A Crooked Cop, An Innocent Man, And An Unlikely Journey Of Forgiveness And Friendship

This is Lee Habib and this is our American stories we tell stories about everything here on the show including your story. Send them our American stories.com. Some of our favorites up next.

We continue with our recurring series about the curious origins of every day sayings.

The stories behind them to join us again is Andrew Thompson as he continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding the many mysteries these many stories of our precious English language out of the blue means complete or unexpected surprise and it's a variation of the expression of bulk from the blue. The ancient Romans called a flash of lightning on a clear diet thunderbolt from the blue. The blue and the phrase is related to the blue the sky lighting on a sunny day was always a very rare and the rhymes began to use the signs referred to any sudden surprise. The phrase was first used in writing by Thomas Carlisle in a bulky writing writing 37 the expression of the tall sometimes shown to other TT means to an excessive degree will be owned acceptable limits for outrageous and it has its origins in trench warfare and global bond to drive the top was to charge on foot across open ground for the safety of the trenches, the old, was given out of the top lads and the best of luck, but few have much luck as I often ran head on into enemy machine gun fire on the first day of the battle of the Solomon July 9, 1650 8000 casualties were sustained by the British. When Michael went over the top to paint the town red means to go out and celebrate will get very drunk. He does its origins to allegedly normative revelry. In 1937 was a Manco the Marquis of Waterford known as the mad Marquis because of his erratic behavior and he went out one night an English town of Milton my bright, the group went berserk on vandalism spree in my bright windows pulled off gold logos and smashed flowerpots unsatisfied with that but by quad some red paint and painted it swollen statue a number of house tools and even a toll guide to completely read the Michael Slater pipe compensation for the damage caused, but he had painted the town red would never live it down.

The parting shot as a whole stalled gesture or mock might well departing which the person hearing has no chance to respond to enterprise always found interesting. Thanks to military tactic from the 17th century the Parthians at the time when ancient rice living in Northeast Persia and their army include mounted options. These options would rot away from the enemy at full gallop, giving the impression of a retreat, but as the enemy approached the Hodges. It was the questions would turn in five hours backwards with great accuracy. Originally known as a policy and shot the phrase was corrupted to parting shot by the early 20th century deposit box means to shift blame or responsibility to someone else. I need originates from the kind of public to become popular in America during the 19th century implies Roy suspicious of any full boss were cheating to stop this. The conduit was frequently rotated during a dime and the person was next in line to deal was given a mockup which is often annoyed.

The handles of most gnaws at the time of my foxhole, so the market became known as a buck. When the deal is 10 was complete he would pass the block. Pres. Harry S Truman famously displayed us on these days that red buck stops here and that gave rise to the expression mineable commonplace deposit with flying colors means to have success at a difficult task need to sailing time that dates back to the early 1700s, a sheep's flag will Bennett was known as its colors.

When a Schiphol fleet was successful in battle and was returning to his homeland. It would sailing with its flag flying high on the mouse. This indicated that the ship had been victorious to retain its flag rather than lost it to the enemy to pounce with flying colors was a sure sign of victory to pay through the nose means to pay an excessive amount for something and it's got to interesting and strange origins.

It dates alloy back to annoyed century when the Vikings invited island. The Dinesh had extraordinary cost textiles which they imposed on any land they invited the invasion of island. They applied a particular cost tax nose to nose tax the punishment for inviting the nose tax was quite the anyone refusing to pay the tax. Had they known the sleep from tape to eyebrow. The people had a choice to pay the tax pay through the nose picking Golda is a hierarchy all authority in a group need to phrase it began with the filing of chickens domestic poultry maintain a strict hierarchy where the lead and is able to pick any of for whatever reason, without fear of retribution.

The other havens awarded beneath the lead and each of them know which hands allow them unless I am to be packed these cascades down to the lowest hen gets picked while the other hands it was German biologists who were observing this behavior: the phrase picking Golda in the 1920s and went on to take its water meeting. By the 1950s a peeping Tom was a man who secretly observes women would make it. Its origins lie in the story of Lady Godiva in the 11th century.

She was married to a knoll he widened large land holdings and imposed heavy taxes on the less wealthy, which resulted in public outrage Godiva disagree with the taxes and cost husband to reduce the thinking she would never do it. He agreed to lower the taxes on the condition that she rode a horse naked through the streets of Coventry in England. She decided to take up the challenge as a mark of respect all the townsfolk agreed to stay indoors.

Close the shot is and not watch the highly publicized spectacle ever unkempt that word in the town except for the Kyla home Tom was unable to resist a glimpse of Godiva three shelters and a phrase was formed and terrific storytelling and great production on that bright red hangover. Funny funny stuff that good stuff. Andrew Thompson is the invoice you are listening to his book care of the dog to paint the town red. The curious origins of everyday sayings and fun phrases in my goodness another chicken story we watch that with our own will.

Chickens and the hierarchy they have is one poor chick images takes it from everybody and we don't know what to do about it because there's nothing you can. There is a thing called the pecking order. These are terrific stories about our English language and where these phrases come from red Hagler is always great job on the production. Andrew Thompson stories of everyday sin, our English language celebrated here on our American store if you love the stories we tell about this great country and especially the stories of America's rich past. Know that all of our stories about American history from word innovation culture and faith are brought to us by the great folks at Hillsdale College Place for students study all the things that are beautiful in life and all the things good in life. If you can't get the Hillsdale bill will come to you with a free and terrific online courses go to Hillsdale.edu to learn Geico asks how would you love a chance to save some money on insurance, of course, the way and when it comes to great rates on insurance Geico can help like with insurance for your car, truck, motorcycle, boat and RV either help with homeowners or renters coverage class at an easy to use mobile app available 24 hour roadside assistance and more.

And Geico is an easy choice switch today and see all the ways you can save it's easy. Simply go to Geico.com or contact your local agent today and we continue with our American story. It all went down in the city of Benton Harbor, Michigan in 2006 Andrew Collins was a narcotics officer, Jamel McGee was a new father of the baby boy this is a story about forgiveness, brokenness and true reconciliation from two guys who should have been hardened, bitter enemies without any further ado let's hear how Andrew and Jamel's unlikely stories intersect starting with Jamel February 8, 2006 with a beta forever changed my life. February 8, 2006 really just another day for me. All I want to do was go to the store and get some milk for Martha.

All I wanted on a day was another conviction so I could arrive for some guys that I knew.

The party will be up to no good.

I had caught a guy was some crack. He knew a guy was more crack so he made a phone call so we get to the store and guy asked me to use the fall. At the time I didn't think anything of it so I gave him a fall so I get to the store and I see the vehicle just like I was told one guy in the vehicle and another guy comes out of the store. I'm not sure if he has some to do with it but to make sure he is on the do with it so I'm coming out the stones guys approached Mutombo. He's a cop wears a dope like what the hell have need to guide no dope today my dope. How many times have I heard this before. That's what everybody says so I had him lock them up.

How can I be going to jail for some drugs that is in mind how is this possible trial easy to take it a try all the way that I wrote that report you can take it to trial.

What a waste of my time will I wasn't about to plead guilty to something that I know I didn't do so I told my story and I got my conviction and Jamel McGee was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

So Jamel could you share with us what it was like sitting in jail sit in prison knowing you had 10 years over your head was rough. It was painful. I became a different person became very bitter, very angry at me frustrated I can figure out why am I sitting here while I'm prison I do nothing while my here so with that I became unapproachable. You can talk to me I would talk to you in a matter who you was I just didn't have no words for nobody and if you try to talk to me. That's when the problem came in.

I want to fight.

At that point. So in prison of sin in prison does going through the motions of acting out on everything. I want to do to Andrew. I'm doing it to other people so hurt people hurt people. Okay so I sit here and not knowing like hearing as I was hurting other people because I was hurt. I felt like I had lost everything.

There was nothing else that mattered. At this point so my attitude was I don't care.

So sitting in prison displays really rough. I was becoming the person you didn't want to even come across. Then I had to awakening like I needed some different I needed to do some different my life because everything I've done in my life I find myself in these very situations. So this one day, three years into my sentence is a Bible sitting there on my desk mate was been there the whole time never looked at it gave my life over to Christ, at age 18. Then again at 21 because the 18 I did it for my mom because I want out of my back so at age 21. I really got aggressive. I need a relationship with Jesus myself. So I did that and but this terminology, I was like no I'm not going lean on God for this because I did that all mother times in this is clear is in black and why I should be able to just present. This will say this, and I can get out of there when the case, I had no voice, nothing I said matter at all. So I'm still sitting here frustrated to the Bible sitting here mate will grant a Bible today had to say no I'm read the Bible today, Greta Bible, start a first vibration in Genesis and then a mind just went blank and I was just hit with this message of letting go, let it go. Let it go and if you offer me right this time frozen was not out yet so I have to. I had no idea what his song was cut where what is thought this words what it was coming from and I ran soon with that. Like this was done to me like this is my hurt like I need to have things that I need to take care that I want to put my hands on him. I want to be the one to say I took care of that. So that was my goal whenever I got home was to find him and hurt him as Margo in the Meadowlands. I was going to do so after battling with these these thoughts get headaches trying to block it out okay because I want to hear from him trying to put some notes in my head to get this thought, he so later I go out and walk on the yard and walking around the circle and not just begin to reflect on my life. He knows that as a whole. This is far as I can remember, and I quickly realized that every situation. I had a choice before it even happened. I had a choice. I chose the more convenient, easy way every time. Which led me to foster care juvenile that links the boys homes the prisons and jails. My decisions lead me there so I'm like you know what God is your way. I'm tired of being a moll. I am tired of this my way hasn't worked all these years, so I need some different so I kept walking on track and I was at. I know I got a chance.

I have changed my life. I got a son. I want to see him.

I want to be able to raise him to be a part of his life. So I got to do some different my so I get back to my Seo and I pray before I went to sleep and I was like no other guy I want to wake up tomorrow as if I'm at home so I live every day. After this, as if I'm at home so I got up that morning the first thing to do was speak to somebody which was very hard for me to do and I came how I was just like I first person I saw you looking at me like this to discredit like that. I cherish the point. What nobody thought the cells really go through with this. I'm going to I'm going adapt this change into my life would do some different and boom started building more relationships start talking to people know peoples get to know me and is asking me questions.

I was so messed that which you all the many months and years ago I went talk about that part because everybody goes to prison says there and said yes so I want to be a part of it sounds like no just brushed that part off so this one is they go to work this one morning in the people call me soon as I got to work and unlike my attitude was still kind of jacked up so Mike if you want me to got to come get me. So I got off work and I got to know the guy was at dorms like hey you know what they been calling your day should probably go see what they want first thing I thought of like amp-go to the whole. Now for some stuffed idea. Previous and house I will tend face moves it is what it is and you're listening to Trammell he tell his story thrown in prison for a crime he didn't commit set up by an officer Andrew Collins tries doing it one way or the hard way, filled with anger and bitterness and then one day he said I had an awakening I needed to do something different in my life there story continues, a crooked cop, an innocent man. In the unlikely journey of forgiveness and friendship here on our American story, and we continue with our American stories we been listening to Mel McGee, having served three years of his tenure sentence, the conviction that was based on a set up by a crooked cop, Andrew Collins, even though Trammell was innocent. He came to the conclusion that it was his bad choices in his life that had put him in this terrible situation we decided well to do something different with his life. He decided to follow God here again is Trammell, and Andrew so I go to the cow's office that he would like to play what was above. Usually, today, tomorrow six months from now how my house and I need address him addressing his lie will you got 15 minutes to leave and I was like I can leave as office right now I do extra coming and he was like to know the fax machine being in the enemy to paper and it was a letter from the Jesuits in my conviction was overturned and I had to leave the premises immediately me lead and let that anger and frustration go open the door for me to go so something's going on with my life at that time I had given my life to Christ at age 7 in the back of the church.

My uncle was only three years older than me. Let me Lord, I was didn't understand what the heck it meant thank you Jesus. So I went about my business as a highschooler as a teenager as a police officer. The more I was a police officer, the more wrong things I did them all wrong things I did the less I felt bad about him. The funny thing about integrity like that the more you do the wrong things, the less you feel like it's wrong. So February 2008 I get caught with crack, heroin and marijuana in my office ending one day. My life crumbled all the money that I was making legally and only in a legally gone friends that I had built friends. What that would be anemic for a lifetime. Nobody knows a police officer look please see all my boys gone.

They were worried about their careers rightly so, my family happy to see my wife's face while trying to explain to work that I just lost my job the day before I was top cop in the county. I was I was I was a big deal, especially my own mind, and a day it was gone.

So I went on a three day journey they want got caught day to thought about suicide is no way I can get out of this date.

Three point saw Pastor Sunday to my wife came home from work and saw that I was depressed and said you need to go talk to that pastor that you been going to because the whole being a Christian thing as a US guy would leave me alone so I called that pastor up and I said I gotta talk to CA addressing the news so I sit down with them and I tell them I confessed everything it felt so good to get it out of me to finally admit what I had done wrong.

He listened patiently and he said, boy, you're in trouble. I remember thinking like you sir are a terrible counselor. I know I'm in trouble. What do I do now. He's aware you Jesus thinking I just told you where I met with Jesus. I am a terrible person man deserving said none of us do this. The beauty and grace God's riches that Christ expense.

He paid it. You don't have to sit answer you accepted Jesus as your Savior. You accepted the host.

The whole time that he saved you from your sins, but you've never let them be your Lord, do you want that Lordship that I do. Man, I do.

This is my lordship 25 years old in your office crying think about suicide. He said let's pray.

So we Mel down there in his office and he prayed because I felt like if I talk to God strike me dead right there. I still could wrap my mind around grace and he prayed for me that that that God would become that Jesus will become my Lord.

We set a man I was bawling and I said what do I do next minimum man. There's like a listers got you list the things I can do this all men operate list stimulus not check out the box is a region by blessed get to know you, Lord.

As I read that thing pastor, but his kindness, boring is economic.

God did something you today and gave me a Bible. It was a little easier to read for me. From what I grew up in, and I started reading I was blown away at all the little bombs that were going off in my soul about Jesus deal with people that were just as jacked up or even worse than me and the longer hours away from police work, the less I felt bad. I got caught in the more I felt bad for what I had done. The difference yell. So I went to the FBI and said look I want to write my wrongs there some things need to be reconciled.

So I sat down. They put on a stack of reports in front of me and they said we need to look through all these reports and we need to tell you we need you to tell us which ones are bad. I like the ones that are bad and I said honestly at least 200 cases of easier to highlight the ones are good.

My corruption ran deep and started working out one case at a time, one case at a time. In case of time and one of those cases was Jamal McGee now open it up and I said this a bad case to back case so because I gave my life to the Lord because I did the right things all my proms went away and I've never had another palms and son, not as now what happened. I still had to go to crazy also. So January 09 I plead guilty. I go to jail February 09 Jamal gets out. It's like tagteam I'm in your out, but the story does not bear 2010 August I get out a passion about Benton Harbor. I feel I got Connie back to the community. So I reached out to a pastor of a local church up there and he says what happened this thing in August 2011 called hoops hip-hop and hotdogs H3 outreach of that we want to be part of it, since I will be part of that song stand and Broadway part like okay with people I need to be reconciled with Brigham Lord and also I see this man coming at me like he wasn't.

He was coming at me was a running buddy was coming at me and my name and that he squeezed extremely tightly as the Jamal McGeady squeezed together.

They got the answer right and not only can you get big fancy. He ain't let go if you don't want to let go a list on the Sundays that I want you to tell myself I missed out on all them years of is that his life I wish you to hit me. It hurt worse hurt less. I said look man, there's nothing I can do to make up for what I did but I'm sorry, I offer you my apology. He didn't say anything to see the little muscle in his jaw clench and I said you know, my daughter here at the park to I know hey you know what this will help.

I know it is like to be with my daughter to because I spent 18 months in prison and he said I'll give up what you had to go through and I was like that was the wrong thing to say. I was glad he could speak but then I was like a lawsuit because what I did is I took everything away that I just said I just made all these apologies and I just basically took her right away. That's basically saying yes there's a problem but everybody goes the problem so it doesn't really matter that much about to get on a tangent. Jamal what was that they like for you in the park. I call that the tests because that day was. It was a test I got out I got to meet my son for the first term and he want to go to this party was leasing a lot of people stand out there, introverted person, so that was not going to happen for me so I'm like in he was like, so I didn't want to disappoint them. So my right, let's go and I said to myself I'm just down the sidewalk and let him run through the park and walking on the sidewalk from like I thought nothing and you end up on the pavilion. Unlike not I can't be him and Broadway part. This part is partly will slough people out here and I know I just can't be him right and he turned around and I'm like yeah that's him in my mind. The first thing that popped up was to and you been listening to Andrew Collins and Jamal McGee tell the story of how their lives intersected in my goodness. The test is what Jamal called it when we come back there story continues, a crooked cop, an innocent man. In the unlikely journey of forgiveness and friendship here on our American story, and we returned to our American stories to Mel McGee, spent three years in federal prison and not a day went by they didn't think about his son. We'd never seen in the crooked cop who had Jamal from seeing most of those three years Jamal writes in his book, convicted and promised myself that if I ever saw this Again.

I was going to. I intended to keep that promise here Jamal and Andrew picking up the moment to soul each other for the first time in the park.

Back home.

Jamal and I mind the first thing that popped was to get now he's here, he's in front of you all that I was filling in the prison was back, shoulders everything and now he's in my face and online earlier this time is get so I go over there be last. I got my hands say hey you immediately say give what he said. I squeezed them and in my mind was two things. It was myself began telling me to him him will you wait no it's taking too long, and God was like hey guys like hey I got this get him away.

I got this step out of my way. That me advanced is for you. I got this I can do far more than you ever can sunlight hidden and my cell is right there and I was a slight just explain lesson I missed out on these years of his life because I'm having a hard time doing and I was like I didn't do something first. That the world every body thought and know that I probably was going do anyway. I didn't do it and I let him go and I walked away, and each step. I walked away I felt lighter I felt better me to him because I got to the curve. I begin to think this over with Emily that was posted be I can do none the body anyway forget I'll never see him again anyway. I still see him, but after that I saw him every day. I can leave the store will be walking down the street arriving on the street, bike, and I will see you everywhere I went numb my God was supposed to do some to like hello, Sam. So much, and I found that out later. For years, yes, optic backup, I'm a basically were to give you five years four years. Whatever it was, four years of history in nine minutes and 46 seconds ready striving to seek out so I start working for this place called Mosaic see CDA Christian community development Association Association. It has three social enterprises, a caf�, a resale store in a full-scale lawn care company A mosaic if you ever been there. Downtown Benton Harbor great place to get coffee so I'm working there as A manager indent harbor heaven reconciliation stories with people feel like God is called me this is great this is awesome is another part of the program cut jobs for life where people from the community. Maybe they got felonies on the record.

Maybe they've never had a job before and they need a little bit a hand up. They don't need a handout that you hand up. They want to do some with their life they graduate just for life and the need to get absorbed in the one about social enterprises, or they went out and got jobs with community people that we had made contact with everybody in jobs for life. Every student ended up with a mentor and pontoon to get him one day. Ms. Priscilla comes down to.

She runs just like to say this is guy in my class called Suki Suki to guesstimate my friend Suki. I said no I know the street name. I've heard it but I don't think I know him personally think we ever met his mentor God is laid on my heart. You should be his mentor God's funny right you know my story is P you know what I've done in the city. I don't know if I for affected his family.

Once you go ask him what he thinks about it. So Jamal in two minutes or less. What did that conversation. Sunlight was like. She came over and was I was in class thereby had a mentor and she's like I got to mentor seems like there is laid up on her feet today. The mentor mentee I'll know if you guys had a history together, but the I think you guys should be mentor am I okay get on with it is and she's like Andrew Collins and I'm like no way there's no way I'm doing that and she's not okay fine I will get you some ideas and I'm like waiting in the misty that was my decision when we pray on that real fast because I don't want no more my decisions to affect my life. This is my decision.

So I wanted to be God's message so I pray and I open my eyes. In his book on my desk those two figures on the mountain was written words. It was one put another one out as Larry guy got it so is eminent. This is what you want.

This is the path you will meditate, take it so he comes walking through the caf� doors on my hour and half later. Jamal did not have seats. We sit down and say I see a police officer city been harbored to some awful things about ever harmed you, your family can you let me know. I'd like to apologize for any smiling at me the whole time is a funny and try to be serious and I said so once I got down my list below is a limit wasn't funny just zigzags and then we had had the stock is that we did see a Broadway Park and I was instantly flashed back to that moment in the park and I was like Hauch who Christian them and I just want to apologize and do. I'm so sorry. I thought a guy gave me a second chance, so sorry he said I know what he was like a friend. I know to do this got be something I can do is it's over it's over your sorry then I trusted that and I know you are now.

You want to save anymore.

It's forgiven as I do q. week q. week do this mentor think he said I think God wants us to think on set this up Madison.

This is blow my mind.

Do like four minutes ago I'm making chocolate chip cookies can and now this like this. Is this.

Can we pray is I must pray.

So we met we we bought a heads right there. We pray that God will bless this friendship. The guy would make a basically beauty for ashes that we give to my ashes, he gives us back a crown of beauty. We prayed that he got up we said amen. He got up and walked out to dinner.

Point to get to know in the back and cried like a child because I felt forgiven and that I was. We are meeting every week I'll let you need an employee in the caf� you will need a job you do need a job as a caddie job. You know I need a job that will highlight this because what the higher you are you and you be and what are you good worker because if I do write you up. You know I smile as I have right now. Man, I got you started working. He was the best worker I had ever seen were so hard.

I never cease to me were so hard not caf� so pedantic. Thank you Jamal thank you so much for for put your all into this this is amazing. Thank you.

Do you want to hit me the cash is to someday in the middle. I want to make sure I know is common if it's common now bro. No good and I was like every three or four months. I asked him about a plane is on a we still go in this he will find out some stuff about reconciliation as we walk this thing out because I don't know if you'll notice it or not, but I'm white. I mean, I'm a little darker skin than most but I'm white and he's black. We get this.

We did that this speaks to our nation right now and we don't think we have all the answers, but we think we have a piece of it in the piece. We think that were hold onto right now is reconciliation.

We met a woman who came down front said look I need you to help me pray because I just need to forgive my mom she hurt me so bad 18 years ago and I'm understanding it affects. I'm starting to treat my child the way she was treating me because I will not do this we would like to wish you bring her down list. Let's get her down you all pray together's been dead for 18 years. She was told not harbor that unforgiveness for 18 years and the person could do anything about it. So, apology forgiveness, that's only two pieces for reconciliation come together, the more I get to know this man. The more I love him as an individual, the more I love you as a person, not as a black man but as a man and a terrific job on the production and storytelling by Greg Engler and a special thanks to Andrew Collins and Jamel McGee for sharing the remarkable journey and also a special thanks to Taras Montgomery sharing the audio of this remarkable story. What a story.

Indeed, about big things like forgiveness and reconciliation and what us Jamel weatherman story of so much here about God, about faith, about forgiveness and ultimately about racial reconciliation and real human reconciliation story of a crooked cop, an innocent man. In the unlikely journey of forgiveness and friendship here on our American story