Outcome of hearing

This is going to be a long one:

So, what can I say about the hearing? I expected something different. I had so much anger b/c of the obvious but also b/c I felt like Alan Mompoint was living his life, free, as if nothing had happened.
I was so nervous about saying what I was going to say to the judge in front of everyone in the courtroom. Before Alan and his family arrived, before the judge even came out of his chambers, I was crying. I was overcome w/emotion. I was scared, I was nervous, I felt like I was reliving all of the pain all over again. I was scared to look at Alan, the person who's actions killed Steve.
I was also scared b/c all this time, these last 2 years, I wanted to forgive Alan. I wanted to feel it in my heart to do so. It scared me so much that I didn't feel it. I know that Steve would've wanted me to also. I was afraid that I was losing God b/c I didn't feel it in my heart to forgive Alan.
When Judge Will came out, my family members and I addressed him and Alan. Here's what I said:
On the evening of my daughter Ciana’s 11th birthday, just three short weeks ago, she came to me crying. When I asked her what was wrong, she said she was praying, asking God to bring Daddy to her in her dreams and that made her miss him more. How do I comfort her when I feel the same way? We have had several times like these when she’s sad, crying to me that she misses Daddy. What am I supposed to tell her? Daddy’s never coming back. There is nothing I can do to take away her pain of missing him. Nothing anyone can do will take away these painful facts!

FACT: Alan Mompoint is sitting in this court room today with his family by his side. He is alive & well, breathing and healthy.

FACT: It is because of him that we are here. It is because of him that my husband is dead. It is b/c of him that Ella will never know her father! She will be a different person simply b/c of not having her father in her life. She was only 11 months when her father was killed!

Steve’s death certificate says that the cause of his death was “Multiple Blunt Force Injuries.” When I received his autopsy report from the medical examiner’s office, the cause of death was explained in detail. Allow me to elaborate on these “injuries.”

In his chest:
- Laceration of pericardium
- Transection of aortic arch
- Contusions of both lungs with laceration of left lung
- Laceration of left diaphragm with protrusion of stomach into the left chest cavity
- Bleeding into his lungs
- All left ribs were broken

In his abdomen and pelvis:
- Abrasions of left side of abdomen
- Lacerations of liver
- Massive lacerations of spleen
- Pelvis fractured, comminuted (pelvis crushed into a # of pieces).
- Laceration of urinary bladder
- Contusion of left hip

In his brain:
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage, right parietal lobe

My husband did not have a fighting chance! Most any one of the single “injuries” listed below can kill someone. Every one of Steve’s major organs was obliterated. His broken ribs served as small knives inside within him and annihilated every life sustaining organ in his body!

I have had several people warn me that because Alan Mompoint is so young and has no prior arrests, no record and no tickets that he may not receive the punishment suitable for the crime he committed. I ask myself if his not having a prior record make the severity of this crime any less serious. In my eyes it’s just as bad, if not worse. Why is my husband’s death being discounted by Alan Mompoint being a “good kid?” If he was a good kid, like some might say, how could he have acted so recklessly and disregardingly? And if he doesn’t receive the suitable punishment, what does that tell any other 17 year old with no record in today’s society?

While some young men, like Alan Mompoint choose to race their cars down residential streets knowing the ramifications of those actions, other young men choose to do good and give of themselves selflessly. My husband was one of those men. He gave himself selflessly when he served in the US Air Force. After several years, he again gave of himself selflessly which was evident in his chosen profession of Speech Language Pathology where he treated elderly patients who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or had been victims of strokes. Those are just to name a few.

We were blessed enough that I was able to stay home with the children while Steve worked to support our family. Again, proof of how he lived his life selflessly. Now that he is gone, I have been forced to take on a job and both of my children have had to be placed in daycare or extended day care. Due to my having to work, my children are away from home for about 10 hours each day! I am no longer available to chaperone field trips, volunteer at their schools or pick them up from school. My oldest daughter has become a “latch key kid!”

Your honor, my life, my children’s lives and those of our family will never be the same b/c of this horrible tragedy that could’ve been so easily avoided! Even if Alan Mompoint were sentenced today to life in prison, it will never bring Steve back!

Alan Mompoint will have to accept the punishment that is given to him for the crime he committed. However, eventually, he will be free and still alive. He will be able to go on with his life, meet a woman, fall in love, get married and possibly have children of his own. Steve was that love of my life, we have children but his life ended due to Alan Mompoint’s recklessness and lack of regard for anyone’s safety.

Your honor, I am pleading that you put yourself in my position. What would you do if your spouse was killed in the same manner in which my husband died? Please let justice be served. Alan Mompoint needs to learn a lesson. He needs to be punished for his irresponsibilities. A slap on the wrist would be like a slap in the face to me, my family & my husband’s honor.

The Bible says in Romans 13: 1-5:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

I only pray that today, your honor, that you are the authority established by God, His servant, and will see to it that the wrongdoer is punished.

Thank you.

It wasn't until I was reading the list of injuries that Steve sustained that I looked up and into Alan's eyes and felt it. He looked like he couldn't listen to another word. My heart softened for him. Instead of reading this angrily, I felt like Alan had to hear it and just accept it.

Alan's mom and sisters had a chance to talk too. A man from Daytona Beach college also spoke on Alan's behalf. Then came Alan. Why was I feeling so sorry for him? He's the one that caused all of this. But I couldn't help it. I felt bad for him. I truly believed him when he said he was sorry over and over and over again. He was so remorseful. I knew at that moment that Steve would've forgiven him if it would've been me. Alan needed to be forgiven. And I was so thankful that my heart finally forgave. When Alan sat back down next to his attorney, he turned to me, looked right at me and said "I'm so sorry."

Alan was tried as an adult. He pled guilty to vehicular homicide. He was sentenced right then & there. The sentence is as follows:

• 3 1/2 years in state prison
• Probation for 10 years
• community service: 250 hours per year
• has to make presentations to high school freshmen & sophomores talking about what happened and has to read a few of the letters from our friends/family (our suggestion)
• has to serve in nursing homes (our suggestion so that he can see the type of place Steve worked in and gave selflessly of himself.)
• cost of investigation
• cost of prosecution
• drivers license suspended and/or revoked
• letter of apology to us
• restitution served
• attend school full time, must obtain bachelors degree
• if not in school full time, must have a full time job

Alan and his family mentioned several times starting a foundation for my girls to raise money for them to have for their educations. Although it wasn't part of his sentence, Judge Will said he thought it was a great idea and he thinks Alan should "take care of the kids."

Once Alan was sentenced, hugged his mom and sisters goodbye, they took him away. After that, what happened was wonderful. Both sides, our family and Alan's, came together. Everyone crying, hugging, talking.

I feel good about the outcome. I would like to go see Alan and talk to him eventually. I just feel that tugging on my heart now. I don't know why but I just do. Maybe I'll know when I see him again. I pray that something good comes out of all of this bad! I pray to God that it does.