Upshur County has announced plans, as part of the courthouse renovations, to remove the old jail from the top floor except for one cell. They claim it will serve “as memoriam” to Suzanne Harrison, Gina Turner and Bryan Boone, three teenagers who were brutally murdered by Jerry “Animal” McFadden, who was held in that cell after his arrest for the murders.

The family of Suzanne Harrison is opposed to any “memoriam” at that cell where her killer was held. It will be no “memoriam” to his victims, but rather perpetuates the killer’s existence and time in that cell. The last thing any family would want (including ours) is to bind the deceased victims to her killer’s jail cell and him for however long the renovated courthouse stands.

If the county preserves that cell, it should not claim it to be in honor of the victims. It actually sensationalizes and glamorizes the jail’s most infamous prisoner, done under the guise of honoring the murder victims.

Since her murder in 1986, her mother, father and brother have passed along with her grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. The surviving family sees the announced plan of the Upshur County government as an affront to and disrespectful of the life and memory of Suzanne. It is wrong to bind the victims’ names and memories of them, to the jail cell of their killer.

We have no power in this matter except our unified voices, protesting the plan, but as long as we have God’s given life and energy, we raise our voices to object to this misguided plan.

We beseech and pray the county will change their plan and ask all who agree with Suzanne’s family to raise their voice with us in objecting to the county’s plan.

God bless and keep us from harm and guide us in doing right in all things.

The Family of Suzanne Harrison

Thomas and Glynda Lane, Hawkins (uncle and aunt)

Darlene (cousin) and Lloyd Steadman, Mineola