 Tessie in 1982 | |
 Tessie in 2007 | |
| Tessie Bartram | |
| Portrayed by | Nikki DeLoach (1982) Michele Greene (2007) |
| Episode | Justice |
| Status | Alive |
Tessie Bartram is one of Mike Delaney's rape victims who went to school with him in 1982.
History[]
Tessie grew up in Kensington and earned a scholarship to Powell University. She was also raising her younger brother Jimmy Bartram after their parents died and worked part-time in the college cafeteria.
During her time at college in 1982, Tessie met Mike Delaney, who charmed her and asked her out to dinner, which she accepted. That evening, Mike dropped Tessie home and tricked her into letting him inside her apartment by lying that he needed to use the bathroom before forcing himself on her.
Two days later, Tessie went to the police to make a report to Officer Maggie Lafferty but was warned no charges would be laid against Mike since she knew her attacker.
Tessie eventually dropped out of Powell, unable to cope with her fear in the aftermath of her rape, and began working to support her brother.
A number of Mike's victims eventually made contact with each other, writing on the wall of a women's washroom, including Tessie, Regie, Sheana, Melinda Levy, and Karin Hensley. For Sheana, who had attempted to tell her father, only to be blamed for it herself, the ordeal proved too much, and she committed suicide. The other four women eventually conspired to stop him together.
Several of Mike's victims, including Tessie, Regie, Karin, and Melinda, were interviewed with suspiction passing between them, until the investigation led to Tessie's younger brother Jimmy, now her lawyer.
Shortly after graduation, Mike was confronted on the quad by Tessie, Melinda, Karin, and Regie. Mike initially dismissed their accusations and started to leave until Tessie pulled out a gun she'd been given by a sympathetic policewoman, Maggie Lafferty. Frightening Mike to the point of wetting his pants, they forced him at gunpoint to admit that he had raped them. Regie urged Tessie to kill Mike, but she refused, declaring that she didn't want to become him.
Jimmy, who was 12 years old at that time, had followed the girls and saw everything, so he picked up Tessie's gun from the trash and tried to confront Mike with it. Mike taunted the boy until he snapped, and then shot him dead in anger and fright. 25 years later, while Jimmy is found out by Lilly and her team, the incident was ruled as a justified homicide.