Suicide Strikes Family Again

DENVER (AP) â€” A man who started an organization to fight suicide after his youngest son killed himself has lost another son to suicide. <br><br>Jamon Franklin, 31, was found dead Tuesday of an apparent

Wednesday, August 16th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DENVER (AP) â€” A man who started an organization to fight suicide after his youngest son killed himself has lost another son to suicide.

Jamon Franklin, 31, was found dead Tuesday of an apparent suicide in a car in the garage of the family's home.

``I don't know why he did it,'' said Les Franklin, founder of Shaka Franklin Foundation for Youth. ``I'm really confused because I've tried so hard.

``I know I've helped a lot of young people, but if you can't help your family, if you can't help yourself, then what's the use?''

Les Franklin and wife Marianne returned home from breakfast and found Jamon dead in the back seat of the car. He apparently suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

No suicide note was found.

Jamon Franklin headed a program that teaches inner-city black children how to skate and play hockey. He had graduated this summer from Morehouse University in Atlanta.

Les Franklin, 57, is a former IBM executive and director of Gov. Roy Romer's Governor's Training Program.

His son Shaka, a high school football star, committed suicide in 1990 at age 16.