TheBanyanTree: Justice?

[Sheri Baity]

Justice and How Much Time Served IS Justice
   
  To quickly skim over the beginning... It was October of 2005, my house was burglarized to the tune of a little over $10,000.00 in jewelry, cash and items including the cleaning out of my Granddaughters piggy bank.
   
  Well, through lifting prints from some of the items emptied out they found out his identity April of 2006. Then thankfully a tip came in from a police snitch of his wareabouts one day and they nabbed him in June of 2006. July the court hearings started and my diligance as well to see that justice would be served on this creep! Court appearances, victims impact statements, speaking before the judge and the whole nine yards. The victims coordinate office with the DA was absolutely useless in almost everything. But that's another story.
   
  End results, he pleaded guilty and the creep is setting in the State Pen doing 1-5 years and has to pay back restitution of $6,800 to me and $3,400 back to my insurance company. He is also serving time for another burglary of which I don't know any damaging totals from that one.
   
  I just got an email from the victims advocate office in Harrisburg telling me of his parole hearing coming up in October of this year. My options are to request denial of parole with a statement and reasons why he has not served his time according to me or allow it and do nothing or just make an impact statement. And all of this has to be done by February 1st 2007.
   
  And this is where the questions start. How much time is justifiably time served? Who am "I" to make that decision? How hard of a time is he having in there and is it doing any benefit to him? Or is he laughing all the way like he was that one day as he danced his way out of the courtroom in shackles in front of me and smiling? Is a year enough? Is two years enough? Or, do I want to see him fry for the whole five years?
   
  I've gotten over the fear and the sleeping with my pistol, although I think moving out of that house helped alot. I no longer have to walk inside those doors and feel scared. I've started trusting people again to a certain extent. And I say certain because I've developed an ugly side of me that I've been trying to push away but it appears in the back of my head some times. Sorry to say it is race related and I hate myself for even going there because up until this, I never would have dreamed it.
   
  I hate the fact that this was my Grandaughter's babysitters boyfriend. And I hate the fact that my Granddaughter looked up to this man with Love and Respect and called him Mr Walt all the time and then the bastard cleans out her piggy bank among many other things. I hate the questions that are coming to me of do I tell her to never trust anyone again? Or do I hope that she never asks questions and forgets about the entire situation. I hate the fact that that creep comforted her when she was in tears because her DVD's and player were stolen!
  I'm hate the fact that my diamonds and my parents wedding ring will never be recovered. I hate the wedge that was created with my fear and my daughters for a long time.
   
  We are healing for the most part... some precious things will never be seen again... we will survive and get through this... but now that lingering question lays at my feet waiting for a response...
   
  How Much Time Served will equal Justice??!!??
   
  Crow Woman

 
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