Hello everyone! I haven't participated since the Jodi Arias trial. I do not practice criminal law so I have not weighed in here but have appreciated the comments of others with experience who have added so much to the discussion.
I wanted to add my thoughts on the KKL plea deal from a different point of view. When you step back from the case (which is hard to do) and have to pick the ultimate final goal in this case, I think it is bigger than putting PF and KKL away, much bigger. I think when all things are weighed that the biggest goal here has to be to keep KBs sweet baby safe. If you think about it, if the prosecution cannot put PF away, he is let out and can fight for custody. Without a conviction or solid case against him, a father is likely to prevail against in laws. As a result, to protect KBs baby, a conviction is paramount. And, again, I see that as the most important goal at the end of the day. Without KKL''s testimony, the baby's future is more uncertain. With KB gone, I believe all involved would want that baby protected at all cost.
Having said that, I join in the outrage in the horrific conduct that has been shared in this preliminary hearing. In my wildest dreams, I could not imagine the evil and coverup that has occurred on so many levels. I also cannot imagine anyone wanting to hurt someone as beautiful and hardworking as KB. When I try to imagine who KB was, I look at CB. While I know her heart is broken in a million pieces and she is suffering greatly, I believe she is the epitome of grace and motherhood. She has fought for her daughter and her granddaughter with the strength of a mother lion. She is the one who fought to have people look for KB when others were not acting. She is the one who did that compelling interview (that I believe got people sharing more of what they knew) when she likely knew horrific details we did not all know. She and her family found the blood. She fought for her granddaughter to be safe against people who killed her own daughter. To me, if I were CB (and I cannot imagine), one of the hardest parts of this would have been those days she knew PF had killed her daughter, but had to watch him with that baby, not knowing if the baby was next. She could not see the baby and she could not guarantee her safety and LE was not ready/able to act at that point. That would be terrifying to me. (In addition to everything else).
For that reason, I believe CB and the rest of the family would do anything for that little girl to protect her. That is the only thing that makes me feel alright about the plea deal is that I believe it will allow that child to be the most protected at the end of all of this. With the KKL deal, we lose much of the prison time she may have served if they had enough to convict PF and KKL, but we risk PF out to fight for the baby. With her testimony, she pays a lesser price but there is significant likelihood that they will put PF away for life and he cannot regain custody. So, while we all want PF and KKL to pay for what they did, I believe that the outcome of this trial is critical for baby K and I am grateful that the deal is much more likely to offer her the greatest protection by convicting PF.
My prayers and heart are with the Berreth family. They are beautiful people and I have learned so much about faith and strength and family watching them fight for their daughter and her baby girl.
MOO
