Jimmy Maxwell's firsthand account reveals how turbulent childhood environments can lead to criminal behavior, and how juvenile justice facilities often perpetuate violence rather than rehabilitation. His experiences in boys homes demonstrate that institutional settings can become environments where abuse, riots, and survival skills are learned, creating a cycle where victims become perpetrators. The story illustrates how young people in these facilities must develop survival strategies, including fighting back against abusive guards and planning escapes, while facing the constant threat of violence from both staff and other inmates.
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Deep Dive
Pt 1 Jimmy Maxwell Tells All in Explosive First Podcast Breaks His Silence on Chattin with StaxxAdded:
My name is Jimmy Maxwell, and I'm chatting with Stacks.
Welcome to this episode of Chatting with Stacks. I'm your host Bill Stacks, and today I got Jimmy Maxwell.
Hey, how are you doing, Stacks? How you doing, man? Hey, I'm glad to be sitting here chatting with Stacks.
Thank you. I appreciate it. Hey, it's an honor, brother.
So, you have a insane story.
Pretty wild one.
Well, you know, it's been it's been a long road, you know, from from my life.
Where were you Where were you born and raised? Uh I was born in Guymon, Oklahoma. It's just a little town in the panhandle of Oklahoma. I was raised in El Paso, Texas, probably more than any place.
What was your life like? Well, it was uh you know, at the beginning of it, it was kind of turbulent.
You know, my uh me and my stepfather didn't get along very well. I mean, from the get-go. I'm not even sure why. I was too young, but uh but I do know that once my dad beat him up when I was about four, from that point on, it was a uh, you know, there was you know, he hated me from that moment.
And I guess every time he slicked at me, he saw my dad, which is uh doesn't surprise me, but you know, it is what it is. I can't really blame my life on my childhood. I've had a lot of friends that said a lot worse than I did, but it was a battlefield, for sure.
Were you getting in trouble at an early age? Mhm.
Well, when you have a uh when you live in [clears throat] an environment like that, I think it's kind of uh pushes you out towards that because you're you're you know you want to get away from the inside of your home life and go outside of your home life. So, you're like uh you know, you find other outlets and generally when you're young, you know, when you find outlets outside the home it's not good.
You know.
Definitely.
>> It leads to crime.
>> [laughter] >> Absolutely. So, what type of stuff were you getting into? From the earliest time, I mean, when I was like 10, you know, I was trying to I was running away from home at that time and you you live on shoplifting you know, if you're a runaway and you're a kid you that's what how you eat, that's how you smoke, that's how you do everything.
You know, but I but I was still too early and too young to really do anything. I stayed gone very long. It was just I just didn't want to be there. You know, it was a uh he did not like me like I said and so it was a uh it was just that and anyway, I uh I uh he he kind of choked me out when I was about 10 and my mom caught him. You know, it was it was just one of those things. He just you know, I was a brat for sure, you know what I mean? I'm not going to lie, but he was you know, he grabbed me and pulled me into his shop and was choking me and I was crying and he was yelling at me not to cry and he's you know, and my mom come out there caught him before I actually passed out.
She sent me to my dad at 10. So, I went to live with him for 3 years in different parts of the country. Which it had its own set of problems cuz my dad was a pretty big guy. My stepdad wasn't so big, but my dad was. Were you a little more cautious with your dad?
Well, he was a little more Well, he was an alcoholic at that time. So, I mean, it was a it it had its own set of um issues.
You know what I mean? So, you traveled around with your dad?
Yeah, my dad and my stepmom, we lived in like Wabash, Indiana, Marysville, Ohio, and Hutchinson, Minnesota, stuff like that, Lincoln, Nebraska. Were you going to different schools?
Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
It was interesting, but it was also, you know, you get It was also, you know, made for a kid that was trying to fit in all the time. And you know, and the way I fit in was being, you know, I fit in more with the the kids that smoked dope around, you know, under the trees, you know, than the jocks, even though I was kind of a jock, but I still was that That's just where I fit in better. So.
Yeah.
So, when was your first time you got into serious trouble?
Well, hmm, the first time I got into serious trouble was, uh, well, I got kicked out of the house when I was 13. I got I went back to to El Paso.
And, uh, you know, by then, I had been bad doing I had been in a I was dealing with a lot much bigger, more violent person. And I went back to my stepdad, who was not, you know, and he didn't look as big and as intimidating and scary as he used to.
And so, uh, first time he came at me, I I went after him.
Uh, he he won the fight. I'm not going to lie, but, you know, he knew that it was not going to be that way for very much longer. So, he kicked me out a couple weeks later. And, uh, so, uh, I would run around and I I I fell in with some with some, uh, people that ran across back and forth across the border.
And, uh, I I was watching their house one time and while they were gone, and when a couple of freaking hobos tried to rob it, and, uh, you know, honestly, they had me there for a minute, but uh the tables turned and I ended up stabbing one pretty bad and from that point on, they dealt with the fallout. The cops didn't really get involved, but it was it was better for me to leave Texas.
So, I went back to Oklahoma. You know, and then actually got what sent me to pri- to to boys home was I was up in Oklahoma when my stepdad my mother told me that my stepfather had kind of done something that was I don't know. She was She tells me that she didn't tell me he slapped her. She tells me that today and I'm like, "You did tell me he slapped you."
But, you know, she she she changed it to pushing her and it that doesn't really matter. The point is is I was like 15 and old feel strong at the time and I was fixing to go back and tear his freaking head off. So, I was sold some tires for my Ford Galaxy and I was headed back that direction when they caught me, you know, so that that got me sent to a boys home, which started my whole career of I was almost 16. I was still 15 at the time.
So, what's it like walking into the boys home for the first time?
Uh >> [clears throat] >> well, you know, as much trouble as I'd been in already, it was still intimidating. I don't like to lie. You know what I mean? You don't know what's going on. There was big big buildings, fences around it and it was cold and it was just frigid when I went.
And uh it was uh and as I walked up, I could see all these faces looking at me through the bars in the windows of this big big building and I'm like, you know, I was I all I knew is that you know, you have to stand up and you have to be you have to be strong. You know what I mean? You can't show any weakness. Same thing in prison, you know, but I mean, as far as it it it in the boys home, you don't really know how to do all that yet. You're just just you just have to live with your life experience what you got, which I had some, you know what I mean? I've been I've been around a little bit. Enough.
I've been around enough. Let's put it that way.
>> But you learn as you go, right?
>> You do learn as you go. You get better and you get stronger and you get, you know, but that's a double-edged sword.
Because the stronger you get, the more violence you get, the more reputation you get, the more they want to keep you away from regular people.
And that's been my curse of my whole life, honestly, you know? So, it seems like Yeah, being in solitary confinement just keep you locked away. But do you find like when you get a reputation that people want to test you more, too?
Uh yeah, in some ways, for sure. You know what I mean? It's like me, uh I mean, I've always had the I'm not a bully. I've never been a bully.
And so, a lot of the times what my problems are with is the bully type. And it was That's really what gave me a reputation because, you know, they all have this tough sog, you know, reputation and and so, you take down, you know, you start working your way through them, you know, it kind of uh it kind of boost, you know, it just makes it that more poignant, you know?
But, uh so Yeah, I mean, there's there is that.
You're right. There's that. I mean, I had a I've had a few uh I've had a few fights and battles just because of that, for sure.
How long did you stay in the boys' home for? Mhm. I aged out. And I well, I I got out. I got out.
I'm back in a couple of times, to be honest, but but in the end, I aged out.
We ended up having a I ended up in a worse place than I had started.
But, [clears throat] I mean, if you can kind of worse. I mean, the the uh uh the guards that the most the the guards kind of as I went in weren't that bad to begin with, but there was a section of guards that were like the goon squad that was really was abusive and pieces of And they they kind of dealt with more of the kids that was in like the ad seg type area. And which I didn't actually get into until I had escaped a couple of times. And and then they thought they were going to teach me a lesson. Well, honestly, they did teach me a lesson.
You know, I'm not going to lie. They I had I ended up with a boot freaking print size of my head. And uh you know, and uh they uh they beat me up. But you know, in the end, I you know, but I learned how to fight them.
You know, cuz they were they weren't done just with one time. And it wasn't just me. You know, when I got finally put in the ad seg, all them all of them other kids were up there. I finally learned why they called it hell instead of Helena. You know, up to that point, I didn't really understand it, but you know, they warned me. They were telling me. You know, I just thought they were just wanting me to I just I just thought they were juicing me, but until they come in there and they they they run in on me, you know, and then but it would then would happen, you know, every couple nights. And so I learned to get my handcuffs off in my on my restraints. A lot of them were leather.
And so one time they come in I had covered my window and I had I had squirted squirted shampoo and water on that floor. And I had a I had a water bottle ready for the light bulb that was above me. And I and they were like, "Turn Take this window Cover this window. Uncover this window." And I'm like, You know, and uh it's like you know, "Come and get me." I wanted them mad. I was talking "You [ __ ] child abusing pig." You know, and uh well, they were mad. They come rushing in that door when they got it open and I was on that bed I squirted the light and it went out. And I just jumped on them.
I still had cuffs on them because of the last time they whipped me. You know, I couldn't get all that off, but I got all the leather off. And I just dove on them and we battled it out. And uh you know, they [ __ ] me up, too.
>> [laughter] >> Still in the end, but I [ __ ] them up, too. You know what I mean? I messed one up pretty good. And uh but you know, and it was a uh it was a it was all a learning experience. You know, finally they let me out. This this really nice laundry lady she she was also working in the in the feeding us and stuff. And she found me up there like that, beat up. There was footprints and all that. And uh she got really upset. She said, so she uh went to the to the director or whoever was in charge of that place and she said it's been happening a lot a lot. You know, so she threw a fit not just about me, about the whole thing. And uh they they started letting some of us out of that pad cell thing. Well, I kind of graduated out of there and they kind of backed up off of me and uh you know, I started dealing with the coach there.
And we started doing with boxing and whatnot. And uh I ended up getting out for a while.
And then I came back later on for some other [ __ ] that happened on the street. And uh you know, my parole was violated and whatever. And uh the when I got back Well, that lady actually got murdered while I you know, right before I left. They finally they they uh they they paroled a bunch of us. This laundry This uh laundry lady was actually murdered. And In in the prison? In the boys home, yes. It was a horrible thing.
You know what I mean? The guy that did it was lived right across the hall from me. And uh you know, I I really like this lady cuz she helped me, you know.
So, it was a You know, it was a it was it was it was a personal thing, you know, really. But, they let a bunch of us out because they were trying to clear it out.
And so, when I I ended up going back, you know, that the whole mentality of that uh place had changed. You know, I was warned when I went in. One of the guards that was taking me in, he said, you know, things have changed a lot since this happened. There's a lot of raw nerves still, you know. And uh that little crew that had been been running around just kind of bashing up on the guys from in the ad seg, it kind of their attitude had kind of taken over this place. You know, they did they kind of steered a little more clear of me though. I don't know why. Maybe because they knew I was I don't know, because they'd already hurt me or maybe because I hurt them. I don't know. But, they but they were really [ __ ] over other kids. And uh Finally, you know, someone asked me he got his self in a big jam, and I knew they were going to hurt him bad. And uh They're here they come.
And uh I don't know. We just we've had it we had it. And as soon as I soon as I went over and started gunning them down, the whole freaking unit went after them, you know. And we just we took over the unit and uh tore the phone out, threw the freaking house printer, whatever you call them out there, threw them guards out, and uh It was a riot, basically. It was a riot.
It was a definitely an insurrection.
You're right. Yeah.
How long did that go on for? Oh, no. It It was only a few hours. When When they When you looked out the window, they were had surrounded it within I don't know an hour and a half with just I mean every farmer, rancher, and law enforcement was standing out there with billy clubs and and tire irons, and they had the whole thing surrounded. And uh you know our unit anyway. And you know the kids in there you know all kids you know come on coppers you'll never take us alive and [ __ ] all that crap.
Um but but here the coach Actually the guy that was leading the bunch the first time when they hurt me.
He actually had changed his attitude. I don't know what did it but he seemed remorseful about how he he'd been. So he and the coach they came to me the we let them in and uh they told me that um um you know listen this is they're going to take this they're they're going to use their mad they're still have a lot of hatred for what happened to Mrs. Fullerton.
And they are going to hurt you guys because you know it gives them excuse to and you know and I'm like I understood what was going to happen to my friends and then and then they told me that um And there was a couple of my friends that were getting ready to turn 18 [clears throat] not too long you know and they were like listen if you did you know you can come out of here now and trust me you're they're going to they're going to try to cuz I broke one of those I broke that guy that left the footprint on me he was in that bunch and I broke his jaw. I guess that he he ended up going to the hospital over that actually. Cuz he didn't actually see me coming they were over there trying to beat this one guy up when I come in there and I I slid it you know I mean and it just hurts.
And so there you know I was getting charged for that. And uh no no nothing I could do about that.
And that so I may end up even you know they told me I may even get you know charged as an adult.
But if I didn't turn my you know let this stop you know they're going to come in and then it was going going happen and a lot of people are to get hurt, and all of my friends that were close to being 18 were going to go as an adults, and there was going to be this and that happen to them, and of course they're all like, you know, hey, we'll ride to the end of the earth for you, you know, whatever, you know, we don't, you know, but you know, I mean, if you're friends, you know, you don't do that to your friends.
And it was going to happen anyway, so I I I ended the thing and and went with them. They put me in the county jail, but you know, the fact is this is like the coach, the coach that lied to me so much, he kind of told me before I went out, he said, I wouldn't worry too much because this guy's been in a lot of trouble, you know, for things he's done, and he said, I'm going to talk to the to the prosecutor, and I'm going to be honest about it.
He said, so let's see. And so what, you know, nothing ever happened. They ended up coming to get me and take me to another boys home that was off in Sam Springs that they called Little Mac, you know, because Big Mac is McCallister, where all the adults are, and uh you know, it was a new place, and it was all a whole 'nother experience.
They have a place out here that I went to called Little Cheshire.
>> [laughter] >> Yeah. It's similar to that. They got Big Cheshire, the adult side, and >> There you go, exactly. You know, >> But it's like a mini prison. It's just like prison.
Yeah.
You know, and the kids are, you know, when you're kids, you know, you all are just you're trying to, you know, you're just emulating how you think prison's supposed to be. So, you And sometimes it's even worse than actual prison, you know. And them kids don't look like little kids. No, no.
>> No. No, you're a That's for a fact. I'm like, that's a kid? No, that's a grown man. What are you What are you talking about?
>> Yeah, that's right. He's 15. He's like 6' 4". Yeah, I know. How old are you when you get out of that? I I mean, I went to that other place, and I escaped a couple times, and we had our own little, you know, we had happening or what not.
>> you escape? Uh well, one time um one time this kid come over about to play in softball and he said uh hey Danny we're uh I untwisted one of the this only had one fence around it, you know, it's a tall fence, but he he said I they've been over here untwisted one of the wires in this fence and he said we got a hole in the fence and so >> [laughter] >> we ended up you know, there was about five or six of us going to go, you know, we we we all went over there and I took the I took a baseball bat over there with me and uh and then everybody started shooting through the hole in the fence, you know, and uh >> [clears throat] >> I I stood there with the ball bat cuz the guards obviously saw what was going on and I'm you know, and I got stuck kind of behind cuz I'm the one holding the bat and they're like, you know, but I didn't really trust anybody else to do >> [laughter] >> it. So Yeah.
>> So but anyway, my little Mexican friend he come in here and pulled me back. Come on Max, come on, live, you know, and I made it and we got through there and we ran off into the fields and it took it probably it took about, you know, it took probably five or six hours and then we ended up getting caught. But it's surrounded by nothing, right?
Well, that's there was a there was a there was a uh a a river. The next the second the next time that we escaped we we I noticed that the uh the fence there was two two um youth centers. The one that we were in and there's another one for younger people that weren't didn't do the same kind of crimes that we had over there and but there was a fence that connected the two and it went from to the fence that the fence we were surrounded with was super high and whole top of it you couldn't get your fingers in so you couldn't climb it.
But this fence that connected from from the building to the fence that separated it had the bar that went across on inside of that other section and it was connected so so somebody come and told me that he thought he could kick the back door open and I didn't know that he could it was a solid steel door with a big bolt lock and all that Yeah. I thought well okay if you can do it I'll be right there with you and I'll tell you that the way we can get out of here is to get up on that roof and shimmy climb on the back side of that thing and over that fence and drop on the ground and and so he started out from the very back old chunky dude but he was pretty fast and he was solid >> [laughter] >> and he was going to kill him I saw him run into that door and I thought either he's going to die >> [laughter] >> and crush himself or that door is going to open and it and so I get I committed to it I took off running too because I thought you know it's got to open or or else you know and that door busted open and then there was five of us took off out that thing and we all jumped up on that roof and shimmy across and it was just me and another guy that was willing to swim the river it had a uh it had a um a low water dam and it had the big dam and so at night time when in the daytime you're looking at that river the reason that me and him were willing to swim this river is cuz in the daytime it looks like you could almost get mostly across it on on sandbars and then but at night we didn't know that they let the water out of this big dam and it fills up but so it it's it's a long way across it's a probably a mile across you know, and uh And so but we knew that there were shallow spots. We could see it during the day, you know, so we went ahead and took the chance.
And I had long jeans on and a long-sleeved shirt on, high-top tennis shoes, and which is a bad combination for swimming, but Weigh you down in the water? Yeah.
Oh, man. Yeah. My uh my my buddy Well, the other three guys weren't willing to even try it, so me and my buddy, we took off, you know, and uh he's a short guy.
And we're out there, and I was We got It got deep kind of quick, and the current was pulling, and I'm fighting it, and uh cuz I want I you know, once you commit You know, once you commit, you're committed. You know, there's no going back. And so all of a sudden I seen him out come more, you know, about 20 ft ahead of me, and I'm like I was trying to find out if he was swimming or what.
He was gurgling and [ __ ] And so I I just I [clears throat] I went down to uh take my shoes off.
Somewhere along the way I could feel myself tumbling around, and I was um I felt like uh I better check to see make sure I can still touch the ground.
>> [laughter] >> Yeah. And uh cuz uh you know, I it was a it was kind of scary.
And I couldn't. And then And when I looked over to where I had been, I was already washed out pretty good ways. So I had to just commit, you know what I mean? There was There was There There was nothing I could do except just go for it. And every time I tried to swim with all them clothes on, it was just dragging me down like you were saying.
It's It's uh So I ended up getting on my back so where I could just kind of lay on my back, keep my feet and my tennis shoes above the water, and kick, and just I mean, I couldn't even swim like that. I had to swim, you know. So, it was uh it was I could see a big giant newspaper in the sky with inmate drowns, you know, or you know, juvenile drowns in the river trying to escape, you know, and I swear to God I seen it in print, you know, up there and I just but so I was holding on to my and I knew not to panic, you know what I mean? But I was so close to I kept looking over my shoulder and the shore look blind look just as far as it ever did. We were being washed down towards that low water dam.
And but I just kept going and kept going.
And then I I I told my buddy, David, I said uh brother, I don't think I'm going to make it.
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