Here is the full story. It's been a long 16 months. Got the call this morning that the jury finished their deliberations. My wife did not want to be there. She has had enough, and did not want to be in the same room with him anymore. So the lead detective picked me up. I walked into the courtroom, and saw this person's entire family was stationed behind this person. One of the women there was at the trial during my wife's testimony. She leaned over to whisper into the ear of the defendant's mother, "That's that white bitch's old man" (Being able to read lips does come in handy).
I sat next to the detective, and the judge motioned for the jury to come in. The jurors walked in with poker faces. One older woman looked around the courtroom, saw me and smiled. I knew right then that they nailed him. So I focused my gaze on the defendant. The judge asked for the verdict, and the foreman handed the ferdict to the clerk. The clerk handed it to the judge. The judge reviewed it and gave it back to the clerk. Then the clerk read it. The defendant never changed his facial expression. His family started to sob. The mother began to quietly whisper, "My baby. My baby."
The judge then thanked the jury and dismissed them. He then gave the date for the sentencing. I thanked the detective, and the DA. I then walked out to the hallway, and called my wife. She was at work and took my call, when I told her what the verdict was, she screamed a scream of total exhileration.
The jury and the DA were in the hallway, so I gave my phone to the DA for my wife to thank. I then walked up to the jury and thanked them. In talking to them about the case, they all said that there was no way that this guy was going to get off. They all said that the prosecution made the case so plainly that they had no choice but to find the defendant guilty. They all said that the defense attorney had no impact on them, insofar as supplying them a reasonable doubt.
Now this is all over, except for the sentencing. My wife is going to write something to be read at the sentencing hearing, and I am going to speak at that hearing also. We will both be demanding that this person recieve the maximum sentence prescribed by law.
Of course there is one ironic thing. I have jury duty on Monday.
One last thing...please, please, please do not neglect jury duty. I know it's a huge inconvienence, but it means so much to our (American) government.
Again, thank you all for your prayers and positive thoughts. I want to thank everyone that particpated in the weekly vigils in which this case was so graciously added.
Thank you all again.
