The DA gave us many examples of how bad our justice system is and that is why if a plea bargin hit the table, he said it might be the way for us to go. He brought us a whole briefcase of cases that went on in this county for the past 5 years and went over them with us. One example was a young marine on his way back to his unit in Kentucky was traveling along the highway here when a car load of drunks hit and ran him dead on and kept on going. By the time the people were located they already were sober enough and passed the drunk test. And that is even with them admitting they were all very drunk. The jury ruled it was not intended and the driver got off with 6 months in jail and 4 years probation. Another example was that a man was speeding and driving wrecklessly (not drunk at all) and veered off into the opposite lane and hit a mother and her three children head on decapatating the mother's head and killing all but one child. The man through himself on the mercy of the court and did no time at all and just got probation. The list went on and on. There were many more horror stories that we were told by the DA at our last meeting where justice was a joke and they could not warn us enough that you never know what the jury is going to be feeling and what they will do. With that in mind, we waited for the phone to ring. Sure enough, a plea was proposed to us on Saturday morning.
We are furious that they dropped the murder 2 charge because they said only half of it applies and would be thrown out; they should have told us a year ago. He never got charged with DUI because as you remember, he hit and ran and fled so they didn't catch him in time to test.
The defending attorney offered us a plea of 5 1/2 years. Now, considering all that the killer could get is 6 years in the first place, this began to look good and the final decision was left up to Jerry, Dan, and myself. We had all weekend long to decide and it wasn't easy. None of us wanted to go to trial and be put through re-living all the gruesome details surrounding Michaels two hour struggle for life. It's bad enough that we have to pass by that place every day of our lives and live on the same road. However a huge part of each of us wanted to face that animal and let the chips fall where they may with our anger in court towards him. But we knew this would only be hurting us even more; not him. He doesn't care what he did and to this day shows no remorse. He's a zombie. He doesn't feel anything.
We chose not to go to trial. The brunt would have been on Jerry who would have had to tell about holding Michael in his arms and details of what he had to go through trying to save Michael in the ditch. He said he would rather die that have to be forced to tell about that. There were going to be pictures and graphics. They were going to ask each of us very explicit details and try to trip us up on purpose and upset us on purpose. It didn't matter that we had key witnesses; they were going to try and discredit them. It didn't matter anymore about all the proof we had and investigations that Michael wasn't even on the road. What we thought was justice went out the window. The guilty has been protected by our justice system. The whole thing would have been terribly dirty and vile. Dan and I could not maintain any kind of composure for the DA. Our tempers and emotional state would not allow it and that would have gotten the case thrown right out on mistrial. A part of us wanted to fight so hard but the other part of us was drained. We were scared he would get away so we said we would take the plea. 5 1/2 years in exchange for Michael's life. Not a fair trade off but all we had left.
The upside is that when parole time comes up, we will be notified immeidately and be able to confront the parole board at that time and let it rip. We will then be allowed to talk to them about Michael, show his pictures, and then discuss what it would be like to turn that serial killer loose again in our community to kill for a third time. We can use almost any means we have to convince them he is dangerous so that the parole board will hear us and hopefully deny any chance of parole.
There are also other charges pending for this animal also; a few felonies, breaking and entering, sales and manufacturing meth, car theft, possession of illegal arms and aussalt and battery and I don't know what else, but all these charges will add up and he will be in the pokey for a good long time we hope. We are counting on some attrocities to happen in prison since we have been told that prisoners frown greatly on child killers. There are kids on this board so I won't say it, but you know what I mean. Since this animal has already escaped from jail twice, they will shoot him if he attempts that one again. And if he ever does make it out of there, there are many people who he wronged that are waiting for him out here anyhow. I can't worry about this piece of garbage any longer. I'm done. We are all done.
The ironic part of all this is that despite our hatered for this animal, Michael would not approve of how Dan and I feel about him. If he had lived, Michael would have cussed him out for what he did, then extend his hand to shake, and make a friend out of him. That's the kind of kid Michael was. The world sure lost a good hearted kid.
As for a personal update for us; Dan is working in the family business and will be taking a couple of night classes in the local college for mechanics. Hallelujah! He actually shows up for work every day on time and this is a huge step in healing for him. He loves his job. He has taken on many of Michael's traits; cracking jokes, pulling a few silly stunts, dressing slightly better thank heavens and is beginning to use good judgement for the important stuff and is still quite the dancer. He's growing up and trying to lighten up. Remember his 97 Dodge Neon that he totaled out when he tried to avoid hitting that dog with the puppies? That car was his pride and joy. It had a brand new engine and transmisson in it that we bought for it. It was crushed beyond belief and has been laying behind our garage. He's been driving a piece of old crap junk truck that limps around ever since. Well, we found him that exact same car and got it for his 19th birthday this week, March 1. He deserves it. It's in the shop getting tweaked just the way he had his other one and we had his new engine/tranny from the old neon transferred over to it. His step brother has it all primered and ready for new paint. Dan's going to light up like a lightbulb. Dan can just add his boom boom in the trunk and be good to go. Did I mention we'll do anything for that kid?
Jerry is still going hot and heavy with the Church and all their activities and is helping out there with the youth. It's like another full time job for him and being there makes his life bearable and he finds comfort there. He won't stay retired so he still works in ceramic tile and spends his evenings trying to get Amy off of him.
Me? I still have never made my peace with God; that part of me remains in turmoil. I don't know what that outcome will ever be but I am tired of being so hateful. I just want to be me again, the person who wrote stupid poems and did dumb stuff and just had fun. I'm expected back to work now at our store full time (again) and I have a couple of little books that I've had on hold for a very long time that I will probably now take to the publisher. I still have much work to do in my community; continue to attend county commission meetings like a thorn in thier side and try to make things better, and also with MADD that keeps my plate very full. I have the horses to tend to and lets not forget the neverending saga of raising of Amy who keeps me on my toes, and won't stop growing.
There will never be closure for us but just maybe we can all begin to have a life again somehow, even with this hole in our hearts. Remembering what Michael used to ask "Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye?"
Much love and thank you as always for your support.
Forever and always, my Valentine
We are furious that they dropped the murder 2 charge because they said only half of it applies and would be thrown out; they should have told us a year ago. He never got charged with DUI because as you remember, he hit and ran and fled so they didn't catch him in time to test.
The defending attorney offered us a plea of 5 1/2 years. Now, considering all that the killer could get is 6 years in the first place, this began to look good and the final decision was left up to Jerry, Dan, and myself. We had all weekend long to decide and it wasn't easy. None of us wanted to go to trial and be put through re-living all the gruesome details surrounding Michaels two hour struggle for life. It's bad enough that we have to pass by that place every day of our lives and live on the same road. However a huge part of each of us wanted to face that animal and let the chips fall where they may with our anger in court towards him. But we knew this would only be hurting us even more; not him. He doesn't care what he did and to this day shows no remorse. He's a zombie. He doesn't feel anything.
We chose not to go to trial. The brunt would have been on Jerry who would have had to tell about holding Michael in his arms and details of what he had to go through trying to save Michael in the ditch. He said he would rather die that have to be forced to tell about that. There were going to be pictures and graphics. They were going to ask each of us very explicit details and try to trip us up on purpose and upset us on purpose. It didn't matter that we had key witnesses; they were going to try and discredit them. It didn't matter anymore about all the proof we had and investigations that Michael wasn't even on the road. What we thought was justice went out the window. The guilty has been protected by our justice system. The whole thing would have been terribly dirty and vile. Dan and I could not maintain any kind of composure for the DA. Our tempers and emotional state would not allow it and that would have gotten the case thrown right out on mistrial. A part of us wanted to fight so hard but the other part of us was drained. We were scared he would get away so we said we would take the plea. 5 1/2 years in exchange for Michael's life. Not a fair trade off but all we had left.
The upside is that when parole time comes up, we will be notified immeidately and be able to confront the parole board at that time and let it rip. We will then be allowed to talk to them about Michael, show his pictures, and then discuss what it would be like to turn that serial killer loose again in our community to kill for a third time. We can use almost any means we have to convince them he is dangerous so that the parole board will hear us and hopefully deny any chance of parole.
There are also other charges pending for this animal also; a few felonies, breaking and entering, sales and manufacturing meth, car theft, possession of illegal arms and aussalt and battery and I don't know what else, but all these charges will add up and he will be in the pokey for a good long time we hope. We are counting on some attrocities to happen in prison since we have been told that prisoners frown greatly on child killers. There are kids on this board so I won't say it, but you know what I mean. Since this animal has already escaped from jail twice, they will shoot him if he attempts that one again. And if he ever does make it out of there, there are many people who he wronged that are waiting for him out here anyhow. I can't worry about this piece of garbage any longer. I'm done. We are all done.
The ironic part of all this is that despite our hatered for this animal, Michael would not approve of how Dan and I feel about him. If he had lived, Michael would have cussed him out for what he did, then extend his hand to shake, and make a friend out of him. That's the kind of kid Michael was. The world sure lost a good hearted kid.
As for a personal update for us; Dan is working in the family business and will be taking a couple of night classes in the local college for mechanics. Hallelujah! He actually shows up for work every day on time and this is a huge step in healing for him. He loves his job. He has taken on many of Michael's traits; cracking jokes, pulling a few silly stunts, dressing slightly better thank heavens and is beginning to use good judgement for the important stuff and is still quite the dancer. He's growing up and trying to lighten up. Remember his 97 Dodge Neon that he totaled out when he tried to avoid hitting that dog with the puppies? That car was his pride and joy. It had a brand new engine and transmisson in it that we bought for it. It was crushed beyond belief and has been laying behind our garage. He's been driving a piece of old crap junk truck that limps around ever since. Well, we found him that exact same car and got it for his 19th birthday this week, March 1. He deserves it. It's in the shop getting tweaked just the way he had his other one and we had his new engine/tranny from the old neon transferred over to it. His step brother has it all primered and ready for new paint. Dan's going to light up like a lightbulb. Dan can just add his boom boom in the trunk and be good to go. Did I mention we'll do anything for that kid?
Jerry is still going hot and heavy with the Church and all their activities and is helping out there with the youth. It's like another full time job for him and being there makes his life bearable and he finds comfort there. He won't stay retired so he still works in ceramic tile and spends his evenings trying to get Amy off of him.
Me? I still have never made my peace with God; that part of me remains in turmoil. I don't know what that outcome will ever be but I am tired of being so hateful. I just want to be me again, the person who wrote stupid poems and did dumb stuff and just had fun. I'm expected back to work now at our store full time (again) and I have a couple of little books that I've had on hold for a very long time that I will probably now take to the publisher. I still have much work to do in my community; continue to attend county commission meetings like a thorn in thier side and try to make things better, and also with MADD that keeps my plate very full. I have the horses to tend to and lets not forget the neverending saga of raising of Amy who keeps me on my toes, and won't stop growing.
There will never be closure for us but just maybe we can all begin to have a life again somehow, even with this hole in our hearts. Remembering what Michael used to ask "Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye?"
Much love and thank you as always for your support.
Forever and always, my Valentine
Last edited by a moderator:
