| The True Story Of What Happened To Jason Michael Swift |
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| The Following is an account of what actually took place on February 12th, 2008, The day Jason Swift was shot and killed by Pawtucket Police. The words you read on this site come directly from Jason Swifts Mother Betty. If you know Betty, you know she does not lie or exaggerate and if she says this is what happened then you can bet your life this is exactly what happened. We are by no means Police bashers or haters. Law enforcement officials do plenty of good for plenty of people everyday. But just as we are not always right and don't always use best judgement, neither are they. They are human and make mistakes like the rest of us. This day I do believe they were wrong. |
I know how people always talk of the dead like they were the greatest. They sometimes exaggerate
how that person really was. But in Jason's case there is no exaggeration.
He was a sweet and loving person. He was a very big boy, he was 6' 4" tall and close to 300lbs. He
was a gentle giant!
You can ask anyone that knew him. He went out of his way to help people whenever he could. The
problem was that Jason cared too much about the people he loved and held close to him.
He also didn't like how this country was being run and wanted changes. Don't we all!
Now I want to tell you what really happened on February 12th, 2008 because so many lies have been
told that it breaks my heart.
I also want to mention that Jason had a breakdown about 6 months earlier and had taken off to
Harvard Square.
He was preaching to people about how this world needed changes and that we all needed to help
change it.
I called the Massachusetts police and told them to be on the look out for him and that he was having
psychological problems and to please get him somewhere where he could get help!
They were very understanding and they managed to get him to Mass General on the 11th floor for
treatment.
That night Jason sat in his chair all night crying at times and talking to himself.
I was crying in my room because I knew he needed help and I didn't know what to do. I felt helpless
because I didn't know how to help him!
how that person really was. But in Jason's case there is no exaggeration.
He was a sweet and loving person. He was a very big boy, he was 6' 4" tall and close to 300lbs. He
was a gentle giant!
You can ask anyone that knew him. He went out of his way to help people whenever he could. The
problem was that Jason cared too much about the people he loved and held close to him.
He also didn't like how this country was being run and wanted changes. Don't we all!
Now I want to tell you what really happened on February 12th, 2008 because so many lies have been
told that it breaks my heart.
I also want to mention that Jason had a breakdown about 6 months earlier and had taken off to
Harvard Square.
He was preaching to people about how this world needed changes and that we all needed to help
change it.
I called the Massachusetts police and told them to be on the look out for him and that he was having
psychological problems and to please get him somewhere where he could get help!
They were very understanding and they managed to get him to Mass General on the 11th floor for
treatment.
That night Jason sat in his chair all night crying at times and talking to himself.
I was crying in my room because I knew he needed help and I didn't know what to do. I felt helpless
because I didn't know how to help him!
FEBRUARY 12th 2008
For 3 days Jason hadn't slept, he would pace and talk to himself and cry to himself. He told me if
he went to sleep he felt he would die!
I tried to calm him but he was insistent that he feared for his life.
At first when his father came out of his room to go to work Jason wanted to go with him to see if he
could get a job. Because of the state of mind he was in, my husband told him to stay home and
take care of me.
He said O.K. Dad, You're right. He gave him a big hug and kissed him good-bye.
After my husband left for work Jason seemed to be getting worse. He would look up at nothing and
start talking to Danny, someone who was a friend of his.
I told him that Danny wasn't there and he said he didn't need him to be there, he could talk to him or
anyone else where ever they were and they could hear him.
I tried to talk reason to him but he just shrugged me off and said that I didn't understand.
I became frightened for my son. I told him that I was going to the store to get a couple things and
that I would be right back. He said OK Mom, be careful and yell if you need me. Hurry back.
He gave me a big hug and a kiss and told me that he loved me. I said, I'll be right back hunny OK,
please stay right here. He said OK Mom. I then left the house not knowing what I was going to do.
I got outside and spotted my niece and her friend at the end of my street. I walked over to them and
asked my niece's friend if I could use her cell phone.
I was crying because I knew I had to get him help. I kept saying over and over who do I call??! What
do I do?
I felt horrible about putting him in Butler. My niece's friend told me her Mom said to call 911 and ask
them. So I dialed 911 with dread in my heart. A man said What's your emergency? I told him my son
needed medical attention, that he was having a nervous breakdown and needed psychological
help. He said I'll connect you to the Pawtucket Police department.
Someone picked up the phone there and asked what my emergency was, I told them that my son
was having a nervous breakdown and I needed help getting him to a place where he could get
some help. They then asked me where I lived and I told them. Then I told them that I wasn't at the
house because I didn't want Jason to know that I was calling for help because he might try to leave.
They asked me where I was and I told them right down the street from my house. They told me to
stay there and to wave them down when I saw them.
It was very cold that morning and it felt like an eternity until they got there but I'm sure it was only a
few minutes.
Two officers pulled up to where I was and jumped out of their car and walked over to me. I told them
that I needed to get my son medical help, he was having a nervous breakdown. Could they please
get him to Butler hospital or another facility where they would be able to help him.
We started to walk towards my house. On the way to my house I told them he was a big boy and
that he might not go willingly. He might be afraid of them.
Just as we reached my house Jason opened the outside door and walked outside carrying a sword
that was still in it's sheath.
The Police immediately drew their weapons and yelled drop the weapon!
JASON INSTANTLY DROPPED THE SWORD (STILL IN IT'S SHEATH) TO THE GROUND AND PUT
HIS HANDS UP.
I ran over and grabbed the sword and threw it over the fence into my neighbors yard so there
wouldn't be any misunderstanding about it.
They told Jason to get on the ground and put his hands behind his head. Jason looked confused
and reached down to take his shirt off.
One of the officers rushed him and pushed him against the fence. He was facing the neighbors
house. Jason turned around and said something like, Don't push me, but when he turned around
he brushed against the officers sun glasses and they fell off of the officer. The officer then grabbed
his can of mace and sprayed the whole can into Jason's face, he sprayed so much that it got on me
and onto the officer who sprayed it. The can wasn't even an inch away from Jason's face when the
officer sprayed him! The officer backed up because of the pepper spray in his face and Jason
started walking to the stairs, he was trying to get the mace off his face.
Jason was shaking his head. I grabbed Jason just as he got to the stairs and begged him to get
down so they wouldn't hurt him. I said Jason, Please get down! I looked up into his face, I could see
his eyes were swollen shut and he looked terrified, I'll NEVER forget that look!
The officers screamed at me to let go of him! Let go of him now! They screamed that twice!
I'm going to add here that they never once tried to talk to Jason or to reason with him at any time at
all!!!
They looked very angry. I then let go of my son (something I will regret the rest of my life!) I backed
away and Jason ran into the hallway, the door shut behind him.
Instead of going after him while he was disoriented and in the hallway the two officers stood
outside the door talking to one another. I couldn't hear what they were saying, they were talking to
low! I said please, don't hurt my son! I called you to help him, please, don't hurt him!
Just then another officer grabbed me by my arm and told me to move away from the house and he
walked me down the street.
I asked him several times what was going on? He kept telling me he didn't know and as soon as
he did he would let me know.
Police car after police car started pulling up. I am not exaggerating when I say there were at least 10
by then.
Again, I begged the officer to tell me what was going on and again he said he wasn't sure.
Just then an ambulance pulled up and I started to scream "What happened to my son!?!" I honestly
thought that they had given him a beating and I felt sick to my stomach!
How could they beat him when they were supposed to be there to help him not hurt him!
The officer that was standing with me walked me even further away from my house and I became
terrified and started asking him frantically to please tell me what is going on!
He then pointed to another officer who was coming down the road and said he was the Sergeant
and that I could ask him.
I ran over to the Sergeant and asked "can you please tell me what is going on?". He turned to me
and said "Ma'am, unfortunately your son is dead".
I fell to the ground and started screaming "THEY KILLED HIM! OH MY GOD! THEY KILLED MY SON!"
(over and over again).
HOW COULD THEY KILL HIM?, I CALLED THEM FOR HELP! I CALLED THEM FOR HELP! OH MY
GOD! HOW COULD THEY KILL HIM? I CALLED THEM TO HELP HIM AND NOW THEY MADE ME A
PART OF HIS MURDER! OH MY GOD! I'M THE ONE THAT CALLED THEM! HOW WILL I EVER LIVE
WITH THAT?! I MADE THE WRONG DECISION! THE WORST DECISION OF MY LIFE! HOW CAN I
LIVE WITH THAT?!
Someone asked where my husband worked then gave me a cell phone and said the number is
already ringing. My husband got on the line and all I could say was "They killed him Tom, they killed
Jason!"
Then an officer took me and put me in his car in the back seat and took me to the police station and
put me in a little room and left me there. He came in again and asked if he could get me anything
and I said "Yes, I want to see my husband. Please get my husband!" He left the room and a few
minutes later a female detective came in and I asked her to "get my husband please." She said she
would and left the room.
Then detective Devine told me they were waiting for the state police to come and take a statement
from me and until then I couldn't see anyone!
I told him I couldn't stop thinking about it and it was driving me crazy!
He said "I'm sorry but we have to wait until the state police get here."
I asked how long that would be. He said "well, you know the state police." Then he said he didn't
know how long it would be!
I sat there and cried my heart out and relived the morning over and over in my head.
Then I had to relive it again when the state policeman got there. I had to tell it again and again!
I felt like I was dying inside, the pain was unbearable!
For 3 days Jason hadn't slept, he would pace and talk to himself and cry to himself. He told me if
he went to sleep he felt he would die!
I tried to calm him but he was insistent that he feared for his life.
At first when his father came out of his room to go to work Jason wanted to go with him to see if he
could get a job. Because of the state of mind he was in, my husband told him to stay home and
take care of me.
He said O.K. Dad, You're right. He gave him a big hug and kissed him good-bye.
After my husband left for work Jason seemed to be getting worse. He would look up at nothing and
start talking to Danny, someone who was a friend of his.
I told him that Danny wasn't there and he said he didn't need him to be there, he could talk to him or
anyone else where ever they were and they could hear him.
I tried to talk reason to him but he just shrugged me off and said that I didn't understand.
I became frightened for my son. I told him that I was going to the store to get a couple things and
that I would be right back. He said OK Mom, be careful and yell if you need me. Hurry back.
He gave me a big hug and a kiss and told me that he loved me. I said, I'll be right back hunny OK,
please stay right here. He said OK Mom. I then left the house not knowing what I was going to do.
I got outside and spotted my niece and her friend at the end of my street. I walked over to them and
asked my niece's friend if I could use her cell phone.
I was crying because I knew I had to get him help. I kept saying over and over who do I call??! What
do I do?
I felt horrible about putting him in Butler. My niece's friend told me her Mom said to call 911 and ask
them. So I dialed 911 with dread in my heart. A man said What's your emergency? I told him my son
needed medical attention, that he was having a nervous breakdown and needed psychological
help. He said I'll connect you to the Pawtucket Police department.
Someone picked up the phone there and asked what my emergency was, I told them that my son
was having a nervous breakdown and I needed help getting him to a place where he could get
some help. They then asked me where I lived and I told them. Then I told them that I wasn't at the
house because I didn't want Jason to know that I was calling for help because he might try to leave.
They asked me where I was and I told them right down the street from my house. They told me to
stay there and to wave them down when I saw them.
It was very cold that morning and it felt like an eternity until they got there but I'm sure it was only a
few minutes.
Two officers pulled up to where I was and jumped out of their car and walked over to me. I told them
that I needed to get my son medical help, he was having a nervous breakdown. Could they please
get him to Butler hospital or another facility where they would be able to help him.
We started to walk towards my house. On the way to my house I told them he was a big boy and
that he might not go willingly. He might be afraid of them.
Just as we reached my house Jason opened the outside door and walked outside carrying a sword
that was still in it's sheath.
The Police immediately drew their weapons and yelled drop the weapon!
JASON INSTANTLY DROPPED THE SWORD (STILL IN IT'S SHEATH) TO THE GROUND AND PUT
HIS HANDS UP.
I ran over and grabbed the sword and threw it over the fence into my neighbors yard so there
wouldn't be any misunderstanding about it.
They told Jason to get on the ground and put his hands behind his head. Jason looked confused
and reached down to take his shirt off.
One of the officers rushed him and pushed him against the fence. He was facing the neighbors
house. Jason turned around and said something like, Don't push me, but when he turned around
he brushed against the officers sun glasses and they fell off of the officer. The officer then grabbed
his can of mace and sprayed the whole can into Jason's face, he sprayed so much that it got on me
and onto the officer who sprayed it. The can wasn't even an inch away from Jason's face when the
officer sprayed him! The officer backed up because of the pepper spray in his face and Jason
started walking to the stairs, he was trying to get the mace off his face.
Jason was shaking his head. I grabbed Jason just as he got to the stairs and begged him to get
down so they wouldn't hurt him. I said Jason, Please get down! I looked up into his face, I could see
his eyes were swollen shut and he looked terrified, I'll NEVER forget that look!
The officers screamed at me to let go of him! Let go of him now! They screamed that twice!
I'm going to add here that they never once tried to talk to Jason or to reason with him at any time at
all!!!
They looked very angry. I then let go of my son (something I will regret the rest of my life!) I backed
away and Jason ran into the hallway, the door shut behind him.
Instead of going after him while he was disoriented and in the hallway the two officers stood
outside the door talking to one another. I couldn't hear what they were saying, they were talking to
low! I said please, don't hurt my son! I called you to help him, please, don't hurt him!
Just then another officer grabbed me by my arm and told me to move away from the house and he
walked me down the street.
I asked him several times what was going on? He kept telling me he didn't know and as soon as
he did he would let me know.
Police car after police car started pulling up. I am not exaggerating when I say there were at least 10
by then.
Again, I begged the officer to tell me what was going on and again he said he wasn't sure.
Just then an ambulance pulled up and I started to scream "What happened to my son!?!" I honestly
thought that they had given him a beating and I felt sick to my stomach!
How could they beat him when they were supposed to be there to help him not hurt him!
The officer that was standing with me walked me even further away from my house and I became
terrified and started asking him frantically to please tell me what is going on!
He then pointed to another officer who was coming down the road and said he was the Sergeant
and that I could ask him.
I ran over to the Sergeant and asked "can you please tell me what is going on?". He turned to me
and said "Ma'am, unfortunately your son is dead".
I fell to the ground and started screaming "THEY KILLED HIM! OH MY GOD! THEY KILLED MY SON!"
(over and over again).
HOW COULD THEY KILL HIM?, I CALLED THEM FOR HELP! I CALLED THEM FOR HELP! OH MY
GOD! HOW COULD THEY KILL HIM? I CALLED THEM TO HELP HIM AND NOW THEY MADE ME A
PART OF HIS MURDER! OH MY GOD! I'M THE ONE THAT CALLED THEM! HOW WILL I EVER LIVE
WITH THAT?! I MADE THE WRONG DECISION! THE WORST DECISION OF MY LIFE! HOW CAN I
LIVE WITH THAT?!
Someone asked where my husband worked then gave me a cell phone and said the number is
already ringing. My husband got on the line and all I could say was "They killed him Tom, they killed
Jason!"
Then an officer took me and put me in his car in the back seat and took me to the police station and
put me in a little room and left me there. He came in again and asked if he could get me anything
and I said "Yes, I want to see my husband. Please get my husband!" He left the room and a few
minutes later a female detective came in and I asked her to "get my husband please." She said she
would and left the room.
Then detective Devine told me they were waiting for the state police to come and take a statement
from me and until then I couldn't see anyone!
I told him I couldn't stop thinking about it and it was driving me crazy!
He said "I'm sorry but we have to wait until the state police get here."
I asked how long that would be. He said "well, you know the state police." Then he said he didn't
know how long it would be!
I sat there and cried my heart out and relived the morning over and over in my head.
Then I had to relive it again when the state policeman got there. I had to tell it again and again!
I felt like I was dying inside, the pain was unbearable!
WHAT MY NEIGHBOR SAW AND HEARD UPSTAIRS
She said that she heard Jason running up the stairs and heard him swear because he hurt
himself somehow. (I'm guessing it was he couldn't see because of all the mace in his face!)
She opened the door and saw him go into our apartment and shut and lock the door. She was
going to ask him if he was OK. Then a few seconds later she heard voices in the hallway yelling
"come out or we're coming in to get you!". (she said they said that twice)
Then she saw her door bulging as if someone was pressing really hard against it. Then she
heard my door bust open and heard footsteps running into my apartment. At this time she opened
her door and stuck her head out to see what was going on. She saw 5 officers, 2 were standing on
either side of my door, 2 more standing in different places in the parlor and one more officer
standing in my kitchen. (there is no wall between my parlor and kitchen so she could see
everything very well!)
She said Jason was completely naked standing between my table and the counter where the
kitchen sink is. She heard the officer tell him to get on his knees and put his hands behind his
head.
Jason just stood there.
The officer in the kitchen grabbed Jason and tried to put him down on his knees. When he did this,
Jason's head hit the kitchen counter and then Jason and the officer scuffled.
She got scared for Jason and shut her door.
She opened her door again and she saw Jason again, he was still naked. She said Jason started
yelling really loud "I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU" over and over again. She said he was looking up.
She closed her door again. She heard more scuffling and one of the officers started yelling "get
down or I'm going to shoot you!". She said that he said this twice to Jason.
She said she thinks Jason tried to jump over the kitchen counter to try to get away from them.
She said she heard what sounded like footsteps running and then she heard 2 shots!
She opened her door for the final time and she saw Jason laying about a foot away from the front
of my doorway face down but she could only see from his waist down and she could tell he was
dead, there was blood all over him.
She closed her door and cried.
Then she heard one of the officers say to the other officer that he heard the door open 2 or 3 times
behind them and that they better take her to the station.
THIS IS THE GODS HONEST TRUTH AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON JASON MICHAEL
SWIFT.
THEY NOT ONLY TOOK MY SON'S LIFE SENSELESSLY! THEY ALSO TOOK AWAY MY HOME OF 15
YEARS WHERE I HAVE LOTS OF LOVING MEMORIES OF MY SON!
I HAVE NOT GONE BACK THERE AND I NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO GO BACK THERE EVER AGAIN!
I AM ASKING ALL OF HIS FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES TO STAND UP AND RALLY FOR JASON.
DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH CALLING THIS A JUSTIFIED HOMICIDE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT
ONE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM!
PLEASE CALL AND WRITE TO WHOEVER YOU CAN! BE A VOICE FOR JASON BECAUSE HIS
VOICE HAS BEEN FOREVER SILENCED! WE ARE HIS VOICE NOW!
She said that she heard Jason running up the stairs and heard him swear because he hurt
himself somehow. (I'm guessing it was he couldn't see because of all the mace in his face!)
She opened the door and saw him go into our apartment and shut and lock the door. She was
going to ask him if he was OK. Then a few seconds later she heard voices in the hallway yelling
"come out or we're coming in to get you!". (she said they said that twice)
Then she saw her door bulging as if someone was pressing really hard against it. Then she
heard my door bust open and heard footsteps running into my apartment. At this time she opened
her door and stuck her head out to see what was going on. She saw 5 officers, 2 were standing on
either side of my door, 2 more standing in different places in the parlor and one more officer
standing in my kitchen. (there is no wall between my parlor and kitchen so she could see
everything very well!)
She said Jason was completely naked standing between my table and the counter where the
kitchen sink is. She heard the officer tell him to get on his knees and put his hands behind his
head.
Jason just stood there.
The officer in the kitchen grabbed Jason and tried to put him down on his knees. When he did this,
Jason's head hit the kitchen counter and then Jason and the officer scuffled.
She got scared for Jason and shut her door.
She opened her door again and she saw Jason again, he was still naked. She said Jason started
yelling really loud "I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU" over and over again. She said he was looking up.
She closed her door again. She heard more scuffling and one of the officers started yelling "get
down or I'm going to shoot you!". She said that he said this twice to Jason.
She said she thinks Jason tried to jump over the kitchen counter to try to get away from them.
She said she heard what sounded like footsteps running and then she heard 2 shots!
She opened her door for the final time and she saw Jason laying about a foot away from the front
of my doorway face down but she could only see from his waist down and she could tell he was
dead, there was blood all over him.
She closed her door and cried.
Then she heard one of the officers say to the other officer that he heard the door open 2 or 3 times
behind them and that they better take her to the station.
THIS IS THE GODS HONEST TRUTH AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON JASON MICHAEL
SWIFT.
THEY NOT ONLY TOOK MY SON'S LIFE SENSELESSLY! THEY ALSO TOOK AWAY MY HOME OF 15
YEARS WHERE I HAVE LOTS OF LOVING MEMORIES OF MY SON!
I HAVE NOT GONE BACK THERE AND I NEVER WILL BE ABLE TO GO BACK THERE EVER AGAIN!
I AM ASKING ALL OF HIS FRIENDS AND LOVED ONES TO STAND UP AND RALLY FOR JASON.
DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH CALLING THIS A JUSTIFIED HOMICIDE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT
ONE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM!
PLEASE CALL AND WRITE TO WHOEVER YOU CAN! BE A VOICE FOR JASON BECAUSE HIS
VOICE HAS BEEN FOREVER SILENCED! WE ARE HIS VOICE NOW!