Elmore Robert “Bobby” Pondexter died in NYC DOC custody on September 23, 2022. He had been in Rikers Island since April of 2020 — over two years.

Gina Pondexter, Robert’s sister, was one year younger than him, making the two of them Irish twins. On a brisk November evening Gina remembers their bond. “Bobby was [born] March 19th, 1963. I was April of 1964,” she says, “And as close as we were in birth, we were that close in life.” He was 59 years old when he died.

Gina Pondexter with her best friend Patricia Cherry. The two have been best friends since the age of 13.

Bobby was like an older brother to me because I didn’t have one. Not only because I was Gina’s best friend—he took me under his wing. He gave me a lot of wisdom. Recently I got to meet some of his older children…His product is going to be here. And we don’t have him, but we do have a part of him.

– Patricia Cherry, friend of Robert

Robert as a young child                                                                        Robert’s four children. 

“There needs to be a change, a big change. My brother would want it. He would want it. He wouldn’t want anybody else to go through this.”

-Gina Pondexter

Robert “Bobby” Pondexter is survived by his sister Gina Pondexter, brothers’ Mr. Wesley Pondexter and Mr. Anthony Pondexter, daughters’ Mrs. Melinda Ojo and Ms. Aquandra Morris, sons’ Mr. Michael Pondexter and Mr. Maurice Rankin and nine grandchildren among many others who loved him.

In Honor: Lives Lost in City Jail was created for The Legal Aid Society by Phoebe Jones.