My boy Malvo

Sniper's mother to write book about the son she raised

Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

Una James, the mother of Jamaica-born Lee Boyd Malvo, who was convicted in December 2002 in the sniper attack which left 10 people dead in the United States, is planning to write a book.

James says she has to tell her life story and that of her son so the world can have a better understanding of what really happened.

"I have to write a book because there are many allegations which are far from the truth," James said yesterday in an interview with The Gleaner.

She said she met a woman in Cross Roads, Kingston, this week and the woman blamed her for what happened to Malvo.

"All I was trying to do was to give my son a better life and I was as shocked as anyone else at what happened," she said.

Malvo, who was 17 when he was arrested for his role in the deadly attacks, along with John Allen Muhammad embarked on a murder spree in the Washington Metropolitan Area over a three-week period in October 2002. Malvo has confessed

that they had planned to kill six people a day for a month in order "to terrorise the nation".

Criticised attackers

James said that when she heard of the people being fatally shot and others being seriously injured, she criticised the attackers, not knowing that her own son was involved.

"I was shocked when I heard that my son was involved in the shootings, and I am still in shock up to today," she added.

The penitent-looking mother told The Gleaner that since her son's troubles, life had been very rough, and coming to grips with what had happened had been a struggle. She said that at times she is very depressed. And not only is she sad about the way her son's life has turned out, but she also feels sorry for the victims and their families.

"What happened to my child is not what I had intended for him. All I wanted was the very best," she told The Gleaner.

She added: "Some people may think that I am made out of paper or lead, but I am only a human being.

"I must write a book on the true life story of me and Malvo," she said.

James said all she wants is support to do so. James said she keeps in touch with Malvo as he writes to her sometimes.

Malvo is serving a life sentence for murder. Malvo and John Allen Muhammad committed the murders.

Malvo was born in Kingston in 1985 and when he was 14 his mother took him to Antigua. He was left in the care of a friend when James went to the USA with the intention of having Malvo join her there. James said at no time did she leave her son with Muhammad.