Dear Steve,

Sorry for not having written to you for two days, but you have to know that’s also very difficult for us – your father, Jerry and me – to deal with this situation, too. We have never imagined having to visit our own son in jail one day. But now, unfortunately, you are involved in a trail on robbery where you didn’t join in. This is unbelievable, isn’t it? I’m sure you remember quite well the day, where the police caught you at home and forced you to come with them. It was the worst moment in my life till now. To see someone’s own son to be arrested because of having served as lookout of a robbery, where a man coincidentally was killed, is the most terrible thing that can happen to a mother, who loves her children more than her own life. But as you know, I will support you the most that I can. To my mind, there is no doubt that you are innocent. Is it enough evidence to be guilty of a crime to be a black young boy, who lives in Harlem? Unfortunately today it seems to be. Though the world can be injustice, God will help and rescue you. The only thing you have to do is to believe in yourself and to keep not giving up. Perhaps it is your destiny to spend this short time in prison and to make your own experience. And if you think that you despair of prison life you have to think about the things that you love – the things you are able to do when you are home again –. We miss you all very much. Especially Jerry always wants to know where you are but we didn’t tell him the truth, because it would be too hard for him to know that his lovely brother is locked up in a cell with inmates who committed felonious crimes. He couldn’t handle this situation. I’m sorry to say, but your father also has a big problem with dealing with it. Yesterday he talked to me and he said that he was no longer sure of who you are and that he didn’t understand you even knowing people like James King, Richard “Bobo” Evans or Osvaldo Cruz. I’m telling you his point of view because I want you to understand why he hasn’t visited you in prison yet. In my opinion, he needs more time to get used to it. He has to run over the happenings and to order his thoughts. Just give him time! Fortunately, you have luck with your defense attorney. Someone told me that she is doing a very good job and that she wins quite every trial. Have you already talked to her about your chances to be acquitted? I’m going to phone her tomorrow to get an overview about how the trial will pass and to be able to give you an emotional preparation for it. Well, anyway, I’m going to visit you on Tuesday and I hope that you are able to talk more about your feelings and opinion on the trial than you did last time. Chin up!


I love you,
Mum

Julia J.