Right Lets do this, lets talk about Jason Rose

Everyone who's reletivly close to me has been aware this last week that there has been only one thing on my mind, and it's likely to be at the front of my thoughts for quite a while yet.

Last tuesday a man known to his friends fondly as 'Whiteboy' Died at the young age of 24.

He was in Exeter Prison on remand for pointing an immitation gun at police officers in an attempt (in his own words) to get himself shot. It later also came to light that Jay had tried to cut his wrists.

His family was under the impression that he would get better help with his troubles while on remand and i believed this also.




This was not the case.

I wanted to understand why Jay did what he did and Jay wrote to me saying he was to organise for me to visit him in exeter prison where he would explain to me everything.

But that never happend.

It all happened so quickly.

On the 2nd of august Jason hung himself in his cell.



If you have read this far you are probably swirling ideas around in your head to try and picture what sort of person Jay was to end up doing something like this. I can assure you Jason was NOTHING like how the Plymouth Herald depicted him. In fact i was furious and appalled by the way the Plymouth Herald handled the news and had presented it to the public.

Those who knew jay were also shocked by Plymouth Herald and many heartfelt comments expressed their disgust. It is a shame that the Plymouth Herald hides the name of who wrote it, perhaps they know their stories are such bad journalism that they already feel ashamed.

It was later stated that while in Exeter Prison Jason was not on any special Suicide watch.


Reading that left me stunned and motionless,


All my questions surrounding what happened suddenly converge into one big question, 'why were they not looking after him, i thought that was the whole point of him being in there??'.

Its hard not to feel hate towards Exeter Prison, but their will be an inquest into why his time in Exeter Prison lead to Jays death and until then i have to reserve judgment and have some faith in justice.

To many he seemed happy, in love and loved, not crazy. To an extent we all have troubles and maybe there is a thin line that if not careful we can cross, i don't know. Maybe over time i'll find out why, but I'm prepared for the possibility that i may never really understand. He shared everything with me except this last bit, and i'll try and work out, i like a challenge.

I still remember vividly when i first met him at Dumnonni Chronicles LARP. He inspired me through his life in so many ways, and will continue to throughout the rest of my life probably. He knew how much i loved him and i knew he valued my friendship a lot.  I doubt he really understood though just how much he shaped me as a person. How i chose to be as a friend to him was the blueprint for how i've been a friend to all those after him.

So far i have cried everyday.
I cry at the most unexpected moments, and i can hear myself and i think 'geez this is truly odd as i really don't seem to be able to control this'.


I used to txt him most nights.....

ME: ooh god, its in my Racoon wounds!!
Jay: Its in my eye
Me: Jason Rose you Rock!
Jay: well i do try :)

Now it feels like that constant connection has been torn out. All thats left are the txt messages that I'm reluctant to ever delete.


Ive never lost a close friend in this way before.

Due to the inquest Jays funeral is still a question mark. I dunno how i will be saying goodbye in such a setting. This is yet a another new experience Jay is giving me.

The Plymouth Herald painted a dreadful picture of a demonised inhuman criminal. If you have not seen it already, the embedded video is my attempt to paint a true picture of my friend who was a human, a real, kind heartfelt person who everyone liked and who cared for his friends right up to the end.

In a way i know Jay would hate this video, he'd describe it as 'Shallow and Pedantic'.