It happened at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Los Angeles, where the Court of Appeals, 2nd District sits. Last week, that was where the California Supreme Court heard final arguments in the Jesse James Hollywood death penalty case. In the next ninety days, the Supremes will most probably make important law regarding how prosecutors, and even defense attorneys, will be allowed to deal with the mass media while handling high-profile cases. It is a decision that is long overdue.
Law enforcement officials and prosecutors have no business trying and convicting defendants through the mass media. The court of public opinion, which apparently includes television, films, books, radio, and newspapers, is an improper venue to conduct criminal court proceedings from. Law enforcement officers do not belong on TV. They should not be demonizing individuals accused of crimes. They should not be allowed to do what they did to Jesse James Hollywood, which is why I became involved in his case in the first place.
Because of all the information I had accrued for the movie Alpha Dog and my book, I knew this case not to be what the mass media and law enforcement officials had made it out to be; it was not a case of someone murdering a child out of revenge for a drug debt. This was a tragedy made from fear. And this major discrepancy had to be made clear.
There’s also another very important reason for this court decision to come down. It will soon set in motion the wheels that will allow the case to move closer to a legal resolution. Which will eventually give the families of the participants an opportunity to move forward in their lives. But in the same breath, moving forward also means our continued efforts to do what we can to make sure no more deaths result. This is what I hope we accomplish for both Jesse Hollywood, who now faces the death penalty, as well as Ryan Hoyt, who presently resides on death row.
It is also important for Jesse Hollywood’s parents. For Jack and Laurie – and all their family – to know that their much-loved son will not face the prospect of state-sanctioned murder. That he be allowed to remain alive so that they may continue to feel the joy of life, and to help spread this precious feeling to everyone they touch.
Susan and Jeff Markowitz too deserve a respite from the insanity. They are two beauteous and strong-willed people who have come so far in this ordeal, and, for them, it will soon be over. And when that time comes, five young men will pay for what happened to their son. These young men should pay for what they did. But none of them should die as a result of their actions. Another death would only tarnish the memory of their son.
Nicholas Markowitz had a lot of life left to give. He was a bright kid, talented and good-looking. Nick’s memory stands for many wonderful things to many people, but one thing it should never stand for is another death. Nick would not have wanted to be remembered as one of several boys to die as a result of this tragedy. He just about told me as much when I was writing Stolen Boy. His inspiration and intuitive connection provided me with the strength and endurance I needed to finish a very difficult book in an effort to bring out a greater semblance of truth as to why these guys did what they did to Nick.
Nick’s should be the only death in this Greek Tragedy. His memory will glow so much brighter if we find the willpower to hold back our anger and desire for revenge. This will enable Nick to stand atop our pedestal of memory and love, a place he harbored in life, a place for him to stand alone in death.
