By Shannon
Today we finished the capital murder trial I've been writing about. The jury took a mere 45 minutes to return a verdict of guilty. That is amazing for such a serious charge. It means their decision was made before they went to deliberate.
I always feel a bit sad at the waste of a life. This verdict means it will be 35 years before the defendant is eligible for parole. He will be in his late 80s at that time if he lives that long. What a waste. It's hard to celebrate that part of the victory. But then I talk to the family of the murdered man and the friend of the murdered woman. I talk to them and I feel sad for the lives that were interrupted - lives that this verdict can never give back. I'm proud of my work. I feel the verdict was the right verdict under the law. I'm glad I could help the family find some closure. They are so greatful. They kept hugging me and thanking me. But then I see the defendant's family crying and I watch him hold his tiny granddaughter who he will not be able to hold ever again even if she visits him in prison and I grieve for them.
Two of his co-defendants are already going to prison because they plead guilty without a trial. 5 lives wasted - and for what? I want to ask the defendant if it was worth it, but would the answer - either way - bring understanding or peace or healing to anyone involved?
What is also sad is that this is the result of decisions made by those men a lifetime ago. You are so right when you say what a terrible waste of 5 lives, then there is the extended family who will feel the result of this for many years to come! Mommabear
ReplyDeleteFrom Shannon: Thanks for reading! It is sad that the decision caught up so many years later and it is sad that the extended family is effected. However, that is balanced by the victims' friends and families wondering what happened for 17 years. They only found out 2 years ago that their loved ones had definitely been murdered. The victim's daughters didn't have their daddy there to walk them down the aisle and he has many many little grandchildren who will never know him because of what was done to him a lifetime ago. Thanks for taking the time to empathize.
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