Notorious Prisoner ‘Kid Ralph’ Speaks on His 4 Rape Charges, Homosexuality, Murders and Food in Prison

Ralph Alexander Stephen Twain, famously known as “Kid Ralph” or “Kiddy Ralph“, is regarded as one of Jamaica’s most notorious prisoners. In an unfiltered and detailed interview, he reflected on the 40 years he spent in and out of prison for four separate rape charges, dangerous driving and another for larceny.

Additionally, Kid Ralph shared detailed insights into prison life, including the origins of homosexuality among inmates, violent confrontations, warders killing prisoners, and the quality of prison food.

Born on February 28, his nickname was derived from his career as a professional fighter in Jamaica. Over the course of his life, he revealed that he had been imprisoned six or seven times and his journey into the prison system began at the age of 18 where he spent majority of his time in lockup between the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre (also known as “GP”) and the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre.

First Charge – Attempted Larceny

According to Kid Ralph, he was first sentenced to two years prison in 1951 for a charge of attempted larceny by the Corporate Area – Civil Division Courthouse on Sutton Street Court in Kingston.

Second Charge – Dangerous Driving

The convicted felon detailed that his second charge was manslaughter which was later reduced to dangerous driving, a case that tragically resulted in the deaths of two people. He explained that he had been working as a garbage truck driver for the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAC) and that this incident occurred due to faulty brakes on a truck that was reported to his supervisor, but was still ordered to complete his routes.

Detailing the matter further, he said that while driving in Jones Town, Kingston, he noticed the brakes malfunctioning and the steering wheel becoming jammed. He then attempted to return the truck to the corporate office, but his supervisor instructed him to take the truck to the Greenwich Farm dump. This decision he said, resulting in him crashing into a Chinese shop on Seaview Avenue resulting in the fatalities.

Third and Subsequent Charges – Rape

According to Kid Ralph, all his charges after the first two were for rape, however he firmly maintained his innocence throughout. He denied the accusations, stating, “It wasn’t rape,” and blamed the charges on a flawed justice system that is in favor of the women being innocent without conducting proper investigations.

“The woman who use herself as destructive tool to exploit a situation because the law is inclined to deem more favourable with the condition of her version than the factuality of the business then yuh nah no chance,” Ralph said.

For the first rape charge, he said that he was in a consensual sexual affair with a 22-year-old woman named Latoya, who was already in a relationship. But when her spouse discovered the affair, he claimed that she was beaten and he was summoned to the Allman Town Police Station where he was subsequently charged and sentenced to 7 years.

For the second rape charge, he stated that it resulted in a 12-year prison sentence. He noted that the subsequent charges were also for rape but maintained that he was not guilty of the accusations. He claimed that all the women involved later admitted the accusations were false. In one court case, he alleged that the accuser testified that during intercourse, after he ejaculated, he refused to stop. He further claimed that the judge ultimately accepted this reasoning.

Homosexuality in the Prisons

Homosexuality and frequent fights in the prisons are attributed to the small and overcrowded prison cells argued Ralph. He outlined that the “3 by 5” cells are packed with numerous men who are in close proximity to each other.

He further highlighted that when juveniles are sent to these prisons and housed with these individuals, they are likely to be influenced and will eventually adopt to the homosexual lifestyle. Though it is not openly spoken by most men who have been incarcerated, Ralph said that a lot of them do engage in homosexuality in prison.

“Yuh have 6 or 7 nine little boy living in a 3by5 cell, wah the hell yuh think ago happen?

“When yuh throw 6 or 7 little boy ina one cell and some a dem come from outside wid dem batty business experience and the other likkle one in deh weh never use to it and he’s amongst that and him spend months ina that cell. U think the other two ago come out as clean as dem go in? Its almost next to impossible,” he is quoted as saying.

Violence in the Prisons with Warders and Between Prisoners

Kid Ralph described the prison system as being corrupt, sharing that he had witnessed warders killing inmates without any consequences. He recounted an incident where four men forced open the board cell door that was used as a barrier in his era and went outside. According to him, these men were forced to kneel and were brutally murdered without any consequence for the offenders even though an investigation was conducted.

He also revealed that fights and murders frequently occur among prisoners, often triggered by minor disputes. He claimed that some of these stem from political arguments, or even to addressing another inmate as “boy,” or claiming to have had sexual encounters with another man’s partner prior to incarceration.

Food in the Prison

When Kid Ralph spoke about the food provided to prisoners, he recalled that in the earlier days, a feeding programme was implemented which had them receiving three nutritious meals per day. However, due to the decline in the economy, he noted that the quality of food deteriorated drastically.

Ralph described that for breakfast, it consisted of food such as white bread with coffee, cornstarch or cocoa. However, before the decline, he claimed that they would receive more food portions as well as a fruit as part of the meal.

For lunch, he recounted receiving crushed bananas, mashed yam, a small portion of kidney, goose neck, or chicken back. When meat was unavailable, he said prisoners were fed callaloo.

The content for this article is based on an interview that Kid Ralph conducted with Mutabaruka several years ago.