1. In 1982, while attending
Southern Illinois University,
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2. I became an Advocate Big Brother
to Stevie Fielding,
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3. a troubled 11-year-old boy
who lived in Pomona,
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4. a nearby rural hamlet.
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5. 10 years later, I went back.
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6. Steve J: When I left here,
I felt a sense of relief
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7. that I didn't have to do those
weekly visits to be his Big Brother.
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8. But in my journal I wrote
that I should never abandon him,
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9. that I should be there
for him constantly,
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10. and of course,
I haven't been since then.
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11. Steve J:
Oh my God, here he is.
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12. Stevie... on crutches.
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13. I need a hug.
Can I have a hug?
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14. - Brenda: I recognize you.
- Steve J: Hi, Brenda.
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15. - Hi. How are you?
- Good. How are you?
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16. - Pretty good.
- You're married now, I hear.
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17. Yep, it'll be seven years
this year.
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18. - Steve J: Really? Congratulations.
- Thanks.
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19. - Seven years later.
- It's okay.
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20. It's been...
it's been a while.
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21. - Steve J: Now do you live...
- Stevie: She lives down there.
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22. - You live there
and this is your trailer?
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23. Yeah.
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24. Steve J: Mom's trailer's gone.
That's a new one.
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25. - You dropped a tractor tire?
- Stevie: Yeah.
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26. We came in from brush-hogging
and we was jacking it up
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27. and we got the tire off
and it hit my knee
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28. and whatever it landed on,
it popped.
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29. Oh my God.
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30. Steve J: Where'd you get
these tattoos?
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31. I done this one myself.
The other one a buddy done.
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32. He was in jail for a while
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33. and learned how to do work.
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34. "Ride to Live"... from your
motorcycle riding days?
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35. Wherever I go,
people here, there...
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36. wherever, it's just
nothing but trouble.
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37. Steve J: I want to discover
where Stevie's been
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38. and who he was even
when I knew him,
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39. because I never really felt
like I understood him.
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40. When I went in to be
a Big Brother,
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41. I thought it would be
a glorious experience.
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42. I was expecting to find a kid
that played a lot of sports,
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43. a kid that I could relate to
in a very direct way
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44. and he was just a lot harder
than I ever expected.
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45. He always seemed to be
an accident waiting to happen.
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46. Steve J:
I don't like the looks of this.
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47. You found that today?
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48. It came out of the brush pile
that we was burning.
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49. That's where I get my name
"Snake" from.
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50. I ain't afraid of them.
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51. Never have been,
except when I was a kid.
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52. Kids, just never
try this at home.
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53. Steve J: One thing that doesn't
appear to have changed
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54. - is Stevie's still here with you.
- Verna: Yeah.
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55. When he gets down and out with
no place to go, he comes back to me.
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56. Steve J: You feel down and out
right now, Steve?
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57. No, cause I always know
I'll have a place to stay.
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58. I always knew that.
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59. That so-called mom takes everything
from you she can get her fingers on.
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60. I don't have a mother.
I've never had one
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61. and the day she dies,
I'm gonna go and laugh at her.
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62. Brenda can tell you how she
whipped him down here one time...
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63. I forget how many stripes...
she never will forget it.
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64. She cried and told her if she didn't
shut up she'd get some of it.
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65. It was her kid,
she'd beat him if she wanted to.
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66. 'Cause she made a threat over there
at her house one night.
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67. Me and her got into an argument
and she screamed out at me
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68. so I screamed back at her.
She said, "If you do that again,
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69. I'm gonna knock
your teeth down your throat."
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70. I said, "If you think
you're big enough, do it.
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71. When you put me down,
better kill me, if you don't,
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72. I'm gonna kill you."
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73. That's what
I told her in her own house.
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74. Steve J: On my first visit
to Pomona, in 1982,
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75. Verna sat me down and told me
how she'd come to take Stevie in.
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76. When Stevie
was just six months old,
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77. Verna's son Arvle defied her wishes
and married Stevie's mother,
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78. even though he wasn't
the boy's father.
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79. One weekend they left Stevie
with Verna and her husband Roy
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80. when they went out of town.
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81. She told me upon their return,
Arvle and Bernice made it clear
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82. that they didn't want Stevie back.
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83. Stevie grew up in his
step-grandparents' home,
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84. just 50 yards down the road
from where his mother lived.
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85. Just because he was
illegitimate, she didn't want him.
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86. See, after she beat him that time
until his hip was green
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87. and had all them stripes on his back
and arms, he couldn't talk.
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88. He completely lost his speech.
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89. He'd just point and make a racket
when he wanted something.
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90. They gave him speech therapy
for a long time.
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91. And there's not very many words
now that he don't speak real plain.
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92. He speaks most of 'em
real good and plain.
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93. I got Brenda... oh, man,
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94. with them two
from Challengers...
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95. Steve J:
You got these for Grandma?
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96. Yeah. My girlfriend,
she's got a red one
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97. that's got that "Hot Stuff"
on there.
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98. - Tonya: Yeah.
- Doug: You all right, Bubby?
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99. - Brenda: He's quieter than usual.
- He is, I'm telling you.
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100. Steve J: Why is he so quiet?
Be your normal self, please.
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101. That's an embarrassment
right there...
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102. him being himself.
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103. Me and Steve been together
for two years.
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104. Two wonderful years.
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105. I don't think Mom and Dad
will ever like him.
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106. They think that...
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107. just because
he wrecked my car...
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108. he drinks
and he does marijuana
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109. that I could find someone else
a whole lot better.
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110. I think I'm the only one
that sees something there
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111. that nobody else does.
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112. I can't really explain it
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113. because it's hard to explain.
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114. She's kind of disabled.
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115. I wouldn't say
she's a slow learner.
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116. She's... she's pretty smart.
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117. I mean... when she wants to be.
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118. Steve J:
Are you guys in love?
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119. Pretty much.
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120. So far, so good.
Now, if it came down to a point
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121. where Steve actually hit me,
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122. and done anything else to me,
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123. yeah, Mom and Dad would be
coming down to Pomona
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124. themselves with cops,
or with a baseball bat,
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125. and beating the holy crap
out of Steven.
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126. Steve J: This morning, my wife Judy
came by with the kids to see Stevie.
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127. As a youth counselor
during our grad school days,
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128. she had convinced me
to become a Big Brother.
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129. You grew up.
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130. - How are you?
- I'm fine.
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131. Steve J: These are our kids.
This is Jackson...
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132. Steve J:
This is what we've been up to.
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133. Corrine and Dylan.
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134. So what have you been
doing with yourself?
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135. Stevie married a woman...
named Judy.
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136. Oh yeah?
Her name was Judy?
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137. So how old were you, Stephen,
when that happened?
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138. - About 19, 20.
- Judy: So how old was she?
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139. - About 34.
- Judy: She was older than you.
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140. Yeah, she had three kids.
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141. It only lasted
about five and a half months
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142. and then,
might as well say bye.
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143. You guys couldn't
work it out, huh?
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144. She ripped my earring
out of my ear and...
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145. had to go to the hospital
and have stitches over that.
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146. I asked her that one time, I said,
"You ever been hit by a guy?"
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147. She said, "No."
I said, "Well now you have.
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148. I'm not like other men that you
can run over and just push around."
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149. I said, "I'm myself, but I've
got a temper. I can control it..."
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150. Well, good, I'm glad to hear
you can control it.
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151. Daddy?
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152. Why is Brenda
mad at your mom?
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153. For the way she done
me and her.
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154. - I tried killing her one time.
- Judy: You did what?
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155. Tried to kill her one time.
I went underneath the car
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156. and I thought I was
cutting the brake lines.
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157. Instead, I cut
the whole wiring system
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158. for all the lights
and everything.
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159. - Judy: Stevie!
- Jack...
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160. I ain't worried
about her boyfriend or nothing.
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161. Which, he's got a plastic kneecap.
Well, you hit his kneecap
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162. he's gonna go down,
he ain't gonna get back up.
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163. - I'm not worried about him.
- Judy: You had this planned out,
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164. - didn't you, Stevie?
- Stevie: I've got it planned out.
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165. Steve J:
Come on, Jack, let's go.
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166. I pretty well enjoyed
you guys being down.
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167. I wish you guys
could stay longer.
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168. We'll be back.
Judy will be back, too.
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169. - Stevie you take care, okay?
- I will.
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170. You're hardheaded, all right.
You are hardheaded.
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171. Can't never stay out of trouble.
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172. It's all right.
It's okay to be hardheaded.
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173. Just take care of your knee.
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174. Say hello to your grandma
for me, okay?
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175. - All right.
- Judy: I'll see her the next time.
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176. - Steve J: See ya.
- Okey-doke.
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177. I never even thought
they'd have kids.
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178. I mean... people changes.
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179. Steve J: Stevie's revelations,
his consuming rage,
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180. violent marriage and a string
of arrests, I discovered,
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181. that included assaults,
weapons possessions
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182. and credit card fraud...
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183. It went beyond
my worst fears from the past
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184. of what Stevie
would grow up to be.
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185. But now that we've reconnected,
film or no film,
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186. I feel I've taken an irretrievable
step back into his life.
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187. Still,
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188. I found reasons not to return
again for almost two years.
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189. Steve J: I called Stevie last night,
or tried to.
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190. I got Grandma instead.
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191. She said Stevie was in jail.
He'd been arrested a few days ago
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192. and charged with sexually molesting
his eight-year-old cousin.
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193. Grandma was quick to say
Stevie had been framed
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194. and his "so-called mother"
was behind it.
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195. He gave a written confession
to the police,
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196. but he told me he'd been manipulated
and planned to plead innocent.
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197. Stephen is charged with
three counts...
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198. three felony charges.
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199. One... the first count is predatory
criminal sexual assault of a child,
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200. which is a Class X felony,
the most serious class of felony.
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201. This is one thing
that I never would have thought of
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202. that would have happened.
Never.
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203. It blows my mind.
It just...
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204. Steve J: You've told me
that your mom is the one
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205. that encouraged your aunt
to press charges against you.
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206. She's always told me
when I've been in trouble,
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207. she said,
"You're gonna go to prison.
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208. You're gonna go to prison."
It's just like when I was a kid,
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209. there's one word I hate the most,
"It's your fault.
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210. It's your fault."
That's all she ever told me.
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211. Steve J: And yet, I learned Mom
makes regular trips to see Stevie.
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212. Steve J: Why she's
so consistently coming up here.
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213. She can't say that she loves me.
'Cause if she did,
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214. why did she put me through
all the hell she put me through?
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215. That's what I want
to know. Why?
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216. Why come back 26 years later
and want to be a mother?
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217. It's done too late. She should have
thought about that years ago.
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218. Steve J: I've left several messages
for Stevie's mom, Bernice,
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219. but she never calls back.
So I try visiting her instead.
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220. Looking around at her
neat, homey place,
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221. it's hard to imagine her
as the monster she's painted to be
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222. by Stevie and Verna.
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223. I want to know why she does
go see Stevie in jail...
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224. and whether she feels responsible
for all that's happened.
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225. He wasn't Mirandized.
He wasn't told
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226. that his statement
could be used against him.
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227. We have to somehow
get his...
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228. I should say alleged confession...
get it suppressed
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229. through pre-trial motions,
or we have to deal with it at trial.
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230. Steve J: "I was teaching her
about things that happens in life.
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231. I touched her at the top, chest
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232. and at the bottom, virginy.
I'm sorry for what happened.
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233. I didn't mean for it
to happen like that.
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234. I need help and I will get help.
I'm sorry for what happened.
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235. I made this statement on my own.
Stephen Fielding."
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236. The image I have of Stevie
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237. is being out in that vacant lot
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238. next to our house dressed up
in the Cheshire cat outfit,
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239. with the hose.
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240. Just very solitary,
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241. not involved with
other people a whole lot.
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242. He grew up abused and neglected.
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243. That's kind of the MO...
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244. for somebody who molests kids.
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245. Mike Wepsiec: You've got
to look at it really cold,
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246. because if you start
looking at the human individuals...
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247. well, yeah, he's really
not that bad of a guy.
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248. Well, why don't you
look at the victim?
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249. The victim wasn't that bad
of a person, either.
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250. You've given him chances
in the past
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251. and now he's got himself
in a load of trouble.
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252. And... do you give him
another chance?
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253. Steve J:
Do you think Steve is innocent?
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254. No, because he told me
what he did do.
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255. But he's already gonna get enough
without other stuff being added on.
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256. - Right.
- So...
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257. Steve J: Well, they might
call you as a witness,
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258. if this goes to trial.
If they know he's...
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259. - Probably so, thanks to Mom.
- What do you mean?
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260. 'Cause she went there and told them
I'd had problems with him before.
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261. She told the...
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262. the police and everything
so that's on record.
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263. Steve J:
Is it true?
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264. Yeah.
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265. Now that was when
he was just a kid, wasn't it?
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266. Well, it breaks my heart
to think about it.
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267. But Stephen has been
taught right.
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268. He knows right from wrong,
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269. but Stephen is not all there,
either.
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270. - Steve J: What do you mean?
- Stephen's got a problem,
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271. he needs... he needs help.
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272. Steve J: I'm gonna get Judy to talk
to the people down here.
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273. Maybe there's something
the public defender
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274. could go forward with in a plea,
you know?
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275. He needs to be in some place where
they'll help him with problems,
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276. - instead of make them worse.
- Yeah.
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277. I don't think
he wants to change.
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278. Tonya's father and I,
we tried.
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279. We really did try
to understand him,
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280. because with Tonya's situation,
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281. sometimes you just have
to overlook things, you know.
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282. If they let him out today,
I'd say by next week...
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283. no, if they let him out today
he'd be dead-ass drunk tonight.
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284. Steve J: If he gets out of jail
without going to prison,
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285. will you be there for him?
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286. Would you let him in?
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287. No. Seriously, no, Mom,
I would not.
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288. If he got out of jail,
I would not. I'm not.
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289. - You're not?
- I'm not.
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290. Then why do you continue
to go see him?
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291. I guess he thinks that...
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292. it's not over.
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293. But what does Tonya think?
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294. And why does he continue
to send you letters from jail?
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295. "Dear honey,
hey what's up? Not much here.
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296. How does it feel to be off work?"
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297. Steve J:
So why do you stay with him?
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298. I don't know. I love him
and I care about him.
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299. And...
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300. he makes me feel special.
I mean...
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301. On this kind of a case,
the worst that I could have
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302. is a woman to defend me.
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303. If I can't come up with the money
to get me this lawyer
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304. that can beat this case,
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305. they're gonna have to tie me down
and take me.
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306. - Steve J: To take you to prison?
- Stevie: "Before I go," I said,
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307. "I'll kill myself, because they
ain't taking me out of here alive."
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308. Steve J:
Well, now you can't talk that way.
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309. I walk through them doors,
I might as well just say
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310. to hell with everything.
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311. Steve J: I didn't commit to hiring
the lawyer he wants,
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312. though as promised,
I did talk to him.
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313. He was a slick asshole with
a legendary reputation in the jail
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314. and he made it clear
that for a few thousand dollars
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315. he was confident
he could get Stevie off.
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316. I'm celebrating
the 4th of July at home,
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317. but I can't stop thinking
about it all.
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318. I know prison isn't the answer
for Stevie,
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319. but putting him back
on the street isn't either.
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320. Right now, doing nothing
seems like the safest thing to do.
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321. Happy 4th of July.
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322. Steve J:
Hey, long time, huh?
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323. Hey, I got
some good news for you.
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324. - Steve J: What's that?
- I'm out of here.
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325. What do you mean,
you're outta here?
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326. - Stevie: I'm free to go.
- Wow, that's amazing.
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327. Steve J: Did the confession
get suppressed?
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328. That's what I'm saying.
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329. - Steve J: That's amazing.
- Stevie: Yeah.
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330. So, you're leaving today?
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331. Well, that's what I was
calling to see.
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332. Maybe if there's a possible way
that I could borrow
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333. a hundred dollars
from you to get out.
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334. Uh...
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335. I need a hundred dollars
cash, for bond.
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336. Uh, yeah...
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337. That's...
that's amazing.
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338. Judy wouldn't let me
give Stevie the bond money.
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339. How can I say no?
It's only $100.
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340. "It's not about the money,"
she said.
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341. Grandma told me
Brenda put up the bail money.
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342. Brenda said Grandma did it.
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343. Did Stevie tell you that he asked me
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344. for the money to get out?
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345. Mmm-hmm.
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346. So he told you I didn't do it,
and that was the end of it?
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347. Did you wonder why?
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348. I said, "Well, Stephen,
he's got a family.
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349. He's got three kids
and a home to keep up and all."
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350. And I said,
"He can't afford to do it."
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351. But, you know,
that wasn't the reason.
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352. Judy and I discussed it.
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353. You know what Judy does
for a living?
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354. - Do you know what she does?
- Umm-um.
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355. She's a counselor.
She works with sex offenders.
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356. Judy and I talked about it,
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357. and... I think he's guilty.
I don't want him to go to prison,
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358. but I worry...
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359. about what he might do
when he's out on bail.
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360. And he blames
his mom for this, and...
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361. Well, she's the one that got him
up there to baby-sit
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362. when she knowed better.
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363. I don't necessarily think
what's best for him
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364. is to beat this thing.
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365. Do you worry that if he beats this,
that he'll just do this again?
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366. No, I don't think he will.
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367. Well, I don't know
what's going to happen
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368. before it's all over.
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369. Steve J: Are you mad at me
about any of this?
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370. Hmm... maybe a little bit.
I mean...
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371. people gets mad, they get over it.
You know, they...
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372. realize stuff
later on down the road.
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373. Bernice.
Hey, it's Steve James.
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374. I finally got Stevie's mother
on the phone.
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375. She was reluctant to see me
until I convinced her
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376. I wasn't out to make
a "Poor Stephen-Evil Mother" film.
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377. But when we showed up,
Bernice's sister Wendy was there...
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378. the mother of the victim.
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379. I'm the wrong person
for you to talk to.
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380. I trusted him alone with my children
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381. and he took advantage of it.
Copy !req
382. Umm-umm.
Copy !req
383. He sat in a fucking chair
for over two hours,
Copy !req
384. determining whether or not
Copy !req
385. he was going to "teach" my child
Copy !req
386. something
he felt she should know.
Copy !req
387. And he wanted to be
the one to do it.
Copy !req
388. He was her predator
for over two hours
Copy !req
389. before he got a stiff dick
Copy !req
390. and went after her.
Copy !req
391. He had a hard-on!
Copy !req
392. How can a 26-year-old man
Copy !req
393. have a hard-on
for an eight-year-old?
Copy !req
394. Steve J:
Yeah.
Copy !req
395. You know I'm...
Copy !req
396. I'll see him in hell
before I'll see him out.
Copy !req
397. That's something that little girl
has to live with
Copy !req
398. for the rest of her life.
Copy !req
399. And it's going to interfere
in everything that she does.
Copy !req
400. Little girl's afraid to sleep
in her own room at night.
Copy !req
401. She has to sleep with me.
Copy !req
402. The least little noise,
she jumps out of her skin,
Copy !req
403. wanting to know if it's him
coming after her,
Copy !req
404. because he threatened
to kill her.
Copy !req
405. If she told,
he threatened to kill her.
Copy !req
406. Because he's like a dog
that's had a taste of blood.
Copy !req
407. He's done it once.
Does everybody...
Copy !req
408. are they all so naive
that he won't do it again?
Copy !req
409. And who's to say the next time
when a child fights him
Copy !req
410. that it won't go one step further
Copy !req
411. and he permanently
hurt the child?
Copy !req
412. But, I was told you were the one
that bailed him out.
Copy !req
413. You were the one
that sent him money...
Copy !req
414. - No, l...
- you know, and all this.
Copy !req
415. What, to get him out?
No, I did not.
Copy !req
416. I told Stephen I wouldn't do it.
I gave... I did give him money,
Copy !req
417. occasionally in jail,
to buy cigarettes.
Copy !req
418. I mean, a lot of people did that...
I think Bernice even did that.
Copy !req
419. What is all of this
for, anyway?
Copy !req
420. I thought it would be good
to make this film
Copy !req
421. about Stephen and...
Copy !req
422. - Wendy: Stephen...
and try to understand...
Copy !req
423. try to understand who he is
and what he had become.
Copy !req
424. About Stephen's violated
and abused life.
Copy !req
425. But what I guess I'm saying
is that this incident
Copy !req
426. has certainly shaken me.
I'm not... you know,
Copy !req
427. and I have a different relationship
to him than Bernice does
Copy !req
428. and certainly different than do you,
especially now.
Copy !req
429. This film...
will be an honest film,
Copy !req
430. as honest as I can make it.
Copy !req
431. It's not just an apology
for Stephen.
Copy !req
432. It's not just... you know,
I'm not here to just grill Bernice...
Copy !req
433. Steve J:
Then I proceeded to do just that.
Copy !req
434. Why would you go up
to the prison to see him?
Copy !req
435. - Why?
- Yeah.
Copy !req
436. Well, no matter
what he done...
Copy !req
437. and I don't approve
of what he done,
Copy !req
438. he's still my son.
Copy !req
439. You know,
he's still my son.
Copy !req
440. And it's not that she didn't
try with Stephen, because she did.
Copy !req
441. Yeah, but people wasn't around
when I was trying with him.
Copy !req
442. - Wendy: I was!
- They don't know, they don't know.
Copy !req
443. It's when... when I got to where
I couldn't handle him,
Copy !req
444. and his grandma, you know,
would take him back,
Copy !req
445. and then I would get all the blame
for doing everything wrong.
Copy !req
446. - You know what I've heard?
- Bernice: Oh yeah.
Copy !req
447. I've heard that basically
Stephen...
Copy !req
448. - that you beat him terribly...
- Bernice: I have heard things.
Copy !req
449. And that you basically gave him
to Grandma and said,
Copy !req
450. "You raise him."
That's what I've heard.
Copy !req
451. - Oh?
- I mean that's what I've heard.
Copy !req
452. Anything he does now,
he blames me.
Copy !req
453. Because that's what his grandma
Copy !req
454. brainwashed him to think
all those years.
Copy !req
455. Anything that happened bad to him
Copy !req
456. is because he had such a rough life
because of me.
Copy !req
457. There was no beatings?
I mean, I hear that all the time.
Copy !req
458. I didn't beat him.
Yeah, I whipped him,
Copy !req
459. but nothing to what...
Copy !req
460. Why does Brenda
say this too, then?
Copy !req
461. Oh...!
Copy !req
462. Bern, calm down, you're like me...
Copy !req
463. Steve J: Well, no,
I have to ask these questions.
Copy !req
464. Yeah, I've popped him in the mouth.
Copy !req
465. I will not put up with any crap.
If a kid stands by me
Copy !req
466. and smarts off,
I'm gonna slap him in the mouth.
Copy !req
467. I do not agree with a child standing
Copy !req
468. and back talking.
Copy !req
469. And this is where
her and I differ.
Copy !req
470. I don't think they should be
smacked.
Copy !req
471. I don't think they should be hit.
Copy !req
472. Mainly, because of the way
I grew up.
Copy !req
473. Had I turned the way
that we were raised,
Copy !req
474. I would have been in prison
by the time I was 17.
Copy !req
475. But see, I had that choice.
And I made that choice.
Copy !req
476. I don't pick up high heels,
coal shovels
Copy !req
477. and beat my children.
Copy !req
478. I don't cut switches off
Copy !req
479. and cut them from their ankles
to their ass,
Copy !req
480. and make them bleed,
and then put tights on them
Copy !req
481. and send them to school
to cover it.
Copy !req
482. This all happened to you?
Copy !req
483. Oh... We were raised
in the back hills of West Virginia.
Copy !req
484. My dad was an alcoholic.
Copy !req
485. Very, very abusive.
Copy !req
486. - Steve J: What about Stevie's dad?
- No.
Copy !req
487. - And I won't go into that, no.
- Who is Stevie's father?
Copy !req
488. - No?
- No.
Copy !req
489. Why not? Can you tell me
why not, you won't?
Copy !req
490. - I just don't want to.
- Wendy: Does Stevie know?
Copy !req
491. - Steve J: No, he doesn't know.
- No.
Copy !req
492. That's sad. Regardless
of who he is or what he is,
Copy !req
493. he has a right to know
at least who his father is.
Copy !req
494. Well, Arvle raised him...
Copy !req
495. as his son, you know.
Copy !req
496. You'll get in trouble over it.
Copy !req
497. They ain't gonna say
nothing to me about it.
Copy !req
498. All right, go ahead.
If you get in trouble, go ahead.
Copy !req
499. Hardhead.
Copy !req
500. Sometimes we get along
all right, and sometimes we don't.
Copy !req
501. But he'd fight for me.
Why, he'd fight for me.
Copy !req
502. And he knows there's not
nobody who's done for him
Copy !req
503. what me and my husband
done for him.
Copy !req
504. He was only 121/2 years old
when Roy died.
Copy !req
505. But Roy just worshipped him.
Copy !req
506. Steve J:
In 1983, I wrote in my journal,
Copy !req
507. "Grandma's life just about stopped
when Roy died of a heart attack."
Copy !req
508. She couldn't sit on the porch
after supper, she said,
Copy !req
509. because the memories
hurt too much.
Copy !req
510. Stevie fills the hole in Grandma's
life, but only partially.
Copy !req
511. And, she says, she gets no help
from Stevie's mother
Copy !req
512. and her own son, Arvle.
Copy !req
513. Grandpa and Grandma meant
more to me than what Mom ever did.
Copy !req
514. Then you find out that they ain't
no blood relation to you.
Copy !req
515. It freaked me out
when Grandpa died.
Copy !req
516. And then Dad turned around
and he died, and...
Copy !req
517. well, I ain't never got over
neither one of them yet.
Copy !req
518. Steve J: How old were you
when you found out
Copy !req
519. Arvle wasn't your real dad?
Copy !req
520. Some time ago.
Copy !req
521. But the way I see it,
he is my dad
Copy !req
522. because he's the only dad
I've ever knowed.
Copy !req
523. I don't know.
Lot of shit I don't understand.
Copy !req
524. Steve J:
In 1981, the year Grandpa died,
Copy !req
525. Stevie was first placed
at the Huber Boys' Home.
Copy !req
526. She put him in the boys'
home, then whenever he got out,
Copy !req
527. she tried to make him think
I'd stuck him there. And I didn't.
Copy !req
528. I cried 'cause he had to go.
But we didn't have him adopted
Copy !req
529. and there wasn't anything
I could do about it.
Copy !req
530. We tried to adopt him,
but we was too old.
Copy !req
531. In the beginning, Mrs. Hagler
was terrific to Stephen.
Copy !req
532. But then, Mrs. Hagler
Copy !req
533. always seemed to thrive
Copy !req
534. on making Bernice's life
a nightmare.
Copy !req
535. If they had all come together
with that kid,
Copy !req
536. he'd been a whole different kid.
Copy !req
537. I thought, somebody's
got to defend this kid.
Copy !req
538. Nobody else is going to.
Somebody...
Copy !req
539. somebody has to be
his protector.
Copy !req
540. Steve J: Hal and Dorinda became
Stevie's first foster parents
Copy !req
541. at the Huber Boys' Home
when he was 11.
Copy !req
542. Despite giving him
regular doses of Ritalin,
Copy !req
543. Grandma decided she could
no longer control Stevie.
Copy !req
544. He would thrive on attention,
Copy !req
545. whether it was positive attention
or negative attention.
Copy !req
546. One time I remember,
we was out mowing and weed-eating
Copy !req
547. and there was a copperhead snake
that was laying there
Copy !req
548. and I seen them boys up there,
I'm like,
Copy !req
549. "Hey, looky here what I got!
I got me a pet now!"
Copy !req
550. They're like, "Oh, man,
get that thing outta here."
Copy !req
551. "Nuh-uh."
Copy !req
552. - They just scattered like fleas.
- Steve J: I'll bet.
Copy !req
553. I got in pretty big trouble
for doing that.
Copy !req
554. He could irritate
the life out of you
Copy !req
555. and at the same time
you just loved him to pieces.
Copy !req
556. - You just... he grew on you.
- He was sweet.
Copy !req
557. God gave his good will
Copy !req
558. when he said,
"This is my law."
Copy !req
559. Steve J: Hal and Dorinda were
Stevie's favorite foster parents,
Copy !req
560. but after three years,
Hal got this job as minister
Copy !req
561. and they left Huber Home.
Copy !req
562. We're not his parents.
We can't follow him everywhere.
Copy !req
563. And there is a letting go.
Copy !req
564. Realizing that when you let go,
Copy !req
565. that there might be
a train wreck at the end.
Copy !req
566. The first people
that had him at Huber Home,
Copy !req
567. I think was all right.
But the next one that was there...
Copy !req
568. he was raped
when they was there.
Copy !req
569. And up until the last year or so,
he's talked about that and cried.
Copy !req
570. Steve J:
The first time I saw him,
Copy !req
571. I walked into the behavioral
disorder classroom.
Copy !req
572. The teacher said,
"Stevie, come here."
Copy !req
573. And out from behind
a filing cabinet fortress he came.
Copy !req
574. He had been sort of closed off
from the rest of the class,
Copy !req
575. because he was so disorderly.
Copy !req
576. And he had a bell
that he would ring
Copy !req
577. in order to get
the teacher's attention.
Copy !req
578. We had a lot of intelligent
people working on him
Copy !req
579. over the years trying
to come up with something
Copy !req
580. that would either motivate him
or help him control himself,
Copy !req
581. and we never came up with it.
Copy !req
582. But when we get to the point
Copy !req
583. that I'm gonna have kids
trying to hurt each other,
Copy !req
584. then I've got to remove the child
that's causing the problems.
Copy !req
585. I realize now that he was
one of the more severe children
Copy !req
586. that I've had to deal with.
Copy !req
587. Steve J: By 1986,
Stevie had become so uncontrollable
Copy !req
588. that Bernice gave him over
to the state for permanent placement
Copy !req
589. in foster care.
Copy !req
590. "His own experiences of abuse,
Copy !req
591. coupled with
his impulsive acting out,"
Copy !req
592. wrote one psychologist at the time,
Copy !req
593. "could lead Stevie to sexually
abusing young children,
Copy !req
594. whom he'd view
as emotional peers."
Copy !req
595. In 1988, after failed placements
Copy !req
596. in every group home
in southern Illinois,
Copy !req
597. 17 year-old Stevie was committed
Copy !req
598. to the Choate Mental Hospital
in Anna.
Copy !req
599. It took like eight people
to restrain me,
Copy !req
600. and then when they
strapped me down to a bed
Copy !req
601. using cloth restraints,
Copy !req
602. I just came out
and I snapped them.
Copy !req
603. Steve J: He continued
to be physically aggressive,
Copy !req
604. prompting extensive drug therapy.
Copy !req
605. And they're like,
"No more of this.
Copy !req
606. We want him out of here
and out of here now,
Copy !req
607. before he winds up
hurting somebody else."
Copy !req
608. Steve J: Stevie was discharged
from Choate in August of '89.
Copy !req
609. The summary report stated
Copy !req
610. he had received "maximum
benefit from hospitalization."
Copy !req
611. Unfortunately,
all those services can't begin
Copy !req
612. to provide for him
what he really needed,
Copy !req
613. which was a family
that was nurturing
Copy !req
614. and cared about him
and supported him.
Copy !req
615. And so in that way,
the system failed him.
Copy !req
616. The system always fails
in that kind of situation.
Copy !req
617. They can't begin to do enough
for a child like Stevie.
Copy !req
618. Frankly, there was
a little bit of maybe wild talk
Copy !req
619. about you know, maybe not
letting him live here again.
Copy !req
620. You know, you hear
Copy !req
621. this "it- takes-a-village-
to-raise-a-child" thing.
Copy !req
622. What do you do
when the village fails?
Copy !req
623. You know, I mean where does
our responsibility to people end?
Copy !req
624. A lot of the older people
remember him as a child.
Copy !req
625. - Hi.
- Dave: And they've always been
Copy !req
626. very kind and compassionate
toward him.
Copy !req
627. You gonna introduce me?
Copy !req
628. Ahem... yeah.
I was getting ready to.
Copy !req
629. This is Charlotte Teller,
the post office...
Copy !req
630. - Officer in charge...
- Yeah.
Copy !req
631. - At the post office until they
have their new postmaster.
Copy !req
632. He won't last very long
if I got something to say about it.
Copy !req
633. - Oh, Stevie.
- I mean it.
Copy !req
634. You got to be nice to people
and give them a chance.
Copy !req
635. - No I don't.
- I'll let you meet him.
Copy !req
636. - Huh-uh.
- Yeah, you will. He's right here.
Copy !req
637. This is Lenny. This is Steve.
He lives down the road.
Copy !req
638. Nice to meet you.
Copy !req
639. He's a nice guy.
You got to give him a chance.
Copy !req
640. - Nice to meet you.
- Well, I guess I could.
Copy !req
641. - Yeah, he's a nice guy.
- It'll work out okay.
Copy !req
642. Yeah, he's a nice guy...
real nice guy.
Copy !req
643. Why'd you have to take
my baby's job, man?
Copy !req
644. I've known Steve
since he was a little boy... toddler.
Copy !req
645. - Steve J: Yeah?
- Charlotte: Yeah. He's a good guy.
Copy !req
646. - Steve J: I was his Big Brother.
- Verna told me
Copy !req
647. he had a Big Brother.
Yeah, Grandma told me.
Copy !req
648. Steve J:
A long time ago.
Copy !req
649. He waited and waited
for his Christmas card.
Copy !req
650. He'd come in every day looking for
his card from you at Christmas time.
Copy !req
651. - Oh, really?
- Charlotte: Yeah.
Copy !req
652. He told me he was getting
a Christmas card.
Copy !req
653. You working today
or you got today off?
Copy !req
654. Steve J: Though Brenda and Stevie
live only 100 yards apart,
Copy !req
655. it's like they're
on different planets.
Copy !req
656. She's been happily married
since she was 16
Copy !req
657. and steadily employed
since she was 18.
Copy !req
658. I was always the dumb one,
she was always the smart one.
Copy !req
659. Couldn't outsmart her.
Copy !req
660. Steve J: Brenda was born soon
after Bernice gave Stevie to Verna.
Copy !req
661. She's the only child
Arvle and Bernice had together.
Copy !req
662. She was put on a pedestal.
Copy !req
663. When you have one
that is encircled
Copy !req
664. and one that is not...
Copy !req
665. the one is sheltered
and the other one isn't...
Copy !req
666. Well, I wasn't treated
nothing like "Bubby" was,
Copy !req
667. but she still wasn't a mother.
Copy !req
668. I think that Mom had
a lot of resentment,
Copy !req
669. because when she got pregnant
she didn't know the guy was married
Copy !req
670. and she took it out on Bubby.
Copy !req
671. He couldn't look to his left
without getting beat.
Copy !req
672. You have enough
to last you till Friday?
Copy !req
673. Maybe.
Copy !req
674. Steve J:
Brenda is Stevie's payee
Copy !req
675. for his Social Security
disability checks.
Copy !req
676. He's been receiving them since his
release from the mental hospital.
Copy !req
677. That's my other little gadget
that I made.
Copy !req
678. Have you used it?
Yep.
Copy !req
679. - I ain't used it.
- No wonder your brain's fried.
Copy !req
680. Well, last payday
he wanted me to give him
Copy !req
681. $45 for marijuana.
Copy !req
682. And I wouldn't do it.
So he got mad about that
Copy !req
683. and threatens to pay me back
Copy !req
684. by doing something
to my animals or whatever.
Copy !req
685. And I told him, "If that's the way
you're going to be,
Copy !req
686. I'll call Social Security and give
it up. You won't have anything."
Copy !req
687. You might have
that snake in your house, man.
Copy !req
688. Doug has got more
patience with him than I do.
Copy !req
689. Me, I raise my temper.
Doug doesn't.
Copy !req
690. He tries to talk rationally to him...
give him chance after chance.
Copy !req
691. I didn't take it down,
it fell apart.
Copy !req
692. Steve J: Does Doug know about
some of the stuff he...
Copy !req
693. you know, the sexual stuff
that he did in the past with...
Copy !req
694. - Yes.
- Steve: With you?
Copy !req
695. - Uh-huh. He doesn't trust him
with me by myself.
Copy !req
696. Like today, he asked
if he was gonna be down here.
Copy !req
697. He doesn't let me
to go to town with him.
Copy !req
698. Doug said no,
and Bubby knows that.
Copy !req
699. It's like
we had horses in there.
Copy !req
700. Steve J: How are you
and Brenda getting along?
Copy !req
701. At times,
just like everyone else.
Copy !req
702. We have our differences.
I was gonna knock her in the head
Copy !req
703. out here beside the garage
because she called me "retarded."
Copy !req
704. I was gonna knock her in the head
with a claw hammer.
Copy !req
705. You just... some things
you just don't say.
Copy !req
706. And that's one of them things...
Copy !req
707. I just don't like that word.
Copy !req
708. I never have.
Copy !req
709. Steve J: Since you've
gotten out of jail,
Copy !req
710. have you caught any shit
from anybody?
Copy !req
711. You know how it is.
Copy !req
712. Steve J: Stevie asked the court
for a new public defender.
Copy !req
713. Even though Patricia Gross'
petition got his confession tossed,
Copy !req
714. he didn't believe a woman
would avidly represent him.
Copy !req
715. And I think the judge
thinks this case is a piece of shit,
Copy !req
716. quite frankly...
on the state's part.
Copy !req
717. More likely, that's about
what he was saying Friday
Copy !req
718. whenever we was in court.
Copy !req
719. He did say that in court actually.
Copy !req
720. Now that he's suppressed
the statement,
Copy !req
721. this case is a lot better to try,
but there's a risk you could lose.
Copy !req
722. And the downside of losing
is a minimum six years penitentiary,
Copy !req
723. maximum of 30 years.
And that's not therapy,
Copy !req
724. that's not help... prison.
Copy !req
725. The judge has suggested to me
Copy !req
726. a plea of guilty
to Class Two felony.
Copy !req
727. It's got a real awful name...
"criminal sexual abuse."
Copy !req
728. The State would agree
to credit for time served.
Copy !req
729. You wouldn't do another day.
Copy !req
730. And there'd be counseling.
Do you have any interest in that?
Copy !req
731. - I'd have to think about it.
- I want you to think about it.
Copy !req
732. I don't want you to do it
without thinking about it.
Copy !req
733. Okay. But do you have any questions?
Do you think you understand me?
Copy !req
734. I understand you.
That ain't nothing.
Copy !req
735. They're going to try and push
for the felony
Copy !req
736. because they have Wendy, who's
putting a lot of pressure on them.
Copy !req
737. She called down there this morning
and threatened my sister.
Copy !req
738. Uh-huh.
Copy !req
739. If she's gonna start that, there's
gonna be something done about it.
Copy !req
740. Anything you might try to do
by way of contacting her
Copy !req
741. could be misconstrued
as you trying to harass her.
Copy !req
742. You, in particular,
should steer clear of this.
Copy !req
743. My advice, okay?
That's legal advice.
Copy !req
744. Not if they come messin'
with my family, I'm not.
Copy !req
745. Well, then your
ignoring my advice.
Copy !req
746. I expect not to hear from him.
Copy !req
747. When I do call him, I think
he'll probably be sort of warm
Copy !req
748. to the offer, but allow me
to convince him a little more
Copy !req
749. and maybe we'll have a deal.
Copy !req
750. Steve J:
If they offered you a deal
Copy !req
751. that guaranteed you
not to have prison time,
Copy !req
752. but included counseling,
would you take it?
Copy !req
753. Probably not.
Copy !req
754. Why not, though?
Copy !req
755. I ain't going through
that damn crazy-ass shit.
Copy !req
756. I don't need no damn shrink
talking to me.
Copy !req
757. I'm not as dumb as what them
motherfuckers may think I am.
Copy !req
758. They try and tell you shit
that's going on in life,
Copy !req
759. they ain't going to tell me nothing.
I been through it and I've seen it.
Copy !req
760. You think if you talked
to somebody like Judy
Copy !req
761. and took it seriously,
that it would help you?
Copy !req
762. Well, I'll tell you the third time,
I ain't talking to no shrink.
Copy !req
763. I mean, I'm just not.
Copy !req
764. Steve J:
Even if it means going to prison?
Copy !req
765. I ain't going to prison,
neither.
Copy !req
766. You got something else
in mind?
Copy !req
767. I ain't saying.
Copy !req
768. Steve J: Stevie told me
he's determined
Copy !req
769. to not have a sex offense
on his criminal record.
Copy !req
770. Sex offenders
have to register
Copy !req
771. with the state or their local
police department for 10 years.
Copy !req
772. Their names and faces
are posted on the Internet.
Copy !req
773. Murderers aren't.
Copy !req
774. I mean, they're the worst
of the worst.
Copy !req
775. Steve J: Have people
given you a hard time
Copy !req
776. for being friendly to Steve?
Copy !req
777. Everybody.
Copy !req
778. Doesn't matter to me.
Copy !req
779. We tolerate each other,
you know?
Copy !req
780. And people don't
understand that.
Copy !req
781. Steve J:
So you're trusting him?
Copy !req
782. All I know is what Steve tells me.
Copy !req
783. And, you can weigh it either way,
you know?
Copy !req
784. Steve's been known
to tell a story now and then.
Copy !req
785. There's two people
that know what happened,
Copy !req
786. and I'm not one of them.
Copy !req
787. And that's pretty simple,
isn't it?
Copy !req
788. Steve J: With any trial months away,
Stevie and I just want to forget
Copy !req
789. about his legal troubles,
not think about what lies ahead.
Copy !req
790. I heard
the crappie are biting.
Copy !req
791. Yeah, we're going
to the government pond.
Copy !req
792. You catch an eight-pounder,
let me know.
Copy !req
793. Eight-pound bass, anyway.
Don't throw it back.
Copy !req
794. I didn't throw that five-pound
bass back I caught at Cedar neither.
Copy !req
795. Catfish and bass loves frogs.
Copy !req
796. I'm smart. I know what to use.
I ain't... huh.
Copy !req
797. Hey!
Get your ass back here!
Copy !req
798. Son of a bitch.
Copy !req
799. Come on, pokey-ass.
Copy !req
800. I ain't got all day
to mess around with you.
Copy !req
801. I wouldn't go up there, Tim.
Copy !req
802. Watch the goddamned
tree limbs, brother!
Copy !req
803. Oh!
God damn it!
Copy !req
804. Fucking overheated the truck.
Copy !req
805. - Tim: Is this a comedy?
- Steve J: It is a comedy at times.
Copy !req
806. Now, if we don't catch any fish
you got to edit all that stuff.
Copy !req
807. Steve J: We'll edit it
so that a fish is caught.
Copy !req
808. There's a bunch of fish out there.
Copy !req
809. This is kind of like
a peaceful getaway, you know?
Copy !req
810. - Thank you.
- Yup.
Copy !req
811. There's nothing down here.
There's not a damn thing down here.
Copy !req
812. I've worked about four weeks...
about a month, this year.
Copy !req
813. That's not very good.
Copy !req
814. It takes more than that
to get by.
Copy !req
815. It doesn't matter.
Copy !req
816. - Steve J: So what do you do?
- I swing a hammer.
Copy !req
817. Construction, carpenter.
Copy !req
818. - Your cork! God damn it, Tim!
- Tim: That ain't no fish.
Copy !req
819. Well, what's it doing under?
Copy !req
820. - Tim: The wind.
- Yeah.
Copy !req
821. Well, get in there and get you
some damn weights out then.
Copy !req
822. It doesn't matter.
Copy !req
823. 'Cause you always look forward
to tomorrow, you know?
Copy !req
824. It's so gradual that you always
expect the next thing...
Copy !req
825. you know, the next step.
Copy !req
826. Naturally, the next step
would be tomorrow.
Copy !req
827. Fuckin' tick. Damn.
Copy !req
828. You get lost
down here so easy.
Copy !req
829. Yeah.
Copy !req
830. But, this isn't bad, sitting here
drinking beer and fishing,
Copy !req
831. and you know,
not catching any fish, but...
Copy !req
832. Tim, he's going to town, man.
Copy !req
833. Damn it, damn it.
Copy !req
834. Oh, got 'em.
No, I missed him.
Copy !req
835. He gonna be a fat bastard
whenever you get done with him.
Copy !req
836. Steve J: Frog time?
Yep.
Copy !req
837. Aw, man.
Don't even tell me.
Copy !req
838. That little son of a bitch
got out. Damn!
Copy !req
839. Rain, motherfucker! Rain!
Copy !req
840. - Shit!
- Tim: This is sort of like freedom.
Copy !req
841. I can stand out in the rain
if I want to, by gosh.
Copy !req
842. We're pretty much content,
you know?
Copy !req
843. There's not a whole lot we need,
you know.
Copy !req
844. Yeah, we don't have a good woman,
but, by gosh...
Copy !req
845. Are we that demented?
Copy !req
846. - Stevie: We ain't that drunk yet.
- Hell no, we haven't even started.
Copy !req
847. You guys are more than welcome.
Get a cold one out of the cooler.
Copy !req
848. All that filming
'bout to wear me out.
Copy !req
849. Damn, that's pitiful.
Copy !req
850. I'm ashamed of that.
Copy !req
851. I don't give a fuck.
How 'bout that one?
Copy !req
852. Can't do better than this,
might as well just give it up.
Copy !req
853. It doesn't matter.
Copy !req
854. What time are you gonna
be back Friday?
Copy !req
855. They got a camper
down there, so, 6:30.
Copy !req
856. I know what you'll be doing
down there.
Copy !req
857. What?
Copy !req
858. I think you'll be smoking
that weed, drinking...
Copy !req
859. - I don't smoke weed anymore.
- Oh, bull!
Copy !req
860. I don't even know
what you're talking about!
Copy !req
861. - Don't play that game with me.
- I ain't playing no games.
Copy !req
862. Let's ask Tim.
Copy !req
863. Do you not smoke it, too?
Copy !req
864. One time. Three or four months,
not every weekend.
Copy !req
865. So don't blame it all...
only because I do it.
Copy !req
866. You do it, too.
Copy !req
867. Who actually got you
started drinking? I did.
Copy !req
868. I'm unhappy with him.
But if I break up with him now,
Copy !req
869. I'll be depressed.
Copy !req
870. When he's sober,
Copy !req
871. he expresses feelings
towards other people.
Copy !req
872. But when he's on that...
Copy !req
873. marijuana and whiskey
he gets crazy.
Copy !req
874. This boy's been drinking whiskey.
Copy !req
875. Good ol' "Jack."
Copy !req
876. Steve J: Stevie's prepared
for Bernice's arrival.
Copy !req
877. Against his wishes,
she's coming out
Copy !req
878. to belatedly celebrate
his 26th birthday.
Copy !req
879. You want a belly rub, huh?
Copy !req
880. Goldie, you're gonna
stink like him now.
Copy !req
881. Fuck you...
and the horse you rode in on.
Copy !req
882. Don't piss me off. I won't give you
no more spending money.
Copy !req
883. - Brenda: That's her.
Copy !req
884. - Hi.
- Hi. Gosh.
Copy !req
885. Howdy, howdy.
Copy !req
886. Look at that.
Copy !req
887. Steve J: It's the first time they've
seen each other in months.
Copy !req
888. "Cool Joe."
That's the "Snake Man."
Copy !req
889. He gets so drunk he's on the ground,
crawling around?
Copy !req
890. No, the reason's
because I play with them.
Copy !req
891. Like the night that we was
down there and that snake...
Copy !req
892. I know that sumbitch
was every bit about five...
Copy !req
893. five-and-a-half foot fucking long.
- Stephen...!
Copy !req
894. - Ma'am?
- Watch your mouth.
Copy !req
895. Big son of a bitch.
That one cottonmouth...
Copy !req
896. There ain't no sense
in telling him to shut up
Copy !req
897. 'cause he ain't gonna listen.
Copy !req
898. Gosh.
Copy !req
899. Remember what Dad told me?
He said, "Son...
Copy !req
900. God gave you a mouth..."
Copy !req
901. - You're dreaming again, too.
- Stevie: "... learn how to use it."
Copy !req
902. He didn't tell you
to use it that way.
Copy !req
903. Happy Birthday.
Copy !req
904. A little late, ain't it?
Copy !req
905. You know, I'm still waiting
from last year,
Copy !req
906. so just don't get
mouthy, now.
Copy !req
907. You're supposed to open it.
Copy !req
908. I always like to make sure
it ain't no damn bomb at first.
Copy !req
909. My mind doesn't work
like yours does.
Copy !req
910. Tomorrow,
when we go to the doctor,
Copy !req
911. it just takes one or two squirts.
Don't pour it over your head.
Copy !req
912. Preferably under your armpits
since you don't use deodorant.
Copy !req
913. Up yours, bitch.
Copy !req
914. Should've got him one of them
"soap on a ropes."
Copy !req
915. He wouldn't know
what to do with it.
Copy !req
916. It says "Son, on your birthday,
go for it."
Copy !req
917. And I knew he would.
Copy !req
918. It says "Make today
the best birthday ever.
Copy !req
919. Happy Birthday, Mom and Bobby."
Now, up here I put,
Copy !req
920. "Stephen, please remember
I'll always love you.
Copy !req
921. Hope you have a happy birthday
and many more. Love, Mom."
Copy !req
922. Be grateful,
she said "love" in that card twice.
Copy !req
923. "Be grateful"?
What do you mean?
Copy !req
924. What, are you jealous?
Copy !req
925. Sounds like it, don't it?
Copy !req
926. In my last Christmas card,
she didn't even write "love" in it,
Copy !req
927. - it was just "Mom and Bobby."
- Bernice: Oh gosh.
Copy !req
928. That "love"
is hard to come by with her.
Copy !req
929. Here we go!
Copy !req
930. You only told me you loved me once
and that was when I had surgery
Copy !req
931. and you thought maybe
I wouldn't wake up.
Copy !req
932. - Oh, gosh!
- Doug: Oh, yeah right.
Copy !req
933. I believe that one.
Copy !req
934. Steve J: If anyone is determined
to make a break
Copy !req
935. from the family's troubled past,
it's Brenda.
Copy !req
936. She's wanted children
since she married Doug at 16.
Copy !req
937. But for nine years she's suffered
from a rare form of endometriosis
Copy !req
938. that makes pregnancy difficult
and dangerous.
Copy !req
939. Today she hopes her fertility doctor
will have good news.
Copy !req
940. If they think
they can fix the problem,
Copy !req
941. I'll have to convince Doug
and everybody else.
Copy !req
942. I mean, I got chewed out
from one end to the other,
Copy !req
943. being told that I was selfish
trying to get pregnant.
Copy !req
944. That if I die in the middle of it,
Copy !req
945. that it's gonna be
all wasted anyway.
Copy !req
946. Okay. How does it feel?
Copy !req
947. - I have been having a lot of pain.
- Doctor: Still having pain?
Copy !req
948. I think before we try and be
pregnant, we would be smart
Copy !req
949. probably to poke a scope
back in there...
Copy !req
950. try to lase off any residual
disease that you've got.
Copy !req
951. And try and get you pregnant
as quickly as we can after that.
Copy !req
952. What happens
if I don't get pregnant?
Copy !req
953. Then we may either be looking
at "in vitro" or "gift."
Copy !req
954. The problem is cost.
Copy !req
955. And it's easily five to $10,000
per attempt.
Copy !req
956. - Doctor: Questions?
- No. Not now.
Copy !req
957. I think he's toying
with her life.
Copy !req
958. I would rather keep her
then have a baby.
Copy !req
959. Really... seriously,
that's the way I feel.
Copy !req
960. There's all these people
that get pregnant the first time
Copy !req
961. they have sex and everything.
And they don't even want ' em.
Copy !req
962. They're mean to 'em.
Copy !req
963. People like Mom...
who didn't need kids to begin with,
Copy !req
964. didn't know the first thing
about kids, and I can't have 'em.
Copy !req
965. But, I guess
there's a reason for everything.
Copy !req
966. I'll find out one of these days.
Copy !req
967. Steve J: Why do you come
on these doctor's visits?
Copy !req
968. What do you think?
Copy !req
969. - Brenda: Don't be hateful.
- Stevie: Oh, I'm not!
Copy !req
970. 'Cause it's the only damn family
I've got.
Copy !req
971. She's...
Copy !req
972. she's one I can turn to
a lot of times.
Copy !req
973. She'd know I'd help her out
and she helps me out.
Copy !req
974. That's the way a family
should work.
Copy !req
975. I think the kindest thing
one can say about the decision below
Copy !req
976. is that the court forgot
what Miranda was about.
Copy !req
977. Steve J: Over a year after
the crime, appellate lawyers spar
Copy !req
978. over whether Stevie's confession
was obtained legally or not.
Copy !req
979. The defendant's
presence is voluntary,
Copy !req
980. that he's not under arrest.
Copy !req
981. If the confession stays out, Stevie
will likely walk away unpunished.
Copy !req
982. Attorney #2: It was not
until the end that he left.
Copy !req
983. Now what did he believe
in the middle?
Copy !req
984. Steve J: If the confession
comes back in.
Copy !req
985. The state's appellate defender
plans to take the case
Copy !req
986. to the Illinois Supreme Court.
Copy !req
987. David Rumley: You're going to have
a minor testifying,
Copy !req
988. who would be even a year
more removed from the recollection.
Copy !req
989. And it might make it
more easy for me
Copy !req
990. to expose the weaknesses
in testimony,
Copy !req
991. which is not
particularly convincing anyway.
Copy !req
992. I mean, there isn't any
physical evidence, you know?
Copy !req
993. He swore up and down to me
that he didn't do what they said.
Copy !req
994. According to him,
he didn't touch her.
Copy !req
995. He said he picked her up and put her
on the bed and spanked her.
Copy !req
996. Because he'd let both of them
take a bath together,
Copy !req
997. they got into a fight and splashed
a bunch of water on the floor.
Copy !req
998. And I said, "Well, if she was
red and irritated,
Copy !req
999. and the doctor says that she was,
where did that come in at?"
Copy !req
1000. "Well, I don't know."
Copy !req
1001. Steve J:
So do you think he's innocent?
Copy !req
1002. No, I think he did something.
I just don't know if he done...
Copy !req
1003. I think he done something.
I just don't know what.
Copy !req
1004. I mean,
at least he stopped.
Copy !req
1005. We read the police report,
said something there
Copy !req
1006. where Holly kicked him.
That's when he quit.
Copy !req
1007. Do we still have that
somewhere?
Copy !req
1008. And she hid under the bed
or something.
Copy !req
1009. You know what you
should have done
Copy !req
1010. before you put
that spaghetti sauce on it?
Copy !req
1011. Left it in your bowl
and run water through on it.
Copy !req
1012. Get back! I ain't asking you
for advice no more.
Copy !req
1013. I didn't say nothing.
Copy !req
1014. She wants to believe
he done it.
Copy !req
1015. She just can't bring herself
to believe he really done it.
Copy !req
1016. It puts a strain on her when she's
around me or the girls.
Copy !req
1017. We have had words over it,
Copy !req
1018. because when she gets smart with me
Copy !req
1019. it sounds like she's blaming me.
Copy !req
1020. There will never come a day
that it will be repaired.
Copy !req
1021. Every time she thinks of her son
in prison,
Copy !req
1022. all she's going to think of is
that we are the reason he's there.
Copy !req
1023. You're always cold after surgery.
Copy !req
1024. Steve J: Today, Brenda's having
a pre-cancerous ovary removed.
Copy !req
1025. While Bernice waits in the car,
Copy !req
1026. Brenda stops by
to pick up Stevie and Verna.
Copy !req
1027. Grandma why won't you go?
You know I want you to go.
Copy !req
1028. You went the last time.
Copy !req
1029. I told you, if the prostitute
went I wouldn't go.
Copy !req
1030. Well, whatever,
I'm going to be late now, so...
Copy !req
1031. Grandma's just
so jealous that I'm gonna...
Copy !req
1032. I'm gonna like somebody
besides her.
Copy !req
1033. And she's got Stephen
brainwashed enough
Copy !req
1034. to where he believes
all that stuff.
Copy !req
1035. She's always just saying,
"Well, I wish that she'd die.
Copy !req
1036. I just wish to God she'd die."
Copy !req
1037. "It seems funny to me
that if you're a Christian
Copy !req
1038. you would go to hell just because
you hate her that bad."
Copy !req
1039. She'll say, "I don't care if I do
go to hell, I hate her."
Copy !req
1040. Steve J: What makes you hang
in there with Grandma?
Copy !req
1041. Because I love her
and she's my grandma.
Copy !req
1042. She's crazy for
Copy !req
1043. forgiving
that bitch back there.
Copy !req
1044. Steve J: But Stevie, how do you ever
move on if you don't get over stuff?
Copy !req
1045. You just gonna take this
to your grave?
Copy !req
1046. Yep.
You're damn right.
Copy !req
1047. Don't you see
what it does to you?
Copy !req
1048. All I see you doing
is hanging out in Pomona...
Copy !req
1049. and raging about your mom,
Copy !req
1050. and all she did to you
when you were a kid.
Copy !req
1051. How many years are you
gonna carry that around?
Copy !req
1052. I'm not saying you have
to go make up to your mom...
Copy !req
1053. Until the stupid bitch dies.
Then that's it will be over with,
Copy !req
1054. whenever I'm laughing
right over her grave.
Copy !req
1055. Do you understand
what I'm saying, though?
Copy !req
1056. I see what you're saying,
and your point is?
Copy !req
1057. If you expect me
to forgive her...
Copy !req
1058. I'm not saying...
I'm not saying "forgive,"
Copy !req
1059. I'm saying "forget."
Copy !req
1060. Well, if this movie's
gonna be based on my life,
Copy !req
1061. by God, people's gonna know.
Copy !req
1062. Well, trust me.
Trust me, we've heard it.
Copy !req
1063. That's why you need therapy.
Copy !req
1064. I don't need no damn therapy.
Copy !req
1065. You know, nobody can help you
if you don't want to help yourself.
Copy !req
1066. You know that.
And you don't want to help yourself,
Copy !req
1067. so what's the point?
Copy !req
1068. And she had a lot
of adhesions on the left side,
Copy !req
1069. just like we knew she would.
We clipped all those loose,
Copy !req
1070. and then took
the left ovary out.
Copy !req
1071. It struck me that Stevie's arrest
and Brenda's surgeries
Copy !req
1072. have brought Bernice
back into their lives.
Copy !req
1073. And in so doing, has ripped
the family even further apart.
Copy !req
1074. I don't hate Stephen.
Copy !req
1075. I feel sorry for Stephen.
Copy !req
1076. And I'm angry at what he done,
Copy !req
1077. because I look at Stephen,
Copy !req
1078. as not at
a 28-year-old man,
Copy !req
1079. I look at Stephen,
Copy !req
1080. as a 12-year-old boy
that's lost.
Copy !req
1081. You should have seen
the two girls and him.
Copy !req
1082. It was like watching...
Copy !req
1083. three little kids.
Copy !req
1084. She idolized him.
Copy !req
1085. She worshipped him.
She worshipped him.
Copy !req
1086. And I have to be here
to put her pieces together.
Copy !req
1087. Who's going to be in prison with
Stephen to pick up his pieces...
Copy !req
1088. when it really hits home to him
what he's done?
Copy !req
1089. When he's sitting in there,
and it finally sinks into his mind,
Copy !req
1090. "Oh my gosh,
Copy !req
1091. here I am, this is my life."
Copy !req
1092. In 1985 I wrote,
Copy !req
1093. "Stevie has been in every kind
of behavioral modification system
Copy !req
1094. since first grade and has learned
their essential flaw:
Copy !req
1095. If the punishment is acceptable,
you will beat the system.
Copy !req
1096. Having already survived
severe physical abuse,
Copy !req
1097. he feels he can
take anything.
Copy !req
1098. - You're gonna meet with Stevie?
- Yeah, he's supposed to come in.
Copy !req
1099. One year ago, Stevie passed
on a chance to make a deal
Copy !req
1100. when the confession
was tossed.
Copy !req
1101. Now the appellate court has ruled
and the confession's back in.
Copy !req
1102. Are you going to talk
to him at all about...
Copy !req
1103. his prospects with this?
Copy !req
1104. He's committed to trying the case,
Copy !req
1105. which is certainly his right to do.
Despite that...
Copy !req
1106. But you know what
the problem I think is?
Copy !req
1107. Is that he hears, "You don't know,
it might work out."
Copy !req
1108. He's gonna waste whatever time
he had to make a deal, or whatever,
Copy !req
1109. and then it's gonna be too late.
They're gonna send him up the river.
Copy !req
1110. It's their right. If they want
a trial, they're going to have one.
Copy !req
1111. You know, if you want
your Viking funeral, okay.
Copy !req
1112. You know, die with your boots on,
that sort of thing.
Copy !req
1113. That's my job.
I'm their advocate.
Copy !req
1114. The 5th District has already
made their decision,
Copy !req
1115. and they say
the statement comes in.
Copy !req
1116. Is that good or bad?
Copy !req
1117. Well, it means it's going
to come back here for a trial.
Copy !req
1118. - State's attorney, right?
- He's the guy prosecuting the case.
Copy !req
1119. - He's the Chief State's Attorney.
- Yeah... dickhead.
Copy !req
1120. I've heard a lot
about him on TV.
Copy !req
1121. - Yeah, he gets on TV on occasion.
Copy !req
1122. - Yeah he does.
- All right...
Copy !req
1123. What I need is to shoot him.
Copy !req
1124. - Well...
- I'll keep that to myself, though.
Copy !req
1125. Yeah, I wouldn't say that
with the camera running.
Copy !req
1126. Of course, I would advise you
against that.
Copy !req
1127. The alternative is the supreme court
will decide to hear the appeal,
Copy !req
1128. in which case it wouldn't come
back here for at least a year.
Copy !req
1129. In another year, I don't know.
There might be the urge
Copy !req
1130. to have this put behind them
and all that business, so...
Copy !req
1131. I'm not trying to give you false
hopes or anything like that...
Copy !req
1132. Steve J: This is where I feared
the meeting would go.
Copy !req
1133. I think you're probably right
to have this heard by a judge,
Copy !req
1134. as opposed to a jury.
Copy !req
1135. And quite honestly,
I've won cases with judges.
Copy !req
1136. Judges don't wet themselves
when they hear what the charges are.
Copy !req
1137. - I mean, the charges are appalling.
- Right.
Copy !req
1138. Steve J: Are you willing to address
with him the question...
Copy !req
1139. - if this comes back for trial...
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1140. - The potential realities of...
- Oh, well, yeah.
Copy !req
1141. I don't think it's a secret that
particularly with the statement,
Copy !req
1142. if the statement's
in there...
Copy !req
1143. odds are good
you'd be convicted.
Copy !req
1144. That statement
is damaging, okay?
Copy !req
1145. So some kind of offer saying
he's willing to plead guilty,
Copy !req
1146. in exchange for probation
and counseling, or therapy...
Copy !req
1147. Probation and counseling...
I don't think the State
Copy !req
1148. would be in a position to take that.
They'd insist on penitentiary time.
Copy !req
1149. But they might be willing to reduce
the amount of penitentiary time?
Copy !req
1150. I think they would be
amenable to an offer,
Copy !req
1151. but I haven't received
any indication from Stevie
Copy !req
1152. that he's in a position
to make one.
Copy !req
1153. Steve J: What do you think
about that, Stevie?
Copy !req
1154. I don't know.
Copy !req
1155. Steve J: I guess what I want you
to think about, Stevie, is...
Copy !req
1156. Think? Hell, this ain't your life
we're talkin' about, this is mine.
Copy !req
1157. Well, I know that, but I guess
I want you to think
Copy !req
1158. about whether you want
to roll the dice like this,
Copy !req
1159. or whether you want to think
about how much time...
Copy !req
1160. I've rolled the dice too much,
I ain't came up with nothin' yet.
Copy !req
1161. Well, exactly.
Copy !req
1162. If you have fear and worry
and anxiety and intimidation:
Copy !req
1163. You don't know him.
Copy !req
1164. I'm telling you, the crisis times,
Satan's meaning to destroy you.
Copy !req
1165. But through the baptism,
we get inside of God,
Copy !req
1166. because the Holy Spirit
comes upon you,
Copy !req
1167. and clothes you with himself.
Copy !req
1168. Three years ago Bernice
joined this church
Copy !req
1169. which is known,
the pastor told me,
Copy !req
1170. for welcoming the most
lost souls in the community.
Copy !req
1171. I was just so depressed
all the time.
Copy !req
1172. Since I've gotten back
into the church,
Copy !req
1173. He's helped me a lot.
Copy !req
1174. I think He's helped me deal
with the kids a lot,
Copy !req
1175. let me know I didn't have to just
dwell on it all the time, you know,
Copy !req
1176. just make myself sick
like I did for a long time over it.
Copy !req
1177. I mentioned church to Stephen
and Tonya one time, and boy,
Copy !req
1178. that was just out of the question,
you know, for both of them.
Copy !req
1179. It's all an act.
Copy !req
1180. She's not no more
a Christian than a dog is.
Copy !req
1181. She told Stephen...
Copy !req
1182. said something about him
going to hell and she said,
Copy !req
1183. "I'm a-goin' up." I said,
"Yes, she's a-goin' up...
Copy !req
1184. in the smoke of the fiery furnace."
That's exactly where she's going.
Copy !req
1185. Steve J: I took Stevie to Lowe's,
where Brenda works,
Copy !req
1186. to buy him a combination
Christmas and birthday present.
Copy !req
1187. Steve J: This is more than I wanted
to spend, I hope you know.
Copy !req
1188. I tried to tell you,
go to Wal-Mart.
Copy !req
1189. - Well...
- No, you insisted,
Copy !req
1190. "Since we's over here,
go ahead and get it here."
Copy !req
1191. - Well, your sister's discount.
- Well, it ain't much of one.
Copy !req
1192. I know.
And we didn't get it either.
Copy !req
1193. I know.
Copy !req
1194. Years ago, we used
to celebrate Stevie's birthdays
Copy !req
1195. with pizza parties
at our house in Carbondale.
Copy !req
1196. Well, I tell you this,
I've got a lot of memories
Copy !req
1197. whenever I go by the old homestead
over there in Carbondale.
Copy !req
1198. Playing ball with Sadie and Lena,
and taking 'em for walks.
Copy !req
1199. Goin' on bicycle rides.
Copy !req
1200. - Going skating.
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1201. That's one thing
I was never good at.
Copy !req
1202. Me and you both.
Copy !req
1203. You remember
how many times I fell down?
Copy !req
1204. Yeah, I still got a lot
of memories from over there.
Copy !req
1205. I think you sort of had a little
crush on Judy, didn't you?
Copy !req
1206. - As a kid?
Copy !req
1207. You expect me
to say something,
Copy !req
1208. when my fiancée is sitting
right here beside me?
Copy !req
1209. And then I get in trouble
by her? Huh-uh.
Copy !req
1210. I know when to hold 'em,
and I know when to fold 'em.
Copy !req
1211. - Exactly.
- Tonya: Brenda or Doug said
Copy !req
1212. they also know that you had a crush
on her, too.
Copy !req
1213. Well, she was like a mother and like
a sister, I guess I could say.
Copy !req
1214. And then you's like a big brother,
you know, 'cause...
Copy !req
1215. well, didn't really know
what a brother was.
Copy !req
1216. And then he's gotta leave southern
Illinois and go up to Chicago.
Copy !req
1217. Leave me down here
all by myself.
Copy !req
1218. Did you feel like I kind of
abandoned you when I left?
Copy !req
1219. I guess in a way, I kinda did,
and in a way I didn't.
Copy !req
1220. I knew it was a job and I figured,
"He's gonna have to leave,
Copy !req
1221. and ain't no tellin'
when I get to see him again.
Copy !req
1222. I used to feel a little
guilty about that, Stevie.
Copy !req
1223. After I left I really didn't
stay in touch with you.
Copy !req
1224. Well, you had your own thing
goin' for you at the time anyway.
Copy !req
1225. And in a way,
I can understand that, too.
Copy !req
1226. Get out from
underneath there! Go!
Copy !req
1227. - Steve J: What the hell's that?
Copy !req
1228. It's a leopard.
It's my clock.
Copy !req
1229. Every hour on the hour, one of them
animals'll make a different sound.
Copy !req
1230. Yeah, laugh.
The damn thing cost me $37.
Copy !req
1231. So what were you
going to tell me?
Copy !req
1232. I guess you got a deal
on that counseling.
Copy !req
1233. - A deal?
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1234. - What do you mean?
- If I come up there and move.
Copy !req
1235. If you come up to Chicago,
you'd do counseling?
Copy !req
1236. Yeah.
Copy !req
1237. So you mean if Judy did it,
you would do it?
Copy !req
1238. 'Cause I know her.
Copy !req
1239. Make sure they're not trying
to hide nothing on me in here.
Copy !req
1240. But you know what
she's gonna tell you?
Copy !req
1241. What's that?
Copy !req
1242. Steve J: The only way you can change
is if you really, really want it.
Copy !req
1243. In my own way,
I have changed a lot.
Copy !req
1244. How?
Copy !req
1245. I used to have a real
bad, bad temper on me.
Copy !req
1246. And my ex-wife
can even tell you that.
Copy !req
1247. Made a promise to myself
if I ever got with another woman,
Copy !req
1248. I'd never hit her.
Copy !req
1249. I get mad, I'll just punch a hole
in the wall or something.
Copy !req
1250. Which he has,
a couple times, hit the wall.
Copy !req
1251. You know, he got mad.
Copy !req
1252. Yeah.
I guess you could say,
Copy !req
1253. in with the new and out with the old
between me and my mom.
Copy !req
1254. Called her one night
when she was in the hospital,
Copy !req
1255. talked to her.
Copy !req
1256. I can understand
what she was going through
Copy !req
1257. whenever me
and Brenda Lee was kids,
Copy !req
1258. with them migraines.
Copy !req
1259. There it is.
Copy !req
1260. Steve J:
She has changed, hasn't she?
Copy !req
1261. I guess.
Copy !req
1262. I know one thing... by the time
I got off the phone with her,
Copy !req
1263. she was crying.
Copy !req
1264. - Did you tell her you loved her?
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1265. Were you crying,
or are you too tough for that?
Copy !req
1266. No, I wasn't crying.
Copy !req
1267. I don't know
if he's capable of crying,
Copy !req
1268. and actually showing his true
feelings for somebody or not.
Copy !req
1269. I don't think
I've ever seen him cry.
Copy !req
1270. He said, "I love you."
Copy !req
1271. And I said,
"Well, I love you, too."
Copy !req
1272. Of course, he didn't realize it,
but I was up there
Copy !req
1273. with tears rolling down
my face and everything.
Copy !req
1274. Because it was unexpected,
and it's something
Copy !req
1275. that I had...
I'd just prayed for, you know.
Copy !req
1276. The family received
even more unexpected news.
Copy !req
1277. - I am pregnant.
- Steve J: Congratulations.
Copy !req
1278. Cody!
Come here!
Copy !req
1279. "Doug," I said, "does this say
a plus or a minus?"
Copy !req
1280. He goes, "A plus."
And I said, "Are you sure?"
Copy !req
1281. He goes, "Yeah. Why?
What does that mean?"
Copy !req
1282. Yeah, like "Uh, duh!"
Copy !req
1283. Tonya's sitting here going...
Copy !req
1284. So...
Copy !req
1285. Steve J: He was really
wanting you to give this up.
Copy !req
1286. - Yeah.
- But you didn't.
Copy !req
1287. Everybody wanted me
to give it up.
Copy !req
1288. It's my little love note
from Doug.
Copy !req
1289. Isn't that special?
Copy !req
1290. - Steve J: Is there one here, too?
- Brenda: Yeah.
Copy !req
1291. What's this one over here?
Copy !req
1292. Read it for us.
Copy !req
1293. "To Brenda, from Doug.
I love you with all my heart.
Copy !req
1294. I'll never leave you until I die."
Copy !req
1295. Sounds like he's
"henpecked" to me.
Copy !req
1296. I didn't make him do it.
Copy !req
1297. Steve J: Have you written one yet
about the new baby?
Copy !req
1298. No, no, no, nope. Not yet.
Copy !req
1299. He's been too busy
writing names.
Copy !req
1300. Yeah, I've been trying
to pick out a name.
Copy !req
1301. If it's a boy,
"Timothy Douglas."
Copy !req
1302. - Do you want a boy?
- Don't matter either way.
Copy !req
1303. We've been waiting this long
I'll take whatever I can get.
Copy !req
1304. We still need to try
the Drano thing.
Copy !req
1305. You're supposed to be able
to pee in a cup,
Copy !req
1306. and then pour just enough Drano
to make it change colors.
Copy !req
1307. If it turns brown, it's a girl.
And if it turns blue, it's a boy.
Copy !req
1308. - You have any Drano?
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1309. - Let's try!
- Oh, God!
Copy !req
1310. - Steve J: So what's that mean?
- Brenda: I don't know yet.
Copy !req
1311. - What was it again?
- Doug: Blue and what?
Copy !req
1312. Blue, its a boy
and brown, it's a girl.
Copy !req
1313. - Steve J: Looking brown to me.
- Bernice: Gonna have a girl.
Copy !req
1314. - Brenda: It is getting brown.
- Stevie: What do you mean?
Copy !req
1315. All right, if it's a girl.
We'll make it into a tomgirl.
Copy !req
1316. She'll like to go fishin'.
Copy !req
1317. Steve J: Are you excited
about the prospect
Copy !req
1318. of becoming
a great-grandma?
Copy !req
1319. No, I don't think
too much about it.
Copy !req
1320. I'm old enough, it may not be
here but when I've gone.
Copy !req
1321. Steve J: Well, I don't know.
I think you'll be here.
Copy !req
1322. - Verna: Well, I don't know.
- You're pretty tough.
Copy !req
1323. Not as tough
as you might think I am.
Copy !req
1324. While Verna sat alone
in the dark that Sunday evening,
Copy !req
1325. Stevie decided
to surprise his mom
Copy !req
1326. by granting another wish
she had prayed for.
Copy !req
1327. You need to say to the Lord:
Copy !req
1328. "Forgive me.
Copy !req
1329. But because there was roots
of bitterness and roots of anger
Copy !req
1330. and roots of sin
so deep in my soul,
Copy !req
1331. and the memories
and the anger,
Copy !req
1332. I wanted just to run out
from Your presence
Copy !req
1333. and bop that one
that had hurt me.
Copy !req
1334. And I turned back
to that world
Copy !req
1335. and I said,
'I'm gonna get even. "'
Copy !req
1336. He had a beard like this an hour
ago, and he came in all shaven.
Copy !req
1337. In the name of Lord Jesus,
Copy !req
1338. we declare Kenny healed!
Set free from the powers of hell!
Copy !req
1339. Thank you, Lord!
Thank you, Jesus!
Copy !req
1340. God's here tonight.
God's here tonight.
Copy !req
1341. Yeah, He is, or Stephen would
have never walked in that door.
Copy !req
1342. "Something is different."
He said, "Something is different."
Copy !req
1343. Steve J: Tonight I wanted to forget
about Stevie's impending trial
Copy !req
1344. and possible prison sentence.
Copy !req
1345. I'd never felt more hopeful
for him than at this moment.
Copy !req
1346. I had to tell you the truth,
that it's your decision to make.
Copy !req
1347. Steve J: With the trial looming.
Stevie and Tonya come to Chicago
Copy !req
1348. on their first, and maybe last,
vacation together.
Copy !req
1349. I don't know
if I'm gonna be able to survive
Copy !req
1350. in this big-ass city or not.
Copy !req
1351. Steve J:
What?
Copy !req
1352. I don't know if I'm gonna
be able to survive or not.
Copy !req
1353. - Steve J: Why?
- I'm out of the country, man.
Copy !req
1354. I had to swear to
protect her while she was up here.
Copy !req
1355. Make sure nothing happens...
Copy !req
1356. Her mommy thought I was gonna get
on the streets drinking with her
Copy !req
1357. and walking 'em at nighttime.
How damn stupid do you think I am?
Copy !req
1358. I know Chicago!
Copy !req
1359. I'm gonna be on TV, huh? Okay!
Copy !req
1360. Steve J: Stevie and Tonya are
staying with Patricia Downey,
Copy !req
1361. Tonya's best friend
from high school.
Copy !req
1362. Everywhere I went,
she had to go.
Copy !req
1363. Yep, I was right behind her,
Copy !req
1364. - Like sisters.
- Patricia: Yeah.
Copy !req
1365. - I didn't quite make it last night.
- Patricia: Where were you?
Copy !req
1366. Well, when she got a cab down there
to Pomona yesterday,
Copy !req
1367. they was gonna charge her extra
for her two bags.
Copy !req
1368. It's one of the new rules
that they have.
Copy !req
1369. A bunch of blacks anyway
that's in Murphysboro
Copy !req
1370. that owns that cab station.
And they're stupid!
Copy !req
1371. - Patricia: Steve!
- Oh Steve, you better back off!
Copy !req
1372. You never know
when you might need 'em.
Copy !req
1373. If you had a choice
Copy !req
1374. who could give you CPR,
Copy !req
1375. what if it could be
a black person?
Copy !req
1376. What if there was
nobody else around?
Copy !req
1377. Would you rather live or die?
Tell me.
Copy !req
1378. I think I'd probably rather die
or something.
Copy !req
1379. God, you are just showing off
in front of Tricia.
Copy !req
1380. - Stevie: No. She don't...
- Yes, you are.
Copy !req
1381. Aw...
Copy !req
1382. You would rather
sacrifice your life
Copy !req
1383. and be... and leave her
by herself?
Copy !req
1384. - Steve: No.
- Patricia: Well, then.
Copy !req
1385. We're thinking of getting married.
Copy !req
1386. Am I invited?
Copy !req
1387. - Tonya: Yeah.
- Stevie: Of course.
Copy !req
1388. When?
Copy !req
1389. Just some time this week.
Copy !req
1390. Oh God.
Copy !req
1391. You ain't
going to see me in no tux,
Copy !req
1392. let alone a suit.
Copy !req
1393. I mean, I'm going
just like a country boy,
Copy !req
1394. blue jeans and a t-shirt.
Copy !req
1395. Don't you want your mom
and dad to come to your wedding?
Copy !req
1396. Hell, no!
Copy !req
1397. - Patricia: Steve!
Copy !req
1398. Her mom I don't care about,
but her dad...
Copy !req
1399. If it had not been for her mother
Copy !req
1400. nor her father,
she wouldn't be here today.
Copy !req
1401. - You go to church too much.
Copy !req
1402. I don't think you know
what a real marriage is, do you?
Copy !req
1403. I know what it means.
Copy !req
1404. No, you don't.
Copy !req
1405. Her father is your enemy?
Copy !req
1406. He will be till the day I die.
Copy !req
1407. When she has a kid,
they ain't gonna see it.
Copy !req
1408. I'll go to my grave
before they see that kid of ours.
Copy !req
1409. Steve, Steve, Steve, Steve.
Copy !req
1410. In order to love her,
Copy !req
1411. you got to love her family
somewhere
Copy !req
1412. along down the line.
Copy !req
1413. You have to fit in somehow.
Copy !req
1414. Otherwise, they might
Copy !req
1415. never want to be around you.
Copy !req
1416. Steve J: So are you guys
going to go through with this?
Copy !req
1417. I don't know.
I doubt it.
Copy !req
1418. - Stevie: I don't.
- Tonya: I do.
Copy !req
1419. - I don't.
- I do.
Copy !req
1420. - I don't.
- I do.
Copy !req
1421. I don't and that's the last
I want to hear of it.
Copy !req
1422. Uh-huh.
My SSI check will be dropped.
Copy !req
1423. Yours will be dropped?
I'll be totally cut off.
Copy !req
1424. Yeah, but yet
Copy !req
1425. he still wants to get married.
Copy !req
1426. I gonna step outside, I'll be back.
Copy !req
1427. If I don't get mugged.
Copy !req
1428. - You won't.
- Tricia, he's going to smoke.
Copy !req
1429. Good.
Copy !req
1430. Tonya, what are you going
to do if he gets sent to prison?
Copy !req
1431. I'm gonna be moping around
for a while.
Copy !req
1432. I know that.
You're gonna be calling me crying.
Copy !req
1433. After a while,
I'll go out and find
Copy !req
1434. some other
good-looking guy.
Copy !req
1435. Okay.
Copy !req
1436. Do you feel
that he did it?
Copy !req
1437. And you know
what I'm talking about.
Copy !req
1438. Yeah.
Copy !req
1439. - Do you feel...
- I, personally...
Copy !req
1440. don't think that he done it,
Copy !req
1441. but they found...
Copy !req
1442. some evidence
that he actually did.
Copy !req
1443. What kind?
Copy !req
1444. Some hair.
Copy !req
1445. Was it his?
Copy !req
1446. They said it was.
And she was irritated down there.
Copy !req
1447. Was it his?
Copy !req
1448. Yes, that's what they say.
Copy !req
1449. Oh God.
This is deep for me.
Copy !req
1450. I honestly don't want to talk
against Stephen,
Copy !req
1451. but you know
what I've been through.
Copy !req
1452. Yeah.
Copy !req
1453. I have went to hospitals
with busted heads.
Copy !req
1454. I literally thought
I was going to die.
Copy !req
1455. It took me eight years
to put my stepfather behind bars.
Copy !req
1456. Yeah.
Copy !req
1457. Do you know what it feels like
to be sexually abused?
Copy !req
1458. No.
Copy !req
1459. It's something
that I have to deal with
Copy !req
1460. for the rest of my life.
Copy !req
1461. The rest of my life.
Copy !req
1462. Even though he's in prison,
I still have nightmares.
Copy !req
1463. He doesn't know
Copy !req
1464. how much pain he caused me.
Copy !req
1465. It took me years
Copy !req
1466. to trust a man again.
Copy !req
1467. That's the reason
I'm not married.
Copy !req
1468. That's the reason
I won't have children...
Copy !req
1469. for nobody.
Copy !req
1470. I want them.
I love them.
Copy !req
1471. I want to be married,
Copy !req
1472. but because
of what he did to me...
Copy !req
1473. no.
Copy !req
1474. Hang on, short stuff.
Copy !req
1475. Pow!
Copy !req
1476. I made sure
I didn't get nobody's head.
Copy !req
1477. Well, by God, I'm about
having a blast. I know that.
Copy !req
1478. Well, at least
someone's having a blast.
Copy !req
1479. - Hey, I'm a blast from the past.
- Patricia: Are you okay?
Copy !req
1480. Zoo, huh? Okay, little lady.
Copy !req
1481. - Patricia: Pump me up.
- Stevie: Pump you up?
Copy !req
1482. I can't do that.
You got a boyfriend.
Copy !req
1483. Rattlesnake.
Copy !req
1484. I gotta get a picture
of my pets, though.
Copy !req
1485. - Ah!
- Patricia: Oh my goodness.
Copy !req
1486. Man, they wanted cows,
why don't they go to the country?
Copy !req
1487. Yeah.
Copy !req
1488. - Thanks. Appreciate it.
Copy !req
1489. It's okay if I take a picture
of those guides?
Copy !req
1490. Which one?
Copy !req
1491. That one right there
and that one sitting down.
Copy !req
1492. Aw...
Copy !req
1493. Tour guide: Directly ahead of us
is Wabash Avenue.
Copy !req
1494. Soon as we pass under Wabash,
Copy !req
1495. the building immediately
on your left...
Copy !req
1496. I can't believe
I'm actually up here.
Copy !req
1497. I've been planning...
planning this for a long time.
Copy !req
1498. Just getting out of Murphysboro...
southern Illinois for a while,
Copy !req
1499. something different.
Copy !req
1500. Probably won't even get me in it.
Copy !req
1501. Every single day,
Copy !req
1502. I just hope
Copy !req
1503. that he doesn't get sent off
Copy !req
1504. 'cause I love him too much.
Copy !req
1505. Are you totally sold
on Chicago now?
Copy !req
1506. I think so.
Copy !req
1507. You know,
a lot of people move up here.
Copy !req
1508. Good to see you.
Good to see you, too.
Copy !req
1509. Good to see you.
Hi Tonya, how are you?
Copy !req
1510. - Fine.
- Welcome.
Copy !req
1511. - Tonya: This is a nice house.
- Stevie: Yeah, it is. Big.
Copy !req
1512. It's still got a ways to go.
But...
Copy !req
1513. Ways to go?
Looks better than my place.
Copy !req
1514. No, no.
This is the best part.
Copy !req
1515. Steve J: Seems like we ate pizza
every time we got together, Stevie.
Copy !req
1516. If you had your own
pizza parlor,
Copy !req
1517. me and you would've put every place
up here out of business.
Copy !req
1518. What would we call it,
"Steve and Stevie's Pizza Parlor"?
Copy !req
1519. - Yeah.
Copy !req
1520. I've never had these kind
of mushrooms before.
Copy !req
1521. - No?
- No.
Copy !req
1522. Steve J: You've never eaten
fresh mushrooms?
Copy !req
1523. - Tonya: No.
- So do I need to tell you
Copy !req
1524. how to cut those green peppers?
Copy !req
1525. I know how to cut
green peppers.
Copy !req
1526. It's great having you guys here.
Copy !req
1527. It's great being up here.
I'm enjoying it.
Copy !req
1528. Steve J: I don't think Judy
wanted him around our house a lot.
Copy !req
1529. When you do
what he has done,
Copy !req
1530. you must pay
some kind of price for that.
Copy !req
1531. Because he has done this
to children,
Copy !req
1532. he's not welcome to stay
at our house overnight.
Copy !req
1533. You're in a world of trouble
right now, huh?
Copy !req
1534. - Stevie: Yeah.
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1535. And I hate to see you there.
I absolutely hate to see you there.
Copy !req
1536. The things that you did,
to kind of survive growing up...
Copy !req
1537. one of them being to kind of
Copy !req
1538. cut yourself off from your feelings,
Copy !req
1539. aren't working for you
as an adult.
Copy !req
1540. If you were to go
into counseling,
Copy !req
1541. someone could help you
learn to do, again.
Copy !req
1542. I guess you've got a point.
Copy !req
1543. Well, Stevie...
Copy !req
1544. I know most of the stuff
that I've done...
Copy !req
1545. breaking into places
and stealing and selling it,
Copy !req
1546. just to have money...
just to survive,
Copy !req
1547. I know... I know it's wrong.
- Judy: I know you do.
Copy !req
1548. But I had to do
what I had to do.
Copy !req
1549. And then you feel lousy
about yourself, when you do it.
Copy !req
1550. Don't bother me,
'cause I don't think about it.
Copy !req
1551. But well... exactly.
Copy !req
1552. Most of the stuff that I've done,
I've not got caught.
Copy !req
1553. I've been in no trouble for it,
'cause I've kept it to myself.
Copy !req
1554. And when you go
do something like that,
Copy !req
1555. that's about the best thing
you can do.
Copy !req
1556. You've been arrested
for a lot of things, Stevie.
Copy !req
1557. We're not just talking
about burglaries.
Copy !req
1558. What can he do now, though?
Copy !req
1559. He's got a trial coming up
at the end of August.
Copy !req
1560. What do you want to do?
Copy !req
1561. I don't know.
In a way I'm worried about it,
Copy !req
1562. and in a way I'm not.
Copy !req
1563. What makes you
not worried about it?
Copy !req
1564. You don't want to know.
Trust me, you don't.
Copy !req
1565. It sounds to me like you're feeling
pretty desperate.
Copy !req
1566. If I go down, someone else
is going down with me,
Copy !req
1567. I'm not going down by myself.
Copy !req
1568. It wouldn't really matter anyway,
because I'm gonna be in prison.
Copy !req
1569. Oh... you gotta be kidding.
So what else could happen?
Copy !req
1570. Well if you're talking
about hurting somebody else,
Copy !req
1571. you could be
looking at life in prison.
Copy !req
1572. There's a huge difference.
Copy !req
1573. You're still a young man...
Copy !req
1574. have a chance to do
something with your life.
Copy !req
1575. You have Tonya.
You're getting along with your mom.
Copy !req
1576. Remember what I told you
a long time ago down in Pomona...
Copy !req
1577. that I wasn't gonna go to prison?
Copy !req
1578. I ain't going down
for something I didn't do.
Copy !req
1579. But we're not there, Stevie,
because we know you did that.
Copy !req
1580. Tests all came back negative.
Copy !req
1581. No, no. Eight times out of 10
the test comes back negative.
Copy !req
1582. Does that mean it didn't happen?
Copy !req
1583. You were sexually abused.
If they did that test on you,
Copy !req
1584. would there have been
physical evidence? No.
Copy !req
1585. - They didn't do no tests on me.
- You're absolutely right.
Copy !req
1586. Did it still happen?
Copy !req
1587. Yeah, it still happened.
Copy !req
1588. It still happened.
Copy !req
1589. You and I both know that.
Copy !req
1590. Now, I'm not looking
for you to say,
Copy !req
1591. here, now,
anything about that.
Copy !req
1592. I want you to know, this is
really important for me tell you...
Copy !req
1593. is that I know what happened
and I still care about you.
Copy !req
1594. And I know that underneath it all,
Copy !req
1595. you're a good person.
Copy !req
1596. This behavior was bad,
it was wrong, it hurt somebody...
Copy !req
1597. it can happen again.
And I want to figure out a way
Copy !req
1598. for you to be in control of it,
so it doesn't have to happen again.
Copy !req
1599. I know you feel as bad about it
as anybody.
Copy !req
1600. - Patricia: Watch it!
- Stevie: I am.
Copy !req
1601. Steve J: We went to a downtown club
Patricia had wanted to visit
Copy !req
1602. since moving to Chicago.
Copy !req
1603. Oh yeah! It's on tonight!
Copy !req
1604. Oh, look at her... show-off!
Copy !req
1605. Come on, Patricia!
Go! Go!
Copy !req
1606. You go, girl!
Copy !req
1607. Steve J:
Stevie started drinking beer...
Copy !req
1608. on the house, I found out,
because of our filming.
Copy !req
1609. He then moved on
to shots of tequila.
Copy !req
1610. No dirty dancing.
Copy !req
1611. No! Honey, no!
Copy !req
1612. Quit it!
Honey, no!
Copy !req
1613. - Quit.
- Stevie: Hey, it's dancing.
Copy !req
1614. - Tonya: No dirty dancing.
- Stevie: Aw shit! Bullshit!
Copy !req
1615. - No. No!
- Oh, yeah.
Copy !req
1616. - No.
- Yeah.
Copy !req
1617. Come on, baby.
Get up against me. Shit!
Copy !req
1618. I'm not dirty dancing.
Copy !req
1619. Well, forget it.
Copy !req
1620. Steve J: I had to force Stevie
to leave the club.
Copy !req
1621. He was pissed.
I was pissed too...
Copy !req
1622. tempted to leave him right there
to fend for himself in the big city.
Copy !req
1623. But I was the idiot
who'd allowed him to drink,
Copy !req
1624. then stood by filming
as he spun out of control.
Copy !req
1625. Back when I was his Big Brother,
Copy !req
1626. I never thought of Stevie
as a film subject.
Copy !req
1627. Tonight, it was as if
that was all he was to me.
Copy !req
1628. Steve J:
Let's go.
Copy !req
1629. Steve J:
Upon returning to Pomona,
Copy !req
1630. Stevie became
more and more troublesome.
Copy !req
1631. He was arrested over an altercation
with the owner of the general store,
Copy !req
1632. - Come here!
- And he even clashed with Brenda.
Copy !req
1633. He came down here and was
gonna pull me outside the door
Copy !req
1634. and beat the shit out of me,
just here about three weeks ago.
Copy !req
1635. He thinks it's no big deal.
Because I wouldn't take Tonya home,
Copy !req
1636. because he cussed me out.
Copy !req
1637. I just told him
to stay away from her.
Copy !req
1638. That's all I said. Told him if he
needed something to let me know.
Copy !req
1639. Not to talk to her.
Copy !req
1640. You know, it's pretty sad when
the people that's gonna help you
Copy !req
1641. and he has to get smart
with them.
Copy !req
1642. He could have been going fishing
with us now.
Copy !req
1643. He always did. Every time he was
going someplace, he was going.
Copy !req
1644. That's the way he's gonna have
to learn. That's just the hard way.
Copy !req
1645. He's the one
that's chose that.
Copy !req
1646. She's a lot different now
since she's pregnant.
Copy !req
1647. She's turned into a real bitch,
is what she has.
Copy !req
1648. I get blamed for shit
that I don't even do down here.
Copy !req
1649. I'm not taking it no more.
I'm not.
Copy !req
1650. I figured for the benefit
of the baby,
Copy !req
1651. maybe everybody would
try to get along.
Copy !req
1652. There's gonna be a lot of things
that's gonna be different.
Copy !req
1653. Or they just won't be
a part of the... part of our lives.
Copy !req
1654. Doug, here's this outfit
she was telling you about.
Copy !req
1655. Oh, yeah?
Copy !req
1656. It's a little pants and shirt.
Copy !req
1657. Steve J: Bernice hasn't been out
to Pomona in weeks,
Copy !req
1658. because of her own fight
with Brenda.
Copy !req
1659. Steve J: Do you mind my asking
what you were feuding about?
Copy !req
1660. God, why do you
get into all this crap?
Copy !req
1661. - Well, I was just...
- You got to bring up stuff again.
Copy !req
1662. Well, I didn't understand
what the...
Copy !req
1663. I mean, obviously you patched it up.
You're over here.
Copy !req
1664. - Do you not want to discuss it?
Copy !req
1665. I don't exactly
even remember what...
Copy !req
1666. Yeah, now I do.
Copy !req
1667. Because Mom thinks
that I didn't tell her
Copy !req
1668. that Charlotte was going to Lamaze
classes with me... Doug's mom.
Copy !req
1669. But I knew she wouldn't be able to
be a coach, because of her asthma.
Copy !req
1670. - Steve J: Mm-hmm.
- So...
Copy !req
1671. Steve J:
Well, that's got to be tough.
Copy !req
1672. Yeah, but I mean,
there's a lot of breathing to it.
Copy !req
1673. I know there is,
I helped Bobby's daughter.
Copy !req
1674. You didn't have
all these problems then, either.
Copy !req
1675. - Yeah, I did.
- You didn't. They weren't as bad.
Copy !req
1676. But I didn't just take her,
just thinking that...
Copy !req
1677. that way you wouldn't
get to be in there.
Copy !req
1678. But I get the impression
that you don't believe that.
Copy !req
1679. I didn't know that,
you know,
Copy !req
1680. nobody could be in there but who was
going to the Lamaze classes.
Copy !req
1681. Steve J: I'm sorry. I didn't know
it had to do with the baby.
Copy !req
1682. I apologize.
Copy !req
1683. Told you
I didn't want to get into it.
Copy !req
1684. She feels guilty,
Copy !req
1685. and maybe now she thinks
that she can make up for that.
Copy !req
1686. It's too late.
I don't have the type of feelings
Copy !req
1687. that I should have towards her
as my mother.
Copy !req
1688. There's times that Doug
and I have considered just...
Copy !req
1689. telling her to stay away
and not come back.
Copy !req
1690. Steve J: After two and a half years,
Stevie has decided to plead guilty,
Copy !req
1691. though he still won't admit to me
he's done anything wrong.
Copy !req
1692. He's rejected the State's offer
of a 12-year sentence,
Copy !req
1693. and put his fate
in the hands of the judge.
Copy !req
1694. Steve J: But do you think
the judge is going to go
Copy !req
1695. for the lightest possible
sentence?
Copy !req
1696. Why not? He knows there's
a lot of bullshit that's in my case.
Copy !req
1697. Well...
Copy !req
1698. I'll bet I could get six years.
Copy !req
1699. And I'll be out in two and a half.
Copy !req
1700. So you're gonna roll the dice
with the judge,
Copy !req
1701. instead of taking the 12?
Copy !req
1702. Yeah.
Copy !req
1703. Steve J: This means Stevie
has less than eight weeks
Copy !req
1704. - before he goes to prison.
- Yep.
Copy !req
1705. Stephen is not
penitentiary material.
Copy !req
1706. Tim over here...
Copy !req
1707. Tim over here would be
penitentiary material, you know?
Copy !req
1708. I mean, he's tough enough,
he's ornery enough.
Copy !req
1709. Stephen's not.
Copy !req
1710. They're gonna know
what you're there for.
Copy !req
1711. The first thing they're gonna do,
is go and talk to their buddies,
Copy !req
1712. and they're gonna say,
"We got a baby raper."
Copy !req
1713. If I'd heard about it
as soon as I got out of the joint,
Copy !req
1714. I'd have put a bullet
in you myself.
Copy !req
1715. I've done told you that.
Am I not right?
Copy !req
1716. You're right, 100 percent.
Copy !req
1717. If it was my daughter,
he wouldn't make it to prison.
Copy !req
1718. I guarantee it.
If it would have been my daughter,
Copy !req
1719. he would not have made it
to prison.
Copy !req
1720. You know, you ain't gonna live
unless you want to live.
Copy !req
1721. If you want to live, you're gonna
have to kill some people.
Copy !req
1722. I beat three or four of them
half to death.
Copy !req
1723. And I've seen what child molesters...
excuse the expression,
Copy !req
1724. get in the joint.
Copy !req
1725. You're gonna have to worry
about knives this long.
Copy !req
1726. And they do know
where to put 'em.
Copy !req
1727. I have seen their stomachs
cut wide open,
Copy !req
1728. and I've seen their guts
spill on the floor. I've seen it.
Copy !req
1729. The man's in trouble.
It's up to me. He's in trouble.
Copy !req
1730. Steve J:
And why is it up to you?
Copy !req
1731. I'm running the Aryan Brotherhood
around here.
Copy !req
1732. I told Steve, "You beat this case,
I'll get you in.
Copy !req
1733. - I'll get you in with me."
- Steve J: "Get you in..."?
Copy !req
1734. I'll get him in the Brotherhood,
if he beats the case.
Copy !req
1735. I'll go in there
and I'll talk to the niggers
Copy !req
1736. and I'll talk
to the Brotherhood.
Copy !req
1737. And it's up to this man, okay?
Copy !req
1738. - It's up to this man.
- Well...
Copy !req
1739. If you was to come to me personally
and ask me for a favor,
Copy !req
1740. - I'd make the call.
- Steve J: Why?
Copy !req
1741. Why?
Because you asked.
Copy !req
1742. - Steve J: Not him?
- Not him.
Copy !req
1743. - Not him, because of his charge.
- Steve J: Just ask the favor?
Copy !req
1744. - You ask the favor.
- Steve J: Well, make the call then.
Copy !req
1745. I don't want to see him
die in prison.
Copy !req
1746. Why not?
Copy !req
1747. If something happened
to your little girl like that,
Copy !req
1748. what would you want?
You'd want the guy to die.
Copy !req
1749. You know, I would feel that.
I would feel that, absolutely.
Copy !req
1750. But, I would like to think...
I have a little girl...
Copy !req
1751. - I would like to think...
- Greg: And I got one coming.
Copy !req
1752. - You understand what I'm saying?
- I know.
Copy !req
1753. But I would like to think that...
Copy !req
1754. I would... whatever...
however angry I might be,
Copy !req
1755. that I would...
Copy !req
1756. I guess what I'm saying is,
I'm not ready to give up hope.
Copy !req
1757. I mean...
Copy !req
1758. You know, I realize
this stresses you out a little bit.
Copy !req
1759. And I also realize
Copy !req
1760. that I'm not the nice guy
that everybody fucking thinks I am.
Copy !req
1761. Okay? I'm not.
Copy !req
1762. But if I don't make the call,
Copy !req
1763. you're gonna be coming out
with a fucking tube top...
Copy !req
1764. with all the hair off your face,
your chest, your legs...
Copy !req
1765. Walking out here
doing a little strut.
Copy !req
1766. But if that's what it takes to keep
you alive, that's what I'll do.
Copy !req
1767. Steve J: All that scary stuff
that Greg tells you...
Copy !req
1768. it doesn't have to be
like he says, you know.
Copy !req
1769. Do you know that?
Copy !req
1770. Do you think
you can handle it?
Copy !req
1771. Probably not.
Copy !req
1772. Don't know yet.
Copy !req
1773. Little peckerhead.
Copy !req
1774. Steve J: So, tell me
about this church thing.
Copy !req
1775. I just got talked into going
to church one time, and...
Copy !req
1776. well, can't hurt.
Copy !req
1777. I'm being baptized Sunday night.
Copy !req
1778. You know, I'm always looking
Copy !req
1779. for a reason to get hopeful.
Copy !req
1780. - And what reason would that be?
- Well...
Copy !req
1781. I'm proud of you
Copy !req
1782. for doing this church thing.
Copy !req
1783. It's not something you started
doing and bragging about it.
Copy !req
1784. It just surprised me
Copy !req
1785. that he wanted
to go back to church.
Copy !req
1786. We've been going
to church for...
Copy !req
1787. a few times over there at...
Copy !req
1788. can't remember...
Copy !req
1789. the church's name.
Copy !req
1790. Some people hit the bottom
before they have hunger towards God.
Copy !req
1791. I'm glad you're doing this.
Copy !req
1792. When Jesus came to Peter,
Copy !req
1793. He said, "Who do men
say that I am?"
Copy !req
1794. Man, I want you
to be focused here.
Copy !req
1795. Praise God.
Copy !req
1796. Be baptized, every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ
Copy !req
1797. for the remission of sins
and you shall
Copy !req
1798. receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.
Copy !req
1799. You've heard tongues before,
Copy !req
1800. but that's going to happen to you.
Copy !req
1801. And you'll speak in that language,
and man, ain't nothing like it.
Copy !req
1802. Open yourself up,
Copy !req
1803. and it'll flow through you.
Copy !req
1804. This is a special time
for you, man.
Copy !req
1805. This is it, buddy.
Copy !req
1806. This is the beginning
of a new day for you.
Copy !req
1807. Just focus
on Jesus, man.
Copy !req
1808. You were on His mind
when He was on that cross,
Copy !req
1809. when those nails were in His hands
and through His feet.
Copy !req
1810. I'm praying when he
comes up out of that water,
Copy !req
1811. he gonna speak in tongues
that he doesn't know.
Copy !req
1812. That's the outward sign that God's
spirit has come inside of him.
Copy !req
1813. Tonight, we are going to baptize you
in the name of Jesus Christ,
Copy !req
1814. into this watery grave, the old
Steve will be left in this tank,
Copy !req
1815. and that you will rise to walk
as Romans, Chapter six tells us
Copy !req
1816. to "walk in newness of life."
Copy !req
1817. Hallelujah, hallelujah,
hallelujah.
Copy !req
1818. - Hallelujah!
Copy !req
1819. Give us that towel. Hallelujah!
He's praising, Steve.
Copy !req
1820. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
Go ahead and praise Him, Steve.
Copy !req
1821. Hallelujah!
Lord, I praise you, Jesus.
Copy !req
1822. Thank you Lord!
Hallelujah!
Copy !req
1823. - Hallelujah. Hallelujah!
- Thank you!
Copy !req
1824. Oh, yes. Praise God!
Copy !req
1825. By the power and of the authority
of the name of Jesus,
Copy !req
1826. I lay my hands on brother Steve.
Copy !req
1827. By the power of Your name
and the authority of Your word
Copy !req
1828. Thank you, Lord.
Thank you, Lord.
Copy !req
1829. Praise God. Praise God.
Copy !req
1830. Hallelujah. Oh, Hallelujah.
Copy !req
1831. Praise God!
Copy !req
1832. I'd like to say thanks,
Darian.
Copy !req
1833. I appreciate it, man.
Copy !req
1834. He got me to come here.
He told me it couldn't hurt me.
Copy !req
1835. So, here I am.
Copy !req
1836. I grew up being beat all the time
by my mom
Copy !req
1837. and I was taken away
and I really didn't get to know her.
Copy !req
1838. I've not done too much
of the hard drugs,
Copy !req
1839. I've sat down and drunk
Copy !req
1840. about a half gallon of whiskey
a day by myself.
Copy !req
1841. And we really partied. And...
Copy !req
1842. it's been going on
three and a half weeks now
Copy !req
1843. - since I have not had a drop.
- Preacher: Praise God!
Copy !req
1844. Whoo! Hallelujah!
Copy !req
1845. Glory! Glory!
Copy !req
1846. Whoo!
Copy !req
1847. Amen. Thanks.
Copy !req
1848. Praise God.
Copy !req
1849. That's a kneecap killer.
Copy !req
1850. I'd say.
Copy !req
1851. Still would have liked to have
a wooden one, Louisville.
Copy !req
1852. - Man: Really?
- Stevie: Yeah.
Copy !req
1853. Hot damn!
This a Louie?
Copy !req
1854. Sacrifice it.
Copy !req
1855. You want one, there it is.
Now what you gonna do with it?
Copy !req
1856. What are you gonna do
with it?
Copy !req
1857. I can take that bat and I can crack
anybody in the head with it
Copy !req
1858. and I can turn around
and walk away from 'em.
Copy !req
1859. This board right here,
is insignificant.
Copy !req
1860. But if I was to take this board
and whack you in the head with it,
Copy !req
1861. what would happen?
Copy !req
1862. Would the board hurt you,
or would I hurt you?
Copy !req
1863. You'd hurt me.
Copy !req
1864. It's material.
That's what I'm trying to tell you.
Copy !req
1865. Everything in life
is a material object.
Copy !req
1866. Okay?
You got a weapon now.
Copy !req
1867. What are you gonna use it for?
Kill snakes?
Copy !req
1868. I do that
with my hands, too.
Copy !req
1869. Well then,
what do you need a bat for?
Copy !req
1870. Just to put up. I always did enjoy
playing softball and baseball
Copy !req
1871. - going through them homes.
- All right.
Copy !req
1872. - Always loved it.
- Greg: Okay.
Copy !req
1873. But do you understand
what I'm saying?
Copy !req
1874. Steve J:
As sentencing day approaches,
Copy !req
1875. Stevie wanted me to take him places
that meant something to him,
Copy !req
1876. like his first foster home.
Copy !req
1877. He was first placed in the Huber
Home when he was 11.
Copy !req
1878. Steve J: Stevie.
Steve?
Copy !req
1879. - What?
- Steve J: A few years ago,
Copy !req
1880. it had been converted
to a private business.
Copy !req
1881. They've literally destroyed every
damn thing that used to be here.
Copy !req
1882. They ain't got respect
for no damn body.
Copy !req
1883. This is where I've spent
six years of my life, man.
Copy !req
1884. Six years.
Copy !req
1885. This was home to me.
Copy !req
1886. It's not a home in there anymore,
it's an office.
Copy !req
1887. They've destroyed all the memories
that's even around here.
Copy !req
1888. Totally.
Copy !req
1889. Steve J: Inspired or distressed
by seeing Huber,
Copy !req
1890. Stevie wanted to visit
Hal and Dorinda,
Copy !req
1891. his first and favorite
foster parents.
Copy !req
1892. Man, it's been a while.
Copy !req
1893. Steve J:
Except for a brief encounter,
Copy !req
1894. Stevie hasn't seen them since they
left Huber Home 15 years ago.
Copy !req
1895. - Dorinda: And who's this?
- Stevie: This is my fianceé, Tonya.
Copy !req
1896. - Tonya Gregory.
- This is Dorinda.
Copy !req
1897. Pleased to meet you.
I'm checking this out.
Copy !req
1898. That's all I've got so far.
Copy !req
1899. So what do you think
of the old man?
Copy !req
1900. Gray-headed.
Copy !req
1901. - How you doing?
- Good. Good.
Copy !req
1902. - You been by the old homestead?
Huber?
Copy !req
1903. Was that hard to see that?
Copy !req
1904. That house being something
other than a home?
Copy !req
1905. It just brought back
a lot of memories.
Copy !req
1906. After you guys left,
my heart was broken.
Copy !req
1907. I got in a lot
of more trouble.
Copy !req
1908. Well, sorry about that.
Copy !req
1909. - Well...
- It happens.
Copy !req
1910. - I guess life goes on.
- Yeah, it does.
Copy !req
1911. But...
Copy !req
1912. Between leaving Huber and Choate,
Copy !req
1913. according to the Choate stuff,
Copy !req
1914. he'd been in every foster home
in southern Illinois.
Copy !req
1915. I'm sorry.
Sorry you had to go through that.
Copy !req
1916. Whenever I went to Quincy,
Copy !req
1917. I got arrested for
attempted murder up there.
Copy !req
1918. How old were you then?
Copy !req
1919. - And who were you mad at?
- We had this one new boy.
Copy !req
1920. He kept running over the foster
parents' kids, hurting 'em.
Copy !req
1921. And he kept doing it to me.
Well, I got tired of it,
Copy !req
1922. and one night I decided
I was gonna kill him in his sleep.
Copy !req
1923. So I went to the kitchen,
got a big ol' butcher knife out...
Copy !req
1924. - Dorinda: Oh, Stephen. No!
- And a dishtowel.
Copy !req
1925. Put the dishtowel over it,
went to the bedroom...
Copy !req
1926. - Dorinda: Did you?
- Yeah!
Copy !req
1927. I was put in handcuffs
and took to Juvenile DOC.
Copy !req
1928. Sure enough.
Copy !req
1929. Steve J: Stevie suddenly felt
compelled to confess to them
Copy !req
1930. virtually all of his transgressions
over the years.
Copy !req
1931. Disorderly conduct,
assault and battery...
Copy !req
1932. Oh, we're making
good choices then, right?
Copy !req
1933. Steve J: He told them
of his brief failed marriage.
Copy !req
1934. turned around
and busted her one.
Copy !req
1935. Steve J:
He explained the attempt
Copy !req
1936. to cut the brake lines
to his mother's car.
Copy !req
1937. Yeah, you're a real mechanic
there, aren't you?
Copy !req
1938. Oh, don't even go there!
Copy !req
1939. Steve J: Through it all,
they never became angry with him.
Copy !req
1940. We need a little
"Go to Jail Free" card.
Copy !req
1941. I tried that one time
and it don't work.
Copy !req
1942. Steve J: I caught a glimpse,
I think, of how they'd managed
Copy !req
1943. to connect with him
so many years ago.
Copy !req
1944. Look around here, isn't this nice?
The woods, the pond,
Copy !req
1945. - the green grass...
- Stevie: Woods is what I'm used to.
Copy !req
1946. Prison is one color,
Copy !req
1947. with steel and concrete.
Oh, that's lovely.
Copy !req
1948. You, the woodsman
who loves to be out in this,
Copy !req
1949. you would die in prison,
Stephen.
Copy !req
1950. I don't know, I've lived in the city
for a while...
Copy !req
1951. Don't do anything
that would send you to prison.
Copy !req
1952. - Yeah, I try not to...
- Are you listening to me?
Copy !req
1953. - Yes, ma'am.
- Don't.
Copy !req
1954. Well...
Copy !req
1955. a lot's changed, but I am in one
serious kind of trouble
Copy !req
1956. for some stuff,
but I won't go into details, but...
Copy !req
1957. I spent like...
my longest time in jail.
Copy !req
1958. - Dorinda: Really?
- Stevie: On a $100,000 bond.
Copy !req
1959. - Hal: Recently?
- About two years ago.
Copy !req
1960. So, is that all cleared up?
Copy !req
1961. No, 'cause I'm still... I'm looking
at some prison time, probably.
Copy !req
1962. - Dorinda: Are you serious?
- Yep.
Copy !req
1963. - Dorinda: Do you remember this?
- Stevie: Huh-uh.
Copy !req
1964. Oh, my God!
Copy !req
1965. That's what you looked like when you
came here, you were a baby.
Copy !req
1966. You remember all those presents
that just filled the room?
Copy !req
1967. Presents were everywhere.
Aw, look at that one!
Copy !req
1968. Isn't that cute?
He's adorable.
Copy !req
1969. Inquisitive, curious...
that was you.
Copy !req
1970. Now 'coon, I'll eat a 'coon.
Copy !req
1971. - Dorinda: Will you?
- Yep, 'coon and snake.
Copy !req
1972. It's a feisty little thing.
Copy !req
1973. - Hal: There it goes.
- Dorinda: Got it.
Copy !req
1974. Little blue gill
or something came up and got him.
Copy !req
1975. Dorinda and I couldn't have stayed
at Huber any longer than we did.
Copy !req
1976. But we look back and we see Stephen,
that's in some trouble with the law
Copy !req
1977. and others that have been
through these things,
Copy !req
1978. and you start thinking,
"What if we could have stuck it out
Copy !req
1979. for 20 years with these kids,
and really been parents to them,
Copy !req
1980. and really given them
all of that, and...
Copy !req
1981. There were some that really just
grabbed your heart.
Copy !req
1982. Stephen was one of them.
Copy !req
1983. Steve J:
And after you guys left,
Copy !req
1984. he got raped... at Huber.
Copy !req
1985. To tell you the truth,
we caught...
Copy !req
1986. two or three times,
where...
Copy !req
1987. that was starting to happen,
and we prevented it.
Copy !req
1988. 'Cause he was just vulnerable.
Copy !req
1989. And so, you do what you can
to protect, but you...
Copy !req
1990. I can't guarantee that it didn't
happen even while we were there.
Copy !req
1991. I tell you what,
she was a mom to those kids.
Copy !req
1992. And she is very,
very good at it.
Copy !req
1993. Steve J: Well, I can see that...
well, I think both of you...
Copy !req
1994. He'll be a good one.
I'll toss him over here.
Copy !req
1995. Steve J: I think we're gonna
have to drag him away today.
Copy !req
1996. I haven't seen him like this...
Copy !req
1997. I mean, this at ease,
you know what I mean? This...
Copy !req
1998. just having fun, like a kid.
Copy !req
1999. - Hal: Yeah.
Steve J: You know?
Copy !req
2000. Well, maybe,
that's because he is a kid.
Copy !req
2001. How serious is this prison stuff
and jail stuff?
Copy !req
2002. Do you know about that?
Is it very serious?
Copy !req
2003. It's very serious.
Copy !req
2004. I think he just thinks
that you guys...
Copy !req
2005. would be really
disappointed in him.
Copy !req
2006. I think that's what it is.
That is the reason
Copy !req
2007. he doesn't want to tell you.
Copy !req
2008. Personally,
I don't care what he did.
Copy !req
2009. But I want to know,
should I be praying for him?
Copy !req
2010. - Steve J: Yes.
- Okay.
Copy !req
2011. Steve J:
Yeah.
Copy !req
2012. Okay.
Copy !req
2013. We did have a connection,
Copy !req
2014. and yet, you know,
at the same time we had to leave.
Copy !req
2015. I just... there's a part of me
that wishes we weren't so human.
Copy !req
2016. Steve J: I encouraged Hal
to talk to Stevie about his case.
Copy !req
2017. And how old was the little girl?
Copy !req
2018. She was eight.
Copy !req
2019. Old enough to testify
against him.
Copy !req
2020. Steve J:
She's now 10.
Copy !req
2021. Yeah.
Copy !req
2022. No wonder he doesn't
want to tell me.
Copy !req
2023. Come here.
You look like you need a hug.
Copy !req
2024. - I'm just getting ready to bawl.
- I know you are.
Copy !req
2025. I know you are.
Copy !req
2026. You look like you need a hug.
Copy !req
2027. Steve needs a guy like that
to talk to.
Copy !req
2028. I know he does.
That's why he's got somebody.
Copy !req
2029. A role model.
That's what he needs.
Copy !req
2030. - He needs it bad, doesn't he?
- Uh-huh.
Copy !req
2031. I want you to promise me that you'll
start making some good decisions.
Copy !req
2032. Every day.
Copy !req
2033. - All right.
- Will you promise me that?
Copy !req
2034. - I can try to stay out of trouble.
- My Mother's Day present.
Copy !req
2035. - That's what I want to hear.
- I'll try to.
Copy !req
2036. Give me a kiss,
right there.
Copy !req
2037. - Stevie: It's good to see you.
- It's good to see you.
Copy !req
2038. - You take care of yourself.
- Stevie: Okay, you too.
Copy !req
2039. It's gonna work out.
Copy !req
2040. That's what they all say. Sometimes
it does and sometimes it don't.
Copy !req
2041. It always does. It just doesn't
always work out like we want it to.
Copy !req
2042. Steve J:
Okay, guys, we should go.
Copy !req
2043. - Stevie: Yep.
- Hal: Thanks, Steve.
Copy !req
2044. Steve J:
Great, thank you, guys.
Copy !req
2045. Steve J: This morning, Brenda
and Doug went to the hospital,
Copy !req
2046. where doctors planned
to induce labor.
Copy !req
2047. They left behind a video camera
we'd given them for the occasion.
Copy !req
2048. Hey listen, do you know anything
about this thing with Doug?
Copy !req
2049. - Nope.
- About saying he doesn't want us
Copy !req
2050. to film the baby coming home
or any of that?
Copy !req
2051. I don't know what's going on.
Copy !req
2052. I have no idea, man.
Copy !req
2053. I try to mind my own business
and stay by myself,
Copy !req
2054. that way, me and her
is not into it.
Copy !req
2055. Steve J: I found out
Doug's parents were behind it.
Copy !req
2056. They didn't want Stevie or me
anywhere near the baby.
Copy !req
2057. Later, we heard the baby girl was
experiencing respiratory problems.
Copy !req
2058. Man...
Copy !req
2059. Steve J:
You'd like to be there?
Copy !req
2060. I ain't even gonna
worry about it.
Copy !req
2061. Not even.
I could care less anymore.
Copy !req
2062. Steve J: Well, you care
about this baby, I know.
Copy !req
2063. Steve J: Stevie had
postponed his sentencing
Copy !req
2064. so that he could be there
for the baby's birth.
Copy !req
2065. Stevie found a job with the annual
Murphysboro Apple Festival.
Copy !req
2066. - I need it up just a little bit.
- His first real job in four years.
Copy !req
2067. - There we go.
Copy !req
2068. Watch your arms
and watch your legs.
Copy !req
2069. Good job.
Copy !req
2070. - What?
- Come here.
Copy !req
2071. Steve J: But with prison
only two weeks away,
Copy !req
2072. Stevie began drinking
with the guys after work,
Copy !req
2073. sleeping at a flophouse
in town,
Copy !req
2074. and getting into fights.
Copy !req
2075. - Officer: How are you doing?
- Hi. I'm a friend of Steve's.
Copy !req
2076. Steve J:
I felt let down by Stevie,
Copy !req
2077. angry once again.
Copy !req
2078. Steve J:
Stevie wasn't happy with me, either.
Copy !req
2079. When he found out that I'd
interviewed Wendy,
Copy !req
2080. the mother of the victim,
he felt betrayed,
Copy !req
2081. like I'd chosen
her side over his.
Copy !req
2082. As we drove, I kept thinking,
Stevie had wanted to be in this film
Copy !req
2083. mostly to spend time
with me again.
Copy !req
2084. And here I was, repaying him
Copy !req
2085. by putting his tortured life
on display.
Copy !req
2086. Steve J: Do you feel
like I stabbed you in the back?
Copy !req
2087. I ain't too crazy
about you talking to Wendy,
Copy !req
2088. if that's what you mean.
Copy !req
2089. Do you understand that...
Copy !req
2090. no matter what, whether I believe
you're innocent or guilty
Copy !req
2091. you know,
in this trial, that...
Copy !req
2092. I'm gonna be there for you?
You understand that?
Copy !req
2093. I'd like to be
a character witness for you,
Copy !req
2094. if you want me to.
Copy !req
2095. I'm not saying it well.
I'll say it better...
Copy !req
2096. in an interview.
But...
Copy !req
2097. I guess I just
want you to know
Copy !req
2098. that I'm in your corner.
You know?
Copy !req
2099. I guess that's kind of good
to know, I guess.
Copy !req
2100. You're still my Little Brother.
Copy !req
2101. Know what I mean?
Copy !req
2102. Yeah, I know what you mean,
"jellybean."
Copy !req
2103. Steve J: Stevie wanted me
to take him to Rattlesnake Hill,
Copy !req
2104. to go snake hunting
one last time.
Copy !req
2105. I don't know,
I guess it's like...
Copy !req
2106. when you walk up to a rattlesnake,
do you stand there
Copy !req
2107. or do you run like hell,
Copy !req
2108. and take a chance
at getting bit or not?
Copy !req
2109. It's like, do I take a chance
letting people in,
Copy !req
2110. or take a chance
getting stabbed in the back again?
Copy !req
2111. Steve J: It struck me how apt
his "Snake" nickname really is.
Copy !req
2112. The feared, some would say,
evil reptile
Copy !req
2113. with the hard scaly exterior,
Copy !req
2114. protecting its soft,
vulnerable interior.
Copy !req
2115. So tomorrow's your big day, huh?
Copy !req
2116. Yep.
Copy !req
2117. Would you like to hold her?
Copy !req
2118. Yes or no?
I gotta leave.
Copy !req
2119. We're probably not
going to be home until really late.
Copy !req
2120. I don't know.
Copy !req
2121. Hold your arm up like this
with her,
Copy !req
2122. - and just look at her.
- Hey.
Copy !req
2123. Hey.
Copy !req
2124. Got you a new face there,
don't you?
Copy !req
2125. Huh?
Copy !req
2126. Got you a new face there,
don't you?
Copy !req
2127. - Got you a new face.
- Will you take your sunglasses off?
Copy !req
2128. - Move, Goldie.
- Brenda: Goldie c'mon, go outside.
Copy !req
2129. Steve J:
You're good at this.
Copy !req
2130. I don't know
if I'd say that or not.
Copy !req
2131. You're gonna be
a little hellraiser, ain't ya?
Copy !req
2132. Just like Uncle Bubby.
Copy !req
2133. I wouldn't go that far.
Copy !req
2134. Okay, now look this way.
Copy !req
2135. - Smile.
Copy !req
2136. Hey, got you a new face there,
don't you, huh?
Copy !req
2137. Why don't you
sit down and relax?
Copy !req
2138. Steve! Sit down and relax!
Copy !req
2139. I will!
Copy !req
2140. Hey, you better
have enough film for tomorrow.
Copy !req
2141. Steve J: What you
thinking about tomorrow?
Copy !req
2142. I don't want him to leave.
Copy !req
2143. I ain't too crazy about it, either.
Copy !req
2144. Steve J: Well, you guys should enjoy
your last night together.
Copy !req
2145. We'll take off.
Copy !req
2146. We'll come back
in the morning.
Copy !req
2147. You know
how long it's gonna be?
Copy !req
2148. - How long he's gonna be...?
- Gone.
Copy !req
2149. Well no. That's what they're
gonna say today.
Copy !req
2150. But it could be anywhere
from six to 10 or 11 years.
Copy !req
2151. You realize that if you don't go
to the thing at 1:00,
Copy !req
2152. you're not going
to see him again?
Copy !req
2153. I know it, but...
Copy !req
2154. Because they're gonna take him
into custody,
Copy !req
2155. as soon as this is over.
Copy !req
2156. Well, he may never
make it home.
Copy !req
2157. I just don't think
I could stand it.
Copy !req
2158. How you doing
this morning, Steve?
Copy !req
2159. All right, I guess.
Just another day.
Copy !req
2160. Pull yourself a chair
and sit down.
Copy !req
2161. You love Grandma?
Copy !req
2162. Now he's going somewhere...
he's wanting everybody to pet him.
Copy !req
2163. Are you Grandma's baby?
Where is my baby?
Copy !req
2164. Got in trouble the other day,
didn't you?
Copy !req
2165. Grandma took a switch
and went after you, didn't she?
Copy !req
2166. I seen the kids was so scared,
I got a switch and I went after him.
Copy !req
2167. He seen me coming with that
switch, and he come meeting me.
Copy !req
2168. He can look at you so vicious
sometimes.
Copy !req
2169. But I don't believe
he'd hurt a kid at all.
Copy !req
2170. Well... take care of yourself,
Stephen.
Copy !req
2171. I will.
Copy !req
2172. And these here pills laying here...
I told her these was yours.
Copy !req
2173. You need to take them.
Copy !req
2174. Steve J: We had time
for a brief lunch at the restaurant
Copy !req
2175. across from the courthouse.
Copy !req
2176. - Bernice: He sat in my place.
- Steve J: Here have a seat.
Copy !req
2177. Thank you.
Copy !req
2178. What?
Copy !req
2179. For getting ahold of me so we could
spend the day together.
Copy !req
2180. I told Tonya to tell you.
Copy !req
2181. Hey chickie-baby.
Copy !req
2182. Hey chickie-baby.
Look at my new grandbaby.
Copy !req
2183. Oh, how precious.
How old is she?
Copy !req
2184. - Bernice: Six weeks.
- Brenda: Seven weeks.
Copy !req
2185. Seven weeks. Oh, how sweet.
Copy !req
2186. What a sweetie girl.
Copy !req
2187. Hey chickie-baby.
Hey, chickie-baby.
Copy !req
2188. Steve J: In court, the State's
attorney recommended 20 years.
Copy !req
2189. Stevie's public defender
asked for six,
Copy !req
2190. citing his history of being abused
and abandoned,
Copy !req
2191. saying Stevie was born
to a mother that didn't want him.
Copy !req
2192. The judge asked
if the defendant
Copy !req
2193. had anything
to say before sentencing.
Copy !req
2194. Stevie defied his lawyer
and said, "No."
Copy !req
2195. "Are you sure?" said the judge.
"Yes," said Stevie.
Copy !req
2196. The judge gave him
10 years.
Copy !req
2197. Afterwards, we learned the judge
was going to give Stevie six years,
Copy !req
2198. if only he'd shown remorse
for what he'd done.
Copy !req
2199. - Steve J: Hey there.
- Hey.
Copy !req
2200. Steve J:
So you talked to Grandma?
Copy !req
2201. How is she taking it?
Copy !req
2202. Kind of hard.
Copy !req
2203. We all love you and we're
gonna be praying for you.
Copy !req
2204. And I think they have...
Copy !req
2205. some kind of church
services there, too.
Copy !req
2206. Will you think about that?
Copy !req
2207. Just remember
when you go in there,
Copy !req
2208. just keep your mouth shut...
Copy !req
2209. I know that's hard for you.
Copy !req
2210. You don't have to tell the others
what you're in there for.
Copy !req
2211. Prison's like TV...
Copy !req
2212. one person knows about it,
they all know about it.
Copy !req
2213. Steve J:
Anything I can do for you?
Copy !req
2214. I'm gonna say goodbye,
okay?
Copy !req
2215. That's not "goodbye," goodbye.
We'll be in touch.
Copy !req
2216. All right? You know I'm there
for you, right?
Copy !req
2217. - Yup.
- All right.
Copy !req
2218. I want a hug, now.
Copy !req
2219. - Take care of yourself.
- I will.
Copy !req
2220. I love you.
Copy !req
2221. Me too.
Copy !req
2222. I'll be seeing you on visits.
Copy !req
2223. Yeah. Okay.
Copy !req
2224. When, I don't know.
Copy !req
2225. Well, just let me know
when they are and everything.
Copy !req
2226. I'll let you know.
Copy !req
2227. Steve J: So what's gonna happen
to this trailer?
Copy !req
2228. The way Brenda was talking,
it's not paid for,
Copy !req
2229. and it's getting sent back.
Copy !req
2230. Does Stevie know?
Copy !req
2231. He doesn't know about it.
Copy !req
2232. Steve J: So are you gonna stay
with him, Tonya?
Copy !req
2233. I don't know.
I just don't want to lose him.
Copy !req
2234. I don't know what it is
Copy !req
2235. about Stevie that I love.
Copy !req
2236. But I just love him.
I don't know what it is.
Copy !req
2237. I still to this day
don't know what it is.
Copy !req
2238. I told him that I'm hoping
Copy !req
2239. that if we are still together,
Copy !req
2240. he'll come out of that prison
with a positive attitude.
Copy !req
2241. If that doesn't happen,
then I'll just give up.
Copy !req
2242. Not give up on guys,
Copy !req
2243. but I'll just give 'em a rest
Copy !req
2244. for another couple more years.
Copy !req
2245. I'm not gonna say I'm gonna be
lonely for the rest of my life.
Copy !req
2246. Steve J:
Good.
Copy !req
2247. 'Cause nobody
needs to be lonely.
Copy !req
2248. I think this is the best thing
that came out of it...
Copy !req
2249. having a film that was
supposed to be
Copy !req
2250. like, I guess
between you and your...
Copy !req
2251. between Stevie and you.
Copy !req
2252. Something good
came out of it.
Copy !req
2253. Steve J: Shortly after Stevie
went to prison,
Copy !req
2254. Brenda sold not just his trailer,
but the whole property,
Copy !req
2255. including her trailer
and Verna's house.
Copy !req
2256. Doug and Brenda left for a house
next to Doug's parents
Copy !req
2257. and closer to town.
Copy !req
2258. Verna moved
into a retirement home
Copy !req
2259. that could accommodate
only a fraction of the things
Copy !req
2260. she'd accumulated over the 50 years
she'd lived in this house.
Copy !req
2261. So far, Stevie
has served time in prison
Copy !req
2262. segregated
from the general population
Copy !req
2263. because of various offenses.
Copy !req
2264. At this rate he will earn
no good time,
Copy !req
2265. and serve his entire
10-year sentence.
Copy !req
2266. Yet, in segregation,
he's discovered a love for verse.
Copy !req
2267. He regularly sends poems
he's written to me and Judy
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2268. and other crew members.
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2269. And under the influence
of an educated cellmate,
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2270. Stevie tells me he's fallen in love
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2271. with the works
of William Shakespeare.
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2272. When I first became a Big Brother,
I wanted my efforts to pay off.
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2273. For Stevie
to become a better person,
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2274. and make me feel like one too.
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2275. Believing I'd failed, I left here
feeling I'd abandoned him,
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2276. that I wasn't there for him.
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2277. Seeing this film, Stevie may feel
I've abandoned him all over again.
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2278. I don't know if Stevie
will ever turn his life around.
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2279. But now I realize
the best thing I can do
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2280. is just try to be there
for him anyway.
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