I feel like I just watched a very well rehearsed "play"...
What a blow for the Roy family. I feel particularly distraught for his Mom, since the judge cited her letter as a causal factor in his granting the stay. I bet that's not what she wanted. At all. In her shoes I would be horrified to think something I said, gave MC a stay!
I think the judge just wanted his dection backed up, and if it was reversed he wouldn't take the fall for sending MC to jail. I wish he had the backbone to risk it, but guess not.
She will never see a day in jail, and the Roy get to live with more uncertainty, and pain surrounding Conrad's death.