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My prisoner

Patty Hearst's startling, intimate story from the Deputy U.S. Marshal who shared the secrets of an heiress in captivity.

195 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

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Profile Image for Jim.
432 reviews115 followers
December 12, 2017
Hagiography, pure and simple. Ms Jimenez was assigned as Patricia Hearst's escort just as she started her career as a Deputy U.S. Marshal. It didn't take her long to fall under Hearst's spell.

Just into her twenties when she started her career, Jimenez all of a sudden has taken on a protective role which she sees herself uniquely qualified to perform. She trivializes Hearst's involvement in criminal activity and perceives Hearst to be a misunderstood victim. The judge, the prosecution, the defence, other marshals...none are as qualified as Janey to understand poor Ms Hearst. Jimenez bent the rules of her employer by telling Hearst (an accused terrorist) where she, Jimenez, resided, and would also smuggle in gifts and foodstuffs to her prisoner. Janey seems not to understand why her employer has a problem with her getting so close to Hearst.

In fact, I could not believe that Jimenez couldn't see how the public might receive the book, but I think she had stars in her eyes, so to speak. By her own claim Janey was a girl from a working-class Chicano family and was now thrust into the presence of an heiress of one of America's most famous families. Her photo is snapped along with Hearst's on a daily basis, and she appears on television with Hearst regularly. Janey received fan mail and proposals from all over the globe - she can hardly be blamed for liking the limelight.

Jimenez saw the Hearsts socially for a while after the heiress was released, but the book was written very soon after the trial and we have no closure on Janey. Googling her produces a few old images of her attached to Hearst like a conjoined twin. Apparently this book was Janey's last flirt with fame.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review