Action News Jax has received new jailhouse video of Donald Smith, the man convicted and sentenced to death in the kidnapping, rape and murder of 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinkle.
For the first time, we are hearing from the man who is convicted of killing 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinke. Action News Jax has obtained newly released recordings of Donald Smith in the hours and days after her kidnappng and murder.
For the first time, we are hearing from the man who is convicted of killing 8-year-old Cherish Perrywinke. Action News Jax has obtained newly released recordings of Donald Smith in the hours and days after her kidnappng and murder.
More than a dozen recordings were released of Donald Smith's jail visits and phone calls made in the hours after Cherish Perrywinkle was kidnapped from a Jacksonville Walmart, raped and murdered.
In one of the calls, Smith talks about the thoughts going on in his head and whether or not he'll tell anyone about them.
"Rather than spending the rest of my life being humiliated by myself... how I always have this crap in my head, I might as well die with it," Donald Smith was recording saying from jail.
RELATED: Judge: 'May God have mercy on your soul,' Donald Smith sentenced to death
In some of the jail recordings Smith realizes he is being recorded and whispers to the person on the other side of the glass.
Smith whispers, "Everybody knows why I’m here."
"I just need to know what the different categories are and what people do, and how they think, and how they act. I need to know that, because they say, it’s deep, deep seeded. (inaudible) under surface," Smith whispers.
Smith can be seen in one of the videos looking around nervously to see if anyone is watching, and in one clip he can be heard using the word "depraved."
In one of the recordings Smith says, "It manifests itself in a million different ways, but every year, I would think, well, what am I gonna do about it this year? Am I just gonna go to my grave sick and hiding and alone? Or am I gonna do something about it?"
Action News Jax will continue to go through the recordings to see if they shed any new light on why he killed Cherish.
MORE:
Justice for Cherish Perrywinkle: Donald Smith sentenced to death
Donald Smith juror speaks out
Expert: Cherish Perrywinkle's killer affected by brain injuries
Graphic testimony details moments before Cherish Perrywinkle's death
A glimpse inside of the mind of accused child killer Donald Smith
Jurors cry, Donald Smith looks away as Cherish photos are shown on Day 2 of trial
'She had a lot for a white girl,' Donald Smith tells inmate in jailhouse recording
JSO officers responding to Cherish Perrywinkle's murder: 'Protect her, preserve the evidence'
Prosecutors say Cherish Perrywinkle died 'brutal and tortured death'
Cox Media Group
