It’s so sad that not one person came forward to speak up on behalf of Maggie and Paul. No family member. No friend.
I realize that many gave testimony and spoke up for them by testifying honestly then. But this would have been the opportunity to speak directly to Alex and to the judge imposing sentence, even if only to say that this crime has left them reeling in incomprehension and torn them in half - between their love of and grief for the loss of Maggie and Paul and their love of and grief for Alex who stands convicted of causing that loss. Instead the State stood alone to represent Maggie and Paul and the unacceptability of the violations against them and against the whole community.
judge Newman is a wise judge and a compassionate person. Even as he prepared to sentence Alex, he appealed to him like a father or pastor would, telling Alex that the path to wholeness is through honesty and confession of wrongdoing. That was a reminder of and an invitation to the path of redemption. Alex rejected it, apparently determined to make rock bottom somewhere lower than where he is now.
