Jesse Jerome Dean, Jr.

Photograph of Jesse Jerome Dean Jr., obtained from The Nassau Guardian.

Jesse Jerome Dean Jr. was a father and brother deeply connected to his family — “our Bahamian brother,” as he was called by his brother Raymond Dean.

Born on March 21, 1962 in the Bahamas, Jesse tragically lost his life on February 5, 2021, at just 58 years old. He was incarcerated at Calhoun County Jail in Battle Creek, Michigan at the time of his death. Above all else, he is remembered for his perseverance and determination.

As a young man, Jesse had dreams of creating a “start-up, commercial crawfishing business,” as he later wrote. In 1995, he was living in Nassau and working with the Bahamian government when he was, to his surprise, criminally charged in the U.S. federal system. In a letter published by Innocent in Prison Project International, he details his journey fighting for his innocence ever since, all the way up until his death. 

Beginning in 1995, Jesse wrote, “I vigorously professed my innocence then and continuously throughout the next ten years, to now.” Because of his innocence, he rejected every plea deal he was offered, believing he would win his trial. But, when the jury convicted him in 1997, he received a far harsher sentence than his plea deals: 30 years in prison, followed by deportation to the Bahamas. 

While in prison, Jesse kept careful records of all of the evidence he believed would exonerate him, including 31 separate documents compiled on his profile page by Innocent in Prison Project International. He summarized the evidence in his letter, writing, “Despite these very detailed showings of both my actual and legal innocence and the fraud that was perpetrated upon me and the court, I remain imprisoned; each and every court that has reviewed my claims has denied me relief, ignoring their own laws, the facts and the truth! Since 1999, I have been representing myself most of the time.”

Photograph of Jesse, obtained from The November Coalition.

Photograph of Jesse Jerome Dean Jr. with his son Dexter and his ex-wife Thea, obtained from WoodTV.

Upon completing most of his sentence, the end of which he spent at North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, MI, Jesse was arrested by ICE on December 31, 2020 and held at Calhoun County Jail while he awaited deportation to the Bahamas. His family was eagerly awaiting his arrival after being separated for 25 years. But just over a month later, he passed away unexpectedly at the jail, becoming the first person in Michigan to die while in ICE detention during the pandemic.

Reported by ICE as a “medical emergency,” the true cause of Jesse’s death remains a mystery. He reportedly was admitted to the jail’s infirmary the day before his death due to stomach pain. However, ICE has denied access of Jesse’s medical records to lawyers for ACLU Michigan, who were representing him and others in a class action lawsuit related to the harmful medical conditions at the jail. Miriam Aukerman, one of the ACLU lawyers, remarked to Detroit News, “He should be free and alive today.”

Photograph of Jesse’s family, obtained from The November Coalition.

Photograph of Jesse’s son, obtained from The November Coalition.

Jesse’s family wants answers and justice. In a GoFundMe fundraiser titled, “A Family Nightmare: Bring Jesse Home!”, his brother Raymond wrote that Jesse was thrilled to be coming home to his family, but “his excitement was short lived.” Raymond added that “with the help of his family, he fought for himself everyday.” Jesse called his siblings daily, until the day of his death. When they learned the reason for his missed call, Raymond wrote, “pain quickly filled the hearts of everyone who received the news.” The family is deeply in pain without even knowing what happened to their loved one or having had the chance to say goodbye.

In Jesse’s letter, he speculated that the missing puzzle piece to his exoneration was positive media coverage. Raymond added, “No one was inspired enough with his story to pursue it.” Though Jesse’s story was not amplified while he was alive, we amplify it now to honor his legacy, his integrity, and his fight for justice. 

This memorial was written by MOL team member Eliza Kravitz with information from Jesse’s profile published by Innocent in Prison Project International and The November Coalition, a GoFundMe organized by Raymond Dean, a press release by ICE, a memorial service listing in The Nassau Guardian, and reporting by Kyle Mitchell of WoodTV and Sarah Rahal of Detroit News.

To support Jesse’s family in covering the costs of holding a funeral, investigating his death, and transporting his body back home to Nassau, please consider donating to this GoFundMe organized by his family.