Gun traced back to origin
State police wrapping up investigation
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
The
handgun allegedly aimed at two Homer Police officers resulting in the death of
an elderly Homer man has been traced back to its origin.
According
to Louisiana State Police Troop G Spokesman Doug Pierrelee, the Department of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) traced the handgun back to its place of
origin. This does not mean the weapon has been traced back to its owner or any
one specific person. It means just exactly what it is – its place of origin.
Bernard
Monroe, Sr., 73, was shot and killed Friday, February 20 by a Homer police
officer after he allegedly engaged two officers with a gun. Just before the
shooting occurred, the two officers involved were pursuing his son, Sean
Monroe, on foot, when that pursuit ended in the elder Monroe’s front yard.
Currently,
investigators are assembling all the information gathered over the last several
weeks, but they are waiting on completed reports from other agencies including
the ATF.
“Our
findings are our observations and collections, which include DNA testing from
other professionals,” he said. “They include analysis by the ATF. This is the
culmination of all these efforts that we submit. We don’t make a ruling. What
we’re asked to do is to produce something that can be used to make a decision
on this.”
The
state police is wrapping up its investigation and has been working with the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), but the two agencies haven’t been
working on the same aspects of the case. While state police investigators have
been collecting physical evidence and piecing together what happened, the FBI
is looking for any wrongdoing or any misuse of power.
“They’re
(FBI) trying to investigate the potential of that happening (wrongdoing or
misuse of power) in this case,” Pierrelee said. “Our concern is ‘What was
happening when everything was going normal, to (the) pursuit, the tasering, a
shooting, and what happened until we got there.’ That’s what people should
expect when we turn this in. We’re only interested in those things that we can
measure, those things that we can collect, identify and analyze.”
Steve
Hall, agent in charge from the Shreveport Field Office, said their investigation
is still ongoing, but they are making “good progress” in the case.
Once
the facts are put together and the reports are written, state police findings
will be submitted to the District Attorney of the Second Judicial District,
Jonathan Stewart. It will then be up to Stewart to assemble a grand jury to
decide whether there is enough evidence to carry the case to a trial.
“I will
get their report, and I will review it, then make a determination on how to
proceed,” Stewart said. “If I make a decision where further investigation is
needed, then I will call together a grand jury, and I would not be able to make
the report public until the (DA’s) investigation is over with.”
The
function of a grand jury is to determine whether there is enough evidence to
bring charges against a person. If they find that there is enough, they will
file what is called a “true bill.” If they don’t, they will file a “no bill.”
According
to law, there is a third option in Louisiana, “By pretermitting entirely the
matter investigated.” This requires nine of the 12 grand jurors to determine
there is not enough evidence presented to determine if a person should or
should not be charged with a crime. This means they don’t know, and if that’s
the case, it will be up to the district attorney himself whether to accept the
grand jury’s findings or move forward with any charges.
Controversy
has swarmed the small Town of Homer since Monroe’s death. Witnesses at the
scene have said the elderly man did not have a gun in his possession at the
time of the shooting. Tensions have run high, and the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has called the FBI, the U.S. Justice
Department and the U.S. Attorney’s office to investigate several aspects of the
incident.
The
U.S. Justice Department sent an assessment team from its Community Relations
Service branch to Homer to help keep the peace in the community while the
investigation is ongoing.
On
Friday, March 13, a community forum, sponsored by the Justice Department, was
held to allow the community to voice its grievances and say what they feel
about the situation in general. Many voiced their contempt of the Homer Police
Department, but many also voiced their desire for change in their community.
Most of
those in attendance were from the Pearl Street and Buck Bottom areas of Homer,
as well as Mayor David Newell, the town council and others.
Tragedy averted near daycare
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
A
normal Friday afternoon could have turned tragic when Homer police received a
tip that a teen was seen in the area of Pearl Street wielding a shotgun.
Dedarran
Montez Willis, 17, of Homer, was arrested Friday, March 27, and charged with
possession of stolen things over $500, with a bond of $10,000; and possession
of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers with bond set at $1,000.
Earlier
that afternoon, police received a call in reference to a man with a gun. The
caller did not identify himself/herself, but said the situation was urgent, the
chief said.
“The
caller just said ‘Ya’ll better hurry up and get here before somebody gets
killed,’” Mills said.
Mills
and Officer Norah Banks responded, traveled onto Pearl Street looking for the
young man described. Officer J.D. Faulkner took Monroe Street in an effort to
locate the suspect.
They
arrive near New Hope Missionary Baptist Church – and that’s where the danger is
revealed. It was approximately 3:15 p.m. when officers received the call, which
means the area was buzzing with after school activity.
A
daycare is located at the church, and children were arriving at the daycare.
Bus drivers were unloading their precious cargo on routes on and near Pearl Street.
There
were several young adults and approximately 10 juveniles gathered in a yard
near the church. The teens in the yard began to disperse as soon as Mills
parked his unit in the church parking lot. At that time, Mills said, he
observed Willis with a gun, exiting the back door of a residence with a shotgun
in hand, at which point Mills called out to him. Willis stepped back inside the
residence and shut the door. Seconds later, he exited again with no gun.
Police
later learned that the shotgun in question was fully loaded with the safety
off.
At that
time, Officer Van McDaniel detained Willis in handcuffs for officer’s safety.
After permission was given to enter the residence in an effort to recover the
weapon, which was retrieved, taken to the police station and logged into
evidence. The gun was noted to have an obliterated serial number. After lifting
the serial number, officers were able to determine this weapon had been stolen
during a burglary of a residence that occurred on Beverly Drive.
“Here
lately, we’ve been getting several guns with obliterated serial numbers on it,
and that tells us two things,” Mills said. “It’s either been stolen or it’s
going to be used in a violent crime.”
Upon
investigation, police learned that Willis has a juvenile record. He has been
picked up in connection with other cases.
Two
others were arrested at the time of this incident. Courtney Wafer, 19, of Homer
was picked up on four warrants for failure to appear, one for failure to pay
and two counts of aggravated battery. No bond was set on the warrants; he is
expected to serve 30 days in jail on the failure to pay, and he received a
$20,000 bond on the two counts of aggravated battery at $10,000 each.
Desstamine Parham, 20, of Magnolia, Ark., was also arrested and charged with
disturbing the peace.
Mills
applauded the person who tipped them, because this person possibly saved
someone’s life.
Mills
stressed that even though this area of Homer is considered a high crime area,
there are good, decent people in these neighborhoods.
“I’m
not trying to paint a picture that this neighborhood is infiltrated with
violent crime, but there are some violent crimes that occur there,” he said. “I
appreciate the concerned citizens who want law and order, that trust the police
enough to call us on a situation like this, something that could have led to a
senseless tragedy.”
He
again emphasized the importance of community involvement, because had the
tipster not called in this incident, it could have turned tragic.
“Whoever
she is, I appreciate her intervening and doing her civic duty to prevent this,”
he said. “I’ve said it a thousand times – community involvement. All you have
to do is pick up the phone and call, and I promise you that we’re going to do
everything we can to make Homer a safe place for everyone to live.”
In
other crime news, Tamesha Warren, 33, of Homer, was arrested Sunday, March 29,
on aggravated second degree battery with bond set at $15,000.
According
to reports, officers were called to Homer Memorial Hospital where police
observed several injuries to a man who had allegedly been beaten by Warren. Officer Roger Smith reported that the victim had injuries – some serious – to his
head, face and chest.
Although
the victim did not give police a written statement, Smith followed up on leads
to Warren’s whereabouts. As he pulled into the driveway of one of her
relative’s home, a vehicle was observed leaving the driveway. At that time,
Smith followed the vehicle to Hill and Fannie Streets, where he initiated a
traffic stop where Warren was in the front seat of the car. She was arrested
without incident.
In an
unrelated incident, a man who was arrested recently in Homer has been arrested
again in Minden.
Donald
G. Grider, 21, of Homer, was arrested Tuesday, March 24, and charged by Minden authorities on two counts of unauthorized entry into an inhabited dwelling.
According
to Minden Police Chief T.C. Bloxom, Grider broke into a window at Hillside
Apartments off Industrial Drive in Minden. The resident of the apartment was
his ex-girlfriend.
According
to reports, Grider did not take anything from the apartment nor did he cause
harm to his ex-girlfriend.
On February
28, Grider was arrested by the Homer Police Department for disturbing the
peace, open container and city ordinance, handicapped parking.
The Minden Press-Herald contributed to this report.
Canadian imposter set to be in court
April 7
The Guardian-Journal
The
Canadian man accused of burglarizing First Baptist Church in Homer last
December is expected to be in court, Tuesday, April 7.
Shawn
Fries, 43, was arrested December 16, 2008, after a church member informed Homer
police the church had been burglarized. A subsequent investigation revealed
that Fries had taken a tour of the church on December 15.
Fries
pleaded not guilty to all charges in early February at his arraignment. Citing
issues with his 72-hour hearing as well as the fact that he was arrested under
an alias, Indigent Defender Paul Garner had asked that the case be continued.
Originally,
Fries identified himself as Christopher Weinbender. When police ran the plates
on the truck Fries was driving, they came back as reported stolen. He was later
arrested at a local motel, booked under Weinbender’s name and transported to
the Claiborne Parish Detention Center.
The
next day, Homer police discovered that Fries was not who he said he was.
According to Canadian police records, Fries is a resident of Ontario, Scarborough.
He was
previously charged with simple burglary of a religious building, which carries
a minimum of at least two years of prison time. Later, the charge of possession
of stolen things was added to his rap sheet. A charge of identity theft was not
pursued.
Police
contacted Canadian authorities where they learned that Fries is a registered
sex offender and was wanted on a probation violation after serving time for
crimes against children in Toronto. According to those authorities, penalties
for the probation violation carry a 22-month prison sentence.
Fries
has been incarcerated at the Claiborne Parish Detention Center without bond
since his arrest.
LSU rolls into Claiborne Parish
JIMMY DEAN, Feature Writer
Louisiana State University literally rolled in a few days ago
offering free classes to local residents. The LSU Mobile Unit, “a rolling
classroom,” was stationed in the Brookshire’s parking lot in Homer.
Things
kicked off at 5:30 Tuesday evening, March 24, with “Starting and Financing a
Business,” presented by Cooper Cochran, director of LSU’s Small Business
Development Center. It proved to be the most popular, well-attended of the
classes offered at the mobile unit.
Potential
entrepreneurs were also provided guidance on how to develop and write a
business plan (“Developing a Business Plan”).
“Small
Business Loans and Your Credit” explained how to apply for small business loans
and included a presentation by Vicki Bailey with Capital One Bank. Bailey
discussed the bank’s new checking account program tailored especially for small
businesses.
“Business
Record Keeping Made Simple” instructed attendees about how to keep accurate,
concise records.
John
Tessier presented the “Fast Food Sanitation” class to an enthusiastic audience.
Tessier addressed many questions about fast food safety, Board of Health
concerns, cross-contamination issues, personal hygiene, and chemical
sanitizers.
Other
classes on Wednesday dealt with marketing one’s business, using
business-related email effectively, and customer service.
Pat
Guillory, with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), led the
class “Renewable Energy Grants for Farmers and Small Businesses” during which
he explained government-funded programs available for renewable energy and
energy-efficient projects to help lower energy costs.
Dora
Ann Hatch presented Thursday’s classes which began with “Introduction to
E-Commerce,” followed by guidance on setting up a business website (“Planning
Your Business Website”), then concluded with “Marketing Your Business Online.”
Noting
that these classes have been well received everywhere they’ve been offered,
Hatch added, “More than 70 people signed up for the 12 classes during the two
and a half-day stay. in Homer.”
The
mobile unit rolls on to the Bonnie and Clyde Trade Days in Arcadia on April
16-17 making available similar programs in that area.
Call
(318)263-2437 for more information on class times or go to www.lbtc.lsu.edu and
click on the mobile classroom link.
The governor decides: What now?
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Now
that the decision for an appointment to District 1 in Homer has been sent to
the governor’s office, what happens next?
Councilman
J.C. Moore, who represented District 1 and was mayor pro tempore, passed away
Sunday, March 15, after suffering a stroke approximately two weeks before.
Since his death, tensions have run high regarding who would replace him.
Town
Attorney Jim Colvin sent a letter to Gov. Bobby Jindal in regards to the
vacancy. No potential nominations have been sent with the letter, Colvin said.
The letter just states that the town council was unable to come to an agreement
on the appointment within the prescribed 10-day period, and Jindal must now
make the decision.
District
11 Rep. Rick Gallot, D-Ruston, said that in cases such as this, there is no set
policy on how the governor will handle the decision.
“Although
there is no specific policy, typically governors have relied upon input from
the local area in terms of potential candidates,” Gallot said. “My advice to
all parties is to continue to try and find some solution, because ultimately,
this is a local decision.”
When
the decision is made, the governor will send a letter to the Louisiana
Secretary of State and to the local governing authority, in this case the Town
of Homer, stating who he’s appointed.
After
the appointment, that person will fill the term until a special election is
held, which has been set for October 17. According to law, if the term left
vacant is more than one year at the time of the vacancy, then an election will
have to be held.
Two
meetings have been held within the 10-day period to make an appointment, but no
decision was made. At the first meeting, held Monday, March 23, District 5
Councilwoman Patricia Jenkins made a motion to appoint Scott “Doc” Roberson to
the seat, but no second was made. That means the motion died on the table. At
that particular meeting, District 2 Councilman Michael Wade was absent.
On
Tuesday evening, March 24, the Homer Town Council came together again to make
an appointment, and again, Roberson’s name was put on the table. Wade made the
motion to appoint Roberson and Jenkins seconded. When it came up for vote, Wade
and Jenkins voted for him and District 3 Councilman Toney Johnson and District
4 Councilwoman Carlette Sanford voted against. Mayor David Newell declined to
break the tie, which means it was a “no” vote.
Qualifying
for October’s election will be held Wednesday, August 12 through Friday, August
14.
Should Good Friday be a celebration?
JENNI WILLIAMS, The Guardian-Journal
First
Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the
unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made
alive by the Spirit,” which leads directly to what Christians call “Good Friday.”
Good
Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
On this
day, Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross
of the Lord, Jesus Christ with a subdued service, usually in the evening.
Christ’s death is remembered with solemn hymns, prayers of thanksgiving, and a
message centered on the Messiah’s suffering for our sakes and communion.
Many
Christians spend this day in fasting, prayer, repentance, and meditation on the
agony and suffering of Christ on the cross.
Whether
or not Christians choose to “celebrate” Good Friday, the events of that day are
brought to the forefront, because the death of Christ on the cross is the
paramount event of the Christian faith.
Good
Friday, also called Holy Friday, Great Friday or Black Friday, is the Friday
preceding Easter Sunday or “Pascha.” It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus
at Golgotha.
Based
on the scriptural details of the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, and scientific
analysis, the Crucifixion of Jesus was most probably on a Friday.
According
to the New Testament, Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane by the
temple guards through the guidance of His disciple, Judas Iscariot. Judas
received money for betraying Jesus and told the guards that whomever he kisses
is the one they were to arrest.
Jesus
was brought to the house of Annas, who was the father-in-law of the current
high priest, Caiaphas. There He was bound and interrogated with little result,
and sent to Caiaphas the high priest, where the Sanhedrin had assembled, (John
18:1-24).
Conflicting
testimony against Jesus was brought forth by many witnesses, to which Jesus
answered nothing.
Finally,
the high priest adjured Jesus to respond under solemn oath, saying, "I
adjure you, by the Living God, to tell us, are you the Anointed One, the Son of
God?"
Jesus
testified in the affirmative, "You have said it, and in time you will see
the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Almighty, coming on the clouds
of Heaven."
The
high priest condemned Jesus for blasphemy, and the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus
concurred with a sentence of death, (Matthew 26:57-66).
Peter
also denied Jesus three times during the interrogations. Jesus already knew
that Peter would deny him three times.
The two
trials, one at night and the other in the morning may affect the day of Good
Friday, due to their timing, according to scientific analysis.
In the
morning, the whole assembly brought Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate,
under charges of subverting the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and making
himself a king, (Luke 23:1-2).
Pilate
authorized the Jewish leaders to judge Jesus according to their own law and
execute sentencing; however, the Jewish leaders replied that they were not
allowed by the Romans to carry out a sentence of death, (John 18:31).
Pilate
questioned Jesus, and told the assembly there was no basis for sentencing. Upon
learning that Jesus is from Galilee, Pilate referred the case to the ruler of Galilee, King Herod, who was in Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.
Herod
questioned Jesus but received no answer. Jesus was sent back to Pilate. Pilate
told the assembly that neither he nor Herod had found guilt in Jesus; Pilate
resolves to have Jesus whipped and released, (Luke 23:3-16).
It was
a custom during the Passover Feast for the Romans to release one prisoner as
requested by the Jews. Pilate asked the crowd who they would see released.
Under
the guidance of the chief priests, the crowd asked for Barabbas, who was
imprisoned for committing murder during an insurrection.
Pilate
asked what they would have him do with Jesus, and they demanded, "Crucify
him," (Mark 15:6-14).
Pilate's
wife had seen Jesus in a dream earlier that day; she forewarned Pilate to
"have nothing to do with this righteous man," (Matthew 27:19).
Pilate
had Jesus flogged, then brought him out to the crowd to release him. The chief
priests inform Pilate of a new charge, demanding Jesus be sentenced to death
"because he claimed to be God's Son."
This
possibility filled Pilate with fear, and he brought Jesus back inside the
palace and demanded to know from where He came, (John 19:1-9).
Coming
before the crowd one last time, Pilate declared Jesus innocent, washing his own
hands in water to show he had no part in this condemnation.
Nevertheless,
Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified in order to prevent a riot, (Matthew
27:24-26). The sentence written is "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the
Jews."
Jesus
carried His cross to the site of execution -- assisted by Simon of Cyrene --
called the place of the Skull, or "Golgotha" in Hebrew and in Latin
"Calvary." There, He was crucified along with two other criminals
(John 19:17-22).
Jesus
agonized on the cross for three hours, during darkness over the whole land.
With a
loud cry, Jesus gave up His spirit. There was an earthquake, tombs broke open,
and the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom.
The
centurion on guard at the site of crucifixion declared, "Truly this was
God's Son!" (Matthew 27:45-54)
Joseph
of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and secret follower of Jesus who had
not consented to His condemnation, went to Pilate to request the body of Jesus,
(Luke 23:50-52).
Pilate
asked the centurion for confirmation of Jesus’ death, (Mark 15:44). A soldier pierced His side with a lance, causing blood and water to flow out, (John 19:34). The centurion confirmed Jesus was dead, (Mark 15:45).
Joseph
of Arimathea took the Lord’s body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and
placed it in his own new tomb that had been carved in the rock in a garden
near the site of crucifixion, (Matthew 27:59-60).
Another
secret follower of Jesus and member of the Sanhedrin named Nicodemus (John 3:1)
also came, bringing 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes and placed them in the linen
with Christ’s body, according to Jewish burial customs, (John 19:39-40).
A large
rock was rolled over the entrance of the tomb, (Matthew 27:60). Then they
returned home and rested. Shabbat began at sunset, (Luke 23:54-56).
On the
third day, Sunday, which is now known as Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the
dead.
See
next week’s edition for the final installment in the Easter series.
Stolen items recovered on Darling Road
On March 24, 2009, Deputy Jeff Pugh of the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a
call on Darling Road concerning possible stolen items.
A
commercial type heater and two propane cookers were recovered on Darling Road. Detective Randy Smith was called to assist Deputy Pugh in an investigation
into the matter. During the investigation, it was discovered the items came
from a hunting club in the St. John Community and information obtained led to
the arrest of Bradley J. Swint, W/M, DOB: 10/28/82 of Arcadia, LA.
Swint
was booked into the Claiborne Parish Detention Center for simple burglary of an
inhabited dwelling; a warrant for fraudulent acquisition of a credit card and a
warrant for failure to appear. Bond was set at $13,000.
Ministry seeks to rehabilitate spiritual
faith through Kairos
MICHELLE BATES, Editor
Inmates
at David Wade Correctional Center are offered rehabilitation in more ways than
one.
Along
with educational and vocational programs, programs to strengthen their faith
are offered as well – and that’s where the Kairos Ministry comes in. Two
inmates, Kevin Easley and Charles Alexander, both trustees, spoke to the Homer
Lions Club on Thursday, March 26, about the ministry they say has changed their
lives. DWCC Warden Jerry Goodwin and Chaplain Ray Anderson accompanied Easley
and Alexander.
Kairos
27 was held the weekend of March 21-22, beginning on Thursday evening, March
19, and ending that Sunday. Participating inmates spent three days one on one
with other inmates and clergy learning what it means to know the love of God,
His love and His forgiveness.
“That
is the main theme that they go through,” said the Rev. Ray Anderson, chaplain
at Wade since October 1997. “It’s really a great program, because it plants the
seed of human integrity and understanding that you’re worth something no matter
what you’ve done in this society.”
Statistics
show that combined with other rehabilitation programs inside, the rate of
recidivism is reduced significantly. Recidivism, by definition, is a tendency
to relapse into a previous condition or into criminal behavior.
According
to the Kairos website, a study of 505 inmates released from Florida prisons
showed the recidivism rate at 15.7 percent among those who had participated in
Kairos and 10 percent among those who participated in two or more Kairos
sessions.
“The
non-Kairos control group in the study had a recidivism rate at 23.4 percent,”
the website said.
“We
have a wonderful educational program at Wade,” Goodwin said. “You can really
improve your education, but if you don’t improve your morals – if you don’t go
through the moral rehabilitation program, most of the time, all it’s done is
create a smarter criminal. They really do go hand in hand.”
Easley,
who has been incarcerated approximately 11 years – at Wade for six years, said
Kairos has changed his life in a powerful way.
“This
is a big thing in my life and a lot of the guys’ lives on the compound,” he
said to Lions Club members. “I’ve seen Kairos touch a lot of lives, turn a lot
of hearts and it’s changed me. That’s why I’m so adamant about sharing with
ya’ll how powerful an experience it is.”
Alexander,
a lifer at Wade who has been incarcerated for 33 years, told of his experience
with Kairos and said the fellowship is very important.
“The
difference with Kairos is they show you they love you,” Alexander, an appointed
prayer warrior with the ministry, said. “We don’t just say ‘We love you.’ We
show you. We give back to the (prison) population. We show them we love them by
our actions – not by what we say.”
The
word “Kairos” is a New Testament Greek word meaning “God’s special time.” The
Kairos Ministry stemmed from another faith-based ministry called Cursillo
(pronounced Cur-see-yo), in which the original movement was derived from the
Roman Catholic Church of Spain, according to the Kairos website.
Kairos
started in 1976 in a Florida prison as part of the Cursillo ministry. By 1979, they
adopted the name “Kairos.” It’s active in 33 states and five countries,
according to statistics released in 2004 – Puerto Rico, England, South Africa, Australia and Canada. There are 145,000 outside volunteers that take part in
Kairos. So far, more than 150,000 men and women have been through the program
with an additional 20,000 going through it each year.
The
short course to Christianity, as it’s called, consists of a process inmates go
through. Those inmates who wish to participate in Kairos must fill out an
application. That application is reviewed by the chaplain and the prison
administration. They look for certain criteria in the approval process before
the next participants are selected. They look at those applicants who are up
for release, the long term inmates who would potentially form the base of the
program inside the institution and some that are not so well behaved.
“You’re
not looking for the good guys,” Easley said. “You’re looking for the
knuckleheads, because those are the guys you want to touch.”
Once
approved, the participant will go through the three-day weekend. It begins on a
Thursday evening, where an outside Kairos volunteer sponsors two inmates. This
is a “meet and greet” session for volunteers and participants to meet and get
to know a little bit about each other. The real work, he says, begins on Friday
morning, where participants are given a crash course in Christianity.
“It
involves a lot of singing, a lot of fellowship and a lot of laymen giving
talks,” he said. “You have all different kinds of guys from all different walks
of life, and each one has had problems and this is his solution.”
By the
end of the third day, on Sunday evening, a “graduation” of sorts is held, where
some share their experiences in the last few days. A big part of the conclusion
of the weekend is the forgiveness ceremony. Most inmates, he said, voice
feelings of anger as a root cause to their self-destructive behavior. This
ceremony is a way for inmates to let go of that anger.
“I
cannot tell you the powerful emotions that are going on with these guys,”
Easley said. “When I was selected to go through it, I guess I kind of hardened
my heart, and by the time I got through, there were just big crocodile tears.
For guys like us to be able to get up there and do that, you know it’s powerful
and God’s working.”
Kairos
is only offered twice per year, but the ministry continues. Called the Fourth
Day, inmates carry what they’ve learned outside the chapel after the third day.
The three day weekend is a crash course in the Christian faith, but the Fourth
Day ministry is where follow-ups are done for the inmates.
“Every
day they have to decide whether they’re going to serve God,” Alexander said.
The
world of incarceration doesn’t disappear when inmates leave the chapel on that
Sunday evening. They still have to deal with every day issues behind bars, and
it’s up to the inmate to decide which direction they want to go.
To put
things in perspective, DWCC has more than 1,000 inmates, about half of which
are in 24-hour lockdown. Only 632 inmates are allowed to go to chapel, Goodwin
said. Of that 632, only 42 have been processed through Kairos in this session,
and at least 150 more applicants are awaiting approval.
Services
are offered seven days per week, and faith-based programs are offered to
inmates in lockdown, but they are provided cell to cell, instead of at group
gatherings as those in the chapel.
For
more information on how to get involved with the Kairos outside volunteers,
call DWCC at 318-927-0400. To find out more about the Kairos ministry, go to
their website at www.kairosprisonministry.org.
