JAMAR PINKNEY Jr. - 15 yo - Highland Park IL

I am not here to bash anyone, but after just watching In Session, I have to believe that Jamar Sr. is the cold person many said he was. My son was molested by another child and I wanted justice, especially since my son is "slow" I could never bring myself to kill. I have to wonder about several points. The first being that it was about 1:00am and 3:00 am when Jr. "made he's confession". I am wondering if this child was questioned to the point of just saying what he felt people wanted to hear. I have seen this many times in children. It don't have to be something good that they admit to. If they feel that the adult wants to hear it, then they say it. Second problem I have is that it was said that Jr. penetrated the little girl. If he really did than the hymen would be broken and it was not. Third the ER doc said there was not trauma to the area. I believe the ER doc. I work in the ER and those docs see more then there share of vaginal lacerations and the like. To me it is possible that the alleged laceration occurred in that seven day window between the ER and regular doctors visit. It is very possible that the mom unknowingly caused the laceration while searching for evidence. Or it could be that the little girl scratched herself. Fourth the auntie could be lying. She could have told the little girl what to say. I know this sounds wrong and upsetting but if you work in the setting I do, nothing can be put past anyone. Too many people have come my way with just fantastic stories of abuse, they have the tears and even scars. But when the truth is out none of it was real. At any cost, Jr. should have been put in therapy. If he did do this it don't always mean that he will become a molester or a rapist, after all he was in a stage of development that the teen becomes sexually curious. Anywoo, it was not up to Sr. to take his life. Sr. was afforded a trial that his son would never get. I pray for all involved and hope people will "look before leaping" .

Can somebody please clarify why there was a different spelling of the last name of the victim/defendant on the back of the "Jets" jersey that Cherry wore for her testimony?
In the beginning of this case there was some confusion about the spelling as well.
The jersey was "Pinckney Jr." and I distinctly remember that being in one of the first releases and was subsequently changed to the "Pinkney" we are now familiar with....

TomTerrific0420 wrote:Can somebody please clarify why there was a different spelling of the last name of the victim/defendant on the back of the "Jets" jersey that Cherry wore for her testimony?
In the beginning of this case there was some confusion about the spelling as well.
The jersey was "Pinckney Jr." and I distinctly remember that being in one of the first releases and was subsequently changed to the "Pinkney" we are now familiar with....

I've just done a search and initially all the media seemed to use Pinckney. All the opinions here are very interesting. I agree with you Tom. Personally I feel that Jamar Jr must be presumed innocent of doing anything - regardless of any confession or disputed medical opinions - because he was murdered and so cannot be given the opportunity to speak. That's why what Jamar Sr did is so wrong. Not only is his son dead, he is going to be forever remembered as a child molester. Convicted anyway.

This is for the mother of the little girl that was molested, while i feel bad for what your child has gone though, the whole time i watched insession i listened to you outside the courtroom and to me it seemed like you didnt care that jamar jr was dead... u seemed more upset that all the attention was focused on jamar jr and that is so sad because in spite of all that has happened that was still your child's brother and he was taken from his mother in the most horrific way possible, but that is something that you and his executioner have to live with, I hope and pray that jamar sr. never makes it out of jail, he needs to rot there...

there are no winners in this sad story. A 3-year-old being violated is never easy to hear. The saddest part though is that Jamar Jr will never have a chance to tell anyone what really happened. By all accounts that I have read this was not a boy who was a troublemaker. Sounds like he did well in school, liked sports and was well thought of by those around him. Jamar made a grave mistake and his father became his judge, jury and executioner. What could Jamar have gone on to do in life if given the chance at redemption? I'm sad to read that people really believe that once a juvenile sex offender commits an act such as this they are doomed to repeat it. Not with education, counseling and support. I should know. My 13-year-old son was arrested for having inappropriate contact with a couple of my grandchildren. He was sent to a residential treatment center where he received treatment. No he was not abused. Though he was able to access porn on the internet (never leave your child with open access to the computer) Long story but suffice to say that was 2 years ago. He is home, going to school, playing in sports and active in our church. These "kids" should not be tossed away and thrown in with adult pedophiles. I never once wanted to beat, strip naked and shoot my son. I wanted him to have a chance because I knew what he was really like inside...I would not allow this act to determine who he would be..

Welcome to J4C Hopeful!
Good for you! Sounds like you've handled the situation like a caring, loving parent. The more I reflect on the trial the more I have to agree with some posters who feel that Sr was being somewhat manipulated into action by the mother of the toddler.
How totally ironic that this man gets a gun to defend himself only to use it for the first time on his own flesh and blood.

I have read several articles on this story. I am just so appaulled by the reaction from alot of Americans. What ever happened to the punishment should fit the crime. Grown men who are proven to rape children get less punishment then this young boy did. He was not even the age of accountability. I have read so many blogs about how this man was justified by taken the life of a child molestor, NO, he took the life of his child. The alligations against this boy were never proven. One doctor said no, another said yes. I would think another opinion and more facts need to be proven before he should be condemmed. Hopsitals by law have to call child protective services when molestation or abuse of any kind is brought to their ER and proven. They weren't called for a reason. This young boy made the confession at 3 am. How long was he being questioned about it. Being a kid maybe he made the confession just wanting it to be over with and life to go on out of pure exhaustion. Even if he did do this, he had the right as an American to due process. He isn't even getting that in death, people are still persercuting HIM. Can anyone of us as adults put ourselves in that boys position that day. Being beaten in the face repeatedly with a pistol, being stripped of his clothes, dragged out in the cold, naked, forced on his knees while the man he was taught to love and respect totally ignores his pleas, begging him to forgive him? The pure HORROR that boy endured. Not only was his last 24 hours total hell on earth but he never received his father's forgiveness only his rejection. The fear, the horror and the hurt mentally not to mention physically he was enduring and people have the nerve to feel he deserved that for humping? As parents we are suppose to teach our children the dangers of firearms not use them to hurt our children. We are suppose to love and protect our children unconditionally. A week ago I never even heard of this boy and last night I went to sleep crying for him. I hope the authorities continue to investigate and at least prove the allegations. If they are false I hope they prosecute the mother of that little girl. Trust me, I do not condon child molestation, I am and was a victim of it my entire childhood but I certainly do not see how anyone can feel this man was justified in what he did. I hope he relives that moment and one day is in that boys situation so he knows just how his SON felt that day at his own hands.

caseygirl67 ~ Welcome to J4C! First allow me to say how sorry I am that you were a victim during what should have been the most happy and carefree time of your life.
My ex-wife had many stories of her abuse as a young girl but never dealt with the inner pain and anguish and disgust that she felt. We tried counseling but when she couldn't even discuss it with the counselor, I knew it was only a matter of time before our marriage would crumble.
I hope that you have had the support and encouragement to get beyond this horrible time and wish you all the best.
Hang Tough
TomT

Thank you Tom for the kind words. I overcame my upbringing by not letting it over power me. I can't say I have had the best luck in relationships but to date I have a good husband and three beautiful children. The molestation didn't stop me from living. I couldn't allow it to. I'm sorry that your ex-wife wasn't able to deal with it. Its sad because all people deal with it in all different ways. Until you come to a point where you realize you did nothing wrong and its not your fault you will never overcome it. I really wrote because something just doesn't sit right with me on the whole molestation allegatioin in this case. I do believe in right is right and wrong is wrong. I am not on any side of the fence with the death penalty, but I do feel the punishment should fit the crime. It breaks my heart to hear so many people call this young man names and put him down when all of the facts are not out and probably never will be now that he is not here to defend or accept the allegation. This young man has touched my life forever. Because of him I now hug my children tighter and show them more love because at any minute someone so close can take it all away from you. Society needs to remember this is not a grown man we are talking about here that was brutalized, its young boy who was impressionable and wanted nothing more then to please his parents. Can I say he was a child molestor... no I can't.. But I can say he could of been a famous football player, a doctor, a lawyer, a humanatarian, or who knows maybe the president of this country one day but that will never been known because his father played devils advocate with his son, who he brought into this worlds life.

it is sad how public opinion can be swayed by those who manipulate the media, ie., those in the realm of phychiatry who after the sexual molestation and murder of several little caucasian females by adult caucasian males who were never subject to the laws that were later legislated under pressure from the phychiatric community and adult cacasian females under the premise that "once an offender always an offender". Since then CPS has been set up to rob and destroy young male lives, mainly minorities ever since, based mainly on on accusations. After my only daughters death, innocent bystander, using a payphone, killed in a crossfire shooting on christmas night of 1991, I was left to raise her two babies ages 3mos an 2yrs old along with my 8 and 7 year old sons. a year a so later after going thru tough times with babysitters and trying to hold onto a job with the transit agency that i still work for(20 yrs now), a relative who had daycare set up in her home thru the state, agreed to sit the grands for me thru the week and I could pick them up on weekends. since I had little senority and less control of my working hours I thought this was heaven sent. My daughter at her death was only seventeen but had worked enough for the babies to be paid soc sec benefits. It had taken up to a year and a half to prove the benefits and a lump sum was due. The relative who was sitting, whos entire family had been involved with CPS and gaining custody of other peoples kids for some time, pointed the finger at my sons, I beleive for the purpose of gaining possesion of my granddaughters for the purpose of control of that money. Long story short, granddaughters were taken from me, boys had to be relocated, counseling and therapy was instituted and told could never get my girls back unless boys admitted to something. They did at my urgence for fear of never getting my granddaughters back. Then the charges came, three years of counceling for all before unification, a false guilty plea out of ignorance of that system, with no proof, and years lattter when the boys turned 18, the sherriffs department showed up and required that my sons who had never been in any trouble again, register as sex offenders for the next 10 years. SOMEONE AFTER THEY WERE TEENS WERE ALWAYS CALLING "CPS" reporting that there were sex offenders in the home with my granddaughters and CPS was the ones who reunited us, as a result because of their status they could not be listed on my lease they were arrested and jailed for six mos each as adults for failure to register address effectivly listing them as adult felons for something that happened as children. How cruel the system is. My sons have grown up to be fine young respectable men my granddaughters have grown up and finished high school, the oldest married with a baby boy. There has been a toll taken on all of us by this systems handling of the entire situation, But I am thankful for the speech that this wonderful Judge gave before Jamar Pinkney's sentencing in wich he refuted the notion of "once an offender always an offender". As one of the previous bloggers wrote "WHERE IS THE LOVE?

Wow zinteacher. That sounds like you all had terrible time. I'm shocked that you urged your apparently innocent sons to say they were guilty to get your grandaughters back. Wow. I guess you weren't aware of the consequences to them at the time. That is so sad.