Girl, Interrupted

This book tells a TRUE story of how in the late 1960s a young woman, Susanna Kaysen,  is LITERALLY sent to live, by a psychiatrist to McLean Hospital. Here is the story of how she spent the next 2 years.

In McLean Hospital, the patients that Suzanna was in company with were a very unusual group. But they all fit well together. First, there was Polly. Then, there was Lisa, who was a known runaway but was always back in a day or two. She was always better at night. She made cocoa for herself and anyone else, as well as doing their nails. Lisa would be calm during the day and more of herself at night. Whenever Lisa needed a vacation, she would runaway and be back again later.

Susanna's roommate, Georgina, was originally admitted during her junior year in college. She was in a movie theater watching a movie when her entire world went dark. She had a boyfriend that she met in the cafeteria. What she liked about him was his rage. One thing about Georgina was her continued fantasy that her father was a C.I.A. operator w/ dangerous friends.

Daisy was a patient who was there seasonally. She had 2 passions: laxatives and chicken, which were something she was COMPLETELY impatient for. Daisy's father, who had supplied the chicken was in love w/ his daughter. No one was ever in daisy's room, but Lisa found a point to get herself in. Around Christmas, Daisy's father had bought her an apartment. Later that year, Daisy left McLean to be at her apartment for Christmas. One afternoon in May, word had been sent that Daisy killed herself.

Before arriving at McLean, Susanna had a boyfriend who wrote good poems to her. She had called him up and informed him she was going to kill herself. By which she swallowed 50 aspirin. Realizing it was a mistake. When she was at the hospital, she had her stomach pumped which brought her around to reality. Because of her legal age, Susanna was signing herself into McLean. Either that or a court order was issued. On the ward, there were various rooms for the patients, but there were 2 other rooms. The living room - everyone hated it and thought it more for the staff really. Then there was the T.V. room - where everyone hangs out. The hospital was famous and housed many many great poets/singers. Ray Charles being the most famous. Sylvia Plath spent time there as well.

A week after Daisy had killed herself, as a special treat for the patients, the staff had taken them for ice cream. One day a second Lisa arrived. They called her by her full name, Lisa Cody. Cody & Lisa began to make trouble after the Real Lisa had something in common. Lisa Cody eventually disappeared from the ward and was never found. After the Real Lisa escaped, 2 days later she was back. She stated she had seen Lisa Cody and she was a real junkie.

Lisa had a court-appointed attorney whom she often threatened to call if she didn't get her way. Although he hadn't stopped her from being committed. When Lisa threatened to call him, the head nurse would get involved. The head nurses name was Valarie, who was about 30. Half a dozen nurses and an aid or were on duty during the day. The night staff consisted of 3 BIG women. Occasionally there was a different woman who called the patients "honey". The night staff would give them a hug if need be. The day staff stuck to a NO  Physical contact policy.

Mrs. McWeeney was a night nurse that mutually did NOT get along w/ Valarie. None of the patients liked her. After it seemed the world was over after Kennedy's assassination and M.L.K, the patients in the ward thought outrage and the world was taking it out for them. The hospital shielded the patients from anything they wanted. As long as they were willing to be upset, the patients didn't have to get jobs/work or go to school. The costs to stay at McLean was $67.00 daily (1967 dollars). After an incident and Susanna looked at her hand, she thought her palm looked different. If she spread her fingers out, her hands looked more human. When she turned her hands over, her veins were bulged. After she poked deeper & deeper to feel bone, they were hard to find. After she put her hands in her mouth and bit (hard), there was successful blood. She had thought she had NO bones in her hand.

It was a typical December day when the patients discovered the tunnels that you could leave either in or out. It was also around this time that Susanna got a new therapist Melvin. When Susanna began telling people she was an inpatient at a hospital like this, she thought of the stigma that followed. She she stopped telling people.

As Susanna was heading towards a release, she worked in the Harvard Billing Office. When she realized she was at the face of sexism in the workplace, it was one of the reasons she became a writer. To set her own rules. Luckily, Susanna received a marriage proposal in 1968 and the hospital had let her out. She knew who she was going to be - a writer and the world around her didn't want to accept it.

Susanna's Formal Diagnosis on her discharge was a  Recovered Borderline Personality Disorder. Before her stints "wrist-banging", Susanna had an earlier period of "face scratching". Looking back on her high school days, Susanna was the first person in the school's history not to go to college. After most of the patients were released from McLean, Georgina & Susanna kept in touch. Whenever Georgina went over to Susanna's apartment, she never got along w/ Susanna's neighbor who was about 10 years older than them. Later on, luckily Georgina got herself married, living on a farm in western Massachusetts.

A few years after that, Susanna ran into Lisa at Harvard Square. She had a little boy w/ her - a son, Aaron. She was a single mom in Brookline and she had COMPLETELY changed. Sixteen years later, Susanna was w/ her rich boyfriend in New York. When they had gotten to an art gallery, Susanna read the title of a painting "Girl Interrupted". Interrupted by her life, just as Susanna had been. She felt an emotion to the painting.

In 1999, a film was made based on this book and Susanna's experiences at McLean/"Claymoore" Hospital w/ Winona Ryder as Susanna and an Oscar-Winning performance by Angelina Jolie as Lisa and Whoopi Goldberg as Valerie.

Susanna today

This Boy's Life

For any of you that have/had a stepparent that was good to you, here is a story of someone who wasn't so lucky. This story begins w/ a 10-yr-old by, Tobias (Toby) Wolff, and his mother, Caroline, on an adventure to Salty Lake City, UT to get rich and change their luck.

When Tobias acquired the name 'Jack' for himself, his mother was okay with it, but his father wasn't. He found it a pride to his family name. Although Toby's dad was rolling in money, he had left the family to marry a millionairess. Some time after school, 'Jack' would pass the hours after school mostly to avoid his mother's boyfriend, Roy. Roy had tracked down Caroline a few weeks later. There were times when Toby would go w/ Roy on trips, such as hunting & fishing. Roy was happy to take him along. Outside of the brutality that Caroline suffered from Roy, Toby didn't know about it. He thought Roy was what a man should be. Shortly after Easter that year, Roy gave Toby a Windchester .22 rifle he'd been wanting.  The next day after Caroline & Roy discussed having a family, Toby comes home from school to NO Ray and his mother, Caroline, packing to leave. They boarded a bus heading to Seattle.

After arriving in Seattle, Toby & Caroline boarded a house w/ 2 roommates. One was a secretary who was young and soft-spoken. Her name was Kathy. The other was the housekeeper, Marian, whom later didn't like Toby and he the same w/ her. She seen right through him from the gentleman that he pretended to be. Whenever Toby would've been needing spanked/disciplined, even though Marian did too, Caroline disagreed as though Toby would disagree. A few months later after Marian & Kathy were both engaged, Marian tried to fix Caroline up w/ a few men, then came Dwight (Thompson).

Even though Dwight's complete niceness at face value, Toby seen right though the impressionistic facade. Toby seen that Dwight tried too hard. That Thanksgiving, Toby & Caroline had gone to Dwight's w/ him and his kids. His 2 oldest; Skipper, his eldest daughter, Norma and his youngest, Pearl, whom quickly grabbed onto Caroline. Dwight's house was about 1/2 a barracks where German POW's were stationed. After WWII, the barracks were converted into a duplex where Dwight grew up w/ his family on one side and another family on the other. After Caroline & Dwight went out, Toby stayed w/ Pearl. After everyone was in bed, Caroline returned and asked Toby what he thought of the family? His response was that he thought she thought things were being rushed and hurried. When they went to tour Chinook, Caroline found out from the kids the only school they went to was in another town, Concrete, Concrete High. Dwight first won Toby over to Chinook by mentioning a turkey shoot.

When Toby went, after causing trouble again at school and becoming suspended, he was left w/ feeling no choice and gave in, by Caroline's asking, to staying w/ Dwight. He partly agreed to move to Chinook to get away from the others w/ notions of him. This move would be a like a new start. Now and then w/ the overload of chores Dwight had given him, Skipper & Norma let Dwight know that he was overdoing it w/ Toby. Even though Toby was forced to become a Boy Scout thanks to Dwight, Toby DID thoroughly enjoy it! There were times when Toby received criticism for his hands being tarnished literally yellow.This was from hauling horse chestnuts that Dwight assigned Toby to do everyday. When Skipper graduated in 1949, he stayed in Chinook and devoted his money that he made into building his car. One day after delivering papers, Toby would fold up his news bag, cross the bridge leading out of the camp and would hitchhike to different locations and always be back by the time Dwight & Caroline got home from work.

Toby, while being a teen, kept outgrowing his shoes. Two pairs in seventh grade alone. Dwight thought that Toby was growing out of malice. Other than sulking, whenever Dwight lost at a firing range match next to anyone, he would literally yell at Caroline for refusing to appreciate the sacrifice(s) he made by taking in a woman w/ a kid like Toby. If Caroline argued back, Dwight accused her of being disloyal. Sometimes Dwight's picking on Caroline would result in Toby near ready to kill Dwight. After Norma had settled into a new life after graduating & leaving Chinook, she came home for Christmas and brought a man w/ her, Kenneth, that you could tell she didn't love and he was someone that you would rather not know. But she married him and had a child, also w/ a guilt of regret for staying w/ him.

By the time Toby started high school, he had saved about $80.00 in an ammunition box. He was saving his money to run away to Alaska. One thing that Toby & Arthur Gale DID have in common was their way of expending stories of each others lives out of proportion. Stories better that the REAL truth. One night after a kiss from Arthur that surprised Toby, they would at times have blowups but a few days later pick up as though nothing happened.

When Dwight bought Toby a dog from trading in Toby's Windchester rifle w/o consent, Dwight bought the dog that he wanted and became more of the owner that Toby. (As if Dwight bought the dog for himself w/ Toby's earned money.) Champ the dog ended up becoming a notorious "cat-killer" throughout the neighborhood. When it was decided that Champ had to go, Dwight had taken him in the night and just let him go.

After 6 years of no contact, Toby received a letter and a sweatshirt from his older brother in Princeton. Toby wore the sweatshirt everywhere and even styled his hair w/ a 'do called "the Princeton", flat on top, long and swept back on the sides. When Caroline was out, Dwight didn't exactly beat Toby, but he kept the possibility open. After Toby had feared being busted for forging a check from a convience check book at a bank, Toby wanted to hitchhike to Princeton to be w/ his brother and this was his way to get there. During this time period, Toby had become a Life Scout now almost close to Eagle. At a Scouts dinner, Toby ran into a woman who's son was a Scout but she was a woman whom he had run into on his chance at the Bank.

Whenever Toby would hear from his brother, Geoffrey, he would hear word from his dad as well. His dad and his wife were separated. He moved and found work in California. One thing that elated Toby in his brother's letters were that he wanted to see Toby. After Dwight had smashed an actual empty jar of mustard into Toby's face saying it wasn't empty and smacking him in the face after demanding the jar be "cleaned out". Toby left the house, went to a pay phone and called his brother collect. Trying to get the mustard story out, he confided to his brother about Dwight. He told Toby to apply to 2 schools, Deerfield & Choate to get away, thinking he should get in on his accomplishments. Geoffrey told him he'd relay Toby's situation to their dad and said "to get him out. One way or another."

During this time, Caroline was traveling and campaigning for John F. Kennedy. She met a man on the campaign trail and Dwight heard wind of it. When Caroline & Dwight were driving one night, he turned off the road and took her somewhere. She wanted to go back and he refused. He was drinking and pulled his hunting knife from under the seat and put it to her throat, vowing to kill her if she ever left him. When Toby informed his mom about speaking w/ Geoffrey, she teared up. One night when Dwight & Pearl were out of the house, Toby's dad called and when Caroline answered, EVERYTHING about her immediately changed. She was girlish. After a nice conversation, she told Toby not to count on his dad.

When Toby went down to Seattle for the testing in Deerfield, he felt a sense of belonging, like he was home. Arthur and Toby had been close, but at the same time also drifting apart. Arthur had ALOT of things going on including a girlfriend and extracurricular activities. Arthur and his girlfriend, Beth's, relationship troubled Toby. After a one-on-one fight between Arthur & Toby which was a 3-minute fight in the school gym. Dwight felt ACTUAL pride, almost love, in Toby when Toby used the lessons that Dwight taught him. When Toby was rejected from all of the places that he applied to, he never heard back from Choate. A week later, he gets a call from Hill School.

When Toby had accidentally cut his finger w/ a saw at school, he was addicted to the morphine given to him by the nurses. Later on, after getting home, Dwight pushed Toby off his balance, landing him on his finger. Caroline was trying to calm him and it was all over. They were officially getting out. Caroline spoke w/ a parent of one of Toby's classmates and they agreed that Toby could stay the school year. After the classmate, Chuck, drove up to get Toby, he, Pearl & Caroline helped carry things from Dwight's house and into the car while Dwight stayed in the kitchen. Dwight tried to talk things over. They wished each other good-bye as they left - hating each other.

While Toby was staying w/ Chuck Bolger, he was nervous to their being religious. After an incident had happened w/ this family, they didn't have interest in Toby. They wanted Caroline to come and get him. Instead Toby decided to join the army. After much convincing from Caroline based on their circumstances, Toby went back to the Bolger family. After being tangled into a friends drama, Toby received a call from the Hill School, he had been awarded a scholarship to attend. The scholarship was an annual fee of $28,000. The students were different from the ones he knew and he tried to establish himself as one of them.

At the same time, Caroline had found a job as a secretary in Seattle. In June, Toby would be going off to CA. Caroline had been in touch w/ Toby's dad, who had arranged the trip w/ Geoffrey joining later. Now that Caroline started looking for work, Dwight was falling over himself to be nice to her and sort of courting her. Even applying to Seattle to be close to her. When Caroline asked Dwight about the money that he owed Toby from his paper route, the truth came out that he never ever had it saved AT ALL! Dwight had a point of pride to deal w/ the finances, but Caroline didn't want him all worried over it. She wanted everyone to get along. When Toby and Caroline left, they were themselves and happy again.

After they had OFFICIALLY left, Toby kept in contact w/ Pearl. She had felt abandoned after Caroline left. He patronized her w/ her consent. They would sometimes eat lunch together. Pearl had mentioned to Toby that Dwight planned to head down to Seattle to be w/ Caroline, bringing Pearl along for ammunition. When Dwight was gone, Toby and his friend, Chuck, went inside to Dwight's room. Toby had looked around, taking official Scout forms, grabbing 2 shotguns as well as the Marlin & the Garand. He also grabbed the materials that also went w/ them. When they left, they high-tailed it home w/o getting caught.

After Toby had met w/ the guy from Hill School, Mr. Howard, he had taken him to a tailor shop to get suits and be fitted for his needed attire at Hill. Mrs. Howard watched w/ amusement and pride. Toby had gone to 3 pawnshops to sell some things. He was going to sell 4 rifles and 2 shotguns from Dwight. At first, they were ignored. After looking them over in another store, the lady said they were good enough to pawn - not sell. Pawning them for $60.00, all the woman would go for - even though they were worth more than that.

While Toby and his dad were all back East living together w/  his brother Geoffrey supporting them all after their father's breakdown, Caroline took a job in Washington, D.C. Dwight had traveled there and tried to strangle her. Just before she blacked out, she kneed him in-between the legs. After he let go, she grabbed her purse and ran. When Toby got home, Dwight was arrested. Caroline got a cease-and-assist letter and Dwight was back in Seattle.

Toby's schoolwork itself at Hill was not well. He couldn't understand anything.  Toby and his best friend that also was kicked out were full of rage. After wearing himself out, Toby had decided to join the Army.

In 1993, a movie/film was made based on this book and this period of Tobias' life in a movie of the same book title. It starred an UNFORGETTABLE Robert DeNiro as Dwight, Ellen Barkin as Toby's mother, Caroline and Leonardo Dicaprio as the enduring Tobias Wolff.












                                                                               

The REAL Tobias Wolff

Here's MY Opinion:

This book was FABULOUS. For one thing, personally speaking, throughout both the book &  the film of Tobias' life, his story has made me grow up and NEVER want a step dad - due to fear of walking in his/Toby's shoes. That's the TRUTH! This movie/story can teach you ALOT about that type of relationship. I have seen some good step-dad's, but you just never know!

Dead Man Walking

This next TRULY compassionate tale is what one courageous nun, Sister Helen Prejean of the Sisters Of St. Joseph Of Medaille's life was changed when in the 1980s. Beginning as a pen pal to an inmate evolves into something remarkable to a man in Chava Colon Prison Coalition Death Row, Eddie Sonnier.

Sister Helen Prejean, who has witnessed frightening treatment by police, young men picked up, verbally abused, handcuffed and beaten.  Their story begins in the 1980s when she begins writing to inmate Eddie Sonnier who is shortly due to die on death row. The crime Eddie was charged w/ was that he and his brother, Patrick, posed as security officers. They went parking and "accused" a young couple of trespassing. They were handcuffed together in the backseat 20 miles to nowhere. The car was stopped in an abandoned oilfield. The girl was taken by herself in the woods and raped. Then the couple was ordered to lie face down on the ground and shot. They died instantly. Patrick confessed to the murders over several days. One denies the rapes, claiming consent. The other denied it period. At separate trials, each brother was found guilty and sentenced to death.

Sister Helen Prejean

In the months ahead, Patrick was confined to his terror to Sister Helen. She couldn't take that the state of CA killing Patrick in cold blood. She noticed that Patrick's letters to her express gratitude and appreciation for his case. Patrick listed her as a spiritual adviser. When Sister Helen is asked why does she want to do this and become his spiritual adviser? She stated "because Patrick has no one else and visiting prisoners is a Christian work of mercy". Her first visit w/ Patrick is on Sept. 15TH. Even though Sister Helen is nervous to be at the Death Row portion of the prison, Patrick is REAL grateful she came. Even if it's someone to talk to!

After awhile she begins to ease up at the prison, but she wonders how to keep conversation and realizes that all she has to do is listen. She was surprised to see how human and likable he was. They continue to write and her visits continue monthly. He talks about his brothers since the prison doesn't allow for each others' visit. Sister Helen visits Eddie for the first time in March 1983. Pat(rick)'s execution is scheduled for Friday Aug. 19TH. He has stopped eating, running on coffee and cigarettes. They talk for their 2 hrs. Nervousness and prayer as they wait for a call to hold the execution. He consents for Sister Helen to be there if he is due to die. After awhile, he talks to her about the murders.

Eddie was upset. They had just gotten out of jail. He was unglued over a girl who was pregnant w/ his child. No body was supposed to get killed. Patrick felt so much guilt from his crimes, he tried to slit his wrists in prison. In Oct. 1983, Pat's time was running out. Sister Helen heard of a lawyer in Atlanta, defending death-row inmates and she makes a call. Sister Helen was steadily to get Pat a new trial before it was too late.

Pat

When Sister Helen returned to the prison, Patrick is shaven and his hair is combed. She returns w/ Millard. Millard finds a discrepancy that the judge omittedly instructed the jury to find Pat guilty to relieve the State of it's burden to prove intent to kill, which made it easier for a jury to convict. After his meeting w/ Pat, Millard explains his chances w/ Sister Helen. On Feb. 21ST, the Supreme Court denied Pat's petition. When going in front of a meeting w/ Governor Edwards, they argue their case of NOT having Pat put to death, but life in prison. That the death penalty DOES NOT deter the crime. Millard, Kimellen, Joe & Sister Helen work around the clock to prepare for the Pardon Board.

Through MULTIPLE transcripts, there are a few discoveries: 1. Eddie claimed that it was Pat who raped the girl. Later he admitted to having doing it too! Pat's most insistent point w/ Helen was that he did NOT rape the girl. 2. The bodies were found 6-to-8 hrs after their deaths w/ the autopsy following shortly after. 3. Semen was found in the girl, Loretta, but then there was no report of semen identification. 4. The exact point in frame from which the kids were shot (up close or from a distance). On March 30TH, they file the petition w/ the Parole Board. They meet w/ the chairman, Howard Marsellus, and he agrees to study the petition and is more sympathetic to the cause. Sister Helen was so elated.

At the hearing, after hearing all sides, the jury sits out for a verdict. But while in waiting, Sister Helen is approached by the victims families. Lloyd LeBlanc, father of David LeBlanc, asked her "how can she present Patrick's side w/o out going to the LeBlanc's side to hear point?" Sister Helen thought it would just add to their pain. Something she regrets not doing. Clemency was denied 4-to-1 in Elmo's favor. Later that evening, Sister Helen calls Lloyd LeBlanc. She told him to call her if he/his wife need anything.

After Patrick is moved to another section of the prison, he tells Sister Helen that "he doesn't want his Momma or anyone from his family coming to this place". That means Sister Helen is all he's got. She tries to be upbeat. But she couldn't take it if he drops anchor and breaks down. He expresses a letter to the governor that Sister Helen pens. Mentally she can't help but count the days until Pat's execution.

Back in the official offices, Millard and others have been working around the clock drawing up petitions. They included Pat's affidavit stating the circumstances that led him to making the confessions. They are throwing everything they can into this last shot w/ the courts. After talking to the head of Dept. Of Corrections, she is told for the "overall process" to approve of the witnesses. She contends w/ the rules. Her first obligation to be w/ Pat every minute she can. With all the people she comes in contact with at the prison, one thing hits her, "They're getting ready to kill someone."

One thing that Sister Helen did help to change was that when prisoners were in the death house, it would help if the prison fed the visitors of the inmates. After an incident w/ Sister Helen's health and not feeling very well, Patrick was afraid and nervous for her and pleaded for her to take care of herself. Here they are, 36hrs away from death. Sister Helen encourages Patrick to share his feelings and not feel he has to put up a front. She feels humbled that he showed her so much love and no one showed him any. On the day of the execution, her sister, Ann, tells Helen that some of the Sisters plan to come out & protest the execution.

While they await anxiously w/ word from the Governor to stop this execution, every minute, every step, voice, sound makes them nervous of a word heard back. It's 6:00p, time for Pat's last meal. Official word comes in that Pat's bid to the Fifth Circuit Court has turned him down and to proceed w/ the execution.

Looking at her own tray of food that Sister Helen was to eat while Pat ate his last meal, she knows she won't be eating any of it. She had iced tea. Feeling these moments were too unreal. After hearing Pat's telephone conversations w/ Millard, she for sure knows that he is going to die. While talking to Sister Helen, he makes out a will giving Sister Helen all of his possessions. After that, he works on a letter to his brother, Eddie. After coming through and being prepared w/ a shaved head and left pant leg at the knee. A tattooed number in case he was killed in prison. After writing in the Bible and hands it to Sister Helen, she wants to weep due to being there and trying so hard to save his life.

As they are leaving to head to "the chair", Pat has his last cigarette. Sister Helen walks w/ Pat, holding his Bible. He asked that the Warden allow Sister Helen to touch his arm. They walk. When they get there, Sister Helen is moved to the witness room. She silently prays as they pull the switch. Patrick Sonnier dies at 12:15A. His eyes happen to look at Sister Helen's. She then goes about filling Pat's last wish for communion. When they are pulling away from the prison to leave, Sister Helen, Ann & Bill Quigley have to pull over for Sister Helen to vomit.

The next morning after the execution,  Sister Helen's shock & numbness is wearing off. Afterwards, she is LITERALLY being thanked for being there for Pat. Several reporters locally call Sister Helen because they have heard she was a witness at Pat's execution and interview her over the phone. Pat's funeral was following the next day at Rabenhorst Funeral Home. After Sister Helen calls the warden, permission is granted for Eddie to attend Pat's funeral. Pat's mom doesn't attend, due to it being too much for her. The TV cameras are outside. Sister Helen walks w/ a tightly cuffed Eddie to Pat's coffin. Tears run down his face as he feels that 3 people are now dead because of him. Eddie is not allowed to the graveyard. After the services, a man from the postal service asks for Sister Helen. What she receives are 3 large boxes filled w/ Pat's possessions. Sister Helen, her mom & her sister go through and arrange his possessions. Sister Helen begins to think "Who is responsible for this man's death?" Some would say he asked for it or a job was being done. But NO ONE feels any personal responsibility for this man's death.

Sister Helen couldn't help but notice the severance of personal values from public duty. Ex. - a governor personally objects to the death penalty, but allows it to be carried out. She wants him to answer that "if a policy/law is morally wrong, aren't they bound in conscience to oppose it?" He responds saying that "if he's opposed to doing any part of his job, he should quit or refuse to accept it in the first place." When Sister Helen goes to C. Paul Phelps, the Head Of Corrections, how the execution process is designed? After hearing his facts, she states that "she disagrees w/ the rights of a man being killed are protected b/c the witnesses to his death are expected to be polite." She can tell that he isn't that agreeing w/ this bent on revenge, at heart he's a social worker. She was devastated by this meeting.

After Pat, for her there will be no more involvement w/ death row inmates, except Eddie, she believes she is the only one he has.No more visits.When Sister Helen is going to visit the Sonnier family, she is told of them being completely misrepresented by the press. Sister Helen promises to write a strongly worded letter to the editor. They chatted about Pat & his last day. Back in Baton Rouge, Sister Helen packs her things as she prepares to return to Hope House. She works w/ kids and she feels good about being in the flow of normal life again. Due to the articles printed in various papers, she receives personal letters sent to her. The letters possess outrage from consumers of why she would show compassion/be there for Patrick Sonnier. A week after arriving back at Hope House, Sister Helen gets a call from a reporter wanting her to express her side. From Pat's experiences, she begins to see that death-row inmates have a decent attorney for their appeals.

After the training session, Millard, Tom & Sister Helen create a legal office just for death-row inmate appeals. After they enlist a few people, the office is in operation September 1984. After a much needed retreat, Sister Helen calls Bill Quigley and she is invited to a meeting in New Orleans on the death penalty. It becomes time for public education & public witness.

Eddie

Six months after Pat's death, Millard asks Sister Helen to become spiritual adviser to 2 inmates. After the horror w/ Pat, Sister Helen can only agree to one. It's Robert Lee Willie. Willie and Joseph Vaccaro killed and 18-yr-old girl, Faith Hathaway. After they plead guilty, they were sentenced to 3 consecutive life sentences. They had indigent lawyers. The next day, she writes to him and asks if he would like her to be his spiritual adviser. After a long talk w/ the Warden of this prison, Sister Lilliane is approved to serve as a spiritual adviser to an inmate. The most this transaction has cost her is moving from her residence at St. Thomas.

Since Pat's execution, Sister Helen has continued contact w/ Eddie, his mother & his aunt. When Sister Helen first goes into meeting Robert Willie, she tells him that she never thought she'd come back to death row after Pat. She notices how polite he is in his manner and speech. When they talk about his case in the courts, he's been reading every law book he can get his hands on. He was a complete opposite of what she just met. She expected a crazed, paranoid type. But she found a soft-spoken, intelligent & polite young man. On Oct. 26TH, a group of 40 to gather to walk 80 miles to Baton Rouge. Along the way, Sister Helen uses every possible media outlet to provide facts on the death penalty.

When they do the walk, it's a mix of different people. During a 3 day "peacekeeping" march, Sister Helen runs into Vernon Harvey. When she expects him to rage at her, he shows concern for her safety. The next week she meets him at his house. When she meets him and his wife, Elizabeth, they talk about their daughter, Faith. Hearing the pain in their voices, Sister Helen wishes she could take their pain away. When Vernon is crying, reliving this horror story, Sister Helen cries from the horror of this story. Vernon is sternly upset w/ his reasons, but seems talking about the case infuriates him more. Sister Helen becomes his spiritual adviser. The rage & pain from Vernon eclipses everything else. A month or so later, their friendliness is shattered. At Robert Willie's parole hearing, because of Sister Helen's visits/sympathy, they expect to also want to see him die.

After an evening w/ the Harvey's, Sister Helen had never had so much unrequited grief. When Sister Helen goes for her first visit w/ Robert Willie, he seems to be in a world of his own, oblivious to the pain he has caused others. Visiting Robert, Sister Helen is asked to do what they, the prison, asked her to! Accompany him, treat him w/ dignity - but also challenge him to take some responsibilities. When discussing his crimes w/ her, Vaccaro told him to do what he did. Even though they were loaded on drugs & alcohol. They discuss various points of his case. Re-reading his entire case history after a court appearance, during one of his stints in prison, Robert Willie meets Joseph Vaccaro. In August 1984, the Fifth Circut Court Of Appeals denied his petition for a rehearing. On Nov. 12TH, the Supreme Court refused to hear his case. Now the only thing that stands between Robert & "the chair" is the Govenor and the Pardon Board.

John Craft, someone working on local counsel on Robert's case, received help from the newly formed Louisiana Capital Defense Project. Sister Helen is dreading this meeting. This was the same group that denied Pat Sonnier and executed someone else after their denial just a week ago. Straight from this meeting, Sister Helen went right to the Parole Board. Robert's mother, Elizabeth and she felt that since she is the only one w/ Robert, aside from Sister Helen, their case is sunk. After speaking to the Board, Robert is TRULY grateful to Sister Helen for speaking. After about 20 minutes, the Board recommended that their decision for execution stands.

When Sister Helen goes to visit Robert, they talk about those he's hurt and what peace will come of his death to the families. A few days shy from his execution, Robert will only be visited by Sister Helen. When Robert's mom visits him in the death house w/ her other children, that will be hard enough. It still gets to Sister Helen going to the Row, KNOWING what happens to these inmates. Robert made a special request from Sister Helen. That she could bring in a polygraph test for him to take. At times while visiting Robert, some of his actions/mannerisms reminded her of Patrick Sonnier. When it's time to leave, Sister Helen goes w/ a small prayer and promises to be back at 2:00p tomorrow w/ his family. The night before the execution, a close friend/reporter wanted to offer Sister Helen his support. After a complete night of good sleep, the prior days' feelings washed away.

On Dec. 27TH, at 2:00p, Sister Helen arrives at the prison. When she walks in Robert's family is already there. A few hours prior to the execution, Robert confided that he saw that Sister Helen was a good friend he could talk to! It's close to 11:00p-11:30p, at 12:07A, Robert is strapped to the chair and is gone. This time Sister Helen watches intently.

Sister Helen responds to Robert's death by the fact(s) that 2 people are now dead instead of one, with another mother burying her child. She later on receives a call from ABC News w/ Peter Jennings for a story about Robert Willie's execution.While Sister Helen does understand why a family would accept the death penalty for vengeance, she still ponders why if another person is still dead? After Robert's execution, the best thing Sister Helen can think to do is leave and give the family space.

When Sister Helen runs into Elizabeth she wonders why all of the avoidance from her? When Sister Helen is actually told that they wanted to see her she is there for them. What happens is for them to rejoin the living after their daughter's death. Sister Helen meets w/ the Harvey's again on the steps of Congress and speaks against cutting funds for victims' assistance. Sister Helen, the Harvey's & a few of Helen's fellow nuns  are there to see this. After this demonstration, Sister Helen goes to learn and find where she can bring peace w/ going to a Parents Of Murdered Children Support Group. While she's there, she nervously sits w/ the Harvey's hearing these horror stories from parents. She really did learn so much from this.

Beginning from this, she starts an assistance program for murdered victims' families. Lloyd LeBlanc, David's father, spoke for both families at the Pardon Board. After the execution, Lloyd prays for Patrick& Eddie Sonnier's mother, Gladys. Shortly before Gladys' death in 1991, Lloyd went to comfort her. Lloyd would've been content for Patrick Sonnier's imprisonment. At the execution, all Lloyd wanted was an apology which he received. Lloyd forgave him due to the amount of feelings/bitterness remembering the son he would never know.






In 1995, an film was made based on this book and this period in Sister Helen's life w/ the OUTSTANDING Sean Penn as Patrick Sonnier/"Matthew Poncelet" and the REMARKABLE Susan Sarandon as Sister Helen Prejean.

the REAL Angola Prison

A Death In White Bear Lake: The True Chronicle Of An All-American Town

This story tells of the TRULY saddening case in which 3-yr-old Dennis Jurgens was brutally beaten & murdered at the hands of his adoptive mother, Lois Jurgens. The story continues when Dennis' biological mother, Jerry Sherwood searches to find out what EXACTLY happened to her child and bring justice to after 20-25 years later.

In early 1960, after longing for children and unable to have her own, Lois & Harold Jurgens applied to adopt. The county offered her a 2-yr-old boy and turned him down for being too old. A chance encounter they jumped on and called their attorney and just like that they became parents to a baby boy born on 6-22-1960. Four days later he was in the arms of the Jurgenses. In honor of Harold's father, they named the baby Robert. They were looked down upon by welfare due to not having things done OFFICIALLY. The welfare dept. approved after they found out - after the fact. In 1961, even though they already had Robert, Lois & Harold still felt incomplete.

When the Jurgens' finances had qualified them to adopt again, Harold was 40 & Lois was 36 - almost too old to adopt. On Christmas 1961, they applied again seeking to adopt a second. After the initial housing inspection from the agency, the Jurgens' passed w/ only two specifics. They wanted a child under a year old and they wanted a Catholic.

On Dec. 6, 1961, an 8 1/2 baby boy was born w/o complications. The father, Dennis McIntyre, was 19. The mother, Jerry Ann Puckett was 17 and both were unmarried. Jerry named the boy Dennis Craig Puckett. Jerry was Protestant. She was planning on joining the Roman Catholic faith, that's why 9 days later, she asked Dennis be baptized as a Catholic. Jerry's residence, when it wasn't at the Sauk Centre Reform School, was at the Twin Cities. So her and Dennis' fate rested on the welfare dept. Jerry really wanted to keep the baby, but her own situation made that highly unlikely to be a caretaker. After some reluctance, she consented that on 12-15, Dennis was put into foster care straight from the hospital and terminated her parental rights. So it was then officially noted on 11-2-62, that Dennis Puckett was then placed in the home of Harold & Lois Jurgens.

Throughout the pre-placement, Lois spoke to officials "We're rather disappointed at the child's age" considering that by this time Dennis was well into a happy, healthy, joyous and no trouble for anyone 1-yr-old. Even at first lance, Lois stated "Dennis didn't seem very well behaved". Comparing him to Robert, saying that "Robert was leaving things alone by age 1." After meeting Dennis and a quick test drive, Lois just never seemed to respond to Dennis at all. Lois didn't really want to take Dennis but she felt that if she didn't take him, she wouldn't get another chance to adopt a child w/ their specifications. (Sort of - if we don't take him, we may not get another chance for a kid). Officials realized that Lois NEVER ONCE  even touched Dennis. When the social worker called, Lois wasn't all too happy. She wasn't HONESTLY wanting Dennis in the first place AT ALL!

Dennis & Robert

Lois looked at it this way, Robert and Dennis wouldn't fit well together at all. Dennis' aggressiveness and "wild behavior" were completely unlike Robert. She was afraid Dennis would "man-handle" him. She had complaints about Dennis' looks and weight. His "nationality" was wrong. His eyes didn't match Robert. He really needed to lose weight. She was practically nit-picky about reasons why she didn't want Dennis. On Dec. 3RD, they called and said they would take Dennis after thinking it over.

On 12-7-62, in the early afternoon, Dennis arrived for the first time at the Jurgens' home. He was exactly 1-yr and 1-day-old. Five days later, Lois was having a hard time w/ Dennis and his being so energetic and Robert being jealous. While she wouldn't give in to Dennis after his adjusting, but Dennis didn't get any training or was even given a chance to prove that he could be a good boy. After being asked if she was going to actually keep Dennis, "she didn't know" was her laughing reply. The differences w/ Robert and Dennis were: Robert was put somewhere - he stayed as told; Dennis was always running around like a normal boy - never one to sit still.


On 12-27, Harold signed the official placement papers since Lois was out sick. Lois was pleased and happy. Others seen an amazing change in her. As the placement became official, Lois was more casual and relaxed. She no longer prepared for Social Services or complained about Dennis.

When Lois would take Dennis to the doctor's, he weighed 23 LBS. While some seen very bad burns on him "from hot water", other nurses caring for Dennis couldn't help but notice bruises all over his body. When Dennis was to be treated for the burns, he had to be eased into treatment twice a day. He needed skin graphing for the burns. He was in no pain and was a well-adjusted, happy child. He was not scared nor did he cry. Three weeks later, Dennis was happy at home. He continued to blossom and speak clear sentences, happy and friendly.On Feb. 11, 1964, the adoption was COMPLETELY FINALIZED.


At family gatherings, Robert was quiet/shy. Everyone would offer him candy & cookies, but he refused. Dennis would take it and get in trouble. Whenever Dennis showed any interest in a good time, he would get yelled at and in trouble for it. At a funeral for Lois' sister, Barbara, Dennis & Robert recited for 20 minutes w/o forgetting the rosary. Relatives watched and were astonished/appreciative. At the service, they wondered why Dennis was wearing sunglasses inside the mortuary. Even thru reciting the rosary, the sunglasses were to cover Dennis' eyes.


On Palm Sunday (4-11-65), Officer Robert VanderWyst responded to a radio call in his car to 2148 S. Gardenette Dr. of a D.O.A. small child. VanderWyst knew exactly who's home he was heading to. Lois' brother was the #2 man on the police force. Dr. Roy Peterson was already there, he knew Robert VanderWyst due to being his doctor. Harold Jurgens' called Dr. Peterson a little after 9:00A, saying he feared his son was dying. By the time authorities arrived, Dennis was dead. He died around 9:30A. VanderWyst noticed the Jurgens' showing distraught for Dennis - but NO tears. Talking to Harold & Lois, they told the same story. Dennis had been suffering from a bad cold. The day before Dennis had slipped on the bathroom floor near the basement, striking his head on the bathroom tile. Lois called to say Dennis was sick and Harold returned home that night. After checking on Dennis several times, Harold took him to the bathroom and sat him on the toilet. Dennis was fine, talking normally, even noticing that his dad's watch was broken. When Lois went to check on Dennis again after his being back in bed, he was gurgling and gasping for breath. After calling the doctor, Lois/Harold kept going over the same points over/over again. Only once did the story vary. Dennis had also fallen down the basement stairs during the past week and struck the back of his head. He also slipped near the bathroom and fell down the stairs. The other boy, Robert, had been sitting w/ them in the living room and running about - perfectly fine. VanderWyst's car radio went off at 11:04 A.M. A Car was blocking the driveway at 823 Fifth Street by the time officers reached the house, the mysterious car drove away and went back to the Jurgenses.

 After reaching the residence, the coroner's investigator and the ambulance driver arrived together. They arrived in Dennis' room. Dennis was lying on his back in the crib w/ his arms stretched alongside his body. His hands and forearms reached 8" off the mattress. Bed covers were pulled below to his armpits that obscured the lower parts of his body. VanderWyst could see a good number of black/blue spots on his face, head & arms. On Dennis' face alone, it was counted at least a dozen bruises; large and small. BIG abrasions covering his forehead and his nose was blood-red and peeling.

When Dennis was to be carried out of the house, VanderWyst found it odd that within an EXACT 2-hr span, a body doesn't just get stiff. When investigators looked at the bod, they were wondering "What was the cause of death?" The doctor couldn't comprehend anyone torturing a kid. But they do know that Dennis' death didn't come from natural causes. After he left the Jurgenses home, word spread from home-to-home there had been a death. They said it was from a fall down the basement stairs. Neighbors began to question what they seen and were quite disturbed by it.

VanderWyst noted that Dennis had a small bruise like a scrape mark the size of a nickel on his forehead and a red mark on his nose. When Dennis' body was being taken for an autopsy, after removing his clothes, they could see EVERY virtual mark all over hi body. Outside of the marks/bruises, Dennis was also found to be SEVERELY malnourished. ABSOLUTELY NO fat on him at all. How could that be? Every kid has some fat on them in various degrees - Not Dennis. During the internal autopsy, Dr. Woodburn found a perforation in Dennis' small bowel, which led to a fifth of a quart of infectious, fecal matter to flow into his abdominal cavity. During this time, more signs formed of what were classic signs of peritonitis. Dennis died most likely after an extended period of agonizing pain. The job of a pathologist was to determine the cause of death. The coroner was to determine how it happened.

Harold explained that Dennis was the sort of individual who was insensitive to pain and therefore didn't complain or tell others he was hurt. Harold rambled in w/ his questions, stating that Dennis always has constipation problems and that he didn't seem to know how to force bowels from his rectum to explain the impactments. Harold's explanation for the bruises & marks on Dennis' "area" were from standing in the bath and turning on the hot water - which scolded him. Dennis was treated for the injuries, but the wounds opened up again - he explained. He stated that "Dennis ate good. He just didn't know how to eat properly and didn't know how to chew. Sometimes swallowing food w/o chewing" Harold stated that he was gone/out of town when the fall down the stairs to Dennis' death occurred. A lot of injuries & accidents occurred when Harold was out-of-town, leaving Lois responsible and lying about the how? After the news of Dennis' death, it transformed Dr. Peterson, it was like a switch turned. He became guarded and uncomfortable, no longer wanting to talk.

Dr. Peterson would lie to authorities about the bruises, stating he didn't remember. After the detectives questioned Lois' family, many years later sticking to their stories, they stalked out the Jurgens' home. The following  Monday, Det. VanderWyst & Korolchuk began a series of interviews w/ the Jurgens' neighbors and relatives. The interviews were going NOWHERE, stating they didn't see the Jurgens' very much or that they didn't observe any bruises. Even the talkative neighbors proved to be no help. Mid-morning that Tuesday, there was a funeral held for Dennis Jurgens. The days following newspaper, "The St. Paul Dispatch" featured a story of Dennis' death and some realized that the story and the facts didn't match.

In preparing for Dennis' funeral, Jim Honsa, who helped the Jurgens' prepare, was very troubled by what he seen. He seen Harold & Lois showing ABSOLUTELY NO emotion for Dennis' demise/funeral. It was as if they were drugged. They didn't even respond to a "no" from the moment they walked in. They stood for a few minutes at Dennis' body then walked away  - they didn't seem to care WHATSOEVER!! Jim ended up preparing EVERY SINGLE VESTIGE of Dennis' funeral. The first time someone outside of Lois' family seen Dennis, they expected a newborn. The second time they seen Dennis over at the Zerwas home, Lois had him on the floor, trying to get him to walk and Dennis would collapse into a crawl. Lois would pick him up and slap his butt. It was a battle royal for 15 minutes. Finally Lois was yanking Dennis up by the arm and delivering hard blows by the arm/w open hands. NO ONE was doing anything about it. Some watched, some ignored but Dennis was both willful and spirited. One was what she did to Dennis, the other was her manner. Lois seemed to hate Dennis She demeaned him and tore him down all the time.

Dennis Jurgens

Other incidents include Lois LITERALLY holding Dennis' mouth and shoving food into his mouth.  Finally Dennis would gag and vomit, but she kept feeding him the food and the vomit. In late August 1963, Barbara, Lois' sister, went to go camping w/ Lois and the boys. The next morning, Lois decided for Dennis to go to the bathroom. Barbara was already awake. Lois got the potty from the trunk of her car and put her and Dennis in her tent. Barbara could see Lois screaming/yelling at Dennis. He was crying. Barbara  could hear noises that sounded like blows to Dennis' body. Lois was LITERALLY forcing Dennis to have a bowel movement in insufferable heat. After the trip, the welfare dept. was called reporting child abuse. As far as she could tell, the agency never responded. The last time she seen Dennis was late '64, he was once husky and exuberant, now he was terribly thin, covered in bruises & strangely listless. There was ABSOLUTELY NO life in him. And six months later, he was dead.

At the mortuary, everyone gathered and whispered that "Lois killed him". She expected to see people crying, but seen Lois working the crowd, everyone was excited and buzzing w/ talking. Barbara seen many of the bruises that the mortician couldn't hide, including a big one on his forehead, another on his right temple, one on his cheek, one on the side of his nose. A crown of white roses sat on Dennis' head, more so to cover those bruises. Others that noticed looked into his casket and had one thought: "This boy had been murdered".

Lois' explanation at the funeral for everything was that the police had abused him after taking him away. When detectives knocked on the Jurgens' door, there was an order to remove Robert. Officers could hear, not see Lois. After a few words, Lois stated to get clothes for him. Harold turned back to the officers and stated  "They must have beat him up at the morgue. Dennis sure didn't have all those bruises when he left here". After Robert was handed to detectives, no one was crying, yelling or showing any emotion. The whole situation was surprisingly odd. After they were off work, detectives felt sure this woman killed her boy. When Robert was admitted on Good Friday at 11:00p, social services found Robert unnaturally uninterested in religion for  a5-yr-old boy. Robert told one caseworker that Dennis died of hunger.

Lois Jurgens

As a method of discipline, Lois told Harold to put a clamp type clothespin on the end of Dennis' privates and have him kneel on the handle of a broom  while they were saying the rosary. During the rosary, Dennis was to have been complaining that the clothespin was hurting him and he wanted Harold to take it off. It remained throughout the recitation and after the rosary. Lois was to  have told Harold to let Dennis take the clothespin off by himself. As investigators pushed on, the well of information dried up. Other family members decided to not sign statements. Harold & Lois refused to speak and hid behind a lawyer. Another unclear area in the report of the coroner deputy investigator stating that Dennis fell on the basement stairs. That information came from Mrs. Jurgens. The same one that stated that Dennis fell on the basement floor. The Jurgenses statements required further investigations. Later that same day, detectives ran a complete copy of the FULL file including the final analysis after their investigation was over. Within this time frame, the matter of Dennis' death passed from the hands of White Bear Lake to those of Ramsey County. Both the coroner & county prosecutor had decided what to do. In deaths where the facts were puzzling, the pathologist began to write "deferred" on the death certificate temporarily in the box reserved for cause of death.

Pathologist Tom Votel had seen this before. He knew/understood this was an abused child. Votel decided he wanted to wait on the police to resolve their issues before he ruled on the cause of death on Dennis Jurgens. His death certificate was being waited on until they got more information. They were still waiting on the information 2 yrs. later in 1967. Battered child syndrome was just getting written about and NOT being a concept recognized in a court of law. The state did have good evidence, but NOT substantial enough to hold in a courtroom. 


After all of the events that already happened surrounding the Jurgenses, a hearing was held in the Ramsey Co. Courthouse. As the case unfolded, it was to determine the neglect/custody of Robert. But, most of the testimony focused primarily on Dennis. On the witness stand, others remarked of what they seen Lois do over time. From bruises, to shoving horseradish in his mouth, to his sickly appearance. Even after Dennis choked on the force-fed food, he vomited and Lois would force-feed the vomit back to him. After that, they talked of Dennis' potty training. When Dennis would have trouble passing a stool, she used a finger in his rectum. Then she LITERALLY fed him his stool. Asst. District Atty. on this case, Portisky, the Jurgens' family doctor testified on behalf of the Jurgenses. When it was finally Lois' turn to testify, cross-examination tried to direct questions solely onto Dennis, but prosecution tried to object at any opening. With one question, Portisky had Lois in an inescapable box. When it was getting to the point of why Dennis, not Robert, then they pulled the Fifth Amendment privilege. Because the case was to be featuring Robert's custody, NOBODY gave a shit about the abuse Dennis suffered and what led to his death. It was more of a worry of whether Robert was safe w/ the Jurgenses. They had enough evidence, but as they stated "this is not what this case is about". In the end, the judge ruled that the Jurgenses' "are very honorable people of very good intentions", finding that the neglect didn't exist. Upon further evaluations, the hearing adorned.


But being a juvenile case closed proceeding, the newspaper never followed on the two brief reports following Dennis' death. The local White Bear Press never reported his death at all. After it was  decided by officials that their would be no "official" prosecution of the Jurgenses into Dennis death, that very day, May 11TH, the word "deferred" was written in the space originally assigned for cause of death on Dennis' death certificate w/ a signature. Publicly speaking the word homicide was never used.


The people that testified against Lois began receiving threatening phone calls, often in the middle of the night. Later they claimed that Lois was the caller. The calls continued until they had to consult an attorney. Sitting in a doctor's office, Lois denied everything. She was adamant that she didn't kill Dennis. She'd punish him, but he died after falling down the stairs. Lois' responses were flat w/ no grief/guilt. After fighting the welfare dept(s) legal custody of Robert, a scheduled hearing for six months down the road. The chief of psychiatry, Dr. Richard Teeter, studied the by now voluminous Jurgens file and couldn't provide a written recommendation. After discussing it at great length, the Jurgenses appeared every 6 months while Robert remained in the custody of Ramsey CO. living w/ relatives and visiting on Sundays.


On several occasions, in '59 & 1960, a pediatrician and a psychiatrist would both wonder how/why people would do this in subject to beaten babies. As it happens, Dennis' death and the puzzled wrestling by lawyer and doctors in Judge Gingold's courtroom, were events that unfolded just as this revolution was coming to life. The state legislature, sitting in St. Paul, adopted Minnesota's pioneering statute on 5-25-65, six weeks after Dennis' death.  


When Robert went to stay w/ the Welsches family on Lois side, they did see a young, polite little buy. But they also seen Robert at age 7 so afraid and withdrawn. It was as if Robert was afraid of doing something wrong. Robert LITERALLY had to be taught how to be a kid. Ex. - get muddy. if you make a mess, it's an accident. He was being taught to be a kid and not so woundly rigid. Although Robert showed nervousness, he loved it when the Welsch family included him as their kid. When trying to get Robert to speak gingerly about Dennis, he seemed scared/afraid of what he was supposed to say. When a new social worker began to handle the Jurgens case, obviously she wanted to see the file, at first after reading EVERYTHING prior to this coming into her lap, she was OUTRAGED. She called the offices of Ramsey CO. to read the entire Jurgens file, she was told by the office that they "couldn't find the file, it's been lost". That made her blood rise in her face and angry all at once. "How could the county atty not have the file?" How could this lady not be prosecuted in Dennis' death?


As the days/weeks passed, 2 police sargents that lived near each other on occasion talked about the Jurgens' investigation and be disturbed by the talk. Looking at this case as just gossip. After continuously arguing that there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute Lois, detectives kept the file locked in a drawer, pulling it out from time-to-time. Then in 1968, the file disappeared from a locked drawer.While some never stopped wondering, everyone was in a wonder years later.


In Sept. 1969, just as the Ramsey CO. child abuse team was springing to life, the judge closed the Jurgens file for good. That month, Robert was returned to the Jurgenses. That was something the judge wrestled w/ forever, never finding a satisfactory answer. When Robert was initially in foster care, he was 7, now he's 9. His return didn't provide Lois peace or grace. On 3-5-1970, one week after a follow-up evaluation, the judge officially ordered dismissal of the case almost 5 years to the day Dennis died, the repercussions of Palm Sunday seemed to still grow.


When Harold/Lois filled out adoption papers again, believing this agency they picked would be more receptive, filling out the normal paperwork, they stated they had adopted before only once to Robert. They made no reference to Dennis. On their application - he didn't exist. When crosschecking the information to see if the state had record of this family, only one inquiry came back positive, so was someone not mentioned on any present adoption forms - a small boy named Dennis. Harold/Lois explained that "b/c of past experiences, they were aware of how social agencies used information against you". After awhile & routine, 4 children w/ the last name Howton from Kentucky were placed into Harold/Lois' care.


From what I read, it seemed like these were Lois' dream children, listening and dong as told. When rehearsing their talents, Lois wanted them to excel. If they messed up, they had extra practice, almost bringing them to tears. After the case was closed, the Howton children tried their might and found their was no pleasing Lois. She would display the abuse that Dennis had suffered firsthand. Robert received some of the abuse, but not as much as the Howton's. While Lois was yanking on Robert's ears, he replied to her "Is this what you did to Dennis?" The Howton children from Kentucky hardly knew what Robert was talking about. Once so ebullient, all four Howton children and Robert now felt filled w/ fear & pain all the time.


When asked about the stories of abuse, Lois instead talked of all things she & Harold did for the kids. After visiting Lois, social worker, Carol, went to visit Robert. She found him exceptionally serious and responsile for a 15-yr-old.  The original foster mother, Cherie Colling, went to visit at the Jurgenses and felt shocked by what she had seen. These four kids, once so loving and open now seemed like frightened animals fighting for survival. The same attorney that Harold/Lois used prior in Dennis' death, feared a contested hearing might re-open the 1965 death of Dennis Jurgens. A decision for these children to be removed was ordered. A half-year later, on 3-19-76, the judge permanently terminated the Jurgenses parental rights. Not long after this case in point, the bubble had burst for the citizens/families in White Bear Lake, more and more families were reported.


After the many events that changed her life in the Sauk Centre Home School For Girls, Jerry Ann Puckett - Sherwood endured abused from 2 different stepmothers. In her early teens, she was openly rebellious, defying her parents, skipping school, sassing everyone.When she was 13, after shoplifting and running away one weekend, her parents hauled her into court and declared her incorrigible & placed her in a foster home. After bouncing through a few/fleeing, the court committed her to the girls school. After multiple releases & returns, Sauk Centre was getting to be like home to Jerry. She'd learned how to deal w/ it.


After she was sent to a foster family in St. Cloud, she met Dennis McIntyre. Three months after they began dating, Jerry, 16 at the time, invited Dennis over when her foster parents weren't home. After being harped at by her foster parents for having sex, Jerry fled again and was hauled back to Sauk Centre.This time time she was 2 months pregnant.

Jerry Sherwood

After 9 1/2 hrs. of labor, Dennis Craig Puckett born on 12-6-61. During the few days that Jerry had him, she had him baptized as a Catholic, like his father. After that, he was then placed in a home. Four months after Dennis' birth, the authorities brought her to court to relinquish her parental rights. She was told he would be happy & placed in a good home. She picked up a pen & signed.


After awhile, Jerry was pregnant again by Dennis McIntyre. This time, her daughter, Misty, was born. Jerry refused to sign any pares and both mother/child were eventually placed in a foster home. On 6-22-63, Jerry married Dennis McIntyre. They had 3 more children following Misty; 2 girls and a boy, Dennis II. They were divorced in 1970. After that she worked odd jobs to support her kids. Jerry remarried to a company superintendent, Richard Sherwood, but divorced in 1976.


One morning after another passing birthday left her w/ a depression, Jerry contacted the Scott CO. Welfare Dept. After being told by the dept "They'd do what they could" a letter arrived six weeks later informing her that Dennis died of peritonitis on April 11, 1965. She had prepared for Dennis to maybe reject her, but not this. After gathering herself, Jerry managed to get some facts. Dennis' burial site and his adopted last name: Jurgens. When a friend and her went to White Bear to find Dennis' grave and no luck, they checked w/ the mortuary where they kept the records. When she asked for the info that she needed, they knew right away what she was talking about. They were more willing to bring out old files/registers. After she found what she was seeking, a newspaper clipping was faded w/ Dennis death information. Jerry exploded! When they officially found Dennis' grave site, she didn't know it, but Jerry was received help at his grave by one of Lois' brothers. After asking him about the numerous bruises/injuries, he turned and walked away.

Jerry began working & plotting her strategy. After she went back to the welfare dept., she had more feeling in her speaking. "The system took my kid away from me cause they said I couldn't take care if him and gave him to someone who said could and he's dead now. And my own children that I did take care of are alive. And I want to know if you're going to do anything about the one who isn't?" Then she dialed directory and received the Jurgenses number in White Bear Lake. Within minutes Jerry was dialing.

After talking w/ Lois, who was pleasant/polite, she found out about Dennis as a little boy and his life. Lois explained that Dennis' death was mystifying. She didn't know where the bruises came from. Jerry asked for a photo of Dennis in the baptismal slip she'd bought, along w/ the slip itself. After she gave Lois her info, she felt calmer than she had in awhile. Six weeks later, NOTHING arrived. When she tried to call Lois back, in vain, the Jurgenses number changed w/o a new listing.


Four/five years passed after Jerry decided there was nothing more she could do. Five 1/2 years now, Jerry gathered for another try. She sent her son, Dennis Craig, to the library to scour newspaper articles while her daughter, Rhonda, was sent to get Dennis' death certificate. She noticed Dennis' death certificate wasn't complete. Under the "mode of death" portion, it was written as "deferred", which was written in sometimes as a temporary solution.Considering how long this document was - that's a hell of a long temporary.


In September 1986, Jerry was calling the 'St. Paul Pioneer Press' after visiting the medical examiner's office. After the doors to this case swung wide open. The medical examiner knew full well what happened to Dennis., so did others. When reporters began calling Lois, who by this point was more obsessed w/ religion and letting it take over her. Robert by this time had grown up to become a policeman. After his own hang-ups, Robert, in 1986, was married w/ a son. Robert entrusted his son's care into his parents from time/time. The longest was six weeks, while he and his wife were moving.


After a 4-day weekend and prepping, the new attorney, Clayton, was ready. When Clayton seen the pictures/evidence of what this woman did, she needed to be prosecuted. After discussing it in a meeting, Clayton arranged for Ray Sharp, a St. Paul attorney, to protect Jerry. As rapidly that White Bear detectives were working, news organizations (from TV News-to-newspapers) were covering the case. Jerry began to call/complain of why weren't the other Jurgenses' adopted children interviewed? When Robert was talking to his mom on the phone, he tried to pry details of Dennis' death and the actual events. Lois tried to change things around. Hearing Lois' version after all this time, she had NO remorse. When Robert dug deeper, she wanted to go elsewhere in the conversation. After Robert got on the phone w/ his dad joining in, Harold tried to hang up as quick as he could. Afterwards Robert placed a collect call to the White Bear Police Station and detailed his entire conversation w/ his mother. Going over the details, Robert understood the way he was treated as a kid as compared to Dennis. Robert began piecing the details of what TRULY happened that day.


Feeling conflicted about this case, a relative of Lois', June, was afraid of Lois but she had to speak to the detectives, but only what she knew and nothing more. Harold had said stating that he wasn't home when Dennis died. Along w/ this tale, Harold told of proof that put Lois alone w/ Dennis on the weekend that he died. The problem now was how could Dennis be talking normally on the toilet and shortly after he was dead? Det. Ron Meehan went to talk to Dr. Roy Peterson that treated Dennis for the burns he'd had when Lois scolded him w/ hot water. He recalled what occurred to Dennis as a result. Dennis was the talk of the hospital for the burns on his body and the fact that Lois didn't have any. When Det. Meehan spoke to Peterson, he didn't recall giving much thought to the cause of death.

When detectives were questioning Dr. Peterson, at first she, would speak questions w/o giving much of a chance to answer. After this case was re-opened, when Dr. McGee examined the file, he changed the status from 'Deferred' to homicide. Robert knew and felt who killed Dennis. Lois & Harold instructed Robert NOT to talk. What was there to hide? After Robert began to talk w/ Ron Meehan, White Bear PD, stating "if this case went to court, he would testify" They thought Robert's talking opened ALOT of doors.


After doing ALOT of thinking, Robert had heard lots of rumors surrounding his mother. Even though he loved his parents and had their loyalty; he still felt he had a duty, not as a son, but as a citizen and human being. He spoke softly to the White Bear detectives about what he knew happened to Dennis. Speaking freely, Robert spoke of the different treatments Robert & Dennis received. The incident that had led to Dennis' death - the events that occurred on 4-11-65. EVERYTHING in that house concerning Dennis, he testified to. Confessing that his mother was the one that killed Dennis Jurgens.


In 1986, an assistant atty for 10 years, Mindy Elledge became known for her sharp tongue & intensity. In Oct., the D.A. handed this case to her. She was a good & experienced criminal lawyer dealing w/ child abuse cases. She was sensitive and this case, Dennis' case, meant ALOT to her. She grew up in foster care and was adopted and placed into a good home. After Mindy met Jerry Sherwood for the first time, Jerry couldn't stop crying. Clayton Robinson, Jr. was an attorney that knew Jerry from a bar one night and Jerry joined his table. She mentioned that she had a boy who was adopted out and died. When he read the newspaper w/ this case, he knew it was Jerry and Jerry knew she could trust him.


Jerry spoke bluntly that she didn't like Mindy. She didn't trust her and didn't think the woman could do a good job. The system wronged Jerry before and she wasn't letting it happen again. The news media was her ally. Clayton tried to inform Jerry that the present county attorneys are not the same people who failed in 1965. She was getting angrier in her efforts. In a meeting on 11-20-86, it was said someone would be taken off this case b/c Jerry didn't feel comfortable w/ her on it, but she trusted Clayton. Soon she pulled out Dr. Woodburn's autopsy report and pictures of Dennis' dead body and for the first time he seen what TRULY happened to Dennis body to determine his death. NOW, he seen what Dennis went through before he was killed.


After Dr. Peterson's visit, detectives had found plenty of relatives willing/eager to talk. From 1987, a new generation of family from Lois; side were calling the police station regularly w/ stories to tell. They had HORRIBLE stories w/ a common thread. Why was Lois allowed to adopt? In time, Ron & Greg heard of a Thanksgiving Day 1963, when Lois force-fed Dennis his own vomit LITERALLY! Everyone knew that Lois was guilty and that she had murdered Dennis. When Dennis was being babysat for a week in 1964, Lois brought over junior baby food, even though Dennis had a full set of teeth. But they never gave him that food or followed any of Lois' plans. He sat and ate w/ the family w/ whatever their meals were. He ate/enjoyed his food. He was a happy go-lucky affectionate, laughing little boy. He played w/ everyone . The only thing wrong w/ Dennis was the bruises left on him. Lois had even tied Dennis to his bed at night lying spread-eagle in his crib. All throughout the interviews, detectives kept wondering why? Why wouldn't anyone rescue Dennis?


At 7:00A on Oct. 9TH, Detectives arrived to serve grand jury subpoenas and court orders for both Harold & Lois. Years later, when it was time for Dennis' body to be exhumed, his bruises were still visible. During the autopsy, they found after almost 22 yrs infectious fecal matter that flowed to Dennis' body causing death.


Two weeks prior to a new court date, Ron Meehan was contacted by Jerome Zerwas, upset about some of the stuff in the newspapers, stating he covered up the case in 1965. He gave a name and number to verify. There were those that testified to the fact that Jerome Zerwas stated "he would do anything that he could do to help his sister, Lois" When Harold was questioned on the stand about Lois and the date of what happened, he could NOT say yes/no. Harold also stated he didn't know why transcripts for the juvenile custody hearing were ordered if they got Robert back. In the end, the grand jury sought to indict Lois Jurgens. Aware this case was coming ahead, radio & TV news stared to pick up the case.


The next morning the courtroom filled w/ reporters and photographers. Lois finally appeared in courtroom 1415 w/ Harold fulfilling the look of a child abuser. Then seated four rows to the front was Jerry Sherwood. She turned looking at Lois and their eyes met. They each had different reasons, but they both had a look of hatred in their eyes. Lois stood charged w/ one count of 2ND Degree Murder and 2 counts of 3RD Degree Murder, as per the statutes of 1965. With all of the counts that Lois plead "Not Guilty", Jerry began to sob. Lois was then set at $25,000 bail. Jerry did feel a little weight lifting, even though there was still to be a trial.


What really just blew a whole in the defense strategy was the devastating pictures of Dennis' body. The defense still tried to claim that this all happened from falling down the stairs. A month after the trial began, a full 3-pg. story in People Magazine told of Jerry Sherwood and this trial. It even told of how this whole thing began by a call to Lois in 1980 detailing what kind of boy Dennis was and what resulted.


After a Washington asst clerk decided to empty a long forgotten evidence cabinet, she came across a bulky file labeled 'State ex rel Jurgens V. Bol', which contained all of the missing evidence they had needed for trial was found. On a late Friday afternoon, after closing time, they peeked through this new-found evidence after arriving at the Washington CO Courthouse. Every single piece of missing information from the past was all in this bulky package. When Ron Meehan contacted someone from his past, Lois' unmarried sister, Beverly, she spilled many stories that confirmed all the statements from Lois' family; from the bruises & more. She had lied about her statements in the past when covering for Lois, but was ready for confess the truth today.


The trial officially began in May 1987 w/ Dennis in 3 shots. - 1. smiling, fat-cheeked & full of sparkle  2. Dennis in knee pants, sitting w/ Robert and holding a ball bigger than himself  3. Dennis lying on the coroner's table on Palm Sunday 1965, battered, his arms raised & his face in pain.  With time, Lois proceeded to the courtroom like a queen entering. After many witnesses on the stand, Lois showed no emotion. Except for one time, her sister-in-law, Donna Zerwas, in testimony, Lois pursed her lips in objection. Others testified to bruises on Dennis seen through a crown as a cover-up. After someone on the stand seen an autopsy photo of Dennis, they were shocked that it was him. One-by-one relatives/associates testified for the prosecution against Lois.

Robert

Then came in the nail-biter testimony of Lois' son, Robert. It was a late Wednesday, May 20TH: He spoke testifying to riding his tricycle in the basement. He and Dennis were down there playing. He recalls his mother grabbing Dennis by the ears and submerging his head several times in the tub underwater. She would grab him by the ears and put him under the water, bring him up then over again. Dennis would gasp for air and then be crying, then overcome by trying to breathe. Robert was witness to Dennis landing at the base of the stairs rolling really really fast on his stomach - really hard - like he flew down the stairs. After that he saw Lois coming down the stairs and began to holler at him, shaking him & calling out his name. Robert was terrified and didn't know what to do. He also remembers a night to the best of his recollection to waking up there was a light on in the hallway. It could've been right before the sun came up. He recalled hearing his dad and Dennis talking. They were in the bathroom then hearing some screams/hollers, he got out of bed and went into Dennis' room. There was light outside now, he recalled his other was picking Dennis up out of his crib. She was upset and Dennis' body was kind of limp. She began to violently shake him and holler his name w/ no response. She continued to hit/slap Dennis hard on his back then she laid him back in his crib and hollered for Harold.


The next thing he remembers is a man w/ a black medical bag and police officers. The courtroom at this point was frozen silent. Robert was asked why he was testifying after all this time? He responded that he kind of owed it to Dennis to do so. Lois showed no emotion throughout Robert's testimony. Then coming testimony from Michael McGee, the medical examiner, stating that the nature of Dennis' injuries came directly from battered child's syndrome. There were those that stated Dennis being in the bathroom and his state had gone to a point where he was in cardiovascular collapse and in the process of losing consciousnesses. The medical examiner stated when the photos of Dennis were taken on Pam Sunday suggested that he had been dead for approx. 8 hours. The legacy of State V. Loss they didn't need a witness or a confession. Jurors were more willing to infer what they would not have believed.


After the prosecution rested, the defense seen no point to call a load of people in Lois' defense. The only witness of hope they had was Harold. If he took the blame for Lois, reasonable doubt would be place on her. The 1965 testimony blocked any chance Harold had to save his wife. After Harold not testifying, all that was left was closing arguments. The judge ruled that deliberations be statutes as they existed in 1965. The entire jury found no reason to pardon Lois w/ a Not Guilty verdict. The jury itself only took 3hrs. to decide. Lois was found NOT GUILTY TO murder in the 2ND Degree. BUT, was found GUILTY of murder in the 3RD Degree. After the verdict, Jerry collapsed into her daughters arms, while everyone else cheered the verdict.


The judge ruled an indeterminate period ranging up to 25yrs, the penalty specified under 1965 law. Lois was sentenced to the Women's Correctional Facility in Shakopee. When Jerry spoke to a reporter about the verdict, she stated, "Twenty five years. Dennis would be twenty-five years old in December and she got 25 years".  


Since the trial ended, Ron & Greg received mention in Minnesota. The story got national coverage. In February 1988, Twin Cities Magazine did a 9-page cover story w/ Jerry Sherwood on her story and what she went through. In 1988, Minnesota courts upheld Lois' conviction by 2-to-1 making multiple reference to this case s "State V. Loss", the Supreme Courts recognized of Battered Child Syndrome. In April 1988, the Jurgens case became a feature story in the 'Los Angeles Times'. Some sought it as a "never could happen to me deal". Some time after the trial and everything, people throughout the town still felt a haunting that this truly happened. Some felt like failures due to feeling responsible. "Even though people may seem nice on paper, they may not be so." Feeling guilty as though they allowed this to happen.







In 1992 A made-for-TV movie was made based on both Jerry's story and this case called, 'A Child Lost Forever' w/ the remarkable Beverly D'Angelo as Jerry Sherwood and Judith Ivey as Lois Jurgens