James E Sullivan

Author. I spent 30 years in prison. This is my story of redemption.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

On November 3, 1967, Retta was born. Lawanna was born on November 17, 1968. She died two months later from pneumonia. Our son, Michael Wayne, was born in 1970.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

When I woke up, Wolf was shaking me. He dragged me away from the house, took my gun, and threw it into the sewer.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I was loaded with booze and weed. I didn’t know what was happening. I turned around, and as I fell to the ground, shot him twice.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

We had a big wedding. All my family and friends were there.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

She was a beautiful lady, inside and out.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I met Pat at a party. We started to dance, and she asked if I would walk her home.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I was beginning to build a reputation. They soon let my brother and Wolf out, but I had to stay for six months, because again, I was in possession of a firearm.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I was arrested multiple times for stupid stuff like stealing and selling pot or booze. That same year my brother, Wolf, and I stole a car. I spent six months in the Dallas City Jail.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

We were making good money, just bootlegging. For protection, I was still packing those two .22 pistols.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

8. The "Life of Crime" begins

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

So I ran away from home again. My older brother found me and brought me back.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

The judge gave me a year of detention at the Gatesville Boys’ School. I was fifteen years old.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

7. Juvenile Detention, Gatesville

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I picked up two pearl-handled .22-caliber pistols. They became my constant companions.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

My friends and I broke into the place and stole every gun in the store. Then we started throwing bullets into a wagon. We didn’t even know what kind of bullets we were getting.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I carried a two-by-four with a round handle. I would crack anybody in the ribs who dared me.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

All these guys had gold in their mouths. So I asked them where they got the money to have all that gold.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

We robbed the bus drivers and taxi drivers. We used the tokens we stole to ride the bus anywhere in town for free.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

In Junior High, when I needed them most, there were few, if any, role models in my life.

[James E Sullivan @BadUglyAndGood]

I had a newspaper route, but I never turned in any of the money I collected. I told my boss that people weren’t paying their bills. One day my boss came to my house to collect.