The Valley of the Shadow of Death
Page 34
illnesses of, 269, 280
parents’ charitable work and, 282
physical appearance of, 269, 274
Alexander, Crystal (sister), 42–43, 64, 75
Alexander, Dietra Louis (sister), 21
autopsy of, 58
in brother’s dream, 249
examination of bedroom of, 45
funeral of, 74–76, 78, 80, 185
grave of, 78–79, 85
gunshot wounds of, 43–44, 58, 60, 70
killing of, 3, 5–6, 43, 50, 54–61, 70, 73, 81, 85–89, 94, 113, 132–34, 136, 143, 146, 158, 170–73, 175–76, 201, 205–6, 215, 232–33, 235–36, 241, 244, 263, 266
and motive in Alexander murders, 61
in reconstruction of Alexander murders, 60
religious beliefs of, 76
wedding planned by, 6, 9, 76, 249
Alexander, Ebora Bonds “Madee” (mother), 19, 179, 315
absence of, 63–64
athleticism of, 25
autopsy of, 58
community and, 7–9, 33, 38, 63, 76, 177, 186–87, 312–13
as disciplinarian, 25–26
education and, 26–27, 30, 35
employment of, 10
examination of bedroom of, 44
familiar refrain of, 5
funeral of, 74–78, 80, 185
grave of, 78–79, 85
gunshot wounds of, 43, 58–60, 70
house of, 3–10, 14–16, 33–39, 43–45, 49, 54–55, 58, 112–13, 152, 175, 201, 216–17, 230–34, 236–37
killing of, 3–4, 6, 15–16, 38–39, 43, 48–51, 54–61, 67, 70, 73, 81,
85–89, 94, 113, 132–34, 136, 143, 146, 158, 170–73, 175–76, 201, 205–7, 215, 218, 232–33, 235–37, 241, 243–44, 262–63, 266, 298
life lesson of, 177
and motive in Alexander murders, 61, 63
move to L.A. of, 21–22
moving considered by, 8–9
as mugging victim, 8, 63
Olympics and, 10–11, 13
physical appearance of, 6
in reconstruction of Alexander murders, 59
religious beliefs of, 5, 8–10, 26–27, 33, 48, 50, 64–65, 74, 76, 250
routines of, 7–10, 14–15, 86
separation of, 32–33, 72
son’s adopted children and, 288, 306
and son’s childhood and adolescence, 17, 23–27, 98, 186–87
in son’s dream, 249–51
son’s football career and, 30, 37, 97
son’s nightmare and, 112
son’s relationship with, 36–37, 72, 243
son’s second wife and, 265, 267
son’s self-pity and, 263
and son’s slip with Cox, 186
and son’s trips to Haiti, 274
and violence in South Central, 86
Watts Riots and, 32
Alexander, Gordon (brother), 33–34, 48–51, 54, 85–86, 237, 314
grieving of, 51
mother’s discipline and, 26
Olympics and, 13
temper of, 50
and violence in South Central, 53
Alexander, Jameson (son), 283, 285–89, 294–95, 298, 300–301, 303–6, 314–16
Alexander, Joan (sister), 39, 42–43, 314–15
Burns’s trial and, 174
Cox’s trial and, 216
military career of, 42, 75
security concerns of, 56–57, 140
Alexander, Kelton (son), 47, 49, 81
Alexander, Kermit, Jr.:
in adoption process, 275, 279–80, 282–83, 285–86, 288–90, 292, 298, 300–301
as advertising representative, 80, 92
alleged drug dealing of, 71, 83, 130
ambitions of, 29, 37
arrest of, 94–95
athletic talent of, 27–28
awards and honors of, 29, 32, 35, 37, 70, 86
birth of, 17
business ventures of, 66–67, 260
caffeine habit of, 92, 94
celebrity of, 66, 86, 259, 295
childhood and adolescence of, 17–19, 21, 23–29, 54, 65, 77, 97–98, 185, 264, 312
children of, 47, 49, 81, 269, 274–75, 279–80, 282–83, 285–89, 292, 294–95, 298, 300–306, 314–16
courted by gangs, 24–25
as courtroom observer, 148, 158–59, 179, 182–83, 185, 206–7, 216, 218, 242–43
depression of, 85, 87, 97, 259–61
divorce of, 243, 259, 287
dream of what should have been of, 249–51
education of, 26–29, 52, 87
fans of, 179
finances of, 8, 29, 32, 71, 84, 92, 97, 105, 259–60, 280, 288, 295
football career of, 4, 6, 29–30, 32–33, 35, 37, 70, 83, 86–87, 96–97, 104–7, 136, 179, 185, 242, 259, 266, 295
girlfriends of, 260–61, 265–66
golf played by, 260
grieving of, 5, 51–52, 57, 80, 243, 267–68
guilt of, 56, 74, 77, 81, 86–88, 187, 219, 237, 243, 260–62, 268, 287, 293, 295
health issues of, 92, 260–63, 293
heritage of, 17–19, 30, 53–54, 65–66, 80, 188, 218, 264–65, 315
horses loved by, 66–67, 260, 298
investigation conducted by, 80–88, 94, 98–99, 101, 103, 113, 139, 148, 186, 259, 287
marriage proposals of, 268–69, 279
nightmares of, 112–13
nihilism of, 85, 259
optimism of, 298
oversleeping of, 36–37, 47, 56, 88, 237
pessimism of, 299
physical appearance of, 80, 83–84, 91
as probation officer, 32, 46, 84, 98, 148, 155, 185–86
as professional victim, 242
public speaking of, 92, 97, 185, 266, 307
reading of, 27
religious beliefs of, 26–27, 65, 77, 81–82, 148, 243, 261–63, 285–86, 291, 298, 304, 306
retirement from football of, 37, 66–67, 96–97, 107
routines of, 15–16
second self of, 80, 88
second wife courted by, 266–68
security concerns of, 56–57, 74, 95, 140
self-control of, 38, 182
self-pity of, 260–61, 263
slip of, 186–87, 219, 261–62, 279, 287, 310
temper of, 5, 27–28, 51, 81, 84–85, 94, 98, 114, 159, 182, 218, 243, 265, 268, 293, 310
vengefulness of, 80–81, 84–85, 145, 280, 287
volunteer and charitable work of, 92, 96–97, 102, 184–86, 243, 266, 279–80, 282, 286–87, 307
weapons carried by, 3–5, 56, 80, 83–85, 95
wife’s relationship with, 266–68
Alexander, Kermit, Sr. (father):
alibi of, 72
employment of, 21–22, 83
family funeral and, 75
illnesses of, 243
military career of, 17, 19–21, 27–28, 65, 262, 293
and motive in Alexander murders, 65
move to L.A. of, 21–23
religious beliefs of, 148
separation of, 32–33, 72
and son’s childhood and adolescence, 17–19, 23–28, 98, 185
son’s temper and, 27–28
on street gangs, 25
Alexander, King (grandfather), 18–19
Alexander, Kirk (brother), 25, 47, 49
Alexander, Manoucheka (daughter), 283, 285–89, 294–95, 298, 300–301, 303–6, 314, 316
Alexander, Neal (brother), 9, 59, 219, 298, 310
in brother’s dream, 250
brother’s relationship with, 37–38
Cox’s trial and, 199, 216, 218
devastation of, 88
education of, 35
examination of bedroom of, 44
during family killings, 35–38, 47, 55–56
guilt of, 56
interrogation of, 55–56
in reconstruction of Alexander murders, 60–61
Alexander, Semfia (daughter), 283, 285–89, 294–95, 298, 30
0–301, 303–6, 314, 316
Alexander, Tami Clark (2nd wife), 265–74
in adoption process, 279–80, 282–83, 285–86, 288–89, 292, 298, 300–301
business of, 288
charitable work of, 265–66, 270, 272, 279–80, 282
children of, 214–16, 269–70, 274, 279–80, 282–83, 285–90, 292, 294–95, 298, 300–306, 314–16
Haiti and, 265, 268–74, 279–80, 282–87, 290–92, 295, 298–303, 306–7, 315
husband’s courtship of, 266–68
husband’s first meeting with, 266
husband’s marriage proposals to, 268–69, 279
husband’s relationship with, 266–68
physical appearance of, 265
religious beliefs of, 265, 285–86, 298
Alexander, Zachary (son), 283, 285–89, 294–95, 298, 300–301, 303–6, 314–16
Alexander murders, Alexander murder case:
Alexander as person of interest in, 46, 54, 88
Alexander’s investigation of, 80–88, 94, 98–99, 101, 103, 113, 139, 148, 186, 259, 287
appeals in, 176, 179, 181, 243–44, 253–54, 296–97, 299, 302, 307
arrests in, 138–43, 157, 226–27
autopsies in, 58–59, 73, 158, 244
bullets in, 4, 35, 43–45, 60, 73, 127–29, 234
charges in, 139, 146
closing arguments in, 171–72, 201, 205–6
compared to Haitian earthquake and, 298
compared to notorious crimes, 90–91
convictions in, 173–74, 176–78, 206, 209, 235–37, 242–44, 253
death penalty in, 133–34, 139, 145–46, 151–52, 154–58, 160, 163, 173–76, 180, 182, 215–20, 227, 234–35, 242–44, 247, 253–54, 295, 307–10
eyewitnesses to, 35–36, 55, 58–59, 61, 64–65, 69, 146, 199, 205, 218, 226
family security concerns and, 56–57, 74, 95, 140
fingerprints in, 5, 44, 59, 61, 141, 146, 163, 180
first response of police to, 43–45
gossip on, 130–31
grieving on, 5, 51–52, 57, 80, 243, 267–68
juries in, 153, 155–57, 162, 171–74, 176, 179, 182, 201, 209, 217–19, 226, 235–36, 242–44, 254, 297
media on, 50, 69–70, 85, 93–94, 98, 141, 143, 154, 235
motive in, 47–49, 58, 61–63, 65–66, 69, 71–72, 87, 90, 93, 102, 130–31, 139–40, 142–43, 147, 151–52, 170–73, 182, 220, 226, 229–30, 233–36
orchestration of, 139, 232–33, 235, 242, 253
palm print in, 44, 59, 135, 138–39, 199, 216
police investigation of, 3, 39, 42–44, 46–49, 54–56, 58–62, 69–73, 81, 85, 88, 94, 98–99, 101–3, 127–36, 138–39, 142–43, 147, 151–52, 226–27, 229–31, 234
preliminary hearing in, 143–44, 146–47, 159–60
premonitions on, 64–65
randomness of, 102, 313
reconstruction of, 59–61
sentences in, 176–77, 218–20, 235, 242, 253–54, 310
suspects in, 58, 69–70, 127–29, 131–36, 138–43, 146–48, 150–51, 157–76, 178–83, 185, 199–201, 203–7, 209, 213–20, 226–27, 229–37
trials in, 143–45, 147–48, 150–51, 153–76, 178–83, 185, 199–201, 203–7, 209, 213–20, 226, 230–36, 242–44, 254, 259, 286, 296–97, 307
van in, 14–15, 58, 60–61, 70–72, 147–48, 150–51, 159–63, 166–67, 169, 171, 175, 199–200, 205–6, 216, 227, 233–34, 236
weapons in, 127–29, 131–33, 138–39, 146, 166–69, 171, 179–80, 199–201, 206, 216, 218, 234
Alexander-Shrieve, Courtney (daughter), 81, 316
American Civil Liberties Union, 296
Anderson, Tony, 113
Aristide, Bertrand, 274
Army, U.S., 48, 84
Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, 109
Avenues, 120, 125
B
Baby Avenues, 120
Bakeer, Donald, 181, 196–97
Cox’s celebrity and, 308
Cox’s trial and, 213
Baker, Steven, 246
Beardslee, Donald Jay, 278
Beck, Charlie, 311–12
Becnel, Barbara, 277
Benedict Canyon, Calif., 90
Bird, Rose, 145, 224–25
Black, Caldwell (brother-in-law), 184
Black, Mary Ann (sister), 21, 42, 183–85, 314
Black Guerrilla Family (BGF), 238–39, 241, 255, 258
Blackmun, Harry, 245–46
Black Panther Party, 238, 258
and history of street gangs, 117–21
Black Power, 117, 238
blacks, 177, 206–7
Bradley and, 11, 52
Burns’s attorneys and, 158–59
Burns’s trial and, 168
in college football, 106
Cox’s heritage and, 188
Cox’s trial and, 199
employment of, 83, 116
and eyewitnesses to Alexander murders, 36, 55, 58, 64–65, 71
Haiti and, 264, 273
housing of, 22
in Hyde Park, 109–10
imprisonment of, 238–41, 258
in L.A., 11, 22–23, 82, 101, 115–18, 120–25, 130, 188–89
in military, 19–21
Moore and, 148
PCP use among, 130
racism and discrimination against, 9, 17–22, 26, 28, 51, 54, 65–66, 86, 91, 99, 101, 106–8, 115–17, 152, 159, 188–89, 262, 302
in reconstruction of Alexander murders, 60–61
relations between police and, 81, 86, 117
rioting of, 9, 30–32, 117, 247–48
in South Central, 8, 14–15, 41, 51, 82–83, 86, 120
street gangs of, 111, 115–25, 168
as suspects in Alexander murders, 69
UCLA’s treatment of, 29
violence against, 41, 53, 84, 94, 101, 108, 118
Williams’s trial and, 233–34
see also slaves, slavery
Bloods, 121, 161, 209
rivalry between Crips and, 123–25
at San Quentin, 240–41, 254
Blue Note Crips, 240
Blue Rage, Black Redemption (Williams and Becnel), 277
Bonin, William (Freeway Killer), 40
execution of, 252–53
Norris and, 145
Bonner, Damon Andre (Butler) (nephew), 9–10, 35, 64, 315
autopsy of, 58
childhood fears of, 10
and eyewitnesses to Alexander murders, 58
funeral of, 74–75, 78, 80, 185
grave of, 78–79, 85
gunshot wound of, 44, 58, 60, 70
killing of, 3, 5–6, 44, 48, 50, 54–61, 70, 73, 81, 85–89, 94, 113, 132–34, 136, 142–44, 146, 158, 170–73, 175–76, 201, 205–6, 215, 219, 227, 232–36, 241, 244, 266, 313
and motive for Alexander murders, 61
physical appearance of, 6
in reconstruction of Alexander murders, 60
in uncle’s dream, 249–51
Bonner, Daphine (sister), 10, 21, 42, 50, 262
in brother’s dream, 250
family funeral and, 77
house of, 54, 56–57, 62
mother’s absence and, 64
Bonner, Ivan (nephew), 9–10, 42, 47, 59, 187, 219, 262, 310
Cox’s trial and, 199, 216, 218
devastation of, 88–89
examination of bedroom of, 44
family funeral and, 77
during family killings, 35–36, 47, 55–57
interrogation of, 56
sports as obsession of, 35
survival of, 5, 55–56, 88–89
in uncle’s dream, 250
Bono, Steve, 93
Boren, Roger, 273, 310
Cox’s trial and, 178–82, 199, 203–5, 216–20
Bowland, Paul, 178
Bradley, Tom, 52, 312
Alexander murder investigations and, 49, 73, 98–99, 101–3, 139
Alexander’s meetings with, 96–99, 10
1–3
Alexander’s mother and, 10–11, 13
City Hall and, 96
Gates’s relationship with, 100–101, 103
gubernatorial campaigns of, 12, 101, 224
and motive in Alexander murders, 63
Olympics and, 10–13, 96–97, 100
physical appearance of, 99
South Central and, 11, 13, 96–98, 248
Bratton, William, 311
Brian’s Song, 87, 266
Bronx Tale, A, 310
Brooklyn Dodgers, 28
Brown, Bryan, 253
Brown, Delisa, 230
Burns’s jailhouse kite and, 161–62
Burns’s trial and, 150, 159–62, 165–68, 171, 176
Cox’s trial and, 150, 199–200, 216
death penalty faced by, 151–52
Williams and, 151, 226, 231–34, 236
Brown, Jerry, 224, 234, 309
Brown, Pat, 32
Brown v. Board of Education, 29, 159
Burke, James Lee, 18
Burns, Edwina, 174
Burns, Horace Edwin “Horse,” 230, 313
appeal of, 176
arraignment of, 143–44, 146–47
arrests of, 142–43, 157, 164, 174, 227
charges against, 146
conviction of, 173–74, 176–78
Cox and, 141–42, 160–64, 170, 181, 200, 205, 219
death penalty and, 173–76
family of, 163–64, 169, 173–74
fantasy vs. reality of, 164
imprisonment of, 147, 159–60, 162–63, 168, 174, 227, 242, 310
jailhouse kite of, 160–64, 167–70, 175–76
life sentence of, 176–77, 242, 310
and motive in Alexander murder case, 142
physical appearance of, 167
police interrogation of, 227
preliminary hearing of, 146–47, 159–60
street gangs and, 141–42, 147, 160–61, 164, 168–72, 174
testimony of, 167–68
trial of, 143, 148, 150–51, 153, 157–62, 165–76, 179, 182
weapons of, 168, 171
Williams’s trial and, 233–36
Bush, George H. W., 92
Bush, George W., 294
C
California:
death penalty in, 1, 133, 145, 150, 152–53, 158, 224–25, 244–47, 253, 289, 295–96, 308–9
in history, 109
prison gangs in, 238–39
California, University of, at Los Angeles (UCLA), 12, 47, 92–94, 104, 159, 262
Alexander as color analyst for, 37, 48, 92, 251
Alexander recruited by, 29
Alexander’s enrollment at, 52, 87
Alexander’s football career at, 4, 6, 33, 35, 70, 106, 136, 179
Bradley and, 11
Campbell, Earl, 105
Capote, Truman, 91
Carson, Joanne, 91
Carter, Alprentice “Bunchy,” 119–20
Catholic Youth Organization, 27
Chandler, Raymond, 83–84