Deja’vu

When a loved one is murdered it’s never really over, as victims we think we will feel better after the police apprehend the criminals or after we get to trial or after the criminals goes to prison but we usually leave the courtroom feeling there is no justice even if we get the death penalty( which are few & far between). We will probably die of old age before they’re executed due to appellate judges. Even if we should be fortunate enough to actually have one executed during our lifetime; it is still not justice. No criminal’s life could ever equal the life of our loved one.

Just a few days ago I went into my boss office and tears were rolling down her cheeks, she was looking through Quenettes book. Getting ready for the parole hearing of Jerry Lee Jones. After 31 years it’s not over and the heart wrenching terror Quenette endured on December 20, 1976 at the hands of the three men that abducted her is permanently branded in the minds of her family.

Quenette was a gifted vocalist, just graduated from Birmingham Southern College and accepted at Auburn for their Masters program in education. She was looking forward to teaching children in public education. She was very petite 4ft10’ tall less than 100 lbs and no match for even one of her abductors. Not only did these three rapist/murderers take Quenettes life they also took her families life as they knew it. Life would never be the same for Miriam, Edward, Sonya or Jon, Quenettes finance Ramsey . Quenettes case has changed lives for all victims in AL.

Victims had no rights at that time. Miriam has devoted her life to changing that in Quenettes honor and Edward has been there helping and supporting her. Only in the last few years Sonya began to deal with her grief, during the trial years has she was always Quenettes little sister and could never let her guard down and Jon being the big brother had a lot of unresolved issues.

Just surviving this horrible trauma without losing their minds is a miracle and changing the flight of victims in Alabama has brought honor to Quenette and the Shehane family God Bless Them.

Joyce Miller, L.P.C
joyce@vocalonline.org