly a year after he was released from prison.
Evan Frost | MPR News