04.10.07
So this is it... the beginning of the end.
We go to court tomorrow for the driver to be sentenced. He is the one that plead guilty and asked for a judge to determine his sentence. He turned down the 15-year sentence he was offered.
I met with Mia yesterday to discuss the procedures for tomorrow and the meeting went well. There aren't a lot of mitigating factors (factors that would possibly reduce his sentence) other than youth, but considering he was closer to the adult end of the spectrum, we're hopeful that it won't have much of an impact. I will have to get on the stand and Mia will question me regarding how this has impacted my life, and Anita will testify as well. I have also submitted a written statement regarding how my life has been impacted and my mom submitted a statement too. The only advice I was given was to let my wall down, which is sometimes difficult for me to do. Obviously I'll be honest, but I have to be completely open as well, which is not something that many people actually see. (Disclaimer: For the most part, what y'all see when you see/talk to me is truely how I'm feeling - I haven't been putting on a front for the past year or so. But that being said, there are times that are difficult that I don't share with anyone, and that's the type of stuff that I will have to share tomorrow...)
Anyways - so at least one chapter in this will close tomorrow. As of lunch time, we should have a sentence, and I'll post here tomorrow afternoon/evening when that happens. Tomorrow is also the day that the second guy, the passenger, is supposed to decide how he is going to plea. The options are:
A. Plead guilty, accept the 25 years we've offered
B. Plead guilty, have a judge determine the sentence (what is happening in the case above)
C. Plead not-guilty, have a full-blown trial
The trial is VERY UNLIKELY in the second case, so I'm expecting one of the first two options. He is waiting to see what happens in the first guy's sentencing to decide what he's going to do. Which is crap, but the state can't force him to make a decision prior to the other guy's sentencing. So I'll have more on that tomorrow as well. And of course, there is a possibility that it will get pushed back yet again, so be prepared for that outcome.
On another note, many of you have mentioned wanting to be there, etc. You are more than welcome to come and be in the courtroom when everything occurs, but I don't want anyone to feel that they NEED to be there. I realize it's a work day, it's tax season and there are a million other reasons that would hamper people's ability to be there. My parents WILL be there at the very least, so it's not as if I'm going to have to face this alone. If you do want to be there, simply email me and I will let you know the details and when/where you need to be. If you can't make it, my only request is that you say a prayer for me. I would say pray for strength, but that's what I'm supposed to be letting go of, so instead I will ask that you pray for me, and Anita, to be transparent and that the judge will see the truth and impact this has had on my life and the lives of everyone around me. Pray for Mia, my prosecutor as she presents this case and pray that the judge makes a sound decision and that justice is upheld.
I'll update you all tomorrow...
God Bless.
We go to court tomorrow for the driver to be sentenced. He is the one that plead guilty and asked for a judge to determine his sentence. He turned down the 15-year sentence he was offered.
I met with Mia yesterday to discuss the procedures for tomorrow and the meeting went well. There aren't a lot of mitigating factors (factors that would possibly reduce his sentence) other than youth, but considering he was closer to the adult end of the spectrum, we're hopeful that it won't have much of an impact. I will have to get on the stand and Mia will question me regarding how this has impacted my life, and Anita will testify as well. I have also submitted a written statement regarding how my life has been impacted and my mom submitted a statement too. The only advice I was given was to let my wall down, which is sometimes difficult for me to do. Obviously I'll be honest, but I have to be completely open as well, which is not something that many people actually see. (Disclaimer: For the most part, what y'all see when you see/talk to me is truely how I'm feeling - I haven't been putting on a front for the past year or so. But that being said, there are times that are difficult that I don't share with anyone, and that's the type of stuff that I will have to share tomorrow...)
Anyways - so at least one chapter in this will close tomorrow. As of lunch time, we should have a sentence, and I'll post here tomorrow afternoon/evening when that happens. Tomorrow is also the day that the second guy, the passenger, is supposed to decide how he is going to plea. The options are:
A. Plead guilty, accept the 25 years we've offered
B. Plead guilty, have a judge determine the sentence (what is happening in the case above)
C. Plead not-guilty, have a full-blown trial
The trial is VERY UNLIKELY in the second case, so I'm expecting one of the first two options. He is waiting to see what happens in the first guy's sentencing to decide what he's going to do. Which is crap, but the state can't force him to make a decision prior to the other guy's sentencing. So I'll have more on that tomorrow as well. And of course, there is a possibility that it will get pushed back yet again, so be prepared for that outcome.
On another note, many of you have mentioned wanting to be there, etc. You are more than welcome to come and be in the courtroom when everything occurs, but I don't want anyone to feel that they NEED to be there. I realize it's a work day, it's tax season and there are a million other reasons that would hamper people's ability to be there. My parents WILL be there at the very least, so it's not as if I'm going to have to face this alone. If you do want to be there, simply email me and I will let you know the details and when/where you need to be. If you can't make it, my only request is that you say a prayer for me. I would say pray for strength, but that's what I'm supposed to be letting go of, so instead I will ask that you pray for me, and Anita, to be transparent and that the judge will see the truth and impact this has had on my life and the lives of everyone around me. Pray for Mia, my prosecutor as she presents this case and pray that the judge makes a sound decision and that justice is upheld.
I'll update you all tomorrow...
God Bless.
posted by Renee at 8:44 AM
5 Comments:
I will see you in the morning.
I love you, Renee, and I am so blessed to have you in my life.
You are always in my thoughts and prayers. Good luck tomorrow and I am so glad that this is the beginning of the end of this! ((((HUGS))))
I love you and you are always in my prayers.
You will be in my prayers as always. I'll be wearing my necklace you gave me tomorrow and thinking of you.
i wish i would have known it was today and i would have been there.
love you and i hope it turns out the way it SHOULD!!
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