Last week was a very emotional week. I wasn't eating or sleeping much, my First Daughter's upcoming birthday wasn't the whole reason. Back in November 2009 there was a murder where my Daughter I am raising was having a tennis class. This murder was upsetting to everyone in our community because this has never happened before. It is more upsetting to me because I was one of the people who went to help this young man. One Mom on the phone with 911, one Mom watching for the Ambulance who saw more than I did, I was doing first aid and checking for signs of life, the Tennis Coach did CPR and another Mom who ran up later to help watch for the Ambulance.
This park held many years of happy memories for me and this park is right behind the Middle School where my daughter will be starting school this fall. For me it was too close to home!
Two days after the murder I found out who the victim was and I found out how old he was...he was four months and two days older than my First Daughter. Every since then it became more personal to me...what if that was my First Daughter? I don't know why I kept thinking that, maybe because a Mother lost her son that night. Or maybe it was the realization that something could happen to my First Daughter and I would never be told.
The trial started last Monday. Even though I did not see the murder take place I was brought in as a witness, I guess to "paint a picture" and make the victim a human being. Needless to say, I was a wreck! Not much sleep and jumpy!
Strange things were happening last week. A friend of mine was called in for jury duty for this trial and he was dismissed before he had the chance to tell them he knew a witness.
I found out my sister use to work for the Defense Attorney 11 years ago. I very emotional on the stand, but I was able to get the Defense Attorney to back off by telling him I was there to save a life, not focus on evidence.
I did get to meet the victim's family after I testified, my heart went out to the Mother. On Thursday I went back to hear closing arguments. One of the victim's family members looked familiar to me, turns out we use to work together 6 years ago. Small world!
On Friday less than 24 hours after the judge charged the Jury the Judge announced a mistrial because the jury was hung. My heart sank. This isn't over.
Saturday was my First Daughter's birthday. I was looking forward to going into work to be distracted so I could make it through the day. I was quickly confined to our break room for a couple of hours and I didn't have any clients on my books. Later I find out there was a client there talking about the trial and how one of the guys who participated in the fight that led to the murder was her next door neighbor. She kept talking about how violent this kid was and how she had been calling the police on him for the last 8 years.
On Sunday, for some strange reason, I looked up where the Defendant lived. He lives 5 minutes walking distance from me! Great, hopefully the Defendant will be too busy celebrating the mistrial and not check to see if there is a witness living close by.
I guess now I am "decompressing"...waiting to hear about a retrial and waiting for some sign from my First Daughter.
This park held many years of happy memories for me and this park is right behind the Middle School where my daughter will be starting school this fall. For me it was too close to home!
Two days after the murder I found out who the victim was and I found out how old he was...he was four months and two days older than my First Daughter. Every since then it became more personal to me...what if that was my First Daughter? I don't know why I kept thinking that, maybe because a Mother lost her son that night. Or maybe it was the realization that something could happen to my First Daughter and I would never be told.
The trial started last Monday. Even though I did not see the murder take place I was brought in as a witness, I guess to "paint a picture" and make the victim a human being. Needless to say, I was a wreck! Not much sleep and jumpy!
Strange things were happening last week. A friend of mine was called in for jury duty for this trial and he was dismissed before he had the chance to tell them he knew a witness.
I found out my sister use to work for the Defense Attorney 11 years ago. I very emotional on the stand, but I was able to get the Defense Attorney to back off by telling him I was there to save a life, not focus on evidence.
I did get to meet the victim's family after I testified, my heart went out to the Mother. On Thursday I went back to hear closing arguments. One of the victim's family members looked familiar to me, turns out we use to work together 6 years ago. Small world!
On Friday less than 24 hours after the judge charged the Jury the Judge announced a mistrial because the jury was hung. My heart sank. This isn't over.
Saturday was my First Daughter's birthday. I was looking forward to going into work to be distracted so I could make it through the day. I was quickly confined to our break room for a couple of hours and I didn't have any clients on my books. Later I find out there was a client there talking about the trial and how one of the guys who participated in the fight that led to the murder was her next door neighbor. She kept talking about how violent this kid was and how she had been calling the police on him for the last 8 years.
On Sunday, for some strange reason, I looked up where the Defendant lived. He lives 5 minutes walking distance from me! Great, hopefully the Defendant will be too busy celebrating the mistrial and not check to see if there is a witness living close by.
I guess now I am "decompressing"...waiting to hear about a retrial and waiting for some sign from my First Daughter.
1 comment:
wow, i am so sorry that you have to go through all of this. i am sorry that it is not over.
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