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Jamar Pinkney, Sr. of Detroit is accused of shooting his 15-year-old son in the head, execution-style. The shooting occurred after his son, Jamar Jr., confessed that he'd done something inappropriate to his 3-year-old sister. Jamar Sr. came home, stripped his son naked, took him outside the house and shot him in the head.
Lazette Cherry, Jamar Jr.'s mother, said she wanted to get help for her son when he confessed to what he'd done with his sister. She claims, however, that there was no rape. She says that her son admitted that he knew that lying down on top of the little girl was wrong.
"He got on his knees and begged, 'No, Daddy! No!' and he pulled the trigger," she said. "There wasn't nothing that my son wouldn't do for his father. He loved his father so much."
Pinkney Sr. is being charged with first-degree murder, punishable with up to life in prison. He is also being charged with three counts of felonious assault for pointing the gun at Cherry and two others before shooting their son.
"I hope he rots in jail," Cherry told the Detroit Free Press. "There's no justification for what he did. You know, downright shoot your child. He didn't rape her or anything. So why did you have to come and take matters into your hands? We said we were going to get him help."
A father's desire to protect his daughter is strong, to the point that most fathers would consider killing or injuring any man who poses a threat to his little girl -- even if that man is related to him. The father of Heather Ellis, the woman who now faces 15 years in prison after being accused of cutting a line at Wal-Mart, has stated that he now understands why men are willing to kill to protect their children (not sure if I agree with this statement, but I understand his pain). When the rage gets out of control, horrible outcomes can occur.
In this case, there are a lot of questions that come to mind: Was the father on drugs or drinking at the time? Has he exhibited this kind of behavior before? If so, was the mother proactive in dealing with the abuse? In this case, there were two children who were abused, and one might wonder if the mother could have done anything differently to protect her kids. But at the end of the day, she is a victim, too. And if the father did indeed commit this heinous crime, there is almost no justification for his behavior.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (69)
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By: crissy on 11/25/2009 12:47AM
someone is lying here for real. either that boy raped the little girl or did something remotely close to her for the father to react in such a way. that, or he was under the influence of alcohol or something else. I don't think the boy deserved to be killed though. this is just sad
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By: gt3714 on 11/25/2009 2:55AM
Well frist of all this father does not sound like a follower of Jesus (a true christian) "forgive so that you may be forgiven" And to be honest, I think that it may only be normal for siblings {kids} to try these type of things just out of being curious. I don't belive it should be an ongoing injoyment, which would lead to real serious issues. But being curious as a young child I can understand it & belive it is quite normal, check your on child hood. However there is a serious difference between sexual curricty & abuse. At the age of 15 you should no better,but he still could have just been currious & not sexualy abusing his sister. For the father there is no explanation for his actions.
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By: Patricia on 11/26/2009 2:40PM
I feel so sad for that little boy and his mother. I seriously believe that someone may have molested the little boy for him to have done something like that to his little sister. He did have the decency to ask his mother for help for himself before he went to far. His father is an adult and should have some self control. His son proved to be more of a man than the father by recognizing a problem and seeking help. he father is not a real man, because a man takes care of his entire family, not just the members who he feels deserve his love. I hope he rots in jail.
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By: Demetria Dixon on 12/04/2009 8:47AM
While I in no way condone what this man has done, I see a double standard niggling around the edges. When we hear that old adage, I brought you into this world I'll take you out, we laugh heartily, shaking our heads in concurrence at the sentiment, but when a father utilizes this option it becomes unthinkable. As the father has provided no statement that I can see nor is there any clear indication of his state of mind or his reasoning, we are appalled. We let the larger culture tell us how to raise our children, they are subjected to all manner of sexual stimuli on TV and then we are surprised when our children act out sexually. Often times when people growuip to become sex offenders or burdens to the penal system we lament the fact that no one curtailed the behavior at an early age. Maybe the father so a deep strain of evil in his son that could not be helped and he did the only thing he felt he could. The presumpption that this is the man's biological son. There is not any conclusive proof in this article to support that. The seems to be some nod to Oedipal and Electra issues at the core of this statement. Reading between the lines it also seems that the mother and father may have been separated. Additional familial and mental dynamics or also at play. However, the difference in the children's ages lead me to believe that there is more to the story. I in know way condone his behavior but fel that one has to hear the father's side before a rush to judgement. Should he be punished, most definitely. Is there any supportable justification? That remains to be seen.
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By: 1msvenom on 8/06/2010 11:51AM
he shot his own child in the face. he pistol whipped his son, made his son strip naked, made his son go outside naked, and HE SHOT HIS SON IN THE FACE! NOT IN THE HEAD, IN THE FACE. He treated that baby like a dog in the street. hell, worse. an I have been a victim before. I hurt everyday from the things i've been through. BUT THIS IS CRUEL AND THAT MAN HAS NO HEART. I FEEL FOR THAT LITTLE GIRL,BUT THAT LIL MAN DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE. HE WAS A CHILD HIMSELF.
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By: 1msvenom on 8/06/2010 11:57AM
you sound crazy. these are the children GOD blessed us with. He'll take HIs children when he see's fit. that some old as sayin when you raised up like u were bigger than your parents; not when u did something bad that you are trying to correct.
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By: carolyn on 8/07/2010 1:06PM
I am still in shock after watching this court case, in my wildest dreams, I can not wrap my mind around,the savage,cruelity this so called man ( he is no father)administered to his only son! It has totally consumed me;while no one should molest or harm a baby, toddler, child in anyway, the price this child paid was far to great. I watched the course of the trial for 2 days,I never saw remorse or any response in jamar sr's face; I have told my sisters of this horrific case,we are all in agreement that we may all have been killed, but we would never have let him beat, strip or taken a child of ours out,we would have beaten that man down. I wanted to reach in that tv screen yelling, black man where are your morals, your sense of parenting,and then do to him what he did to his son. Whats he going to do if his daughter becomes pregnant as a teen, kill her too. I can only hope that when this trial is over he is locked away in a cell with a couple of big brutes called bubba, and that they will have no mercy on his behind!To think how much humility and shame the kid already felt, then to be made to strip naked, marched out side made to kneel, while pleading, begging for his life; only to be shot point blank in the face!. Oh please lock this man up with a person as savage as he is.
The child should have been taken in for counseling, therapy, and not allowed to be alone with children, they all needed much prayer. He also needed love from his father-I feel that this man did not really love his son anyway. I could feel the love of the mother, grandmother and great grandmother. I will be praying for those mentioned women as well as the aunt and best friend of mrs. cherry.
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By: Tina on 8/14/2010 12:49PM
I am very surprised at reading everyones comment. A boy just suffered a horrible death at the hands of his father!!!!! My heart goes out to his family, i can only empathize for you. He was just a kid, what he did was wrong and he did deserve to be punished for his acts, but that was unexcusable. If i was his mother he would have to have shot me to. i could not stand and watch anyone point a gun at my child.i have three boys myself. i would die for mine. this whole thing was unbelievable!! I would definitely push for his father to be excuted.
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By: Michelene on 10/26/2010 11:44PM
Usually when an older child victimizes a younger child it's the result of the older child having been victimized by an older person in the same way. Pickney Jr reportedly admitted to his mother that he violated his sister by laying on top of her. This makes me wonder who, in this family, assaulted Pickney Jr prior to him assaulting his sister. It's very likely that the 15 yr old learned this predatory behavior from a family member at home. I wonder if Pickney Sr killed his son to prevent him from telling folks that Pickney Sr sexually assaulted him/Pickney Jr in the past. What a sad situation.
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