In prison, it’s always the quiet inmates who capture my intention.
One of those inmates I’ll call Jay James because he doesn’t want to use his real name, I knew from my debate teams. He emerged as a confident and fair debater on a team of boisterous competitors who fought tooth and nail to keep their spots.
James, now 38, spent 17 years in prison. He was 20 when he was jointly charged with three others for murder. Like many inmates in my programmes, he willingly shares his story so that we can better understand crime.
“You might think this is the typical story when I say, ‘I didn’t do it. I was in the wrong place. I followed the wrong company.’ It’s hard to get people to believe that. Yes, people lie about not killing someone, but sometimes it’s true,” said James in the measured, mellow voice that made him a confident, star debater.
“Before I got arrested, I wasn’t a career criminal. I was now being exposed to the real world. At home, you’re sheltered.”
For James, home was a happy place in central Trinidad with both parents and an extended family.
“We were middle class – not a wealthy family, but we had what we needed. We were comfortable. I was indoors more than the typical boy. Yes, I climbed trees and rode bikes. I wasn’t wicked. I liked the togetherness and the cooking with friends. I didn’t distress people. My friends and I went to the river and caught crabs.”
James said he always tried to entertain his friends and reconcile any differences they had.
“I tried to make sure everyone was good. We weren’t violent, bad or looking for fights. We weren’t in any gangs. My childhood experience was good.”
James completed secondary school. A biking accident caused him to miss school so he only got three passes: English, principles of business (POB) and office administration.
“I wasn’t good at maths,” he said.
After secondary school, he took computer and accounting classes, did security jobs, worked in a factory and moved on to construction work.
Then came a relationship that changed his life.
"I met a girl, three years older and more experienced in life than me. She had a history. She was an escort, but I didn’t know that. She was on the streets from a young age. She said she was working in Petrotrin, and I believed her. She went to work every morning, but not in Petrotrin. She was exciting and into a party life.”
This girl encouraged James to stay with her on the weekends.
“Then it turned out to be staying more than the weekend. She always had money and wanted to lime. She posed topless in the Punch newspaper. I got to know this later. In prison, you piece together information about the crime you’re charged for because people in there often know the people you know.”
Before prison, James questioned nothing about this girl.
“Home recognised something was off with her. They would know, but I was young, stubborn and too inexperienced to realise red flags. I thought I might be in love, but it was more like infatuation.”
Eventually, he met the girl’s brother.
“He would become my charge
