J.M.J.

Kevin G is dead, my uncle is in jail and my family is sad.  I struggled with sleeping for a while, and I could see Kevin coming back to “off” me since I was the one who told my uncle that my mom left.  10 days after the incident, my uncle was bailed out and was home, I was so happy to see him. We went to the park and I remember the conversation we had like it was yesterday. He said to me: “Duke, no matter what happens from this point forward, I want you to know that I love you like my son.”  He continued by saying: “I want you to promise me one thing, you will never let anyone hurt your mom, auntie, grandma or sister…no one.”  I looked at him and responded ” I Promise.” I didn’t really know what I was agreeing to but it would all come to light later in life…

The trial started and the process seemed like it lasted for eternity. I watched as the prosecutors and defense attorneys went back and forth.  I didn’t really understand what was taking place.  The moment that I feared the most had finally come on day 4 of the trial, I was called to the stand.  After taking the oath, I was asked by the Defense Attorney to explain what happened. I explained the situation exactly as it happened.  The defense had no other questions and neither did the prosecutor.   I was so scared that maybe I didn’t tell the story right.

The trial continued into the next day in which both sides rested their cases. The jury went into the back and we were sent to lunch. While sitting in the car with my uncle, he began to play Kirk Franklin and the Family.  We listened to “Sliver and Gold.”  I didn’t understand why we listened to this song over and over or why my uncle was crying.

We went back into the court after lunch and waited on the jury to reach a decision.  Time passed by and around 2:30PM, the Jury had made a decision.  My uncle was found not guilty. My family jumped up and cheered, while the judge tried to regain control.

My uncle is free and life continues..….J

While coping with the somewhat loss of my father, along comes my mom’s new boyfriend Kevin G…. He started out “cool” stepping into the role of the “father” that I no longer had, but boy did that change….Out with the nice and in with the abuse. Kevin unleashed his controlling and abusive ways. Kevin began to invoke physical abuse on both me and my mother. Kevin would beat me with anything he could find, timing belts, switches, and any type of solid object.  Kevin gave my mom black eyes, broken bone, and concussions. I was too young to do anything. Good Friday 1996, my mom finally gathered the courage and that night, me and my sister waited by the door for the queue from my mom and we ran to the car, my mom followed and we drove off to my Grandma’s house… that night we didn’t hear anything for Kevin G. That weekend, early Easter Sunday, my mom decided she was going to go back to the house and grab our Easter clothes for Church…. My mom left and after an hour she hadn’t returned and I had this feeling that something wasn’t right. I went and woke my uncle… I told him where my mom really went. He grabbed his rifle and we jumped in the car.  We arrive at the house and saw my mom’s car. I grabbed the spare key and we went in. We didn’t hear any noise, we turned the corner and the bed room door was closed, I reached for the key and proceeded to unlock the door.  At this time, Kevin G saw me and my uncle as he was striking my mom and he turned his path to strike me, my uncle pushed me out of the way and fired “1” shot, which turned out to be fatal…. down falls Kevin G and I strike out the house running across to get my cousin who was a GSP Trooper. When I got to my cousins house, I was out of breath and began banging on the door. When he answered I couldn’t talk I could only say “shot.” We jumped in the car and drove over, by this time, the sheriffs and paramedics were on the scene and Kevin G was pronounced “DOA” and my uncle was arrested and later charged with 2nd degree manslaughter…

Life goes on.. To be continued..  J…

September 12, 1994, the unthinkable happened… My mother and father decided that it was best that they separated… now one would think that I wouldn’t suffer as bad, but after my fathered remarried, it’s like he forgot about  me and my sister.. he became a “daddy by check” and he barely lived up to those responsibilities.  His “new” wife hated us… How so? Let me fill you in… When we would stay with her and my dad went to work, we would wake up in the morning and like normal kids, we would be hungry and she would tell us that we had to wait until my dad came home while her kids were eating…yes.. she hated us.. after the divorce, my dad basically walked out on us.. I felt like an outcast, why didn’t he love me? What could I have done to make him proud???

To be continued…. J

After 22 hours of labor,  I entered into this world 8 lbs 10oz.. It was a joyous moment  but life wasn’t all apples and kiwis… Life was fine, but my mom says she noticed a change in me after….

Welcome to my Life…

Markell