Dear Editor,
I am writing because a voice awaken me saying write and tell what happened here at our house on that Sunday afternoon in September, 2018 to my son, Johnel White. People have said what they think happen but it wasn’t anyone else here but the three of us.
I came in the house from outside. When I got to the front door Johnel was talking to me saying I thought she had changed. She been coming to see me like she changed. She still don’t believe in me.
Then I headed to our bedroom where I met Jimmie standing in the door with his knife with his hand up as if he were going to stab me. I was asking him what was wrong. Why you have that knife? By then Johnel came in the house headed to his room, across from our bedroom. He turned around and saw Jimmie with the knife over my head.
He asked Jimmie, Dad what’s the knife for? Is it for me? You been my dad for 52 years and you trying to kill me and Mom trying to help me? He grabbed Jimmie’s hand and Jimmie couldn’t walk without his walker. All of his weight was on Johnel, but Johnel held him, holding his hand until Jimmie began to lose his grip. That’s when I grabbed the knife and placed it underneath the chair. No one was stabbed with that knife. I step back out on the porch and Johnel turned Jimmie loose, then Jimmie began to fall. I tried to hold him but he fell – so did I – down 4 steps.
When I managed to help Jimmie up I saw he had a nick on his neck. I had a bruise on my arm from the fall. I carried Jimmie to the hospital and that’s when we were questioned. I told them no one was stabbed. Johnel did not stab us – he kept Jimmie from stabbing me and him.
I don’t know what my husband told them, but he did say he thought Johnel was talking loud at me and he said he didn’t tell them Johnel stabbed him. Someone else said that, and he listen as they were talking. He made no such statement.
My son has had a long list of run-ins with the police because the way they handle the case of the death of his stepson, Sampson Allen who got killed at Delta Price on a machinery he was not trained to operate. Then the death of his stepdaughter, Lakeish Rene Allen on November 07, 2013 who was found dead in her home. Johnel believed that someone killed her but no one believed him. He tried hard to find out and finally he began talking about Lakeish in most of his conversations to anyone.
He played loud music at his house which cause someone to call the police on him. Him and his wife would have some types of disagreement and she would call the police on him knowing that he had a problem dealing with Lakeish death. This is something that all people that knew him knew this had happen
Johnel brought Joann over to our house and said Dad, Mom, I want to tell my wife something but I wantes to tell her in front of you all, so I will have a witness of what I’m saying. D’ava Joi daddy contacted the Social S. office and found out how much money she’ll be getting and he told someone he was coming to get his baby. His wife got real upset with him but in a few weeks it happen, just like Johnel said.
This made me listen to him and begin understanding what he was going through. Also Joann.
People who haven’t lost a child really don’t understand the hurt and suffering these people go through. Yes my son was hurt to know the only father who raised him, been in his life ever since he was 2 years old, had a knife to stab him or me. Yes I was in shock too, because there were no arguments, no fussing, or any kind of problem that day at our house between Johnel, Jimmie and myself or no other time.
I was told that what I say wouldn’t change a thing.
The knife was my husband’s. He the one had it and Johnel kept him from stabbing me and him and also my husband, too, from getting hurt.
I know someone don’t want the truth told but I must tell it because it’s the right thing to do.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Bertha Harris
