Why I didn't want my son's killer to spend his life in jail
By Ronald D. Simpson II
February 10, 2014
My only son, Ronald D. Simpson III, was murdered on Father’s Day 2001. He was 21 years old.
His killer was a 14-year old boy who was under the mistaken impression that my son was physically abusing his sister, who was my son’s girlfriend.
I was heartbroken. But when it was time for the child’s trial, my son’s mother and I advocated for his killer to be processed in the juvenile system. We wanted him tried there, held there after his conviction and treated there to prepare him for release. The judge granted our wishes. The young teen was sentenced in juvenile court and told that he would be released at 21 if he met the court’s requirements and demonstrated his rehabilitation. He succeeded and was released.
