Where is the Victimologist Dr. Nicky Jackson Today? – Willie T. Donald was in his prime when he was wrongfully accused and convicted of Bernard Jimenez’s murder. Willie was eventually able to walk out of prison as a free man, more than 25 years after being sentenced to prison. Willie’s journey is chronicled in Investigation Discovery documentary “People Magazine Investigates: Alibi,” demonstrating how meeting Dr. Nicky Jackson changed his life forever. Let’s look into the circumstances surrounding the incident and see where Nicky Jackson is right now.
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Dr. Nicky Jackson: Who Is She?
Dr. Nicky Jackson works as an assistant criminal justice professor and the coordinator of the program at Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana. She is also a philanthropist, social justice campaigner, speaker, and author, as well as a learned victimologist. As a victimologist, Nicky was always intrigued by Willie’s case, as it appeared that he had been wrongfully accused from the start.
Bernard Jimenez, a Gary, Indiana resident, was returning home with his then-fiancee and three daughters on the night of February 27, 1992, when they were ambushed at gunpoint by a masked shooter. After the gunman threatened the younger daughter, Bernard and the gunman struggled physically. However, the attacker shot Bernard twice in the chest before departing the scene, preventing the fiancee from rushing to her partner’s rescue. Bernard had died from two bullet wounds in his chest by the time first responders arrived.
Following the murder, officials discovered that on the night of February 27, five robberies occurred in the Gary region. Furthermore, each victim characterized the man as slender, dark, and scarred on his face. Although Willie T. Donald did not meet the physical description in any way, Bernard’s then-fiancee, Kimberly, and another robbery victim, Rhonda Williams, chose him twice from a lineup.
The other three robbery victims, on the other hand, insisted that Willie was not the perpetrator. Willie was arrested and charged with Bernard’s murder after two of the women were able to identify him as the suspect.
What Has Happened to Dr. Nicky Jackson?
Willie pled not guilty in court but was found guilty of first-degree murder and two charges of armed robbery, earning him a 60-year sentence in 1992. Rhonda Williams then recanted her account in 2009, claiming she was persuaded to put Willie in the lineup. Willie’s conviction was eventually overturned in January 2016, and the state dropped all charges against him. Willie’s relationship with Dr. Nicky Jackson began just weeks after he was released from prison in February 2016.
Willie’s mental health was harmed by his long-term imprisonment, so Dr. Nicky Jackson supported him throughout and even assisted him in purchasing a car and finding work. With the passage of time, Nicky and Willie’s friendship became stronger, and in 2020, they founded The Willie T. Donald Exoneration Advisory Coalition, through which Willie reaches out to and assists others who have been wrongfully accused and condemned.
Even though Nicky is currently based in Hammond, Indiana, she cherishes her bond with Willie and has stated that their friendship made the impossible possible. It’s incredibly touching to see how Nicky helped Willie reintegrate into society, and we wish them happiness in the years ahead.