Jingles

Jingles is the secondary antagonist of The Innocent Man. It is the violent, sadistic and dangerous head of a black gang of prisoners belonging to the Black Guerrilla Family movement. It is interpreted by actor Bruce A. Young.

Role in the film
A fanatic provocative as all his comrades, Jingles targets Jimmy Rainwood (the protagonist of the film imprisoned with false evidence) for no particular reason, insulting him, rubbing a bag containing toothpaste, soap and a toothbrush, and when the man protests, intimidating him and making him understand that if he talks to the second of the harassment received by the group, they could make him pay. Other detainees - especially Virgil Cane - advise Jimmy to kill Jingles, as only his death can convince the group of delinquents to leave him in peace, but Jimmy does not feel that he commits a murder, with the result that Jingles provocations they are getting more and more anxious. After reacting to Jingles's claim to give him all the money his wife brings to each visit, Jimmy is almost beaten by Jingles and his friends and sentenced to fifteen days of isolation for refusing to report it to the prison director. After the end of the punishment, Jimmy is again threatened by Jingles: he and his friends force him to witness a rape on the part of the gang to the detention of a prisoner delivered to them by another gang and promise him they will soon a worse treatment. This convinces Jimmy to plan Jingles' murder. With the help of Virgil and some of his friends, Jimmy succeeds in separating Jingles from the rest of the group and faces him with a craft knife made from a piece of plexiglas. Finding himself face to face with his enemy, initially Jimmy tries, getting married by Jingles but, when the latter assists him, Jimmy can find the courage and dagger Jingles in his stomach, killing him.