It has been a while since I have posted here but that does not mean that I have forgotten my mother Diane, not by any means. After losing my step-father Lloyd Carhart, then under going surgery to remove a brain tumor, then losing my mother in such a short span of time sent me to a place I never want to go to again.
After almost 3 years we finally have a trial date in the civil suit regarding Diane's death - May 25th. I will again attend each day of the trial & all court proceedings.
I'm afraid of dragging it back up again & having that whole experience that I only just started to get over come back... but at the same time we have been waiting for justice for my Mom & I want it so badly!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Monday, December 10, 2007
Cape Cod Times:Parole board error raises alerts
Here is an article that appears in today's Cape Cod Times. Thanks to George Brennan for once again writing a clear and concise article!
I would like to address the statements made by parole board Executive Director Donald Giancioppo. Mr Giancioppo stated that the error had already been noticed and was being corrected. I find fault in this statement due to the fact that no one I spoke to at the Parole Board knew anything other then the fact that Parker was to have a parole hearing in January. They argued with me that I must not have understood how a mandatory sentence was handled. I was made to feel like I was overstepping my bounds by repeatedly stating that Parker was not to come up on bail until May 2009. I have never received an apology. I truly believe that Giancioppo was trying to deflect an egregious error that had been made on the part of his staff. I never spoke to Giancioppo, he is only hearing what his employees at the parole board tell him...to cover their own errors.
As mentioned in the article a spokesman for Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings office stated that the parole board has access to Correctional facility files and sentencing information. It wasn't until a 3rd phone call that I had with the parole board that they checked these records and found THEIR error.
People have to be held accountable for these errors, especially where they do not only effect the convicted person by way of early release, but can be devastating to a family who is trying to mourn a lost family member - when it seems as though all the rights and benefits go toward the convicted.
It would have been nice to at least receive an "Oops, we made a mistake" or other kind of apology instead of trying to cover up the facts with double speak and pat answers.
Parole board error raises alerts
By George Brennan
STAFF WRITER - Cape Cod Times
December 10, 2007
Susan Linhares had reclaimed her life. The endless trips to court in Falmouth and Barnstable from her Mattapoisett home were over.
The Forestdale home belonging to her late mother, Diane Carhart, was sold last month.
And while holiday decorations spur thoughts of her mother, Linhares had stopped obsessing every waking moment about the injustice of a 2½-year jail sentence for the man who killed Carhart in a horrific daytime crash last March on Route 130 in Sandwich. The driver, Christopher Parker, 50, is also serving a concurrent sentence for his fifth conviction for operating under the influence in a separate case.
That all changed Thursday when Linhares opened a letter from the state Parole Board alerting her to a parole hearing for Parker.
Just four months after he started serving a mandatory 24-month sentence in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility, Parker was to have a parole hearing in February, the letter said.
"I sat here steaming," Linhares said, "so much for a mandatory two-year sentence."
Linhares called the parole board victim service coordinator who signed the letter. He initially told her she must be mistaken.
But Linhares was so insistent, parole board officials investigated and determined a mistake was made.
"We're regretful that it happened and we want to make sure it doesn't happen again," parole board Executive Director Donald Giancioppo said.
It was an isolated, administrative error, he said. The agency has 10,000 hearings per year and few mistakes are reported, he said. "We're going to look into this and make any changes necessary."
A spokesman for Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings office said parole board employees can access jail records to avoid errors.
"Had we been asked, we have records he's doing 24 months mandatory sentence," spokesman Roy Lyons said.
Giancioppo said a member of the victim services unit also caught the mistake and was in the process of correcting it when Linhares called.
The Dec. 4 letter from the Parole Board to Linhares said she had until Jan. 4 to tell them she intended to be at the hearing. If she missed the deadline, she would be excluded.
"You hear all the time about them letting these criminals out too early by accident, but I never thought it would happen to me," Linhares said.
Former Gov. Mitt Romney is under scrutiny in his presidential bid for how a judge he appointed handled the case of convicted killer Daniel Tavares. Tavares, who recently completed a prison term for killing his mother, was released without bail on assault charges. He is now accused of killing a couple in Washington.
Linhares wrote to Gov. Deval Patrick and U.S. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry, asking them to investigate the parole board gaffe and create safeguards for victims.
And for the first time in months she's made an entry in her "Justice for Diane" blog. She will return to advocating for stricter sentences and mandatory drug testing in motor vehicle homicide cases, she said.
"There aren't even words to explain how I feel about this," Linhares said, about receiving the Parole Board letter. "I just sat there for five minutes just unable to say anything. I couldn't believe what I was seeing."
George Brennan can be reached at gbrennan@capecodonline.com
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Parker Almost Paroled in Error!
Today I received a letter from the Massachusetts State Parole Board, stating that a Parole Hearing was to be held for Christopher Parker in Janusary....so much for the mandatory two year sentence!!!!!!!
After a few phone calls and a bit of digging by the Barnstable County House of Correction they found that an error had been made and Parker should not come up for Parole until May 2009. Phew! If I hadn't called then he would have been let out sometime in Feb. 2008 after serving only 7 months.
You hear about convicts being paroled early "by accident", but never would I have thought I would have a letter in my hand that was one of those "accidents". Right now there are several candidants for President of the U.S. that are defending themselves against allegations that their administrations had let convicted men out way too early on Parole. It is in the news all too often and now I have proof of it. To say we, the family and friends of Diane, are disheartend is an understatement. There needs to be a better system of double and even triple checking to make sure these errors don't continue.
I have written another letter to Gov. Devol Patrick, letting him know once again how disappointed I am in Massachusett's law and correctional system and asking him how this can happen? If I get a response I will post it here. If anyone else would like to have their voices heard in this disturbing chain of events please contact the Governor (website is sidebar).
I have not forgotten this site but had to take some time off to get my health in order. Now it looks like my fight has been recharged!
Sue
After a few phone calls and a bit of digging by the Barnstable County House of Correction they found that an error had been made and Parker should not come up for Parole until May 2009. Phew! If I hadn't called then he would have been let out sometime in Feb. 2008 after serving only 7 months.
You hear about convicts being paroled early "by accident", but never would I have thought I would have a letter in my hand that was one of those "accidents". Right now there are several candidants for President of the U.S. that are defending themselves against allegations that their administrations had let convicted men out way too early on Parole. It is in the news all too often and now I have proof of it. To say we, the family and friends of Diane, are disheartend is an understatement. There needs to be a better system of double and even triple checking to make sure these errors don't continue.
I have written another letter to Gov. Devol Patrick, letting him know once again how disappointed I am in Massachusett's law and correctional system and asking him how this can happen? If I get a response I will post it here. If anyone else would like to have their voices heard in this disturbing chain of events please contact the Governor (website is sidebar).
I have not forgotten this site but had to take some time off to get my health in order. Now it looks like my fight has been recharged!
Sue
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Summary of Parker Pleading Guilty
Flashback to Wednesday, July 25, 2007.....
Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker
Barnstable District Court
Barnstable, MA
I went to court wondering what would happen. As I mentioned I had found it hard to sleep the night before due to the anticipation. Since the traffic had been heavy the last time I had gone to this courthouse I left an hour and forty-five minutes early to make the 50 minute drive. Of course since I had left early there wasn't any traffic and I actually made my way to Barnstable way ahead of schedule.
There is a rest area with a Burger King at the exit I take off of Route 6 so I grabbed a burger and fries and parked in the parking lot to eat. When I was finished I still had forty minutes to spare so I sat there and read out loud the victim impact statements that my brother and myself had written so that I would be familiar with them.
I arrived at the courthouse about ten minutes early and after passing through security I made my way to the D.A.'s office to meet up with Victim/Witness Advocate Kathleen Finnegan. Francine Abbott and her friend were already there. Kathleen had us each sign a paper that will allow us to be notified when Parker comes up for parole.
At about 2:00pm we were taken into the Second Session Courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse. This was a smaller courtroom then the First Session Courtroom. I sat in the front row with Kathleen at my right. Francine Abbott was a couple of rows behind us. Parker was already in the area to the left of the Judge's desk where the people who are in custody are seated. Parker's Court-appointed Attorney Woodrow Brown was standing next to Parker. Also in the Courtroom was A.D.A. Brian Shea who was prosecuting the case, a Clerk sitting in front of the Judges bench and a couple of bailiffs. Additionally a reporter and photographer from the Cape Cod Times were sitting to the right side of the room. It was too bad that George Brennan who had been reporting on this case from the onset couldn't be there...although I can't blame him, I would have rather been in Hawaii too :-)
A few minutes after entering the courtroom one of the bailiffs said "All Rise" and as we stood Judge Lynch entered the room and took her seat. The clerk called out the case "Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker" and the judge asked A.D.A. Shea to recite the evidence. Shea read from the police report, mentioning that when police arrived at the scene they found Diane unresponsive in her Chevrolet Tracker and that her vehicle was so badly damaged it took time for them to extract her. They noticed that she had a very weak pulse and an attempt was made to bring her to a school field nearby where a med-flight helicopter was waiting. When they arrived at the helicopter it was determined that nothing could be done and Diane was brought to Falmouth Hospital where she was pronounced dead due to a skull fracture and bruising in her brain.
There were a number of witnesses mentioned and it was stated that Parker made no attempt to avoid the accident. A satellite radio and headphones were found on the front seat of the Honda Accord that Parker was driving and Parker had admitted that he had been fiddling with the radio at the time of the crash. When A.D.A. Shea finished the judge asked Parker if he agreed with the facts as they had been read and Parker said they were "Fairly accurate". Parker also mentioned, with a red face, that he apologized for the heartache he had caused and that he wishes he could change the events of that day.
Now it was time for the victim impact statements to be read. Francine Abbott went first and she sobbed as she read from the pages she had prepared, standing where she had been seated. When she finished after about four minutes it was my turn to stand. I went to the front and read first what my brother had sent for me to read (he lives in Arizona and couldn't make it) and then my own statement, which I've already posted here a few days ago. It took me about 16 minutes to read through both of them and all the while Parker had to stand there. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and stared at the ground. The statements had to be addressed to Judge Lynch, but Parker could certainly hear what was being read aloud.
When I finished Judge Lynch thanked us for our statements and then asked both the prosecution and the defense what they would recommend for a sentence for the charges of Vehicular Homicide and driving on a revoked license. The Judge thought on it for a moment and stated that the maximum sentence for Vehicular Homicide was 2.5 years. She sentenced Parker to that 2.5 years with 6 months suspended and then 2 years probation when he was released. She also gave Parker 10 days on the the driving with a revoked license charge...to be served concurrently to the 2.5 years.
I admit that I was upset at the sentence, especially the 10 days to be served concurrently. I had this feeling of "why bother?" Unfortunately I was going to get that feeling again in just two days when Parker went before a Judge in Falmouth District Court on OUI charges from October 2006. But that will be in the next post.
Parker was taken from the courtroom by the two bailiffs and I said "Good-bye" to Kathleen Finnegan and A.D.A. Shea and drove home. I called my brother as soon as I got home and let him know what had happened.
I don't think I have to tell anyone that I was disappointed by the 2.5 years and 10 days, with only 2 years to serve that Parker received for killing my Mom. It makes Parker's life seem so much more important. I have been shocked at the overly liberal court system on the Cape. Having sat through a number of arraignments and dispositions while waiting for Parker's cases to be called it seems like a bit of a farce. It is not the District Attorney's fault, their hands are pretty much tied by the laws (or lack of) of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I have watched four different Judges dismiss most cases or continue them without a finding. Numerous people who are charged with driving without a license have their cases dismissed after the Judge asks the defendant if it is a case where they are not able to get a license (illegals). Look through the court reports that the Cape Cod Times prints (link can also be found at left). I've noticed that others on the Cape have written about this same topic on the Cape Cod Times forums.
I've got to go get some work done so I will post what happened last Friday when Parker plead guilty to his fifth OUI later on.
Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker
Barnstable District Court
Barnstable, MA
I went to court wondering what would happen. As I mentioned I had found it hard to sleep the night before due to the anticipation. Since the traffic had been heavy the last time I had gone to this courthouse I left an hour and forty-five minutes early to make the 50 minute drive. Of course since I had left early there wasn't any traffic and I actually made my way to Barnstable way ahead of schedule.
There is a rest area with a Burger King at the exit I take off of Route 6 so I grabbed a burger and fries and parked in the parking lot to eat. When I was finished I still had forty minutes to spare so I sat there and read out loud the victim impact statements that my brother and myself had written so that I would be familiar with them.
I arrived at the courthouse about ten minutes early and after passing through security I made my way to the D.A.'s office to meet up with Victim/Witness Advocate Kathleen Finnegan. Francine Abbott and her friend were already there. Kathleen had us each sign a paper that will allow us to be notified when Parker comes up for parole.
At about 2:00pm we were taken into the Second Session Courtroom on the second floor of the courthouse. This was a smaller courtroom then the First Session Courtroom. I sat in the front row with Kathleen at my right. Francine Abbott was a couple of rows behind us. Parker was already in the area to the left of the Judge's desk where the people who are in custody are seated. Parker's Court-appointed Attorney Woodrow Brown was standing next to Parker. Also in the Courtroom was A.D.A. Brian Shea who was prosecuting the case, a Clerk sitting in front of the Judges bench and a couple of bailiffs. Additionally a reporter and photographer from the Cape Cod Times were sitting to the right side of the room. It was too bad that George Brennan who had been reporting on this case from the onset couldn't be there...although I can't blame him, I would have rather been in Hawaii too :-)
A few minutes after entering the courtroom one of the bailiffs said "All Rise" and as we stood Judge Lynch entered the room and took her seat. The clerk called out the case "Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker" and the judge asked A.D.A. Shea to recite the evidence. Shea read from the police report, mentioning that when police arrived at the scene they found Diane unresponsive in her Chevrolet Tracker and that her vehicle was so badly damaged it took time for them to extract her. They noticed that she had a very weak pulse and an attempt was made to bring her to a school field nearby where a med-flight helicopter was waiting. When they arrived at the helicopter it was determined that nothing could be done and Diane was brought to Falmouth Hospital where she was pronounced dead due to a skull fracture and bruising in her brain.
There were a number of witnesses mentioned and it was stated that Parker made no attempt to avoid the accident. A satellite radio and headphones were found on the front seat of the Honda Accord that Parker was driving and Parker had admitted that he had been fiddling with the radio at the time of the crash. When A.D.A. Shea finished the judge asked Parker if he agreed with the facts as they had been read and Parker said they were "Fairly accurate". Parker also mentioned, with a red face, that he apologized for the heartache he had caused and that he wishes he could change the events of that day.
Now it was time for the victim impact statements to be read. Francine Abbott went first and she sobbed as she read from the pages she had prepared, standing where she had been seated. When she finished after about four minutes it was my turn to stand. I went to the front and read first what my brother had sent for me to read (he lives in Arizona and couldn't make it) and then my own statement, which I've already posted here a few days ago. It took me about 16 minutes to read through both of them and all the while Parker had to stand there. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and stared at the ground. The statements had to be addressed to Judge Lynch, but Parker could certainly hear what was being read aloud.
When I finished Judge Lynch thanked us for our statements and then asked both the prosecution and the defense what they would recommend for a sentence for the charges of Vehicular Homicide and driving on a revoked license. The Judge thought on it for a moment and stated that the maximum sentence for Vehicular Homicide was 2.5 years. She sentenced Parker to that 2.5 years with 6 months suspended and then 2 years probation when he was released. She also gave Parker 10 days on the the driving with a revoked license charge...to be served concurrently to the 2.5 years.
I admit that I was upset at the sentence, especially the 10 days to be served concurrently. I had this feeling of "why bother?" Unfortunately I was going to get that feeling again in just two days when Parker went before a Judge in Falmouth District Court on OUI charges from October 2006. But that will be in the next post.
Parker was taken from the courtroom by the two bailiffs and I said "Good-bye" to Kathleen Finnegan and A.D.A. Shea and drove home. I called my brother as soon as I got home and let him know what had happened.
I don't think I have to tell anyone that I was disappointed by the 2.5 years and 10 days, with only 2 years to serve that Parker received for killing my Mom. It makes Parker's life seem so much more important. I have been shocked at the overly liberal court system on the Cape. Having sat through a number of arraignments and dispositions while waiting for Parker's cases to be called it seems like a bit of a farce. It is not the District Attorney's fault, their hands are pretty much tied by the laws (or lack of) of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I have watched four different Judges dismiss most cases or continue them without a finding. Numerous people who are charged with driving without a license have their cases dismissed after the Judge asks the defendant if it is a case where they are not able to get a license (illegals). Look through the court reports that the Cape Cod Times prints (link can also be found at left). I've noticed that others on the Cape have written about this same topic on the Cape Cod Times forums.
I've got to go get some work done so I will post what happened last Friday when Parker plead guilty to his fifth OUI later on.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
New Feature - Please Vote In Our Polls!
In order to be able to get an idea of what people are thinking in regards to various Massachusetts laws relating to repeat offenders, operating under the influence of drugs or alcohol, vehicular homicide, and concurrent sentencing I will be putting a few polls up, located just under Diane's picture at left.
Polls will generally last for 30 days or longer.
All votes are anonymous and while you can only vote once, you can go back and change that vote.
Please take the time to vote.
Within the week I will be putting up a link to an online petition too. Be sure to check back as we start phase two of this site. Now that Parker has been sentenced and sent to jail (too briefly in my opinion) I will Begin to work in earnest to bring our motor vehicle laws in line with most other states. At this time Massachusetts is losing out on Federal funding because the driving laws are not in line with federal guidelines - Lets do something to fix that!
Polls will generally last for 30 days or longer.
All votes are anonymous and while you can only vote once, you can go back and change that vote.
Please take the time to vote.
Within the week I will be putting up a link to an online petition too. Be sure to check back as we start phase two of this site. Now that Parker has been sentenced and sent to jail (too briefly in my opinion) I will Begin to work in earnest to bring our motor vehicle laws in line with most other states. At this time Massachusetts is losing out on Federal funding because the driving laws are not in line with federal guidelines - Lets do something to fix that!
Convicted driver pleads guilty to fifth DUI - Cape Cod Times
The following article is in today's issue of Cape Cod Times, as well as on their website. I promise that I will write up exactly what happened at both dispositions, I've just been unbelievably busy the last couple of days.
By Aaron Gouvea Cape Cod Times
July 28, 2007
FALMOUTH — Different court room, same result.
Christopher Parker, 50, pleaded guilty in Falmouth District Court yesterday to operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs and received a 2 ½-year sentence, six months above the minimum mandatory sentence for a fifth offense. In addition, he also received a one-year sentence for operating a motor vehicle negligently for the incident last October while driving in Bourne.
The sentences will run concurrently with the 2 ½-year sentence Parker received on Wednesday in Barnstable Superior Court, where he pled guilty to vehicular homicide.
Parker, of Forestdale, killed Diane Carhart, 63, in March when he slammed his Honda Accord into her Chevy Tracker on Route 130 in Sandwich. Police said Parker looked down to adjust a portable radio, causing the crash.
Although the last six months of his sentence will be suspended, he will be on probation for a combined four years. Parker will also have to submit to random drug and alcohol testing both in and out of prison, as well as alcohol counseling.
Carhart's daughter, Susan Linhares of Mattapoisett, is hopeful the punishments will serve as a fresh start for Parker and his family.
"I really do wish the man could clean himself up for his family's sake," Linhares said yesterday after Parker's court appearance. "My mother and I have never been vindictive people and while we won't forgive, we don't wish anybody harm."
By Aaron Gouvea Cape Cod Times
July 28, 2007
FALMOUTH — Different court room, same result.
Christopher Parker, 50, pleaded guilty in Falmouth District Court yesterday to operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs and received a 2 ½-year sentence, six months above the minimum mandatory sentence for a fifth offense. In addition, he also received a one-year sentence for operating a motor vehicle negligently for the incident last October while driving in Bourne.
The sentences will run concurrently with the 2 ½-year sentence Parker received on Wednesday in Barnstable Superior Court, where he pled guilty to vehicular homicide.
Parker, of Forestdale, killed Diane Carhart, 63, in March when he slammed his Honda Accord into her Chevy Tracker on Route 130 in Sandwich. Police said Parker looked down to adjust a portable radio, causing the crash.
Although the last six months of his sentence will be suspended, he will be on probation for a combined four years. Parker will also have to submit to random drug and alcohol testing both in and out of prison, as well as alcohol counseling.
Carhart's daughter, Susan Linhares of Mattapoisett, is hopeful the punishments will serve as a fresh start for Parker and his family.
"I really do wish the man could clean himself up for his family's sake," Linhares said yesterday after Parker's court appearance. "My mother and I have never been vindictive people and while we won't forgive, we don't wish anybody harm."
Friday, July 27, 2007
Disposition on October DUI charge against Parker
I'm leaving now to go to the Falmouth District Court in Falmouth, MA in order to see what Parker receives for a sentence. I've been told there is a chance that any jail time in this charge could be served concurrently to his jail time he is serving in Diane's case. I really hope that is not the case since this case happened 5 months before the crash that Parker has been found guilty of where Diane died, it was in a different location, with the cases in two different courthouses. I just don't see how they could do that.
I'll be back around 11am as far as I know and will post the results of the case when I get back home so stop back by in a few hours.
I'll be back around 11am as far as I know and will post the results of the case when I get back home so stop back by in a few hours.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
My Victim Impact Statement
Below is my Victim Impact Statement that I read in the courtroom just before Christopher G. Parker was sentenced. While it is directed to the Judge, Parker was standing, looking at the ground with a red face as I read it. When I was done Judge Lynch thanked me for giving them an idea of who Diane, my Mom, was.
Good Afternoon your Honor,
Thank you for giving my brother and me this time to remember our Mother.
Diane Louise Kelsey Everett Carhart was more then just a name in the newspaper or local television news...the "Forestdale Woman Killed in Accident". She was a loving, caring person who always had a kind word or a helping hand for anyone she met. When asked to give one word to describe her the word "Friend" comes to our minds first, and quickly.
My mother was my best friend. When I was growing up we moved about every 12 to 18 months due to my father's work with the National Marine Fisheries Service. It seemed that I was always the new kid in school. My mother was my closest consistant friend during those years and on into my adulthood. She was my best friend until March 5, 2007 when she was tragically taken from us. While I didn't necessarily see her each and every day, I did speak to her daily. It is so hard for me to realize and comprehend that she is no longer there to answer the phone.
On the morning of March 5th my Mom called me to say what a great time she had had the night before when we had celebrated my Grandmother (Mom's mother)'s 87th birthday. As we talked we made plans to attend a field trial that my dogs were entered in the following weekend in Falmouth. My husband and I do not have children but Mom always enjoyed cheering on her "granddogs" at the events I participate in with them.. After a few minutes of our conversation she said "Goodbye" and hung up the phone, telling me she was going to run a few errands and swing by the Dunkin' Donuts down the road from her home, at Tradewinds Plaze on Route 130.
A short time later I received a very distraught phone call from my brother. "Sue, Mom's dead!" Those words are forever etched into my mind. I initially thought that he was playing a really bad joke on me...I had just talked to Mom, she wasn't dead. Unfortunately as he told me what had happened the awful truth began to sink in. My mother died while waiting to turn into Tradewinds plaza. She was on her way to Dunkin' Donuts to get a vanilla frosted donut with sprinkles and an ice coffee which she would then take down to the water along the Canal in Sandwich. It was her morning routine. She loved watching the boats come through the canal and meeting new people. She died the day after her mother's 87th birthday and was buried a few days later on her brother's 50th birthday. Instead of attending the field trial we had planned on going to the following weekend I was standing next to her closed coffin, greeting people at her wake and funeral.
As I mentioned, my mother was my friend. She was actually much more then that to me as she was my lifeline in many ways. While the death of a mother is one of the hardest things that we as human beings will experience I not only grieve her loss but I also need my mother!
One year ago, not to long after the death of my Mother's husband, my stepfather Lloyd Carhart, I began having problems with my vision. A MRI revealed that I had a meningioma, a benign but fast growing tumor in my head. Due to it's location it had to be removed. My mother changed her entire work schedule, she was manager of the Childrens Gift Shop at Plimoth Plantation, so that she would be able to take me to the many rounds of doctors appointments at Brigham and Woman's hospital. She was with me on August 17th, 2006 as I awoke in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit after undergoing a 9 hour surgery; a left frontal craniotomy with the removal of the bones in my left orbit which were then replaced by titanium mesh.
I stayed at Mom's house for several weeks after I was released from the hospital and she again stayed with me up in Boston when I was readmitted to the hospital due to complications and cognitive problems I was having as a result of the surgery. Mom had been helping me each week with my rehabilitation, relearning many of the things that we all seem to take for granted.
Last month I went back to Brigham and Woman's hospital for my latest 3 month follow-up MRI and then meeting to read the results with my NeuroSurgeon. This was the first time that I went up there without my Mom. To say that I was a bit nervous to go up there by myself is an understatement. You see, there is still a part of the tumor behind my left eye and eventually I will most likely need another craniotomy. My eyesight is getting worse almost daily so I'm nervous that the tumor is growing back faster then the neurosurgeons had hoped. I don't know how I'm going to be able to get through a second brain surgery without my Mom there to make sure that my meds are correct and otherwise see that I'm alright. My husband is a long-haul trucker so he is gone during the week. I NEED my mother and I am scared about life without her. I need her humor and guidence when I am depressed. Additionally, while it embarrasses me a bit to say it, my mother was helping us out financially by helping to pay the mortgage on our house, paying my numerous perscriptions and providing me with the use of my Stepfather's car due to the fact that I have been out of work for almost a year now because of my health. I don't know what I will do or how I will get through it all now.
Since my mother's death I've also had the return of the migraine headaches that preceeded my surgery. I can not sleep longer then two or three hours at a stretch. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, an auto-immune disease that can be triggered by stress, major surgery or shock. I have frequent panic attacks, especially when I go to the phone to call my Mom and realize half way through dialing her number that she will not be there to answer, that I will never hear her voice again. All due to the thoughtless, irresponsible and selfish actions of Christopher G. Parker.
There are times that I have nightmares or moments during the day of where I can almost feel her thoughts as she realized that she was dying. One moment she is waiting to make a left turn with her blinker on, watching for the oncoming traffic to clear and the next she is dying. It is as if in her very last moments she is crying out "I don't want to die", "Please don't let me die", "Who will take care of Susie, she needs me! ?" "I want to watch my Grandchildren grow up, please, I don't want to leave them". I know my Mother's thoughts would not be of herself, but of those that she is leaving behind. I can't seem to get those thoughts out of my mind, they haunt me. I am now seeing a therapist and am on anti-depressants and anxiety medication for the first time in my life. There are now times that I am afraid of what the next day will bring.
My mother had just begun to get out of the depression that she had felt due to losing her husband Lloyd after a long illness. My being diagnosed with a brain tumor three months later really effected her also. She was finally starting to move on and live her life to the fullest. Beginning to travel and make plans for the future.
I wanted to be able to give this victim impact statement so that people in this courtroom would have a chance to better know my mother. While recently going through the difficult task of packing up 63 years of her memories and life my brother found an autobiography that our mother had written in 1987 when she was living in Annapolis, Maryland.. I was able to read it as part of an Eulogy during her funeral, which was attended by approximately 350 people. At this time I would like to read a small portion to you in the hope that you will come to know who Diane Louise Kelsey Everett Carhart was and what she meant to her family and friends.
I was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on October 28, 1943. My parents were and still are a loving, caring couple. I grew up in a large 5 bedroom house in Newtonville, a suburb of Boston, Mass. My father was a college art professor and my mother was a housewife. In the summertime, during school vacation we would go to my grandparents home in Pocasset on Cape Cod.
My parents were pretty strict with my brother and I but never spanked or hit us. They believed in talking with us about a problem so that we would understand what we had done wrong and what our punishment would be. Discipline and punishment were a shared responsibility. They talked it over and decided together on the course of punishment, such as room restriction, no TV or no phone.
On a daily basis I was closest with my mother. She was always there to answer my questions and just talk. If I had a real problem or something bad happened I wanted my dad to be there. Fathers are supposed to be able to fix anything. I want to be like my parents in many ways - understanding, caring and able to talk about anything. As a parent I am fairly strict because one of the main jobs you do as a parent is teach responsibility.
During my school years from 9th grade through high school my favorite subjects were art, science, English and history. While in high school (Fairhaven High) I belonged to the art club, the theater club and was also a member of the junior volunteers at the local hospital. I was President of those volunteers.
During my teenage years I was a happy teenager. My family and friends were reasons to be very happy. It was during my last year in high school that I met my first husband, Dr. John Thomas Everett. We were married 1 year after graduation from high school. I helped him obtain 3 college degrees. During our marriage we moved several times due to his work. - Massachusetts 2 times, Florida 2 times, California once (2 locations), and Virginia 3 times. We had three children - Susan, John Philip (who died of SIDS at 8 months of age) and John Edward Philip. That marriage lasted 18 years.
I met my present husband in 1983 at a party after sailing. I really don’t know what attracted me to him at first. He was very articulate, knowledgeable and friendly. He had a very straight forward, honest approach. He was older than I and was caring and easy to talk to. We decided to marry after going together for two years. We had a small wedding with family and friends in Newport, RI on December 28, 1985. We have taken the time to talk and listen to each other.
There will be no problem that we cannot solve. Our marriage is based on friendship, respect, mutual admiration and love. Since our honeymoon period our relationship has become stronger because we take time to listen to each other.My husband and I share many interests - children, boating and the water (we have a power boat), travel and our home and pets. I am also interested in the foster care program in Maryland, I am on the Anne Arundel County Foster Care Review Board. This was an appointment by the Governor of Maryland. The strengths I bring to our marriage are sensitivity, patience, understanding and love. The only area of disagreement that I can think of is that I am more private about my inner thoughts while my husband is more outgoing.In 1985 I went back to school (business school). I never had the chance to go to college before that time. I graduated with a 3.9 average. I then became the Catering and Banquet Secretary at the Holiday Inn in Annapolis. In the past I’ve taken and completed courses in C.P.R., basic first aid, and passed the test to become an Emergency Medical Technician (E.M.T.) at a time when woman were not generally hired in that field.
There have been many strong influences in my life. The main ones being my parents and famly, religion and my husband Lloyd. My greatest personal achievement was going back to school at age 42 and doing so well academically. My greatest disappointments were the breakup of my first marriage...and of course the death of my first son was my biggest disappointment - his life was so very short.
I personally face all difficulties head on, talking, caring and looking ahead to a tomorrow that will be a little brighter for everyone. I have learned that I can face just about anything and I have a wonderful husband to share life with. My current goals are to better myself daily, help others and grow in my marriage.My life has had its up and downs but I wouldn’t change a moment of it. It has made me a more secure and understanding person.
Shortly after writing her autobiography in 1987 my mother and Lloyd moved to their house in Forestdale, just off of Route 130.
Christopher G. Parker was not merely negligent your honor, he knowingly got behind the wheel of a car leased to his wife. It is my understanding that he was uninsured to drive that car since his license had been revoked due to his being found a danger to the public. His actions prove that he has no regard or respect for the laws of this Commonwealth. When he got behind the wheel on March 5, 2007 he not only killed my Mother Diane Louise Kelsey Everett Carhart, but he irrrevokably changed the lives of Diane's many family members and friends. Not to mention the impact his actions have on his own family.
I sincerely thank you for giving my brother and me this opportunity to let you get to know our Mother and also for us to express a few of our thoughts and feelings in regards to her being taken from us suddenly due to the actions of Christopher G Parker.
Thank you.
Good Afternoon your Honor,
Thank you for giving my brother and me this time to remember our Mother.
Diane Louise Kelsey Everett Carhart was more then just a name in the newspaper or local television news...the "Forestdale Woman Killed in Accident". She was a loving, caring person who always had a kind word or a helping hand for anyone she met. When asked to give one word to describe her the word "Friend" comes to our minds first, and quickly.
My mother was my best friend. When I was growing up we moved about every 12 to 18 months due to my father's work with the National Marine Fisheries Service. It seemed that I was always the new kid in school. My mother was my closest consistant friend during those years and on into my adulthood. She was my best friend until March 5, 2007 when she was tragically taken from us. While I didn't necessarily see her each and every day, I did speak to her daily. It is so hard for me to realize and comprehend that she is no longer there to answer the phone.
On the morning of March 5th my Mom called me to say what a great time she had had the night before when we had celebrated my Grandmother (Mom's mother)'s 87th birthday. As we talked we made plans to attend a field trial that my dogs were entered in the following weekend in Falmouth. My husband and I do not have children but Mom always enjoyed cheering on her "granddogs" at the events I participate in with them.. After a few minutes of our conversation she said "Goodbye" and hung up the phone, telling me she was going to run a few errands and swing by the Dunkin' Donuts down the road from her home, at Tradewinds Plaze on Route 130.
A short time later I received a very distraught phone call from my brother. "Sue, Mom's dead!" Those words are forever etched into my mind. I initially thought that he was playing a really bad joke on me...I had just talked to Mom, she wasn't dead. Unfortunately as he told me what had happened the awful truth began to sink in. My mother died while waiting to turn into Tradewinds plaza. She was on her way to Dunkin' Donuts to get a vanilla frosted donut with sprinkles and an ice coffee which she would then take down to the water along the Canal in Sandwich. It was her morning routine. She loved watching the boats come through the canal and meeting new people. She died the day after her mother's 87th birthday and was buried a few days later on her brother's 50th birthday. Instead of attending the field trial we had planned on going to the following weekend I was standing next to her closed coffin, greeting people at her wake and funeral.
As I mentioned, my mother was my friend. She was actually much more then that to me as she was my lifeline in many ways. While the death of a mother is one of the hardest things that we as human beings will experience I not only grieve her loss but I also need my mother!
One year ago, not to long after the death of my Mother's husband, my stepfather Lloyd Carhart, I began having problems with my vision. A MRI revealed that I had a meningioma, a benign but fast growing tumor in my head. Due to it's location it had to be removed. My mother changed her entire work schedule, she was manager of the Childrens Gift Shop at Plimoth Plantation, so that she would be able to take me to the many rounds of doctors appointments at Brigham and Woman's hospital. She was with me on August 17th, 2006 as I awoke in the Neurological Intensive Care Unit after undergoing a 9 hour surgery; a left frontal craniotomy with the removal of the bones in my left orbit which were then replaced by titanium mesh.
I stayed at Mom's house for several weeks after I was released from the hospital and she again stayed with me up in Boston when I was readmitted to the hospital due to complications and cognitive problems I was having as a result of the surgery. Mom had been helping me each week with my rehabilitation, relearning many of the things that we all seem to take for granted.
Last month I went back to Brigham and Woman's hospital for my latest 3 month follow-up MRI and then meeting to read the results with my NeuroSurgeon. This was the first time that I went up there without my Mom. To say that I was a bit nervous to go up there by myself is an understatement. You see, there is still a part of the tumor behind my left eye and eventually I will most likely need another craniotomy. My eyesight is getting worse almost daily so I'm nervous that the tumor is growing back faster then the neurosurgeons had hoped. I don't know how I'm going to be able to get through a second brain surgery without my Mom there to make sure that my meds are correct and otherwise see that I'm alright. My husband is a long-haul trucker so he is gone during the week. I NEED my mother and I am scared about life without her. I need her humor and guidence when I am depressed. Additionally, while it embarrasses me a bit to say it, my mother was helping us out financially by helping to pay the mortgage on our house, paying my numerous perscriptions and providing me with the use of my Stepfather's car due to the fact that I have been out of work for almost a year now because of my health. I don't know what I will do or how I will get through it all now.
Since my mother's death I've also had the return of the migraine headaches that preceeded my surgery. I can not sleep longer then two or three hours at a stretch. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, an auto-immune disease that can be triggered by stress, major surgery or shock. I have frequent panic attacks, especially when I go to the phone to call my Mom and realize half way through dialing her number that she will not be there to answer, that I will never hear her voice again. All due to the thoughtless, irresponsible and selfish actions of Christopher G. Parker.
There are times that I have nightmares or moments during the day of where I can almost feel her thoughts as she realized that she was dying. One moment she is waiting to make a left turn with her blinker on, watching for the oncoming traffic to clear and the next she is dying. It is as if in her very last moments she is crying out "I don't want to die", "Please don't let me die", "Who will take care of Susie, she needs me! ?" "I want to watch my Grandchildren grow up, please, I don't want to leave them". I know my Mother's thoughts would not be of herself, but of those that she is leaving behind. I can't seem to get those thoughts out of my mind, they haunt me. I am now seeing a therapist and am on anti-depressants and anxiety medication for the first time in my life. There are now times that I am afraid of what the next day will bring.
My mother had just begun to get out of the depression that she had felt due to losing her husband Lloyd after a long illness. My being diagnosed with a brain tumor three months later really effected her also. She was finally starting to move on and live her life to the fullest. Beginning to travel and make plans for the future.
I wanted to be able to give this victim impact statement so that people in this courtroom would have a chance to better know my mother. While recently going through the difficult task of packing up 63 years of her memories and life my brother found an autobiography that our mother had written in 1987 when she was living in Annapolis, Maryland.. I was able to read it as part of an Eulogy during her funeral, which was attended by approximately 350 people. At this time I would like to read a small portion to you in the hope that you will come to know who Diane Louise Kelsey Everett Carhart was and what she meant to her family and friends.
My Autobiography by Diane Carhart
I was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on October 28, 1943. My parents were and still are a loving, caring couple. I grew up in a large 5 bedroom house in Newtonville, a suburb of Boston, Mass. My father was a college art professor and my mother was a housewife. In the summertime, during school vacation we would go to my grandparents home in Pocasset on Cape Cod.
My parents were pretty strict with my brother and I but never spanked or hit us. They believed in talking with us about a problem so that we would understand what we had done wrong and what our punishment would be. Discipline and punishment were a shared responsibility. They talked it over and decided together on the course of punishment, such as room restriction, no TV or no phone.
On a daily basis I was closest with my mother. She was always there to answer my questions and just talk. If I had a real problem or something bad happened I wanted my dad to be there. Fathers are supposed to be able to fix anything. I want to be like my parents in many ways - understanding, caring and able to talk about anything. As a parent I am fairly strict because one of the main jobs you do as a parent is teach responsibility.
During my school years from 9th grade through high school my favorite subjects were art, science, English and history. While in high school (Fairhaven High) I belonged to the art club, the theater club and was also a member of the junior volunteers at the local hospital. I was President of those volunteers.
During my teenage years I was a happy teenager. My family and friends were reasons to be very happy. It was during my last year in high school that I met my first husband, Dr. John Thomas Everett. We were married 1 year after graduation from high school. I helped him obtain 3 college degrees. During our marriage we moved several times due to his work. - Massachusetts 2 times, Florida 2 times, California once (2 locations), and Virginia 3 times. We had three children - Susan, John Philip (who died of SIDS at 8 months of age) and John Edward Philip. That marriage lasted 18 years.
I met my present husband in 1983 at a party after sailing. I really don’t know what attracted me to him at first. He was very articulate, knowledgeable and friendly. He had a very straight forward, honest approach. He was older than I and was caring and easy to talk to. We decided to marry after going together for two years. We had a small wedding with family and friends in Newport, RI on December 28, 1985. We have taken the time to talk and listen to each other.
There will be no problem that we cannot solve. Our marriage is based on friendship, respect, mutual admiration and love. Since our honeymoon period our relationship has become stronger because we take time to listen to each other.My husband and I share many interests - children, boating and the water (we have a power boat), travel and our home and pets. I am also interested in the foster care program in Maryland, I am on the Anne Arundel County Foster Care Review Board. This was an appointment by the Governor of Maryland. The strengths I bring to our marriage are sensitivity, patience, understanding and love. The only area of disagreement that I can think of is that I am more private about my inner thoughts while my husband is more outgoing.In 1985 I went back to school (business school). I never had the chance to go to college before that time. I graduated with a 3.9 average. I then became the Catering and Banquet Secretary at the Holiday Inn in Annapolis. In the past I’ve taken and completed courses in C.P.R., basic first aid, and passed the test to become an Emergency Medical Technician (E.M.T.) at a time when woman were not generally hired in that field.
There have been many strong influences in my life. The main ones being my parents and famly, religion and my husband Lloyd. My greatest personal achievement was going back to school at age 42 and doing so well academically. My greatest disappointments were the breakup of my first marriage...and of course the death of my first son was my biggest disappointment - his life was so very short.
I personally face all difficulties head on, talking, caring and looking ahead to a tomorrow that will be a little brighter for everyone. I have learned that I can face just about anything and I have a wonderful husband to share life with. My current goals are to better myself daily, help others and grow in my marriage.My life has had its up and downs but I wouldn’t change a moment of it. It has made me a more secure and understanding person.
Shortly after writing her autobiography in 1987 my mother and Lloyd moved to their house in Forestdale, just off of Route 130.
Christopher G. Parker was not merely negligent your honor, he knowingly got behind the wheel of a car leased to his wife. It is my understanding that he was uninsured to drive that car since his license had been revoked due to his being found a danger to the public. His actions prove that he has no regard or respect for the laws of this Commonwealth. When he got behind the wheel on March 5, 2007 he not only killed my Mother Diane Louise Kelsey Everett Carhart, but he irrrevokably changed the lives of Diane's many family members and friends. Not to mention the impact his actions have on his own family.
I sincerely thank you for giving my brother and me this opportunity to let you get to know our Mother and also for us to express a few of our thoughts and feelings in regards to her being taken from us suddenly due to the actions of Christopher G Parker.
Thank you.
Parker pleads guilty to vehicular homicide - Cape Cod Times 7/26/07
This article appears in the Thursday edition of the Cape Cod Times. It has a bit more info and a different picture then the article I posted last evening.
The 63-year-old Forestdale grandmother was on Route 130 waiting to turn left into the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot at the Tradewinds Plaza in Sandwich when a Honda Accord slammed her Chevy Tracker from behind. Carhart's vehicle careened into the path of an on-coming NStar truck.
Carhart died shortly after.
Yesterday, Christopher G. Parker, 50, of Forestdale, the driver of the Honda, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and was sentenced to two and a half years in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility, the maximum allowed. Parker's inattention as he bent down to adjust a portable radio caused the crash, according to police.
The last six months of his sentence will be suspended, and he will be on probation following his release from jail. He will also serve a 10-day concurrent sentence for driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident.
"I don't think the sentence fit the crime, but he got what the state laws were," said Carhart's daughter, Susan Linhares of Mattapoisett following yesterday's proceeding in Barnstable District Court.
"I would like to see him serve all two and half years, but I'm glad that this is over and my family can move on," Linhares said.
Reading from victim impact statements composed by herself and her brother, John Everett of Williams, Ariz., she told the court that her mother had been her best friend — standing by her through many difficult times, including a recent battle with a brain tumor.
"I need my mother, I'm scared of life without her," she read.
Francine Abbott, who was driving the NStar truck and received an ankle injury in the crash, also read a statement.
"Because of you, my life and my family's life has been altered. Since that day, I've lived in pain and fear," she said. Abbott sobbed quietly as attorneys went over the details of the accident, and embraced Carhart's daughter after the sentence was read.
Parker apologized for the pain he caused Carhart's family. "If I could change anything it would be that day," said. Parker, who is already serving time on an unrelated matter. "I know my incarceration's going to be nothing compared to the loss of a human life."
Parker has a lengthy driving infraction record, which includes four drunken driving convictions, dating back to 1982. He also has a case pending in Falmouth District Court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs in October in Bourne.
He is due back in court for this charge tomorrow.
Stephanie Vosk can be reached at svosk@capecodonline.com.
Christopher Parker stands in Barnstable District Court yesterday as he receives his sentence for motor vehicle homicide.
-Cape Cod Times /Paul Blackmore
BARNSTABLE — The morning of March 5 was a typical one for Diane Carhart.
After hanging up the phone with her daughter, she was off to get her vanilla-frosted doughnut with sprinkles and an iced coffee.
After hanging up the phone with her daughter, she was off to get her vanilla-frosted doughnut with sprinkles and an iced coffee.
The 63-year-old Forestdale grandmother was on Route 130 waiting to turn left into the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot at the Tradewinds Plaza in Sandwich when a Honda Accord slammed her Chevy Tracker from behind. Carhart's vehicle careened into the path of an on-coming NStar truck.
Carhart died shortly after.
Yesterday, Christopher G. Parker, 50, of Forestdale, the driver of the Honda, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and was sentenced to two and a half years in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility, the maximum allowed. Parker's inattention as he bent down to adjust a portable radio caused the crash, according to police.
The last six months of his sentence will be suspended, and he will be on probation following his release from jail. He will also serve a 10-day concurrent sentence for driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident.
"I don't think the sentence fit the crime, but he got what the state laws were," said Carhart's daughter, Susan Linhares of Mattapoisett following yesterday's proceeding in Barnstable District Court.
"I would like to see him serve all two and half years, but I'm glad that this is over and my family can move on," Linhares said.
Reading from victim impact statements composed by herself and her brother, John Everett of Williams, Ariz., she told the court that her mother had been her best friend — standing by her through many difficult times, including a recent battle with a brain tumor.
"I need my mother, I'm scared of life without her," she read.
Francine Abbott, who was driving the NStar truck and received an ankle injury in the crash, also read a statement.
"Because of you, my life and my family's life has been altered. Since that day, I've lived in pain and fear," she said. Abbott sobbed quietly as attorneys went over the details of the accident, and embraced Carhart's daughter after the sentence was read.
Parker apologized for the pain he caused Carhart's family. "If I could change anything it would be that day," said. Parker, who is already serving time on an unrelated matter. "I know my incarceration's going to be nothing compared to the loss of a human life."
Parker has a lengthy driving infraction record, which includes four drunken driving convictions, dating back to 1982. He also has a case pending in Falmouth District Court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs in October in Bourne.
He is due back in court for this charge tomorrow.
Stephanie Vosk can be reached at svosk@capecodonline.com.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Parker pleads guilty to motor vehicle homicide
I still have to make a few more phone calls to family and friends so I will post more about Parker pleading guilty in an hour or so. In the meantime I noticed that the Cape Cod Times has a brief article on their website with a picture of Parker in court today. If more is printed tomorrow I will update this post.
Christopher Parker, 50, receives his sentence today in Barnstable District Court.
Photo by Paul Blackmore/Cape Cod Times
By Stephanie Vosk Cape Cod Times
July 25, 2007
Christopher Parker was sentenced to two and a half years in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility after pleading guilty to motor vehicle homicide today in Barnstable District Court.
The last six months of his sentence will be suspended, and he will submit to two years of probation upon his release.
Parker was charged in the March 5 death of Diane Carhart, 63, of Forestdale.
He will also serve 10 days in prison, concurrently, for driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident.
Parker was traveling southbound down Route 130 in Sandwich when his Honda Accord slammed into the back of Carhart’s Chevy Tracker, sending her careening into an oncoming NStar truck. She was taken to the Forestdale School to await flight to Boston when it was determined she had died.
Parker’s inattention as he bent down to adjust a portable radio caused the crash, police determined.
Carhart’s daughter, Susan Linhares of Mattapoisett, read impact statements from herself and her brother, John Everett of Williams, Ariz., in court yesterday.
Francine Abbott, who was driving the NStar truck, also read a statement.
“Because of you, my life and my family’s life has been altered. Since that day, I’ve lived in pain and fear,” Abbott read to Parker. “What should have been a typical work day for me turned into a nightmare.”
Parker has a lengthy driving infraction record, which includes four drunken driving convictions, dating back to 1982. He also has a case pending in Falmouth District Court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs in October in Bourne.
Read more on this story in tomorrow’s Cape Cod Times.
Christopher Parker, 50, receives his sentence today in Barnstable District Court.
Photo by Paul Blackmore/Cape Cod Times
By Stephanie Vosk Cape Cod Times
July 25, 2007
Christopher Parker was sentenced to two and a half years in the Barnstable County Correctional Facility after pleading guilty to motor vehicle homicide today in Barnstable District Court.
The last six months of his sentence will be suspended, and he will submit to two years of probation upon his release.
Parker was charged in the March 5 death of Diane Carhart, 63, of Forestdale.
He will also serve 10 days in prison, concurrently, for driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident.
Parker was traveling southbound down Route 130 in Sandwich when his Honda Accord slammed into the back of Carhart’s Chevy Tracker, sending her careening into an oncoming NStar truck. She was taken to the Forestdale School to await flight to Boston when it was determined she had died.
Parker’s inattention as he bent down to adjust a portable radio caused the crash, police determined.
Carhart’s daughter, Susan Linhares of Mattapoisett, read impact statements from herself and her brother, John Everett of Williams, Ariz., in court yesterday.
Francine Abbott, who was driving the NStar truck, also read a statement.
“Because of you, my life and my family’s life has been altered. Since that day, I’ve lived in pain and fear,” Abbott read to Parker. “What should have been a typical work day for me turned into a nightmare.”
Parker has a lengthy driving infraction record, which includes four drunken driving convictions, dating back to 1982. He also has a case pending in Falmouth District Court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs in October in Bourne.
Read more on this story in tomorrow’s Cape Cod Times.
Parker Pleads Guilty!!!
I just returned from the Barnstable District Courthouse on the Cape and need to make a few phone calls but since a number of people are checking the site today for news I thought I'd at least let you know that the criminal case against Christopher G. Parker is finished.
I will be back in an hour or so to post the full story and copies of our victim impact statements.
Parker is in jail where he can't hurt anyone for at least two years!
I will be back in an hour or so to post the full story and copies of our victim impact statements.
Parker is in jail where he can't hurt anyone for at least two years!
Is Today the Day???
I feel almost like a little kid waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve or trying to sleep the day before a birthday, the anticipation that I have had for today to come has been great.
Could today be the day that Parker accepts guilt for killing my Mom, Diane? Will I finally be able to read the impact statements that my brother and I have written? Will Francine Abbott be there with a victim impact statement? How will Parker act while we are reading the statements? Will he show any remorse at all or just stare ahead blankly like he has done in his other court appearences? Will the Judge sentence him to the full sentence? Basically, what will happen?
I've had my clothes picked out and ironed for days, wanting to look respectable in front of the Judge. I have been surprized at what some of the people who appear before the Judges (either defendant or plaintiff) wear, anything from dirty jeans and stained, ripped tee-shirts to short mini skirts with half tank tops.
Well I guess I'll go shower and get ready. I want to leave an extra hour early incase of Cape Cod traffic or road work.
Could today be the day that Parker accepts guilt for killing my Mom, Diane? Will I finally be able to read the impact statements that my brother and I have written? Will Francine Abbott be there with a victim impact statement? How will Parker act while we are reading the statements? Will he show any remorse at all or just stare ahead blankly like he has done in his other court appearences? Will the Judge sentence him to the full sentence? Basically, what will happen?
I've had my clothes picked out and ironed for days, wanting to look respectable in front of the Judge. I have been surprized at what some of the people who appear before the Judges (either defendant or plaintiff) wear, anything from dirty jeans and stained, ripped tee-shirts to short mini skirts with half tank tops.
Well I guess I'll go shower and get ready. I want to leave an extra hour early incase of Cape Cod traffic or road work.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Possible Disposition Tomorrow on Charges Against Parker in Diane Carhart's Death
As the title of this entry suggests, tomorrow there is a good chance that Christopher G. Parker will be pleading guilty to charges of Vehicular Homicide and Driving With A Revoked License in connection with Diane's death on March 5, 2007.
He is due in Barnstable District Court tomorrow, July 25, 2007 at 2:00pm 3195 Main St. Barnstable, MA. Since Parker is still in custody he will be brought to the courthouse by the Sheriff and should appear in the courthouse in handcuffs.
If Parker does plead guilty I will be able to read the Victim Impact Statements that my brother Johnny and I have written. The statements are to be addressed to the Judge and not to Parker, he will be able to hear me read them. I have been waiting for a chance to let Parker know what his irresponsible, selfish acts have done to our family.
I will post what happens at court tomorrow as soon as I get home. Well, actually I have to call my brother and other family members first...but I can type while I talk! Please send prayers and thoughts that Parker will receive the maximum penalty allowed (only 2.5 years!) so that he won't be able to harm anyone else for at least a little while.
He is due in Barnstable District Court tomorrow, July 25, 2007 at 2:00pm 3195 Main St. Barnstable, MA. Since Parker is still in custody he will be brought to the courthouse by the Sheriff and should appear in the courthouse in handcuffs.
If Parker does plead guilty I will be able to read the Victim Impact Statements that my brother Johnny and I have written. The statements are to be addressed to the Judge and not to Parker, he will be able to hear me read them. I have been waiting for a chance to let Parker know what his irresponsible, selfish acts have done to our family.
I will post what happens at court tomorrow as soon as I get home. Well, actually I have to call my brother and other family members first...but I can type while I talk! Please send prayers and thoughts that Parker will receive the maximum penalty allowed (only 2.5 years!) so that he won't be able to harm anyone else for at least a little while.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Parker's October DUI Charges Postponed Again
On Wednesday, July 18 at 9:00am I was once again at the Falmouth District Courthouse in Falmouth, MA in order to hear what would transpire with the DUI charges that Christopher G. Parker is facing when he was arrested last October in Bourne.
A different Judge was now presiding on the case due to the health of the original Judge. Judge Nagler is now assigned to the case. When "Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker" was called A.D.A. Ilene Connors as well as Parker's Attorney Arnold Lett requested a side bar with the judge. The three of them spoke for several minutes and then a Disposition date of July 27, 2007 at 9:00am was announced. It is hoped that Parker will either plead or be found guilty of the DUI charge on that date.
A different Judge was now presiding on the case due to the health of the original Judge. Judge Nagler is now assigned to the case. When "Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker" was called A.D.A. Ilene Connors as well as Parker's Attorney Arnold Lett requested a side bar with the judge. The three of them spoke for several minutes and then a Disposition date of July 27, 2007 at 9:00am was announced. It is hoped that Parker will either plead or be found guilty of the DUI charge on that date.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
June 28th Pre-Trial Hearing in Falmouth
Today, at the Falmouth District Courthouse, Christopher G. Parker was to appear for a Pre-Trial Hearing. Since he is still in custody at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility I'm not sure if he actually was brought to the Courthouse by the Sheriff as he didn't appear in the courtroom.
I met up with George Brennan from the Cape Cod Times after checking in with the Victim/Witness Advocate's office and we proceeded into the first session courtroom. Once again I was surprised at how small the courtrooms in Falmouth are. The first session room was about twice the size of the second session room which I have previously mentioned - still very small, with all seats taken.
We listened to the arraignments and probation matters and eventually Denise from the Victim/Witness office came to let me know that the case has been continued yet again, this time to July 18, 2007 at 9:ooam.
I'm getting the idea that Parker's two attorneys (Arnold Lett for the DWI in Oct. 2006 and Woodrow Brown for the Vehicular Homicide and Driving With a Revoked License in regards to Diane's death) are not too sure which case they would like to go to trial or disposition first. Would it be worse for Parker if he was convicted of his fifth or sixth DWI before going up on the charges resulting from Diane's death or would it be worse if he had a charge of Vehicular Homicide and driving on a revoked license before going up on the DWI?
To me it seems that it wouldn't make much difference, either way these are serious charges. Additionaly it is my hope that the two cases will be tried seperately with the punishments being served consecutively and not concurrantly. I'm getting the feeling that the delay tactics that Parker's Attorneys have been using are because they want the possible sentences in each case to be as lenient as possible and that they be served concurrantly.
While the job of the defense attorney is to make sure that the defendant's rights are upheld it seems that they take that even further in a type of game in which they are the winner if they can get as little as possible or no jail time for their clients. They hit the jackpot if they can get the case dismissed. I have more that I'd like to say but will save it for a later topic. As an eye opener try searching the internet for the terms DWI, DUI, OUI, or drunk driving. You will find a mulitude of defense lawyers and their websites which tell you how they can help you either get the charges dismissed, what to do when you are pulled over and the police suspect that you are under the influence of alchohol or drugs, and in the event that you are found guilty they state that they will get you the least possible sentence. In my personal opinion these lawyers are as much to blame as the defendants themselves for the repeat offenders that are epidemic on our roadways.
I met up with George Brennan from the Cape Cod Times after checking in with the Victim/Witness Advocate's office and we proceeded into the first session courtroom. Once again I was surprised at how small the courtrooms in Falmouth are. The first session room was about twice the size of the second session room which I have previously mentioned - still very small, with all seats taken.
We listened to the arraignments and probation matters and eventually Denise from the Victim/Witness office came to let me know that the case has been continued yet again, this time to July 18, 2007 at 9:ooam.
I'm getting the idea that Parker's two attorneys (Arnold Lett for the DWI in Oct. 2006 and Woodrow Brown for the Vehicular Homicide and Driving With a Revoked License in regards to Diane's death) are not too sure which case they would like to go to trial or disposition first. Would it be worse for Parker if he was convicted of his fifth or sixth DWI before going up on the charges resulting from Diane's death or would it be worse if he had a charge of Vehicular Homicide and driving on a revoked license before going up on the DWI?
To me it seems that it wouldn't make much difference, either way these are serious charges. Additionaly it is my hope that the two cases will be tried seperately with the punishments being served consecutively and not concurrantly. I'm getting the feeling that the delay tactics that Parker's Attorneys have been using are because they want the possible sentences in each case to be as lenient as possible and that they be served concurrantly.
While the job of the defense attorney is to make sure that the defendant's rights are upheld it seems that they take that even further in a type of game in which they are the winner if they can get as little as possible or no jail time for their clients. They hit the jackpot if they can get the case dismissed. I have more that I'd like to say but will save it for a later topic. As an eye opener try searching the internet for the terms DWI, DUI, OUI, or drunk driving. You will find a mulitude of defense lawyers and their websites which tell you how they can help you either get the charges dismissed, what to do when you are pulled over and the police suspect that you are under the influence of alchohol or drugs, and in the event that you are found guilty they state that they will get you the least possible sentence. In my personal opinion these lawyers are as much to blame as the defendants themselves for the repeat offenders that are epidemic on our roadways.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Parker Being held on $10,000 Bail
Today is the last day of Christopher G. Parker's sixty day sentence for violating his bail by being charged with Vehicular Homicide and Driving on a Revoked License. Boy, sixty days went by quickly!
Parker won't be getting out of jail however until he posts a $10,000 cash bail. If he is able to make bail I will be notifed by Kathleen Finnegan at the Barnstable County District Court's Victim Witness office.
Parker won't be getting out of jail however until he posts a $10,000 cash bail. If he is able to make bail I will be notifed by Kathleen Finnegan at the Barnstable County District Court's Victim Witness office.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Plea hearing put off for driver accused in fatal March crash
The following article appears in the Cape Cod Times today (Thanks George!). I didn't have much time this morning to post it here because I had to be at Brigham & Women's Hospital fairly early this morning for my 3 month MRI to check for any tumors where I'd had the craniotomy last August, and then I had an appointment with my Neurosurgeon Dr. Black at 3:15pm. After the MRI I walked around Boston a bit and then ate lunch. I got to Dr Black's office at B&W around 1:30pm. I knew I was about two hours early but I had no where else I wanted to go at that point. Thankfully I had brought a good book and my Ipod which I had a couple of movies stored on. After I finished my book I sat in the waiting room and watched Pirate of the Caribbean on the Ipod. The women sitting on either side of me thought that was great and I set the Ipod where they could also see it...they just didn't have sound since I was using my earphones. They seemed to enjoy watching it anyway since Dr Black was about 2.5 hours behind schedule.
While I was waiting I noticed a woman reading the Cape Cod Times. When she had finished with it and put it on the table I asked if it was her paper. She said no it was there when she had come in so I picked up the first section and found the article below. I finally was taken to an exam room at 5:15pm where I sat and watched the rest of the movie while waiting for Dr Black to come in to see me. He is such a great guy and he is so nice that you just don't mind the wait.
I had brought the paper in the exam room with me and since Dr Black knew my Mom (she had gone to all my previous appointments with me) I showed the paper to him. He said for me to keep it so I will add that to my collection of other articles. It's so strange for there to be a Cape Cod Times there, I've never seen any newspapers in the waiting room on any of my other visits...and this is the paper that I was wishing I could find but hadn't had time this morning.
Anyway, that is probably too much info, but I just wanted to explain why it was taking me so long to post this here today. The bumper to bumper traffic all the way home from Boston didn't help much either.
Plea hearing put off for driver accused in fatal March crash
By George Brennan STAFF WRITER
June 22, 2007
BARNSTABLE — Christopher Parker, 50, the man accused of causing a three-car crash that killed a Forestdale grandmother, was prepared to plead guilty yesterday, until his lawyer in an unrelated case advised against it.
After the brief court hearing, there was a touching moment outside Barnstable District Court where Susan Linhares and Francine Abbott met for the first time and embraced.
Linhares is the daughter of Diane Carhart, 63, who was killed in the Route 130 crash. Abbott, 48, the forgotten victim of the March 5 crash, was the driver of an NStar pickup that smashed into the side of Carhart's Chevrolet Tracker when it was pushed into her lane by Parker's car.
"I told her I don't hold any animosity whatsoever," Linhares said.
Abbott, who still walks with the aid of a cane because of an ankle injury suffered in the crash, wiped away tears after the brief exchange. "I'm so glad she stopped," Abbott said. "I've wanted to call her, but lawyers don't want you to talk."
Parker was expected to plead guilty to vehicular homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 2½ years in jail.
Parker is charged with driving under the influence of drugs in an unrelated Bourne case. That is scheduled for disposition next Thursday in Falmouth District Court and is the reason his plea agreement was put off until 2 p.m. July 10 in Barnstable District Court.
If he's convicted in the Bourne case, it would be Parker's fifth conviction for operating under the influence. At the time of the Sandwich crash, his license had been revoked because he was considered an "immediate threat".
Parker remains in custody. In April, a judge revoked his bail in the Bourne case because of the Sandwich charge. He was given a 60-day sentence, which expires next week.
Once that's up, Parker would have to post $10,000 cash bail or $1,000 surety to be released from the Barnstable County Correctional Facility.
George Brennan can be reached at gbrennan@capecodonline.com.
While I was waiting I noticed a woman reading the Cape Cod Times. When she had finished with it and put it on the table I asked if it was her paper. She said no it was there when she had come in so I picked up the first section and found the article below. I finally was taken to an exam room at 5:15pm where I sat and watched the rest of the movie while waiting for Dr Black to come in to see me. He is such a great guy and he is so nice that you just don't mind the wait.
I had brought the paper in the exam room with me and since Dr Black knew my Mom (she had gone to all my previous appointments with me) I showed the paper to him. He said for me to keep it so I will add that to my collection of other articles. It's so strange for there to be a Cape Cod Times there, I've never seen any newspapers in the waiting room on any of my other visits...and this is the paper that I was wishing I could find but hadn't had time this morning.
Anyway, that is probably too much info
Plea hearing put off for driver accused in fatal March crash
By George Brennan STAFF WRITER
June 22, 2007
BARNSTABLE — Christopher Parker, 50, the man accused of causing a three-car crash that killed a Forestdale grandmother, was prepared to plead guilty yesterday, until his lawyer in an unrelated case advised against it.
After the brief court hearing, there was a touching moment outside Barnstable District Court where Susan Linhares and Francine Abbott met for the first time and embraced.
Linhares is the daughter of Diane Carhart, 63, who was killed in the Route 130 crash. Abbott, 48, the forgotten victim of the March 5 crash, was the driver of an NStar pickup that smashed into the side of Carhart's Chevrolet Tracker when it was pushed into her lane by Parker's car.
"I told her I don't hold any animosity whatsoever," Linhares said.
Abbott, who still walks with the aid of a cane because of an ankle injury suffered in the crash, wiped away tears after the brief exchange. "I'm so glad she stopped," Abbott said. "I've wanted to call her, but lawyers don't want you to talk."
Parker was expected to plead guilty to vehicular homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 2½ years in jail.
Parker is charged with driving under the influence of drugs in an unrelated Bourne case. That is scheduled for disposition next Thursday in Falmouth District Court and is the reason his plea agreement was put off until 2 p.m. July 10 in Barnstable District Court.
If he's convicted in the Bourne case, it would be Parker's fifth conviction for operating under the influence. At the time of the Sandwich crash, his license had been revoked because he was considered an "immediate threat".
Parker remains in custody. In April, a judge revoked his bail in the Bourne case because of the Sandwich charge. He was given a 60-day sentence, which expires next week.
Once that's up, Parker would have to post $10,000 cash bail or $1,000 surety to be released from the Barnstable County Correctional Facility.
George Brennan can be reached at gbrennan@capecodonline.com.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
No Guilty Plea today :-(
Well there you have it, Parker didn't take responsibility for his actions and plead guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and driving on a revoked license.
Since it was Thursday, a day when the weekend travel to the Cape begins I left early, giving myself two hours to make the normally forty-five minutes drive from Mattapoisett to Barnstable. I brought a book along with me because I thought I'd be getting there early...I was wrong. It started off with thick extremely slow traffic on Route 25 due to an accident just before the Bourne Bridge. I was finally able to slip around the traffic and take the exit where I could get to the Sagamore Bridge and onto Cape Cod. Everything was going smoothly up until I had just passed exit 4. Then the two lanes of traffic all but stopped. I had used up a good deal of my time already back in the traffic at the Bourne Bridge . I normally take exit 6 on the Mid-Cape Highway and now I had to inch along for a few miles until I could get off at exit 5 to try to get around the gridlock. As I took the exit and turned left I was hoping that this road would connect with route 6A, which I could then take into Barnstable. After about a mile I said "Hooray!" for right in front of me was the intersection with 6A. It was 2:00 by now, when I was due at the courthouse. Of course my "Murphy's Law" luck continued when an elderly woman pulled out in front of me and proceeded down the road at 20 MPH, braking at even the slightest curve in the road and every time a car passed going the other direction.
Finally I made it to the Barnstable District Courthouse and hurried in. I was fifteen minutes late and I was afraid that I might miss it. Thankfully they hadn't started yet and I met George Brennan and the Sandwich Police Chief right in front of the first session courtroom doors. Shortly after that Kathleen Finnegan our Victim/Witness advocate and A.D.A. Brian Shea walked up. I talked with Kathleen and Brian briefly and then we entered the courtroom. Being told I can sit anywhere that I would be comfortable I chose the front row. Kathleen came to sit with me and I showed her the Victim Impact Statements that Johnny and I had written. As she was reading the Judge came in and they brought the prisoners in. She handed the papers to me so that we could listen to what was going to happen. The clerk called "Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker" and Parker stood up. He was wearing prison issue blue pants and blue shirt. His hands were cuffed in front of him. His hair had grown back a small amount and was in a crew cut style.
Unfortunately Parker did not plead guilty and so they scheduled the date of July 10, 2007 at 2:oopm for his next appearance in court. While I was a little disappointed I did realize that there was the chance for at least one continuance. Hey, at least we had our Victim Impact Statements done. Thinking about what I've learned about Christopher G. Parker it doesn't surprise me that he would not accept his guilt. I'm trying to be informative here and not voice a personal vendetta so I won't elaborate on that thought.
On the way out of the courthouse I noticed a woman with her right leg in a cast and walking with a cane. Since I had been informed that Francine Abbott, the driver of the NStar truck, also wanted to give an impact statement, and knowing that she had suffered some sort of injury to at least one of her legs during the crash I took a chance and approached her as she sat outside in the sun after the hearing. I asked if she was Francine Abbott and she said yes. I introduced myself and we hugged. She told me that her right ankle was "blown out", severly broken, during the crash and she has had a couple of surgeries on it already. After a few moments talking with her I left to walk to my car, being glad that I'd had the chance to meet Francine. I know my mother would have like that.
So another court date is done and next up is Parker appearing in Falmouth District Court on the October DWI charges Thursday June 28, 2007 at 9am. I'll be there and will have an update as to what happens there. I'm sure it is too much to hope for that Parker would plead guilty to that charge either, but I guess I can always hope......
Since it was Thursday, a day when the weekend travel to the Cape begins I left early, giving myself two hours to make the normally forty-five minutes drive from Mattapoisett to Barnstable. I brought a book along with me because I thought I'd be getting there early...I was wrong. It started off with thick extremely slow traffic on Route 25 due to an accident just before the Bourne Bridge. I was finally able to slip around the traffic and take the exit where I could get to the Sagamore Bridge and onto Cape Cod. Everything was going smoothly up until I had just passed exit 4. Then the two lanes of traffic all but stopped. I had used up a good deal of my time already back in the traffic at the Bourne Bridge . I normally take exit 6 on the Mid-Cape Highway and now I had to inch along for a few miles until I could get off at exit 5 to try to get around the gridlock. As I took the exit and turned left I was hoping that this road would connect with route 6A, which I could then take into Barnstable. After about a mile I said "Hooray!" for right in front of me was the intersection with 6A. It was 2:00 by now, when I was due at the courthouse. Of course my "Murphy's Law" luck continued when an elderly woman pulled out in front of me and proceeded down the road at 20 MPH, braking at even the slightest curve in the road and every time a car passed going the other direction.
Finally I made it to the Barnstable District Courthouse and hurried in. I was fifteen minutes late and I was afraid that I might miss it. Thankfully they hadn't started yet and I met George Brennan and the Sandwich Police Chief right in front of the first session courtroom doors. Shortly after that Kathleen Finnegan our Victim/Witness advocate and A.D.A. Brian Shea walked up. I talked with Kathleen and Brian briefly and then we entered the courtroom. Being told I can sit anywhere that I would be comfortable I chose the front row. Kathleen came to sit with me and I showed her the Victim Impact Statements that Johnny and I had written. As she was reading the Judge came in and they brought the prisoners in. She handed the papers to me so that we could listen to what was going to happen. The clerk called "Commonwealth vs. Christopher G. Parker" and Parker stood up. He was wearing prison issue blue pants and blue shirt. His hands were cuffed in front of him. His hair had grown back a small amount and was in a crew cut style.
Unfortunately Parker did not plead guilty and so they scheduled the date of July 10, 2007 at 2:oopm for his next appearance in court. While I was a little disappointed I did realize that there was the chance for at least one continuance. Hey, at least we had our Victim Impact Statements done. Thinking about what I've learned about Christopher G. Parker it doesn't surprise me that he would not accept his guilt. I'm trying to be informative here and not voice a personal vendetta so I won't elaborate on that thought.
On the way out of the courthouse I noticed a woman with her right leg in a cast and walking with a cane. Since I had been informed that Francine Abbott, the driver of the NStar truck, also wanted to give an impact statement, and knowing that she had suffered some sort of injury to at least one of her legs during the crash I took a chance and approached her as she sat outside in the sun after the hearing. I asked if she was Francine Abbott and she said yes. I introduced myself and we hugged. She told me that her right ankle was "blown out", severly broken, during the crash and she has had a couple of surgeries on it already. After a few moments talking with her I left to walk to my car, being glad that I'd had the chance to meet Francine. I know my mother would have like that.
So another court date is done and next up is Parker appearing in Falmouth District Court on the October DWI charges Thursday June 28, 2007 at 9am. I'll be there and will have an update as to what happens there. I'm sure it is too much to hope for that Parker would plead guilty to that charge either, but I guess I can always hope......
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Tomorrows Pre-Trial Hearing & Impact Statements
Tomorrow, June 21, 2007 at 2pm Christopher G Parker is due in the Barnstable District Courthouse for a pre-trial hearing. On the chance that Parker does the right thing and pleads guilty to vehicular Homicide and driving on a revoked license my brother Johnny and I have decided to put together victim impact statements that will be read before the court after he pleads guilty but before the judge passes the sentence.
At first I was almost looking forward to having a chance to address the loss of my mother. I enjoy writing and felt that it would be very easy to put a few words together...my problem is that if I put everything that I feel and the effects Mom's death has had not only on myself but on her whole family I end up with what I consider much more then I think I'm allowed. How can you sum up what your mother means to you in a few short minutes? I did call the D.A.'s office today and found that I could include a bit of Mom's autobiography so that the Judge and everyone else in the courtroom knows a bit about who Diane was. I included a portion of her autobiography in the eulogy that I gave during her funeral. You can read it yourself HERE.
Since the hearing is a 2pm in Barnstable it won't be until several hours later that I will be able to post regarding what happens. If we are given the chance tomorrow to read the victim impact statements I will also include them here. Otherwise I won't post them until after we have a chance to read them in front of the court.
The information below is from Mothers Against Drunk Driving's website - http://madd.com/victims/7068. I think it gives a good summary as to what the Victim Impact Statement is.....
A VIS is an open letter to the judge from the victim or their loved one describing the physical, financial and emotional loss caused by a drunk driving crash. It is also the only opportunity victims have to address the judge and to tell him or her the impact the crime has had on their lives.
But the two most important aspects of a VIS are that they allow victims to be heard and to take part in the criminal justice system. All too often, victims feel isolated and powerless. By being allowed to write a VIS, and in some states read it aloud in court, the victim becomes part of the process. In doing so, the victims' emotions are validated. In short, a VIS empowers victims.
All states allow the presentation of a written impact statement to the judge or to the court. And most victims find that just the act of writing a VIS is therapeutic.
While it takes immense courage and fortitude to put one's feelings on paper, writing a VIS is effective in providing victims focus and perspective on the impact the crime has had in their lives and on their grief. That clarity helps victims embrace their pain by seeing in black and white that their feelings of sorrow and anguish are appropriate and understandable.
Victims should, however, be patient in writing their statement because it can take several attempts to get the words just right. But a VIS is not about writing the perfect essay, it is about writing from the heart.
Another level of healing for victims is the opportunity to verbally express feelings of pain and loss. Many victims who are allowed to read their VIS in the courtroom feel it's cleansing and cathartic because they are able to speak out about the devastation they've experienced.
It also helps victims to give further meaning to their loved one's life because their words are potentially influencing how the offender will be punished. And regardless of the sentence, victims know that they did all that they could do to see that justice was served.
Despite the fact that victims are not allowed to directly address the offender, reading their statement in court helps to guarantee that the offender will have the opportunity to hear the tragic consequences of his or her actions. For victims, this helps take back some of the control the offender unjustly and abruptly took.
At first I was almost looking forward to having a chance to address the loss of my mother. I enjoy writing and felt that it would be very easy to put a few words together...my problem is that if I put everything that I feel and the effects Mom's death has had not only on myself but on her whole family I end up with what I consider much more then I think I'm allowed. How can you sum up what your mother means to you in a few short minutes? I did call the D.A.'s office today and found that I could include a bit of Mom's autobiography so that the Judge and everyone else in the courtroom knows a bit about who Diane was. I included a portion of her autobiography in the eulogy that I gave during her funeral. You can read it yourself HERE.
Since the hearing is a 2pm in Barnstable it won't be until several hours later that I will be able to post regarding what happens. If we are given the chance tomorrow to read the victim impact statements I will also include them here. Otherwise I won't post them until after we have a chance to read them in front of the court.
The information below is from Mothers Against Drunk Driving's website - http://madd.com/victims/7068. I think it gives a good summary as to what the Victim Impact Statement is.....
A VIS is an open letter to the judge from the victim or their loved one describing the physical, financial and emotional loss caused by a drunk driving crash. It is also the only opportunity victims have to address the judge and to tell him or her the impact the crime has had on their lives.
But the two most important aspects of a VIS are that they allow victims to be heard and to take part in the criminal justice system. All too often, victims feel isolated and powerless. By being allowed to write a VIS, and in some states read it aloud in court, the victim becomes part of the process. In doing so, the victims' emotions are validated. In short, a VIS empowers victims.
All states allow the presentation of a written impact statement to the judge or to the court. And most victims find that just the act of writing a VIS is therapeutic.
While it takes immense courage and fortitude to put one's feelings on paper, writing a VIS is effective in providing victims focus and perspective on the impact the crime has had in their lives and on their grief. That clarity helps victims embrace their pain by seeing in black and white that their feelings of sorrow and anguish are appropriate and understandable.
Victims should, however, be patient in writing their statement because it can take several attempts to get the words just right. But a VIS is not about writing the perfect essay, it is about writing from the heart.
Another level of healing for victims is the opportunity to verbally express feelings of pain and loss. Many victims who are allowed to read their VIS in the courtroom feel it's cleansing and cathartic because they are able to speak out about the devastation they've experienced.
It also helps victims to give further meaning to their loved one's life because their words are potentially influencing how the offender will be punished. And regardless of the sentence, victims know that they did all that they could do to see that justice was served.
Despite the fact that victims are not allowed to directly address the offender, reading their statement in court helps to guarantee that the offender will have the opportunity to hear the tragic consequences of his or her actions. For victims, this helps take back some of the control the offender unjustly and abruptly took.
A Good Victim Impact Statement:
- Can be read in three to five minutes.
- Does not repeat evidence already presented.
- Focuses on what the crime means to the victim emotionally, physically and/or financially.
- Is simple and descriptive
- Communicates how the victim's life is different due to the crash.
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