Jerry Pacek 1945-2004
Some people, en route to their death, travel upon a lot of bad road. Jerry Pacek's journey was about as rough as it gets. Born into poverty, thrown into prison at age thirteen for a murder he didn't commit, denied public exoneration until he was forty-eight, and deprived of compensation from the government and people who wronged him, Jerry, after years of sorrow and frustration, was brought down by stomach cancer that took his life on November 24, 2004. The 59-year-old former carpet installer and father of three, a man who had soldiered on despite his incredible bad luck, followed his first wife and their son into the grave.
To remember Jerry Pacek is to remember his courage, his good nature, and his model citizenship in a country that had let him down. In a world with few people to look up to, Jerry Pacek was a true hero. I feel privileged to have played a small role in his life, and am grateful for his friendship.
On December 5, 2004 the Valley News Dispatch ran a series of articles on Jerry Pacek and his life. The following are links to the articles (two of the articles provide links to the photos that originally accompanied the stories):
Executive producers mark Porterfield and Michele Gonda of Beverly Hills, California have optioned the film rights to Fall Guys: False Confessions and the Politics of Murder. The book is being adapted for the screen by Los Angeles screenwriters Chris and Kathleen Reilly. Brant Rose of the Brant Rose Agency, a film agent specializing in feature films, will be pitching the package to movie studios during the next few months. We will keep you posted.
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