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Mary West
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Jeremy Scott
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Mary West
Well, because I clean. I listen to a lot of podcasts to get through the day and kind of exhausted all the good ones. I of course cereal and went through all those pretty fast.
Jeremy Scott
Mary west has had many jobs and worn many hats. She's in her 60s now and living in northern Florida where these days she cleans houses.
Mary West
I did it when the kids were in school so that I could go on field trips or go to their swim meets or whatever. I like cleaning actually and so I just stayed with it. I was just googling one day for like podcasts set in Florida because I really just wanted to hear about local stuff, I guess. And you know, you came up like I would even agree to do a house I didn't want to do because I'd have four hours of uninterrupted listening. You know the part of the podcast, really, and it's still memorable, is when you played the clip of Victoria Avalon.
Jeremy Scott
Mr. Scott?
Mary West
Yes ma'am, my name is Victoria Avalon. I'm the prosecutor in the case.
Jeremy Scott
Victoria Avalon is an assistant state attorney who questioned Jeremy Scott after he confessed to killing Michelle Scofield in a 2017 evidentiary hearing.
Mary West
And she was questioning Jeremy. Your grandmother's dead, right?
Jeremy Scott
Leave her out of this.
Mary West
Your grandmother's dead, right?
Jeremy Scott
Yes, she is.
Mary West
She was the only one on earth that cared about you, wasn't she? Gotta answer out loud. Yeah. No one's sending you any money, correct? No, ma'am. You can't even afford to buy deodorant, can you? No, ma'am. You can't even buy deodorant, can you? And I was like, man, she's just. She was harsh. I thought, man, that's awful. I just felt so bad for Jeremy. So I thought, well, I'm gonna send Jeremy some money. Like $20. I don't know.
Jeremy Scott
Do you remember the first letter, what you said to him?
Mary West
I think it was right around Christmas, and. I don't know, I just said he was. That I thought he had done the right thing. To confess what he had done. I knew it had to be hard and that I felt bad because he had said he felt like he slept with ghosts that night. And that was just wanting to help a. A downtrodden person, really. I didn't have any plans to keep writing him like that, you know?
Jeremy Scott
Do you remember the first letter that Jeremy sent to you?
Mary West
Well, I have it. Oh, right here. Let me see.
Jeremy Scott
Do you hear my madness? Laughter hides my fears Sorrow's depths are endless in this valley of tears.
Mary West
I wanna see our revelation I wanna know who you are I'm reaching out in.
Jeremy Scott
Desperation to the one who's holding the.
LifeLock
Star.
Jeremy Scott
To the one who's holding the.
Mary West
Stars to the one who's holding the stars to the star.
Jeremy Scott
Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy Chapter 5 Like a Little Kid When Mary first decided to write Jeremy a letter, she wasn't sure how to reach him or where he was. In order to deposit funds into an inmate's canteen, the Florida DOC has to approve you. So I helped her navigate the protocols. She sent Jeremy a letter, got approved, then deposited a little money for deodorant and toothpaste. She assumed that would be the end of that, but Jeremy wrote her back.
Mary West
January 31st.
Jeremy Scott
Christmas had passed, and it was the beginning of a new year. 2023. One day she was picking up her mail, and there it was.
Mary West
I think it's on, like, a half a piece of paper because he didn't have any money to buy Paper. It's torn at the bottom.
Jeremy Scott
Yeah, go ahead and read it.
Mary West
Okay, so. January 31, 2023. Dear Ms. West, I just want to let you know that I received your letter and to let you know that you were approved. I been trying to find out who you were. I even sent a letter to Mr. King, the one that did the podcast, on me. I have not had anyone to write me in over 10 years now since my grandma passed away. So I kind of give up on hearing from family. I hope that you can understand my spelling and writing. I haven't wrote for so long and it's hard writing on paper like this because it doesn't have any lines on it. Oh, and yes, I did like your Christmas card. You were the only one to send me one. Thank you. You said that you want to put some money in my account with. Well, I give you my word, I will buy stamps and writing paper. If you got me off podcast, you should know what I am in prison for. I've been locked up since 1988. I was 19 and I went to prison in 1989. Have been here since. I'm 53 years old now, and right now I'm on CM1 lockdown.
Jeremy Scott
As soon as she started getting letters from Jeremy, Mary agreed to send me voice memos, talking me through them. What really struck me in those early letters was how surprised Jeremy was to be hearing from her.
Mary West
He says, can I ask you something? I ain't never had anyone to want to help me, and now, don't get me wrong, I just wanted to know. He didn't say why, but I'm guessing he meant to say why, but thank you, and I hope you are well and doing good.
Jeremy Scott
Something else that stood out. It seemed like Jeremy wanted to prove to Mary that he was worthy of her time, her letters, and her attention.
Mary West
In the beginning, he would send me exactly what he bought at Canteen, you know, to show me that he was spending his money wisely.
Jeremy Scott
When Jeremy was a younger man in prison, his family was still writing and visiting, but then they stopped. Now, all of a sudden, he had someone new in his life, and it seemed important to him to be accountable to her.
Mary West
Like, here's a. He sent a receipt of something. He said, I still have $4 I can use. He said, I did buy deodorant and another bar of soap, and I just wanted to let you know that I used that money for the good.
Jeremy Scott
In those early letters, Jeremy and Mary are just getting to know each other.
Mary West
The third letter I got from Jeremy, we talked about football. Gardner Minshew. Specifically, because that is one person in football that I know about. Because he's pretty hot.
Jeremy Scott
At first, he's writing once a week or maybe every two weeks.
Mary West
I gotta say, his handwriting is really good. It slants evenly and pretty consistently to the right. It's in cursive. For somebody who never made it through high school, he doesn't have a lot of misspellings. So my thought is that he puts a lot of time and effort into his letters.
Jeremy Scott
By April, Jeremy is writing all the time. Sometimes every three days.
Mary West
I just wanted to drop a line so that you would have a letter from me and then a little smiley face drawn on the paper.
Jeremy Scott
The letters get more personal.
Mary West
I hate being behind this door all day, but I'm doing everything I can to get off cm.
Jeremy Scott
And then he says Mary asks him about his family and the people he used to know on the outside.
Mary West
He said, you ask if I heard from my son's mama. And I have not since my son was 12 years old. Her name was Jamie C. Allen. I learned she got married, so I don't know her last name. I still have family. They just don't write me. I don't know where they are. My own mom doesn't write me. My son, Justin M. Allen, I don't know where he is anymore. It's hard to think about them knowing that they are my blood family and won't even let me know how the family are. I just don't know what else I can do. I wrote my Aunt Debbie in May.
Jeremy Scott
The letters ramp up even more.
Mary West
He talks about he misses his grandma. He asked me one time if I could get a picture of her gravestone.
Jeremy Scott
Mary wasn't able to find her gravestone, but she was able to find Arlene's obituary. It had a picture of her. Mary printed it out and sent a copy of it to Jeremy.
Mary West
He wrote back, I was looking at that picture of Grandma, and I used to have the same picture. When I was in prison in Miami, they lost all my stuff. I had another picture of me, Aunt Debbie and Grandma when they came to visit me once. And some picture of my son and others as well. But now I have none. Thank you for sending what you could and finding out what you could Again. He asked, would I please find out his grandma's birth date. And I'm not sure I ever did, so I'm going to follow up on that. Then he said, I also understand that you found some news about my brother. I must have been looking up.
Jeremy Scott
Mary also did what she could to connect Jeremy with other family members just like I did. The last time I checked, Royal Dean Scott was in prison himself in Alabama. Mary found his mugshot online and sent that to Jeremy as well.
Mary West
That's my little brother. I would know that face anywhere. Exclamation mark, exclamation mark. And he said he had last seen him when he was about 35 and he must be 52 or 3 now.
Jeremy Scott
It's clear how much these family connections mean to Jeremy.
Mary West
Stated May 16, 2023. He thanked me again for sending obituary. And he said he was looking at it again and rereading it. Thank you so much for the obituary. She was strong. Never turned her back on anyone. Always trying to help if she could. Sometimes we don't think about stuff that she did for us all. And I feel bad. It took me 34 years to understand what grandma had been telling me. I will always remember the good times I had with her. If you find out anything else or get any other pictures, would you please send them? He said, you know, you're really the only person that writes me. Basically it was just me and Mr. King that were writing him. He says, I also want you to know that I really appreciate everything you have done for me. I still find myself sometimes looking for help. Sometimes it's good to talk. I hope that you've had a great weekend. Take care of Jeremy Scott.
Jeremy Scott
From his letters, Mary has learned even more than I have about Jeremy's childhood.
Mary West
He said that as a kid he used to have fun in foster homes. Never staying long, always getting himself in trouble. And he said, I think that I might have been in more foster homes than any other kid growing up. Some were good and some were real bad. I just wish none of this had ever happened. I never met my dad. Don't even know who he was. I asked my mom, but she would never tell me. My mom was a kid when I was born. I think she just turned 15 years old. Then I was raised by my grandma and grandpa. I live with it. It does hurt. But I learned some time ago that you have no one to blame but yourself. But it still hurt. I never did grow up. Even now, I. At my age, I still feel like a kid. I'm always thinking things like a kid. Maybe there was something wrong with my head.
Jeremy Scott
During the sentencing phase of the Donald Moorehead trial, when he was 19 years old, Jeremy listened to his aunt Debbie describe him as slow with a mind that wanders like a nine year old child.
Mary West
They always said, even in court That I had the mind of a nine year old. He does say that when he looks back that he can see how stupid he was and he never did things the right way until it was too late. He did say ever since he was 7 or 8 years old, he always felt like something was wrong with him in the head and that he always felt like people were putting him down or making fun of him and that it hurts real bad. That's one of the reasons that he doesn't go to any groups or anger management classes. He said he did try those and it didn't work and all it did was get him in more trouble. So now he just tries to work out his problems in his head. I'm sorry for my dog barking in the background. I have two dogs that don't get along. I had told him about I was dog sitting one of my cleaning clients, three Rottweilers. And he said he was familiar with them and he liked having dogs when he was a kid. And he put a little smiley face, which he doesn't do very often. He jumps around a lot. Then he says, oh, I really want to get an education. And education is printed in all caps.
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy was barely literate when he was sent to death row. And it sounds like that's where he finally tried to learn.
Mary West
He mentioned the old man who taught him to read when he was on death row from 89 to 93. And he said an old man was teaching me and if school could teach me the way he did, I could have been a new person. I can't remember his full name. I always called him Mr. Jackson. He was good at helping not just me, but others as well. He is a Black man about 65 years of age, maybe 68, and he didn't care what color your skin was. I never saw him again. I heard he got off death row. Someone told me that he had died, but he says that may not be true because he heard rumors that he himself, Jeremy had died. In 2002. I had ordered him a GED study book. And he said that should really be fun because I suck at everything. I only went to the sixth grade and I never got past it. Math, I don't know at all. I mean, I can add and that's about all I've ever learned. The next letter, he said that he got the three books I sent. And he said, I don't know that I can do this. It looks really hard, but I'm gonna try. He says, remember I told you that I only went to the sixth grade? He said, really? I only went to the fourth grade, but they moved him up to the sixth because of his age. I sent him a math book on top of that and I had. I sent him one that was fourth and fifth grade math. And I felt bad doing it because it looks like a kid's book. And I didn't want him to feel, you know, embarrassed. I don't know what the other prisoners see or, you know, if they make fun of them for things like that. You know, when I'm more reflective about what is going on here about me and Jeremy writing letters, I kind of think like, Mary, you're insane, because here you are talking to him, basically a mass murderer and worrying about whether he's going to feel bad because you sent him a fairly childish kind of book. So who knows? Truthfully, I just don't think about it too much. I just. Just write the letters, you know, as if he's any other person in my life. Maybe like a brother or something. Anyway, so he says he can't do the math and he guess he's gonna have to just read it real slow and try real hard and maybe something will come to him.
Jeremy Scott
Between the GED books Mary sends and the paperback novels that I send him, it still sounds like he can't get enough to read.
Mary West
Mary, you told me that Mr. King is going to mail me the Game of Thrones 3, 4 and 5. Does he know how to order the books from the bookstore? You might have to let him know. The next letter I got was dated May 9, 2003. And inside on, on the very front he had written in, in big letters it said, happy Mother's Day, Mary.
Jeremy Scott
Sometimes Jeremy's letters are just his stream of consciousness, what it's like to spend day after day in prison.
Mary West
He said that the last two or three days it's been raining real hard and it was cool for a while. I was just thinking about summer and when it gets here it will be really hot. The bad thing is we have to wear our blues all day from 7am to 4.30pm I just wet my blue shirt and then put it back on and sit under the window and try to stay cool. He says he washes his own shirt and pants because if he turns them in, they never come back clean and they often just give you another pair and they don't always fit the same. So he washes them himself and that way he knows they are clean. Then he writes, I try to write a letter like most people do, but when I'm done and reread what I just wrote. It never sounds right. I just don't want you to think that I ain't trying. He says he felt pretty good right now.
Mr. King
It's not as hot and he's clean. He's going to clean his floor. And he said he takes off his.
Mary West
Blues and will lay right under his.
Mr. King
Window and the rain comes in just a little bit and hits him in the face and feels good and cool. He said I did this last night and then went to sleep. Hope everything is good and you are well and don't work so hard.
Jeremy Scott
By summer, Jeremy and Mary are also talking on the phone.
Mary West
Okay, so it's August. Well, it's September 12th, but my phone call with Jeremy, the last one I had was August 15th of 2024. Anyway, so I was not expecting a call from Jeremy because I had not written him in a while. He said that he was fine, that he gets two times a week he gets to go outside for an hour. But he said the cell was small, it was about 8ft long and 7ft wide. And he said he is able to shake hands with the cellmates next door to him, but that right now he has no neighbors on either side of him, which sometimes he likes because it's quieter. But sometimes, you know, you miss the interaction. And the operator was saying, you know, our time was running out. So that's how we ended it.
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Jeremy Scott
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Mary West
Man.
Ryan Seacrest
I just, I wonder what that's like.
Mary West
For Jeremy, just to know that somebody's.
Ryan Seacrest
Gonna be checking in.
Mary West
I feel like that has to be significant for him. Probably, but it might be a. I don't know. Not everybody wants to be, you know, micromanaged by a mother. So.
Jeremy Scott
Do you ever feel that? Like you're just.
Mary West
Yeah, I do. I worry about him. It's like a. It's like a parental thing. I'll ask him is he brushing his teeth and taking vitamins and all that, you know. You know, has he been to a dentist or does he need glasses?
Jeremy Scott
In my calls with him, Jeremy always asks for updates on Leo's case, and when I let him know that Leo had a big hearing coming up that could lead to his release, he wrote to mary about it.
Mary West
Mr. King told me that Leo's parole hearing is next week and he is going to be there. I hope things turn out good for Leo.
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy will never see the day where he's actually paroled, but he tells Mary how much it means to him for Leo to be released from prison, you.
Mary West
Know, of his own accord. He said that he had heard that Leo had been married and he was sure hoping they would let him out soon and that he did everything he could think of to help him, but Polk county, it's just really bad. And he said it's hard to undo or right or wrong. And, you know, that's pretty profound coming from Jeremy, but also true. Life is so fucked up. Now look at Leo. They really didn't want to even hear Leo's case. No matter how much we trust, they just. They won't even listen. When will people just say, stop? Let's look at this.
Jeremy Scott
In the spring of 2024, Leo was finally released from prison. Mary talked to Jeremy on the phone not long after.
Mary West
Oh, I guess this is from that call. He said he met Leo's former roommate. And he said he can't remember his name, but the man was coming around doing some kind of education thing with the prison. And he said he had been Leo's roommate for seven years, and he thought that was really cool. And he, you know, asked the guy to tell Leo that he wished him well and all that. And I feel like I'm getting chills as I even say this because he's a murderer. But, you know, I really think he cares about Leo. And he seems very sincere when he says stuff like that. Like, he was really. He was really impressed he was talking to somebody who actually knew Leo. I. I just really get the feeling, though, he cares about Leo, and that's just. I don't know. I'm not even stoned or drinking, but maybe I should be. Anyway. I hate the way this has turned out and wish it had never happened like this. I hope someday I will come face to face with Leo so I can look at him and say, I'm sorry for what I did. Yes, I still don't sleep good at night and have bad dreams, but not as bad as they were once I have learned to deal with it. I just wish none of this had ever happened.
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy's not just concerned for Leo. He also shows a lot of concern for Mary, who is being treated for cancer.
Mary West
He thanks me for writing, asks about my health. He and I have to say that in my letters. I sound like my grandparents talking about my pneumonia and my bursitis and arthritis, and I really need to jazz up my topics just a little bit.
Jeremy Scott
She shares her own health updates with him and how her chemotherapy treatments can leave her feeling exhausted. She shares a lot with him, actually.
Mary West
I must have had car trouble and.
Mr. King
Mentioned it because he said something about get your car fixed because you don't.
Mary West
Want to be driving down the road in the middle of anywhere and it not work.
Mr. King
Get it fixed.
Jeremy Scott
And sometimes in Jeremy's letters back. You can hear his anguish when he thinks about losing this connection with her.
Mary West
I didn't write him back right away.
Mr. King
Evidently because he said, oh, I'm glad to hear from you. I thought you just stopped writing me. I should have known better than that. You ate like most people. I'm sorry for thinking that you would. What I did was wrong. I took a life and for that I will never get out. Almost 35 years in here. This is my home. I have to learn to live with it. I just hope that you don't feel that way about me. I can't stop you or blame you for not wanting to write me. People really don't know me at all. I have tried to tell people about me, but they always look down at me as a killer. Would you please do me a favor? I'm not saying you will, but if you do stop writing, please write and tell me one day. I don't like talking about this kind of stuff though. All these years people just up and stop writing even though they said they wouldn't. I don't blame anyone, my family or friends. They all have their own life now out there and their own families. I just wanted to say this. It's been on my mind all week.
Jeremy Scott
It was around this time that I gave Jeremy some exciting news about his family.
Mary West
Dear Mary, Mr. King told me something that it about Knock me out with.
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Mary West
Of people have turned to Claude, the AI assistant from Anthropic because it just feels different. Where other AIs often sound a little robotic. Clawd has been designed with special research that informs its character, meaning that Claude just gets it when it comes to empathy and emotional intelligence. That's why Claude has become the if you know, you know choice for dating advice, career coaching, gathering your thoughts for those important life decisions and more. Give Claude a try for free at Claude.com. that's C-L-A-U-E.com and let us know how you feel the difference. Dear Mary, Mr. King told me something that it about knocked me out. He told me that he talked to my son Justin and he said that Justin listened to the podcast and he wants to write me. I have lived for this day to come. I haven't written since he was 12 or 13. I never understand why or what happened. I really thought that I would never hear from him again. I can't wait to hear from him. So much to say to him, Mary. I'm just full of it right now. When Mr. King told me that he talked to my son, I just lost it. I follow his birthday every year. March 5th from 1989. I don't even know what he looks like, how tall he is, how long his hair might be if it's straight. I go to bed asking Justin to forgive me for my sins and for not being there for him all these years later, my son wants to write and talk with me. I'm sorry, Mary. I just don't understand understand this feeling I'm going through. I just needed someone to talk with and you are my only friend. He said I'm acting like a little kid. Sorry. I will write again. I hope things are good there and well for you. Take care of Jeremy.
Jeremy Scott
Justin is all Jeremy wants to talk and write about.
Mary West
Oh. He had started talking to Mr. King about Justin and he said the way Mr. King talks, he sounds like a smart young man. I guess I will find out soon.
Jeremy Scott
He can't stop thinking and wondering about his son and this family he knows so little about.
Mary West
Dear Mary, it was good to talk with you. Evidently we had a phone call. He said he got an email from Mr. King and Ms. Kelsey saying they were in Florida and that they had met Justin. My son and his son. Val, you gotta count it slow. One.
Jeremy Scott
You ready?
Mary West
Yeah. One. Two.
Jeremy Scott
Three.
Mary West
Is two years old. That makes me a grandpa. I didn't even know that Justin had kids. He listens to the podcast twice. Mr. King said. I hope it doesn't stop him from wrong writing to me. Mr. King said that he wants to visit me and he also wants to meet some of my family. I never thought I would be a grandpa. I hope someday that I will meet both my son and grandson. Mr. King told me that he was watching Justin play with his son at the playground. He said Justin is a dedicated father. Justin has a girlfriend who has three daughters of her her own, so he is doing good. I'm so glad that he never fell down that bad, dark road that I did. I wish things weren't like this. I really want to know him. I mean, everything.
Jeremy Scott
Where is he, Bel?
Mary West
I'm going to be waiting for him to write me.
Jeremy Scott
Oh, you found me.
Gilbert King
You're too clever.
Mary West
I can't be happier. Thank. Okay, that's it for this time.
Jeremy Scott
Hearing how excited Jeremy is about Justin makes me realize just how much he's missed his son's entire life. 35 years. Jeremy has never had to navigate a relationship like this, and I don't know if he has the tools to do it. What if he overwhelms Justin? What if he drives him away? What if in trying so hard to hold on, he ends up making things even worse for himself?
Mary West
Well, Mr. King is still in touch with my son, so I guess he's trying to put what he wants to say on paper. I know it's hard for him. He's going to write. I will be writing. I'm still working on a letter to him, so I know it's hard.
Jeremy Scott
I was hearing from both Jeremy and Justin that they were writing and rewriting drafts of letters to each other. Justin was unsure of how to find the right words for a father he'd never known. And Jeremy wasn't sure how to talk to his son he'd never held in his arms.
Mr. King
I tried to do what you told me about writing my son. It's harder than I thought. I'm still working on it. I don't know anything about him. I don't want to lose him. Not after all these years. I'm going to keep at it, okay? I hope that I get a letter tonight from you or anyone. It feels good to hear from someone. Well, I just wanted to talk to you again. I hope to hear from you soon. Get your car fixed in capital letters and parentheses and then a smiley face. Take care, Jeremy. Al Scott.
Jeremy Scott
With Mary's help, Jeremy is trying to be his best self, hoping Justin will recognize his effort and honesty. So you know that there's no possibility that Jeremy's really going to ever get out of prison.
Mary West
Oh, right. And he knows it, too.
Jeremy Scott
Yeah. I mean, what do you envision the rest of his life could look like.
Mary West
Um, well, I think it would be. Well, I would like to see him get a visit, a visit from his son. That would be like a big high point of his life.
Jeremy Scott
Finally, Jeremy managed to write his letter to Justin.
Mary West
He might not write me at all. I hope that he does. I ain't mad if he doesn't. He has a life to live out there. I'm just going over things in my head, that's all. And he says, I hate that. Sometimes I just get this feeling sometime I try not to let it get me down. I'm going to put my Game of Thrones down for a while and try to read these others about the dogs. And then he says, take care of Jeremy Scott. And then later there's a P.S. and he says, you're going to make me cry all over again. Old Yeller. And. And he did tell me later in a phone call that he did in fact cry because, you know, it's Old Yeller and it's a really good story.
Jeremy Scott
Jeremy sent his letter for Justin to me so I could deliver it in person. He asked me to give you this.
Mary West
Is this like his handwriting or is it.
Ryan Seacrest
That's his.
Jeremy Scott
Everything is his handwriting. That's next time Bone Valley is a production of Lava for Good podcast in association with Signal Company Number One. Our executive producers are Jason Flom, Jeff Kempler and Kevin Werdes. Kara Kornhaber is our senior producer. Jackie Pauley and Hannah Biel are our producers. Britt Spangler is our sound designer. Marianne McCune is our editor. Fact checking by Dania Suleiman. Jeff Clyburn is our head of marketing and operations. Our social media director is Ismati Guardarama, our social media manager is Sarah Gibbons and our art director is Andrew Nelson. Additional research and professional production by Kelsey Decker. Additional sound recording by James Johnson. Bone Valley is written and produced by me, Gilbert King. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and threads @ Lava for Good.
Mary West
Foreign Are.
Gilbert King
You still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the Now It Pays to Discover. Learn more at discover.com credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report not.
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Mary West
Hey, Jenice Torres here and I'm Austin Henkwitz. We're the hosts of Mind the Business Small Business Success Stories produced by Ruby Studio and Intuit QuickBooks. Catch up on seasons one and two and join us for a brand new season of the podcast as we talk to small business owners about how they manage and grow their businesses with the help of platforms like Intuit QuickBooks.
Gilbert King
Listen to mind the Business Small business Success Stories on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.
Jeremy Scott
Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Bone Valley: Jeremy | Chapter 5 - Like a Little Kid
Release Date: April 30, 2025
Host: Gilbert King
Production: Lava for Good Podcasts in association with Signal Co. No1
In Chapter 5 - "Like a Little Kid" of Bone Valley, host Gilbert King delves deeper into the poignant and complex relationship between Mary West, a compassionate house cleaner from northern Florida, and Jeremy Scott, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence. This episode uncovers the emotional journey of their correspondence, highlighting themes of redemption, familial bonds, and the struggle for personal transformation.
Mary West, now in her 60s, resides in northern Florida where she cleans houses to support herself. Despite her demanding job, Mary found solace in listening to podcasts, which eventually led her to discover Bone Valley.
"I like cleaning actually and so I just stayed with it. I was just googling one day for like podcasts set in Florida because I really just wanted to hear about local stuff, I guess."
— Mary West [02:08]
Her engagement with the podcast prompted her to reach out to Jeremy Scott, demonstrating her innate empathy and desire to connect with others, even those she knows little about.
The correspondence between Mary and Jeremy began shortly after Jeremy's confession to Michelle Schofield's murder. Mary, moved by Jeremy's plight, decided to write him a letter during the Christmas season, expressing her belief in his decision to confess.
"I thought he had done the right thing. To confess what he had done."
— Mary West [04:09]
Navigating the Florida Department of Corrections' protocols, Mary successfully sent Jeremy a modest sum for essentials like deodorant and toothpaste, unknowingly paving the way for a profound personal connection.
Jeremy Scott, who had confessed to Michelle Schofield's murder in 2017, shared a troubled past marked by instability and a lack of familial support. Growing up, Jeremy spent much of his childhood in foster homes, never meeting his father and feeling neglected by his mother.
"He always felt like something was wrong with him in the head and that he always felt like people were putting him down or making fun of him and that it hurts real bad."
— Mary West [15:01]
His early letters to Mary were cautious and tentative. He expressed surprise and gratitude for Mary’s outreach, often sharing snippets of his daily life and struggles within the prison system.
"Can I ask you something? I ain't never had anyone to want to help me..."
— Mary West [08:41]
As their correspondence continued, Jeremy's letters became more frequent and personal. He detailed his efforts to educate himself, mentioning Mr. Jackson, an inmate who taught him to read during his time on death row.
"Mr. Jackson was teaching me and if school could teach me the way he did, I could have been a new person."
— Mary West [18:02]
Mary responded by sending GED study books and other educational materials, wishing to support Jeremy’s quest for self-improvement. Their letters also touched upon everyday activities, such as Jeremy’s experience with washing his clothes and dealing with prison routines.
"I try to write a letter like most people do, but when I'm done and reread what I just wrote. It never sounds right. I just don't want you to think that I ain't trying."
— Jeremy Scott [21:00]
A significant shift in their correspondence occurred when Jeremy expressed a deep desire to reconnect with his estranged son, Justin. This revelation added layers of emotional complexity to their relationship.
"Justin is all Jeremy wants to talk and write about."
— Mary West [37:06]
Mary took an active role in facilitating this reconnection. She discovered that Justin had a young son, making Mary an unexpected future grandmother. This development intensified Jeremy's longing for familial bonds and redemption.
"I just wanted to say this. It's been on my mind all week."
— Jeremy Scott [32:14]
Mary shared updates about her own family and health struggles, fostering a mutual sense of vulnerability and trust between her and Jeremy.
"I hate the way this has turned out and wish it had never happened like this."
— Mary West [29:08]
The episode highlights the emotional toll of maintaining such a relationship. Mary grapples with her feelings about corresponding with a convicted murderer, questioning the boundaries of empathy and forgiveness.
"Truthfully, I just don't think about it too much. I just write the letters, you know, as if he's any other person in my life."
— Mary West [21:07]
Meanwhile, Jeremy's letters reveal his ongoing remorse and yearning for acceptance, not just from his son but from society at large.
"I never even met my dad. Don't even know who he was."
— Mary West [15:01]
By Chapter 5 - "Like a Little Kid", Bone Valley presents a deeply human story of connection and the quest for redemption. Through Mary West’s unwavering support, Jeremy Scott seeks to rebuild his identity and forge meaningful relationships, despite the barriers imposed by his incarceration. This episode not only explores the intricacies of their correspondence but also poses profound questions about forgiveness, the possibility of change, and the enduring need for human connection.
"With Mary's help, Jeremy is trying to be his best self, hoping Justin will recognize his effort and honesty."
— Jeremy Scott [40:42]
Notable Quotes:
"It's like you just get me. I feel like my true self with you."
— Ryan Seacrest [00:30]
"I have to learn to live with it. I just hope that you don't feel that way about me."
— Jeremy Scott [32:14]
"I'm sorry for my dog barking in the background."
— Jeremy Scott [16:07]
These quotes capture the essence of the interpersonal dynamics and emotional depth explored in this episode.
Bone Valley continues to unravel the layers of Jeremy Scott’s past and present, guided by Gilbert King’s meticulous storytelling. For those seeking an insightful exploration of human connections amidst dark circumstances, this episode offers a compelling narrative filled with empathy, struggle, and the hope for reconciliation.