WHEN I LOOKED AT JACK'S FACE INITIALLY,
I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT IT WAS PERTAINING TO JAMIE.
I JUST KNEW IT.
ALL I COULD DO WAS SAY, "I'll NEVER LAUGH AGAIN."
ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN AT NIGHT...
AND...
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN,
AND DARKNESS STARTS COMING IN.
AT FIRST, IT WAS A LITTLE... YOU KNOW, I WAS LIKE, "NAH.
NAH," YOU KNOW, "IT'S A BUNCH OF BULL."
BUT, YOU KNOW, AFTER HEARING IT AND HEARING IT
AND HEARING IT TWO OR THREE TIMES,
THEN IT WASN'T A BUNCH OF BULL.
I NEVER RAN ACROSS A CASE LIKE THIS WITH THAT MUCH DECEIT.
IT WAS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THING, I THINK.
I WOULD HOPE, ANYWAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
HE WAS JUST KIND OF LOOKING UP LIKE, "GOD, HELP ME."
AND TO ME, IT FELT LIKE HE WAS PRAYING FOR FORGIVENESS,
BECAUSE WHATEVER HAD HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THAT MOMENT,
HE KNEW THAT HE HAD BEEN WRONG,
AND HE NEEDED TO BE GONE BECAUSE GOD WAS CALLING HIM,
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE. YOU'RE HARMING OTHERS,
AND YOU'RE HARMING YOURSELF. I'M TAKING YOU HOME."
Captions by VITAC... www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
JACK WAS AN ORDAINED BAPTIST MINISTER,
AND WE BELIEVE IN A GOOD, CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION.
I LIKE FAMILY BEING WHAT I THOUGHT A FAMILY SHOULD BE,
AND SO CHRISTMAS PROBABLY IS MY SPECIAL TIME OF THE YEAR,
AND OF COURSE, IT'S CHRIST'S BIRTHDAY.
CHRISTMAS 1994, I GOT UP EARLY.
I HAD A LOT TO DO.
I STILL HAD SOME GIFTS TO WRAP.
I HADN'T SEEN OR HEARD FROM JAMIE IN TWO DAYS,
BUT I KNEW HE'D BE HOME.
SO, I HAD A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS GOING AT ONE TIME,
MAKING EVERY COOKIE POSSIBLY IMAGINABLE.
I WAS GETTING READY TO PUT A HAM IN THE OVEN.
AND STILL... GETTING MORE ANXIOUS BY THE MOMENT
THAT I'M NOT GETTING A CALL KNOWING WHERE JAMIE IS.
AND I WAS JUST REALLY PRAYING THAT HE WAS SAFE.
I HADN'T BEEN OUT OF THE HOUSE ALL DAY.
SO, I SAID I WOULD TAKE STRIPES FOR HIS WALK,
BUT I WAS SO AFRAID TO LEAVE THE HOUSE
BECAUSE I KNEW, AS SOON AS I DID,
THAT THAT CALL WOULD COME,
AND... I WALKED IN THAT HOUSE...
...AND I TOOK ONE LOOK AT JACK...
...AND I KNEW THE PHONE HAD RANG.
I KNEW IN MY HEART THAT IT WAS PERTAINING TO JAMIE.
I JUST KNEW IT.
AND I KNEW THAT HE WAS TRYING TO CHOKE BACK THE TEARS.
OH, GOD.
BUT HE MUSTERED UP AN EFFORT
AND TOLD ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A KILLING.
OH, MY GOD.
USUALLY, PASTOR BOOTH CAME INTO THE CHURCH
BY 7:00 ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
I THINK WHAT DREW PEOPLE TO HIS STYLE OF PREACHING
WAS HOW HE MADE YOU FEEL THAT,
"HEY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES.
PEOPLE CAN BE FORGIVEN."
SERVICE WAS SUPPOSED TO START AT 7:00 THAT NIGHT.
SO, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CLOCK, AND HERE, TIME IS TICKING AWAY,
AND IT'S GETTING TO BE 7:15, AND MY DAUGHTER KEEPS SAYING,
"MOMMY, WE GOT TO GO. SOMETHING IS WRONG.
WE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE."
IT'S LIKE SHE KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.
I NEVER NOTICED HIM TO BE LATE BEFORE,
ESPECIALLY A CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE.
AND THEN A GENTLEMAN IN THE CONGREGATION SAID
HE WOULD GO OUT AND CHECK THE TRAILER
AND SEE WHY HE WASN'T COMING IN.
THE MAN COMES RUNNING BACK INTO THE CHURCH.
HE SAID, "PASTOR HAS BEEN SHOT."
SO, I GOT UP, AND I SAID, "I'M A NURSE,"
AND I WENT TO HIS TRAILER.
MY HUSBAND OPENED THE DOOR, WENT IN...
...AND THERE HE WAS.
THERE'S BLOOD EVERYWHERE.
AND I SAID THAT NO, I COULDN'T HELP HIM.
IT WAS TOO LATE.
AND I STILL REMEMBER, HE HAD BLACK PANTS ON
AND A PLAID-LOOKING SHIRT ON.
HIS SHIRT WAS AT...
YOU COULD SEE WHERE HE WAS CUT ACROSS THE ABDOMEN.
ALSO, THEY TOOK THE KNIFE. IT WAS A KNIFE.
YOU COULD TELL BECAUSE HE WAS CUT FROM EAR-TO-EAR,
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF BLOOD FROM THAT.
AND HE WAS JUST KIND OF LOOKING UP LIKE, "GOD, HELP ME."
AND TO ME, IT FELT LIKE HE WAS PRAYING FOR FORGIVENESS
BECAUSE WHATEVER HAD HAPPENED RIGHT BEFORE THAT MOMENT,
HE KNEW THAT HE HAD BEEN WRONG.
YOU JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE
THAT SOMEONE WOULD KILL HIM LIKE THAT, TO DO THAT TO HIM,
BUT I KNEW THAT IT HAD TO BE SOMEONE THAT KNEW HIM
BECAUSE THEY WERE VERY, VERY ANGRY.
HE ONLY LOVED PEOPLE. THAT'S ALL.
I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY.
A HEARTBROKEN COMMUNITY.
FILLED THE CHRISTIAN FAITH TABERNACLE CHURCH.
THEIR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION TURNED INTO A MEMORIAL SERVICE
FOR REVEREND SAMUEL BOOTH.
WE'RE JUST DEVASTATED BECAUSE HE WAS SUCH A LOVING MAN.
I THINK THE DEVIL WAS JUST OUT STRIKING AT US.
I FOUND OUT BOOTH WAS MURDERED BY GETTING A CALL.
FROM A HOMICIDE DETECTIVE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
HE SAID, "WELL, I NEED SOME INFORMATION ON SAMUEL BOOTH."
SO, I SAID TO HIM, "WHAT'S THE DEAL?
IS BOOTH INVOLVED IN A HOMICIDE?"
HE SAID, "HE WAS MURDERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE."
AND I SAID, "WHAT?!"
HE SAID, "YEAH, HE WAS MURDERED ON CHRISTMAS EVE
IN HIS TRAILER BEHIND HIS CHURCH."
UNBELIEVABLE.
SO, I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, "POETIC JUSTICE,"
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOT WISHING ILL ON ANYBODY,
BUT IF ANYBODY DESERVED IT, IT WAS HIM.
MY PHARMACIST CALLED HIM "THE PREACHER."
AFTER I REALIZED WHAT THESE PEOPLE WERE TELLING ME,
I WAS TOTALLY IN AWE.
I MEAN, I WAS SHOCKED.
HOW CAN YOU LIVE THESE TWO LIVES AND GET AWAY WITH IT?
YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RIGHTEOUS PATH.
WHEN JAMIE WAS BORN, AND WHEN I LOOKED INTO JACK'S FACE,
THIS WAS ABOUT HIS PRIDE-AND-JOY BOY.
THAT'S WHAT HE ALWAYS CALLED JAMIE,
WAS HIS PRIDE-AND-JOY BOY.
TO LOOK AT JAMIE'S FACE, I MEAN,
HE JUST SEEMS LIKE A HAPPY TEENAGER.
AT THE BEACH, I WOULD'VE HAD NO IDEA
THAT MY SON WAS DOING DRUGS.
APPARENTLY, THIS IS AROUND THE AGE THAT HE STARTED USING IT.
IF I COULD TURN BACK THE CLOCKS, OH, MY GOODNESS.
BUT I CAN'T.
REVEREND BOOTH WAS FATALLY STABBED CHRISTMAS EVE.
A PARISHIONER FOUND HIM IN THE DOORWAY OF HIS TRAILER
AFTER BECOMING CONCERNED THAT THE REVEREND
DIDN'T SHOW UP FOR EVENING SERVICES.
WE BELIEVE HE WAS A MAN
WHO REALLY PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF JESUS,
AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS JUST COMES AS A SHOCK.
I HAD A FEW INFORMANTS BACK IN THE EARLY '90s...
'91, '92... THAT WERE TELLING ME,
"HEY, THERE'S THIS PREACHER SELLING COCAINE."
THE FIRST TIME I HEARD THAT, I THOUGHT,
"WOW. MAYBE THIS GUY IS BLOWING SMOKE,"
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN... THE INFORMANT...
BECAUSE THEY DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
AFTER HEARING IT AND HEARING IT AND HEARING IT
TWO OR THREE TIMES, THEN IT WASN'T A BUNCH OF BULL.
WE DID A BACKGROUND ON BOOTH.
ON PAPER, HE WAS TOTALLY CLEAN...
NOT EVEN A TRAFFIC VIOLATION.
I SET UP SURVEILLANCE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS.
I DID SURVEILLANCE SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS, TOO.
MAYBE THE GUY'S NOT DEALING DRUGS.
MAYBE IT'S JUST THE WORD ON THE STREET.
MAYBE IT'S BALONEY.
BUT IF HE IS, I WANT HIM.
BOOTH WAS SO CLOSED.
IF HE DIDN'T KNOW YOU, HE WOULDN'T DEAL WITH YOU.
SO, I FINALLY FOUND SOMEBODY
THAT COULD BUY FROM HIM DIRECTLY.
THAT'S HOW I GOT HIM, AND THAT'S ENOUGH
TO GET PROBABLE CAUSE TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT.
WHEN I HAD FINALLY ENTERED THE HOUSE
AFTER THE SWAT TEAM BANGED THE DOOR IN,
EVERYTHING THAT WAS FOUND THAT WAS ILLEGAL
WAS IN BOOTH'S BEDROOM.
AND I KNEW BOOTH WAS USING THIS PRODUCT
BECAUSE HE HAD CRACK PIPES, HE HAD A WATER BONG.
HE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT PARAPHERNALIA...
TOO MUCH FOR NOT USING YOURSELF.
BUT WE DIDN'T FIND A LARGE AMOUNT OF DOPE.
SO, EVIDENTLY, HE WAS DOWN AT THE TIME WE HIT HIM.
HE'S OUT OF DOPE, AND HE HASN'T RE-UPPED YET.
I JUST CAUGHT HIM IN BETWEEN.
I MEAN, IT'S A BIG DOWNER.
I MEAN, IT'S A REAL BIG DOWNER,
BUT I STILL HAD ENOUGH TO CHARGE HIM,
SO I CHARGED HIM.
WHEN I INTERVIEWED HIM AFTER I ARRESTED HIM,
HE WAS A VERY SOFT-SPOKEN MAN, AND HE WAS VERY POLITE.
AS I SAID, ANYTHING I CAN HELP YOU OUT WITH.
HE TRIED TO TALK HIS WAY OUT OF IT.
"OH, IT'S NOT MY DOPE. IT'S NOT MY PARAPHERNALIA."
IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE HOUSE.
I TOOK IT AWAY FROM THEM," WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT TRUE
BECAUSE MY INFORMANT MADE TWO BUYS OFF HIM.
BUT IF I WERE TO MEET HIM ON THE STREET,
I WOULD THINK HE'S THE GREATEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD.
I MEAN, THIS GUY IS VERY NICE, YOU KNOW, GODLY PERSON.
I FELT LIKE HE WAS ALWAYS WORKING WITH THE CONGREGATION,
AND I LOOKED UP TO HIM.
PASTOR BOOTH OFFICIATED MY WEDDING.
I KNEW THAT HE WOULD SAY THE THINGS THAT I FELT AT THE TIME
AND MADE IT VERY SPECIAL.
HE HAD VERY DARK CIRCLES UNDERNEATH OF HIS EYES.
HE LOOKED DRAWN.
YOU KNOW, HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS IN PAIN OR UNCOMFORTABLE.
HE MAY HAVE BEEN UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SOME KIND OF DRUG
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AT THE TIME.
I DID NOT PICK THAT UP.
MAYBE I DIDN'T WANT TO.
NEVER GOT A BAD FEELING FROM HIM UNTIL...
NOT A BAD FEELING BUT A STRANGE FEELING
WHEN HE PREACHED THAT SERMON ABOUT BACKSLIDING.
THERE MAY BE TIMES IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU FIND YOURSELF BACKSLIDING...
AND THEN SOMETHING JUST CLICKED
THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE.
...AND THE DEVIL BE LURKING RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
HE HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW WHEN YOU BACKSLIDE,
THE DEVIL GETS AHOLD OF YOU,
AND HE KEEPS COMING AT YOU AND MAKING YOU DO THINGS
THAT GOD WOULDN'T WANT YOU TO BE DOING.
THE FIRST TIME THAT I EVER HEARD THE NAME SAM BOOTH.
WAS WHEN THE BOYS WERE UP IN THEIR TEENS,
WE USED TO DROP OUR BOYS OFF AT MR. BOOTH'S HOUSE,
KNOWING HE WAS A MINISTER, THINKING THAT, "THIS IS GREAT.
THE BOYS ARE GOING TO A TEEN BIBLE STUDY."
AND I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY WEEKS AFTER THAT
WHEN JAMIE'S BEHAVIOR STARTED CHANGING.
HE WAS DISRESPECTFUL TO HIS FATHER ONE DAY.
HE WENT TO HIT HIS FATHER...
AND THAT REALLY HURT DEEP.
SO, I THOUGHT, "THAT'S NOT JAMIE. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?"
I CERTAINLY KNEW THAT NARCOTICS AND DRUGS CAUSED MOOD SWINGS,
AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, ONE DAY, YOU KNOW,
YOU FACE IT HEAD-ON THAT,
"OH, MY GOSH. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MY CHILDREN."
WE FOUND HIM ONE TIME IN A MOTEL.
JAMIE? JAMIE?
HE WAS LAYING IN THE BED.
HE'D BLACKED OUT, AND IT WAS REALLY HEART-WRENCHING
TO THINK THAT HE WOULD GIVE UP WHAT HE HAD AT HOME
THAT WE HAD WORKED SO HARD TO PROVIDE.
AND IF I HADN'T FOUND HIM, HE COULD'VE DIED.
ON THAT CHRISTMAS MORNING, HE WAS CLEAN FROM DRUGS
FOR 16 MONTHS.
I COULD SLEEP AGAIN.
I THOUGHT I KNEW MY CHILD AGAIN.
HE WAS PROBABLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE HOMEMADE COOKIES
AND THE BAKED HAM AND OPENING HIS GIFTS,
WHICH WERE MOSTLY NICE SCHOOL CLOTHES TO START COLLEGE.
SO LITTLE DID I KNOW.
MR. WOOD, WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?
YOU GOT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY?
THE NEXT TIME I HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT SAM BOOTH.
WAS THAT MY SON WAS CHARGED WITH HIS MURDER.
WHEN I DECIDED TO GET THE SEARCH WARRANT ON BOOTH,
THERE WAS NOTHING OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY,
AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED.
AFTER FIGURING OUT THAT THIS GUY WAS ACTUALLY SELLING DRUGS,
WHO WAS A PASTOR, NOTHING AFTER THAT SURPRISED ME.
YOU KNOW, I COULD'VE WENT IN THERE
AND FOUND A DEAD BODY IN HIS ROOM.
SO, I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I FOUND THE GAY MAGAZINES,
BUT I WASN'T OVERLY SURPRISED.
HE WAS A CLOSETED GAY MAN.
SO, WHAT I DID WITH MR. BOOTH IS I TURNED HIM OVER TO D.E.A.,
AND HE WAS SUPPOSED TO WORK AS AN INFORMANT FOR D.E.A.
THAT'S WHY THE STATE'S ATTORNEY DROPPED HIS CHARGE.
IT DISAPPOINTED ME BECAUSE I THINK
THAT HE SHOULD'VE BEEN MADE AN EXAMPLE OF.
I BELIEVE HE WOULD'VE BEEN CONVICTED,
BUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
AND THE CHARGES BEING DROPPED,
HE CAN GO BACK TO BEING MR. PREACHER
BECAUSE HE CAN SAY TO HIS CONGREGATION,
"HEY. LOOK. IT WAS ALL, YOU KNOW, SMOKE.
THERE'S NO FIRE HERE. IT'S JUST SMOKE.
YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG.
SEE? THEY DROPPED THE CHARGES."
SO, IT GAVE HIM A PERFECT MASK.
MR. WOOD, WHAT HAPPENED OUT THERE?
YOU GOT ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY?
THE NIGHT THAT THIS MURDER TOOK PLACE,
OUR YOUNGEST SON, JOEY, SAT DOWN WITH A FRIEND OF HIS
AND TOLD US A GREAT DEAL ABOUT MR. SAM BOOTH.
THEY BOTH KNEW WHAT HE HAD DONE IN THE PAST,
WHICH WAS MOLEST BOYS AND THEN TURN AROUND
AND GIVE THEM DRUGS FOR THEIR SEXUAL FAVORS.
IT WAS JUST HARD TO FATHOM IT ALL.
IT JUST REALLY WAS.
SOMETIMES, I EVEN WONDERED, "HOW COULD GOD ALLOW THIS?"
OH, GOD.
I THINK IT WAS ABOUT THREE WEEKS BEFORE WE GOT TO SEE JAMIE
AT THE TOWSON DETENTION CENTER.
I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET IN THERE AND THROW MY ARMS AROUND HIM.
BECAUSE I COULD ONLY IMAGINE HOW HE MUST BE FEELING.
I WOULD SAY WE JUST REALLY EMBRACED EACH OTHER.
IT WAS A HUG TO SAY WE ARE FAMILY.
THE VERY FIRST THING THAT JAMIE EVER SAID TO US WAS,
"I NEVER HAD INTENTION TO KILL MR. BOOTH.
I NEVER HAD AN INTENTION TO HAVE A FIGHT WITH HIM.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I LEFT THE PIZZA SHOP
THAT DAY WITH HIM TO GO BUY DRUGS."
I ASKED MY SON JAMIE IF MR. BOOTH
HAD EVER SEXUALLY MOLESTED HIM.
I ASKED HIM THAT PINPOINT-OUT, AND HE SAID NO.
AND THEN I LOOKED HIM RIGHT IN THE EYE,
AND I SAID, "DID HE EVER TOUCH YOUR BROTHER, JOEY?"
AND HE DIDN'T ANSWER ME.
WE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL AT THAT POINT
BECAUSE HE WANTED US TO HEAR THINGS FROM
BEFORE WE HEARD IT IN COURT,
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF RESPECT THAT OUR SON ALWAYS HAD FOR US.
SO, APPARENTLY, MR. BOOTH WAS GOING TO TRY TO RAPE HIM.
OR WHATEVER. I DON'T KNOW.
IT WAS JUST SICKENING.
IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY NEW PIECE OF INFORMATION I GOT
WAS JUST A HEAVIER BURDEN.
IT'S JUST LIKE, "WHAT ELSE DON'T I KNOW?"
THE TRIAL WAS FOUR DAYS LONG.
I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS ALL OVER,
THAT WE WOULD JUST PROBABLY NEVER HAVE OUR SON HOME AGAIN.
OKAY, WE CAN BEGIN.
THAT LAST PART WAS ROUGH, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THERE
WHERE HE IS NOT, UM...
HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S ASHAMED OF WHAT THEY WERE SAYING,
HIS SON, WITH HIS SON.
HE WAS PLAYING WITH THE THING,
AND HE COULDN'T EVEN LOOK UP LIKE,
"DON'T DRAW ATTENTION TO ME
BECAUSE I'M NOT THAT GOOD FATHER."
HE BECAME A PASTOR, TOO.
HE'S THE YOUNG MAN THAT I SPOKE TO THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL.
THE FUNERAL... THAT WAS PRETTY ROUGH.
IT WAS LIKE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE IN THAT BUILDING.
REALLY, YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE THERE BECAUSE OF THE MURDER,
THAT WAS PART OF IT, AND YOU KIND OF...
WHEN I WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR, IT WOULD COME BACK.
THE FIRST SONG THEY SUNG WAS "WASHED IN THE BLOOD."
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT HERE,
THE MAN WAS LAYING IN ALL THIS BLOOD,
AND THAT'S THE FIRST SONG THEY SING?
ARE YOU NUTS?!
WELL, I JUST, PHEW, LOST IT.
THAT, I THINK, AFFECTED ME MORE THAN ACTUALLY SEEING HIM THERE,
AFTER THEY STARTED SINGING THAT SONG.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
I THINK THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED
I'M NOT GOING BACK TO THAT CHURCH.
BUT I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER WALKING UP TO HIS SON AND SAID,
"I NEED TO TELL YOU THIS."
I SAID THAT I BELIEVED AT THE TIME THAT HE DIED,
THAT HE ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS
AND THAT I BELIEVE THAT HE WAS IN HEAVEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAS POSSESSED TO SAY THAT TO HIM,
BUT I COULDN'T LEAVE THERE WITHOUT TELLING HIM THAT.
THE DETECTIVES WERE PRETTY REASSURING TO ME AS A MOTHER.
THEY DID NOT SEE IT AS PREMEDITATED MURDER,
SO THEREFORE, THEY FELT THAT IT WOULD BE SECOND-DEGREE.
IT COULD EVEN POSSIBLY BE A MANSLAUGHTER.
THEY DIDN'T THINK JAMIE WOULD GET MORE THAN 10 YEARS IF THAT.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT JAMIE WAS GOING TO BE TRIED
FOR FIRST-DEGREE MURDER...
I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS ALL OVER.
ORDER!
MR. BOOTH WAS PAINTED LIKE THIS POOR CREATURE
WHO'D BEEN KILLED BY THIS DRUG-ADDICT KID IN BEL AIR.
WHEN IT GOT INTO ABOUT THE HOMOSEXUALITY OF MR. BOOTH
AND THE MOLESTING, I GOT A RAY OF HOPE,
THINKING THAT THESE ADULTS SITTING IN THIS JURY
ARE GOING TO KNOW THAT THERE WERE CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT DID NOT MAKE THIS PREMEDITATED MURDER,
BUT OF COURSE, NO EVIDENCE WAS ALLOWED IN COURT
BECAUSE THE JUDGE SAID THAT MR. BOOTH WASN'T ON TRIAL.
MR. BOOTH IS THE VICTIM IN THIS CASE.
EVERYTHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN COURT,
IF OUR LAWYER BROUGHT ANYTHING UP, WAS ALL IRRELEVANT.
I REMEMBER LEANING OVER, SAYING TO JACK,
"IF I HEAR THE WORD IRRELEVANT ONE MORE TIME,
I THINK I'M GOING TO THROW UP."
I REMEMBER SAYING THAT IN THE TRIAL,
AND THE JUDGE KEPT SAYING MR. BOOTH IS NOT ON TRIAL HERE.
THE JURY FINDS THE DEFENDANT GUILTY.
WHEN THEY TOLD US THAT JAMIE WAS SENTENCED.
WITH LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE,
I WENT BACK AND THOUGHT ABOUT HOW MARY MUST HAVE FELT
WHEN THEY NAILED HER SON TO THE CROSS.
AND WHEN THE JUDGE ASKED IF ANYBODY HAD ANYTHING
THAT THEY WANTED TO SAY, I KNEW.
THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD LEFT FROM MY HEART
TO SHARE WITH THE JURORS AND WITH THE JUDGE.
AND I REALLY DIDN'T CARE WHAT THE LAWYER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
I SAID, "I FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE TAKING MY LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER."
AND THAT'S HOW I FELT.
I DON'T THINK IT WAS A FAIR TRIAL.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT WASN'T FAIR THAT MR. BOOTH DIED, EITHER,
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT HE BROUGHT HIS DEATH ON,
AND TO HIS FAMILY, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY SORRY HE'S GONE,
BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF THINGS KILLED IN OUR LIVES THAT DAY...
MY SON'S FUTURE.
YEAH.
ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU LAY YOUR HEAD DOWN AT NIGHT,
AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD'VE BEEN,
AND DARKNESS STARTS COMING IN.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, I CATCH MYSELF THINKING ABOUT
WHAT WOULD JAMIE OR JOEY'S CHILDREN LOOK LIKE.
UMM...
AND THEN IT'S LIKE, "DON'T EVEN GO THERE, JOYCE,
BECAUSE IT'S TOO PAINFUL."
I'M THE TYPE OF GUY, I LIKE TO FINISH.
WITH BOOTH, I DIDN'T FINISH.
HE DIDN'T GET CONVICTED, AND THAT'S ALWAYS BUGGED ME.
THAT'S HOW I HAVE SO MUCH MEMORY ON THE CASE
BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS ATE AT ME.
I NEVER RAN ACROSS A CASE LIKE THIS WITH THAT MUCH DECEIT.
IT WAS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME THING, I THINK.
I WOULD HOPE, ANYWAYS.
I THINK EVERY DRUG DEALER IS KILLING PEOPLE
BY DEALING DRUGS TO THEM.
SOONER OR LATER, THAT PERSON IS GOING TO TAKE A HOT SHOT.
IT'S GOING TO KILL THEM.
SO, IT'S MURDER.
IT'S JUST SLOW MURDER.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN BAD IF HE WAS
AN AUTO MECHANIC AND A DOPE DEALER,
BUT HIM BEING A PREACHER IS A LOT WORSE.
I KNOW IF I WAS IN HIS CONGREGATION,
THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY HEARTBREAKING.
I MEAN, THAT PROBABLY WOULD'VE DONE IT FOR ME,
FOR A WHILE, WITH RELIGION.
IT DIDN'T MAKE ME LOSE MY FAITH IN GOD,
BUT IT MADE ME LOSE MY FAITH IN PEOPLE AND IN THE CHURCH ITSELF,
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
HE PROBABLY COULD NOT BE THE PASTOR
AND BE A GAY MAN AT THE SAME TIME
BECAUSE THEY BASICALLY FORCED HIM TO LIVE A SECRET LIFE
BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEFS, BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW,
THEIR JUDGMENT OF OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT.
THE PART THAT REALLY BUGS ME IS THIS...
WAS HE REALLY USING THESE YOUNG BOYS FOR SEX?
THAT JUST MAKES ME FEEL SICK ABOUT THAT.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE COULD PUT HIMSELF IN HARM'S WAY
BECAUSE HE COULDN'T LIVE WITH HIMSELF ANYMORE.
WHAT OTHER WAY IS HE GOING TO BE FREE BUT BE DEAD?
AND HE NEEDED TO BE GONE BECAUSE GOD WAS CALLING HIM...
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
YOU'RE HARMING OTHERS, AND YOU'RE HARMING YOURSELF.
I'M TAKING YOU HOME."
AND THAT'S HIS WAY OF ENDING THE STORY,
AND THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE,
TO THIS POINT, THAT HE WAS FORGIVEN.
HE'S IN PEACE, BUT THIS YOUNG MAN ISN'T.
HE'S LIVING A PURE HELL IN THERE.
THAT'S THE SAD TRAGEDY OF THE WHOLE THING.
NO, I DID NOT.
HMM. WOW.
HEY, JAMIE. HOW ARE YOU DOING, HONEY?
WELL, THAT'S GOOD. SO, WHAT'D YOU DO TODAY?
WE'RE AS CLOSE TODAY AS WHEN HIS FATHER WOULD BE
IN THE PULPIT PREACHING,
AND HE WOULD LAY HIS HEAD OVER MY LAP,
AND HE HAD THE THICKEST DARK HAIR,
AND I WOULD JUST KIND OF STROKE IT,
AND HE WOULD GO TO SLEEP.
YOU WANT A BOWL OF ICE CREAM?
NOW, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA GET A BOWL OF ICE CREAM?
PRAY IT DOWN FROM HEAVEN OR SOMETHING?
MM.
SOMETIMES, I FEEL LIKE HE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT,
BUT IT TOOK ME A LOT OF YEARS, A LOT OF YEARS,
A LOT OF PAINFUL YEARS TO DISCOVER
THAT THERE IS JOY IN THE MORNING,
IN SPITE OF ANYTHING WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN THROUGH.
YEAH.
LOVE YOU TOO, HONEY. NIGHT-NIGHT.
BYE-BYE.