Parole | BONUS | Jenifer's Story

Andrea and Jenifer discuss the emotional impact of Spencer's release from prison. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm Andrea Gunning and this is Betrayal Bonus Episode three, Parole.
This is a conversation Jen and I recorded on Thursday,
July twenty eighth.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
I wanted us.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Get on a call because, like, as of I think
about an hour ago, Spencer was released from prison.

Speaker 4 (00:51):
Yeah, it's crazy because there were moments during all of
this where he was going to get parole, and then
a year ago he got his parole revoked after the
victim wrote a letter to the parole board, and then
they granted him parole, and he was supposed to get
out in June, and then they denied him transitional housing

(01:15):
and now all of a sudden, he is out.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
And so how much time did he actually do behind bars.

Speaker 4 (01:21):
He got charged on six counts of sexual assault of
a student. He was sentenced for each of those counts
to twenty years, but only to serve five of those
years in prison, and he was serving all six counts
at the same time concurrently. And he got out in

(01:48):
four years in one month. It feels like a long
time ago that the police came and arrested him from
our house and now he's walking out of those prison walls.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
It's almost like a lifetime ago.

Speaker 5 (02:06):
I'm a different person now.

Speaker 4 (02:08):
I've just gone through a lot, and I think I'm
stronger for it.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Oh, there's no question.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
I mean, we've talked a lot about the person you
were when that happened in twenty eighteen and the person
that you are now, and you're still gen but there's
been so much more to your foundation and strength that
you've accumulated over.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
The last four years. But when did you find out?

Speaker 5 (02:34):
So it's weird.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
I thought the state was going to give me seventy
two hours notice before he got out.

Speaker 5 (02:41):
Instead, Rachel called.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
Me last week and said I got a message that
he was getting out.

Speaker 5 (02:50):
So that's how I found out. I think she.

Speaker 4 (02:54):
Knew how important it was to me to know as well.
So it's one of those things where whoever had gotten
the information first would have called the other. She and
I stay in touch, We support each other.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
How was she doing with the news? Was it tough?

Speaker 5 (03:11):
Yeah? I think it's tough for her right now.

Speaker 4 (03:14):
She's still feeling nervousness, fear, and you know, just the unknown.
You know, when someone who has sexually assaulted you gets
out of prison, I can imagine makes it feel more real.

Speaker 5 (03:29):
I saw her for ice cream a few days later.
Oh a way.

Speaker 4 (03:33):
Yeah, we had a really nice time. We made each
other laugh, we supported one another. You know, it just
helps to know you're not alone out there.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Do you ever mentally dress rehears running into him and
what you would potentially say.

Speaker 4 (03:48):
Oh, yeah, it's my Charlotte moment from Sex and the
City when she runs into mister Big. You know you've
been playing that in your head. When I think about
seeing him face to face, that's when I get scared.

Speaker 5 (04:03):
And I don't know what I would say anymore.

Speaker 4 (04:05):
Because I am different now, or I see it differently.
I may be able to have a conversation with him,
but it's going to come from a different place now.
I don't know what that is yet, but it'll probably
happen one day and I'll figure it out before then. Yeah,

(04:30):
you know, what do you say or what do you
ask someone that has spent almost his entire life lying
and manipulating. Yeah, gosh, whoever picked him up and is
allowing him to live in their home. I pray keeps

(04:50):
their eyes open for the safety of other people physically
and mentally and emotionally. Yeah, there's still going to be
people in his life that love him and care for him.
I just hope now they're equipped with all the information
so that they can hold him accountable for getting help,

(05:15):
because this issue that he has is not something that
can just go away in six months. This is going
to take from what I understand, intensive intensive therapy.

Speaker 5 (05:31):
And work to.

Speaker 4 (05:34):
I don't know if you ever overcome it, just what
do you call it? Live a normal life.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
I always go back to November of twenty nineteen, and
I think about what that Gen would be like.

Speaker 2 (05:49):
If we hadn't gone.

Speaker 3 (05:49):
Through everything, if you had him put in the work,
we hadn't gone through this process.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
That Gen may still be here today, but.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
She is not.

Speaker 2 (05:57):
Nope, And I just know how much people have been impacted.

Speaker 3 (06:02):
I see emails and people who are getting out of
relationships or trying to fix their toxic work environment just.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Because they've heard you and are empowered. You've empowered people,
and I'm just so proud of you. You have no idea.

Speaker 5 (06:17):
Oh thank you friend.

Speaker 1 (06:24):
If you'd like to reach out to the Betrayal Team,
email us at Betrayal Pod at gmail dot com.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
That's Betrayal Pod at gmail dot com.