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 Joshua Kezer, right, says a prayer before dinner with his grandparents Hadley and Jane James at their 60th wedding anniversary celebration Friday at Dexter Barbeque in Cape Girardeau. (Elizabeth Dodd) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
On July 10, in celebration of James and his wife Jane's 60th wedding anniversary Sunday, the entire family was able to be together for the first time since their grandson, Joshua C. Kezer, was convicted 15 years ago of second-degree murder.
Kezer, now 34, was released from prison in February after a Missouri judge ruled he had been wrongly convicted of the 1992 killing of 19-year-old Angela Mischelle Lawless in Benton, Mo.
"It was a long time coming," Hadley James said of having his extended family together again.
Kathy Smith, aunt of Kezer, was in a Ste. Genevieve County courtroom in June of 1994 when Kezer was convicted, and said she vividly remembers the moment.
 Joshua Kezer, center, poses for a photo with family members Rebecca Sherman, left, Kathy Smith and Michael Whisker at a 60th anniversary celebration for Kezer's grandparents Hadley and Jane James on Friday at Dexter BBQ in Cape Girardeau. (Elizabeth Dodd) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
"Now all of a sudden he's back, it's just unreal, it's like he was never gone."
After almost five months of freedom, Kezer, who recently moved into his own apartment in Columbia, Mo., said he's enjoying the chance to reunite with family members -- including nieces and nephews born during his incarceration -- and old friends.
"I'm enjoying life," Kezer said.
Kezer has been working about 25 to 30 hours a week for a contractor based in Columbia, doing painting and drywalling, and searching for speaking opportunities at public events, he said.
 Joshua Kezer, holds his niece Madison Smith, 4, whom he has only seen for the second time at a 60th anniversary celebration for Kezer's grandparents Hadley and Jane James Friday at Dexter Barbeque in Cape Girardeau. (Elizabeth Dodd) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo] |
"Isn't that everybody else's trouble, too?" Kezer said.
He's also had the opportunity since his release to attend church services with his grandparents, who he says provided the foundation for his faith in God, without which he has said he wouldn't have survived a decade and a half in prison.
"They're the ones that convinced me that Christianity could be real," Kezer said.
"They're the real example of it."
Before the family sat down to eat, Kezer said a prayer thanking God for reuniting them.
Jane James said she still has the gift she received from Kezer for their 50th wedding anniversary, though the then-24-year-old had to have a friend send it by mail.
"I remember Hadley saying, 'I would just like to have all my grandkids around the table one more time,'" she said.
She said she never thought Kezer would remain in prison, and that she prayed repeatedly for his release.
"They never wavered, they paid for my trial lawyers, they wrote me, they never rejected a phone call," Kezer said, calling his grandparents the "bedrock of the family."
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What a wonderful 60th anniversary present:
especially of hearing your freed grandson
voicing the prayer at the event! God is so
good!!!!!!!!
Are we done with this story yet? He's out. Yay for him. Can we move on now?
Hey, you need stories like this to remind folk that miracles do happen. Between this and the Jackson folk standing up against that fireworks ban, it renews your faith in what's good about this country.
Wow...farmwife2! Perhaps jealous of farmwife1? Get a life! Give this precious family a break. They deserve as many as they want.
Actually I was farmwife1, but when they redid the website I lost access to that userid.
I never said I wasn't happy for them, I am just tired of reading about it. Enjoy your time together. It just doesn't need to be headline news anymore.
I agree, sounds like "farmwife2" has a problem with people being happy, this family deserves a break. If you do don't agree then don't read the articles about them. Simple solution!!!
Hey, Farmwife2 - - Josh spent 15yrs,11mos,&3days behind bars for something he had nothing to do with. And in less than 5 months you have the nerve to say you're TIRED of reading about him?!?!! They ought to print stories about him for the same amount of time he spent locked up & if you don't like it, take the pages out & line your chicken coops. In the meantime, go slop some hogs or whatever it takes to keep your foot out of your mouth! His family has endured 16 yrs. of pain & suffering, it's long overdue for them to have some happiness!!!
Blondie1, was it the SEMissourian who locked him up? NO! I too have read enough stories about this man. I would like to see some stories following up on the Lawless murder????
turnip and farmwife1&2: If you're tired of reading them, don't click on them! Those of us who are interested, and praying for him to be able to resume a "normal" life, love the updates. It does our hearts, and our faith, good.
hey i'm happy for the guy too, but let's stop beating a dead horse. when i saw the headline i was like geez another story? leave the guy alone.
i agree with turnip - let's see some stories on the actual murder and see if ace investigative reporting can also help out here and find the real killer.
...and his wallet? seriously, he doesn't even live in this area. As I stated earlier I would like to see some articles/updates about the first victim is this case, Angela Lawless. What happen to the results of the new testing? I am more interested about the life of the det./chief that is still working on this case. Not to mention, if all reports are true, this killer(s) are still roaming our streets. I'm tickled pink Kezer is getting along well but I'm sure he has a website you can all go check out. ☻ I will comment when/where I like, thank you.
Wooooo Hooooo! Jumping on the ENOUGH ALREADY bandwagon! Yes I am! Quick search, 50+ articles on this man.
Nice.....Farmwife, Turnip, Des......what patience and compassion. You know the real funny part is that your comments have no effect. They're irrelevant. I would bet that Josh is in such a good place right now that his happiness lends no emotion or negative thought to your forgettable words. Let the haters hate! And God forbid, anyone do a feel good follow up story.........let's only keep the sensational murders, rapes, and crimes in the news.....get'em Blondie.....wink wink.....Josh, I hope you are enjoying every second of it........you've earned it.
This story is getting old, it is time to move on to something else.
"And God forbid, anyone do a feel good follow up story.........
-- Posted by davereynolds on Mon, Jul 13, 2009, at 3:24 PM
or twelve....lol! ☻
Then DON'T READ THEM if you're tired of it!! No one is MAKING you! It IS still news to some of us. If he's tired of the attention, he will deny the interviews. I agree that it would be nice to hear some follow-up on the investigation still at hand, and I too hope for some closure for the family of Miss Lawless.
But c'mon! The SEMissourian CAN do both if they wish, and YOU can skip the articles you don't want to read! Problem solved.
I'm not tired of hearing about Josh Kezer. I think his story is fascinating and wish he would write a book. It's a great story of triumph, perseverance and faith. How many of us could come out of something like that as well as he has. More power to him and I'm happy that the Southeast Missourian still prints articles about him.
Gees! Some of you people need a reality check. Who told you that you MUST read every article in the paper? Pick what you want & leave the rest. I noticed ya'll didn't have anything to say during his first trial when he was wrongfully prosecuted & erroniously convicted, but now all of a sudden, you want to be TIRED of hearing about his victory & progress?!!!! You will get some update on the on-going investigation to root out the actual murders when it's time. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that they can't print things before official charges have been filed. I know who atleast 2 of them are & if you actually took time to read the articles, you'd suspect MA & KW too. Stop griping about Kezer stories & pay attention! Do you have to have everything spelled out word by word for you?
I'd be more mad that "god" stole my 20s. Then again, as my name clearly indicates, I don't believe in fairy tales.
I hope the people responsible for his false incarceration are held responsible.
I emphatically agree with Irish_Atheist about the people who perpetrated this travesty of justice be held responsible. Especially the half-a**** prosecutor, who should be disbarred at the very least. And let's remember all the other people who have been railroaded on no evidence other than jailhouse snitches. These people are underrepresented. I mean no disrespect to our Public Defenders; most of them are fine people doing a very difficult job, but they are overworked, many are burned out and sick of working for criminals. Under these circumstances it's easy to advise an innocent person to take a plea. And they will take the plea because they know they have no chance of preparing a defense.
I'm sorry for the long, boring rant, but I feel very strongly that there should equal legal representation for every socioeconomic class.
Josh did not have a a public pretender. His grandpararents spepent ovver 70,000 dollars on his first trial, not to mention how many thousandsands they spent on his appeals. His second trial (by the grace of GOD) was taken probrono by a multi-million dollar firm got him exonereratered, which he deserved!!!!! GOD bless them.
God Bless this family!!! I went to school with Josh and I am so glad that he is finally free. I feel so blessed to be able to read in the paper that this family is finally together again. I would also like to say to the family: Thank You for having so much faith in God and for believing in Josh when I know so many would have turned their backs and never looked back. He is the good person he is because he was taught right by his family. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!
Irish - God didn't take his 20's. God gave people free will, and that ultimately took his 20's. We aren't little puppets that God controls. I believe I have read or heard that Josh has said that his some of his choices way back then put him in a position in which he could be named in this crime (the people he was involved with and activities he was participating in, previous run-ins with the law), even though he had nothing to do with it.
Josh is choosing at this point to use his experience to glorify God. He is letting everyone know that without God, he would not be where he is today - adjusting better than most would, NOT voicing his victimization angrily or spreading hate. He is choosing to be thankful and joyful in the midst of what was lost. What a testimony! It means much more than the average Joe saying that God will get you through the hard times.
Oops...didn't mean for that to sound like Kezer brought it all on himself. The other people involved - lawyers, informants, "witnesses", etc had free will as well, however, and will someday have to account for their actions.
Well said chocolatte! You took the words right out of my mouth!
I too am glad to read updates on Josh's progress. Keep em coming SE Missourian!
It is terrible that he had to spend 15 years in jail. Nothing can make up for the time he lost.
*****I agree with the earlier comment: what is going on with the Lawless investigation? When are they going the arrest the real killer(s)???
Maybe some of you should write responses in Word and spell check before posting.
I too, like the stories and updates.