It wasn’t a long ordeal, I guess an hour. The defendant was asked by the judge if he understood his guilty plea, if he was of sound mind or coerced to plead guilty? Our family and Marc’s close friend were allowed to speak our hearts and minds about Marc and the effect the crime had on our lives. I was there in person at the sentencing, but four of our family and friends got to listen to the whole procedure and speak via a conference call! I really needed their support, especially from two of them! I didn’t know if I could make it without them!
I was so glad the court could hear something more about Marc, how he was loved, is missed! It’s so important to have your family there at such a crucial time. And the judge later commented that she thought it was so good how we were in unity together re: Marc’s life, the case.
In my statement I shared that I’d thought about Sentencing Day for over 7 1/2 months but now that it was happening, it was sorta anti-climactic! I shared that I felt so strongly that Marc was missing from the whole hearing, we’d been talking about him for months but he’s never been able to say a thing! The detectives, lawyers, defendants, judge never got to know Marc was and so I told them I needed to let them know him as a person, and played a lengthy voice mail he left me couple years ago.
It was important for me to share his loving, positive nature. I’m so glad I established a kind of living testimony of him for others, as it was caught on tape by the local news station KOIN6, and played that night over the air. I didn’t care if people liked that I played Marc’s voice or not. Whenever I can bring Marc into our lives, l do it. I can’t let go of Marc, he’s still down on earth with me all the time. ‘This was a real wonderful person who died that night, and I want you to meet him!’
The D.A. and defense attorneys’ made their statements to the court on how the crime happened, and I heard some new or rearranged facts. It was so civil and kind towards the individuals involved, and the word’ tragic’ was used. It was brief and I was glad it wasn’t too painful, or shocking with new revelations. It wasn’t as hard as I’d imagined it would be, and I just felt God had allowed me to be involved in something special. It takes work but when you pursue justice with all your heart and mind, you will find it!