ASBURY PARK - One by one, the people around the table in a church basement shared their stories with Tom Morello about what they described as a form of torture.

Morello, 54, best known for his work in the bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, nodded as he listened to each story.

"The fortitude and the courage you all are showing is very inspiring in taking these steps to address this egregious issue of solitary confinement," Morello said.

Morello was in town to play a concert at the Stone Pony on Tuesday night. But along with his status as a rock star, Morello has been a longtime advocate and activist for social justice. The discussion at Allen Chapel A.M.E., nestled in the west side of Asbury Park, was hosted by the New Jersey Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement. The group, along with the American Civil Liberties Union, is advocating for a bill that would greatly limit the use of solitary confinement in New Jersey.

One of those who shared their story was Antonne Henshaw, 49, of Camden. He spent 30 years in New Jersey prison after being convicted of murder.

Seven of those years, Henshaw said, were spent in solitary confinement. He was released from prison last September, and the effects have lingered, he said.

He sought out therapy upon his release after realizing the toll confinement took on his mental health. Meanwhile, society had changed. He's learning to use cellphones, the internet and modern technology.

"I’m struggling to make a sense of a world that doesn’t exist anymore," Henshaw said.

Morello said he wanted to use his platform to help push for change.

"People outside of this room generally don’t know and don’t care," Morello said. "With regards to building empathy, I think hearing real people’s stories, everybody's story is to see the human face of it."

Nafeesah Goldsmith said solitary confinement leads to situations where power can be abused. Her story was chronicled by Jerry Carino in the Asbury Park Press earlier this year.

More:Solitary confinement for 60 days: Monmouth University student says it was 'diabolical'

“New Jersey ranks fourth in the country in the number of its prisoners who are held in isolation for more than six years,” said Amos Caley, an organizer with NJ-CAIC. “This is shameful."

According to a news release, the bill would prohibit any member of vulnerable populations, including people under 21, people aged 65 or older, people with developmental disabilities and mental illness or other serious medical conditions from being placed in isolation.

"Solitary confinement is loneliness like you could never have described," said Justice Rountree of Newark, who served 23 years in prison, before being released in 2016. "You lose all your senses, everything that you have that makes you human. It's torture."

Rountree said since his release he feels obligated to promote awareness and work for change in the criminal justice system.

"There are people that survived that and who are out there doing great things."

He counts himself as one of them.

Austin Bogues covers the city of Asbury Park and Neptune Township. He is spotlighting the changing landscape and development scene of both localities. Contact him at abogues@app.com;732-643-4009. Consider supporting local journalism by purchasing a subscription to the Asbury Park Press.