Prison Journalism: Tragic story of Jerry's life and crimes

Prison Journalism: Tragic story of Jerry's life and crimesDavid van Nek was incarcerated in Pollsmoor Prison from 2013 until 2015 and participated in the restorative justice programme.

by David van Nek

19-04-2024 08:47

in Prison Journalism

Prison

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Warning: This article features content which readers may find disturbing

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Okay, let's hit the road. Today, let me talk about Jerry. Jerry was burned on the the face in Kroonstad. Jerry was the smallest son of two boys and a girl. While Jerry grew up in Kroonstad, his mother and father had their own businesses. His father owned taxis, and his mother ran a tavern that she was running on her own. They grew up together with their parents.

Cultural Traditions and Early Relationships In the same families, they have their own culture. As a boy, your family chooses a young girl for you, and you will grow up with her. Both families will make arrangements to say when you grow up, you will get married. So, from primary school, you two will be lovers. In high school, I think that the families around them know I buy from about 10 years ago already with a lady in your life. In high school, the same stays when there are ups and downs, the family must be informed so that the family can fix things between you, bro. The two fathers of both families will become best friends with the hope that their children will get married, and the family will be a big family.

Family Business and a Turn for the Worse Their families have cows, sheep, and everything. The families supply weed, which brings a lot of money in. They grow it at home so they can sell it to some townships nearby. They have a king, and the king knows about it. Alright, after their high school career, everything was fine. They are clothing from primary years. Okay, by this time, they just finished high school and the following year, they were to get married. Jerry said his father is an owner and the whole family came from some township. They had the time of their lives when they arrived at home, still in the party mood. Jerry was in heaven within, hitting the bottle hard until the morning with his friends. They were sitting in the tavern.

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A Night of Shocking Discoveries Something was not right. Jerry, in the tavern, I went to his room. He arrived there, saw his father with his girlfriend in his bed. He went to his father's bedroom, opened the safe, took the gun, came back, and shot his father and his girlfriend dead. Both of them, the gunshot went off. Now they are all in fear. His brother's mother and sister arrived in a speed. When they came, they never said anything because there was the evidence in front of them. Both were naked; the scene was bloody. That same night, the police arrived and took Jerry to the cells to stay the weekend in iron bars. Jerry was in jail for three months. Jerry said their family lawyer tried everything they could, but the judge is the last big boss. The judge had the say. The judge sentenced Jerry for two murder cases. A hefty 32 years.

Jerry's Reflections and Regrets I met Jerry at Voorberg, and by this time, Jerry was only just 10 years into his sentence. You know, the inmates are on Facebook. I will only give his name and met his surname last weekend. We had a chat. He told me that for 32 years of his life, he stayed without freedom. This had been mere since he became a young man; he was shaped to marry a wife for him. It is a must to have a wedding first, but now, what happens? Jerry never had sex with his girlfriend, so-called wife. No, his father had eaten his plate, finished, so he had no choices. He said when he went to his father's bedroom, Jerry made a choice to say that he will kill them both. He said he knows that he was in shock. He said the time he was in the holding cells, he asked for forgiveness.

DISCLAIMER: Submission published as received

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Should you wish to assist in the rehabilitation of former inmates and help put money into the pockets of those who have struggled to earn a living during and after incarceration, click HERE

RESTORE is an NGO based in Cape Town, South Africa, providing inmates at Pollsmoor Prison with restorative justice opportunities.

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