From Fury to Forgiveness

On June 7, Jamestown resident Zach Osborne was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from an unlikely source.

Death Row inmates from across the country have raised money through their bimonthly publication "Compassion". The publication was started in 2001, to raise money to send murdered victims' family members to college.

Zach's scholarship was the seventh awarded so far. It will be used to help the 19 yr. old rising sophomore pursue a Criminal Justice Degree at East Carolina University.

Zach's 4 yr. old sister, Natalie, was raped and murdered in April 1992 when Zach was 6 yrs. old.

Jeff Kandies, his mother's then-boyfriend, was arrested, tried, and convicted of the crime. He was sentenced to death and is now on Death Row at Central Prison in Raleigh.

"Kandies is moving closer to an execution date," said Matt Stiegler, an attorney at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation in Durham. He has no more legal challenges in the state court and one pending with the U.S. Supreme Court.

"He's one of only a handful of prisoners for whom an execution date could be imminent," Stiegler said.

Zach submitted an essay on the effect Natalies murder had on his family, his life, how he came to forgive Jeff, and how the experience will make him a better law enforcement officer.

"I think it will motivate me more to solve cases or to put more effort in them," Osborne said. "It will motivate me to try to prevent events like what happened to my family from happening to others."

At the time of the tragedy the family was worried about what effect the murder would have on Zach. He's had his problems and his "demons" to fight. He rose above them, "exorcised" them and has grown into a fine, respectable, responsible young man, who is intent on helping others.

He has forgiven Jeff Kandies.

Being a family member, and one who helped carry Natalie to her final resting place----------------I wish I could.