John Curtis Davis never sought treatment for his anger management problem, despite being ordered by a judge to do so, a family member said Wednesday.

Davis, 25, has confessed to murdering his nephew, Curtis Ruede, 4, by shooting him point blank in the chest with a pellet gun Fri., July 16.

Court records show Davis had a history of domestic violence and was even sentenced to jail time after three physical altercations with family members. In 2009, he was ordered to undergo anger management counseling after his third domestic violence incident.

Dr. Jim Powell of the Family Literacy and Resource Center in Opp, the site where Davis was ordered to seek treatment, said there is no way of knowing if anger management counseling would have worked for the man.

“I never met Mr. Davis; he never called,” Powell said. “I wish he would have. I can’t say that things would have turned out differently, but at least he would have tried. Now, we’ll never know.”

Powell, who is a certified anger management counselor, said while the center does not employ certified psychologists or psychiatrists, it does use the popular “Sedona Method” for anger management. Participants undergo 10 one-hour sessions where they are taught how to let go of their anger. Typically, clients are referred to the center by the courts, but services are available to anyone, Powell said.

“Anger is not a bad thing,” Powell said.

“In the people we talk to, the case is they have not learned how to control it. Anger is usually deep-seeded, and they’re just copying what they’ve learned (by lashing out physically and verbally when angered). We give them a chance to vent. Everything is confidential.

“I find that a lot of people (who have completed the course) don’t know how others feel when hurt,” he said.

“We teach them that when you steal from them or hit them, you hurt them. Most of our clients have no idea when they hurt someone else.

“One of the things we do is get to that kernel of anger, teach them to express themselves (by talking things through) and let that feeling of anger go,” he said.

Those wishing to learn more about the center’s anger management program may call the FLRC and Dr. Powell at 334-493-8888.