AN ACCOUNT OF GUILT
Last week Paul Yocum died at the age of 52 from a massive heart attack – perhaps a broken heart. Those who knew him best said that false accusations had destroyed his health. Yocum was accused in 1990 of stealing over twenty-nine thousand dollars from an Automatic Teller Machine. In 1991 he was accused by a few of an elaborate and sophisticated robbery of the United Bank of Denver, Colorado. In neither case was he long considered guilty even by those who had accused him. The accusations themselves, however, had devestated him. He had changed from a loving, caring person who lived a quiet life to a fearful, nervous person. In his own words he helps explain the reason for his demise: “I know this is going to sound crazy, but I’m going to say it anyway. I know I’m innocent, but you know what? Sometimes I feel like I’m guilty.” He continued to unfairly accuse himself, even after he…
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