arielilane
Justice for Liz Barraza
Photo Courtesy: @MikalaCompton
BREAKING: We are back in the courtroom and the jury will soon enter to hand down the sentence for convicted murderer Kaitlin Armstrong. Armstrong could face anywhere from 5 to 99 years in prison for her crime.
Earlier today, the prosecution urged the jury to consider no less than 40 years. Armstrong is eligible for parole after serving half of her sentence or 30 years, whichever comes first. The jury deliberated for about 3.5 hours.
Kaitlin Armstrong has entered the courtroom and taken her seat. She does not look at anyone. The Wilson family have their seats behind the prosecution. The Armstrong family are behind the defense. The courtroom is silent. The jury has not yet entered.
The jury has entered the courtroom. The punishment has been handed to the bailiff, who hands it to the judge.
BREAKING: Kaitlin Armstrong has been sentenced to 90 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Kaitlin's sister Christine audibly sobs in her seat behind the defense. The Wilson family have their arms around each other. Caitlin Cash has been called to the witness stand to give some final remarks. She takes her seat.
Cash: "Kaitlin, I want you to know that I fought for Mo with everything I had that night. From the moment that I got home and started doing chest compressions, which was the longest 10 minutes of my life, I remember feeling so relieved when the police arrived that help was finally there.""I fought for her afterwards when I was pulled from my home by police and taken downstairs. I initially refused to go to the police because I didn't want to leave her alone.""I couldn't understand why they weren't bring her downstairs to the ambulance so they could take her to the hospital...that was the first moment that night that I realized that there was no coming back from this.""I was questioned for almost three hours that night. they finally let me wash the blood off my hands in the police station bathroom. I'll never forget that moment in the police station bathroom, washing the blood turn red, and wanting to put it back on my hands because that's all that was left of her.”
"Finally Karen called me and it was the hardest moment of my life. She was wailing and screaming...it was the vocalization of grief. Her world had stopped. She was confused and in disbelief. She kept saying over and over again, 'who would ever want to hurt my baby?'""She asked me if I thought it was quick and I said yes, i thought it was quick even though I didn't know. At no point in my life did I ever think I would have to tell someone's mother that I thought their death was quick. Your actions caused that pain.”
"It has been exhausting showing up every day in court, listening, watching, reliving every moment from so many different angles. It feels so real all over again. I go home every night to my house after watching video after video all day here and there is Mo's ashes sitting on my bedside table waiting for me. I am struck by how much this has affected so many people. I've watched her parents in court every day, not once smiling or interacting everyday, just waiting to see what happens to their own daughter.""I've seen Colin take the stand, unable to even sit fully upright as he answers question after question... a man whose life has also been turned upside down by this tragedy.""So many people in this room have lost so much. It's incredibly difficult to understand someone's life, how they lived, what they meant to others. Words feel completely inadequate right now and they probably always will. How do you distil a life?""I'll forever be honored to have known her, to have held her as a close friend, both in life and in death, and I will have to continually seek out ways to honor her legacy.”
"I'm putting in the work right now to process it all and continue healing. I'm trying to open my heart even more and let it all wash over me. I still feel so many things. Guilt from not protecting Mo, for not coming home sooner. I'm angry at you, at the utter tragic nature. At the senselessness. At not being able to hear Mo's voice again. I feel deep sadness for the road ahead that Mo's family must continue to walk. Deep sadness for Matt for now being an only child. And deep sadness for you and your family."Mo once said, "If we are not willing to risk catastrophic failure, we are probably not dreaming, living or loving the right way.”
"Even after all of this, I feel hope. I hope that I can live a life that she would be proud of and I will carry her with me each day. I choose light, I choose joy, and I choose Love. And Kaitlin, I really hope you can find that, too.”
Karen Wilson now takes the stand.She first thanks the Judge for giving her the opportunity to speak."Kaitlin Armstrong. I'm not sure my words can penetrate your heart, but I'm going to try. I hate what you did to my beautiful daughter. It was very selfish and cowardly. That violent act on May 11. It was cowardly because you never chose to face her woman to woman in a civil conversation. She would have listened. She was an amazing listener. She would have cared about your feelings...if you allowed yourself to actually know her, you never, ever would have wanted to hurt her. This never would have happened. You and Colin could have had a beautiful life together. You destoryed that. You ruined your life. Your family's life. Our lives, and crushed the lives of many more. When you shot Moriah in the heart, you shot me in my heart. You shot Eric and Matt in the heart...you will have to live with your choices and its consequences just like all of us do on this planet because you are a human being, created in the image of God. I pray for your healing. The only way that can begin is to admit your guilt. Only your actions can seek forgiveness. And not just from us, but most importantly, from your creator. Jesus is your very best friend. He is the one who can cover this sin because he is the only righteous one who suffered on his behalf... only you can choose to cry out to him and be redeemed. He can melt your heart of stone with his unconditional love, mercy and grace. It's up to you. There is no winner in this story. Your actions have caused all sides to suffer. There is a ripple effect of sorrow upon sorrow upon sorrow. Moriah is free of this sorrow, though. She is more alive today than any of us here.”
Karen Armstrong Wilson leaves the witness stand and stares at Kaitlin as she walks back to her seat. There is a deputy standing in front of Kaitlin so we are unable to see if she was looking back at Karen.
Mike Armstrong stands at attention while his daughter is being dismissed. Kaitlin does not look back at her family. Christine Armstrong continues to cry from her seat. Kaitlin is called back in. The judge is now giving instructions to the jury for their dismissal before thanking the jury for taking their responsibility seriously. The jury is now dismissed. The defense asks for a sidebar with the Judge. Armstrong now approaches and joins them at the judge's table.
Mike Armstrong is standing at attention as he watches his daughter and her defense team speak to the judge. We are unable to hear their conversation with the judge.
Armstrong is guided back into custody where she will begin serving her sentence. She makes prolonged eye contact with her family as she is escorted away. Now that court has adjourned, the Wilson family stands and takes turns hugging each other. Caitlin Cash and Karen Wilson cry in each others arms. Eric Wilson comes from behind and hugs them both.
We will now head outside for an anticipated press conference with the Wilson family and the Travis County District Attorney's Office.
BREAKING: We are back in the courtroom and the jury will soon enter to hand down the sentence for convicted murderer Kaitlin Armstrong. Armstrong could face anywhere from 5 to 99 years in prison for her crime.
Earlier today, the prosecution urged the jury to consider no less than 40 years. Armstrong is eligible for parole after serving half of her sentence or 30 years, whichever comes first. The jury deliberated for about 3.5 hours.
Kaitlin Armstrong has entered the courtroom and taken her seat. She does not look at anyone. The Wilson family have their seats behind the prosecution. The Armstrong family are behind the defense. The courtroom is silent. The jury has not yet entered.
The jury has entered the courtroom. The punishment has been handed to the bailiff, who hands it to the judge.
BREAKING: Kaitlin Armstrong has been sentenced to 90 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Kaitlin's sister Christine audibly sobs in her seat behind the defense. The Wilson family have their arms around each other. Caitlin Cash has been called to the witness stand to give some final remarks. She takes her seat.
Cash: "Kaitlin, I want you to know that I fought for Mo with everything I had that night. From the moment that I got home and started doing chest compressions, which was the longest 10 minutes of my life, I remember feeling so relieved when the police arrived that help was finally there.""I fought for her afterwards when I was pulled from my home by police and taken downstairs. I initially refused to go to the police because I didn't want to leave her alone.""I couldn't understand why they weren't bring her downstairs to the ambulance so they could take her to the hospital...that was the first moment that night that I realized that there was no coming back from this.""I was questioned for almost three hours that night. they finally let me wash the blood off my hands in the police station bathroom. I'll never forget that moment in the police station bathroom, washing the blood turn red, and wanting to put it back on my hands because that's all that was left of her.”
"Finally Karen called me and it was the hardest moment of my life. She was wailing and screaming...it was the vocalization of grief. Her world had stopped. She was confused and in disbelief. She kept saying over and over again, 'who would ever want to hurt my baby?'""She asked me if I thought it was quick and I said yes, i thought it was quick even though I didn't know. At no point in my life did I ever think I would have to tell someone's mother that I thought their death was quick. Your actions caused that pain.”
"It has been exhausting showing up every day in court, listening, watching, reliving every moment from so many different angles. It feels so real all over again. I go home every night to my house after watching video after video all day here and there is Mo's ashes sitting on my bedside table waiting for me. I am struck by how much this has affected so many people. I've watched her parents in court every day, not once smiling or interacting everyday, just waiting to see what happens to their own daughter.""I've seen Colin take the stand, unable to even sit fully upright as he answers question after question... a man whose life has also been turned upside down by this tragedy.""So many people in this room have lost so much. It's incredibly difficult to understand someone's life, how they lived, what they meant to others. Words feel completely inadequate right now and they probably always will. How do you distil a life?""I'll forever be honored to have known her, to have held her as a close friend, both in life and in death, and I will have to continually seek out ways to honor her legacy.”
"I'm putting in the work right now to process it all and continue healing. I'm trying to open my heart even more and let it all wash over me. I still feel so many things. Guilt from not protecting Mo, for not coming home sooner. I'm angry at you, at the utter tragic nature. At the senselessness. At not being able to hear Mo's voice again. I feel deep sadness for the road ahead that Mo's family must continue to walk. Deep sadness for Matt for now being an only child. And deep sadness for you and your family."Mo once said, "If we are not willing to risk catastrophic failure, we are probably not dreaming, living or loving the right way.”
"Even after all of this, I feel hope. I hope that I can live a life that she would be proud of and I will carry her with me each day. I choose light, I choose joy, and I choose Love. And Kaitlin, I really hope you can find that, too.”
Karen Wilson now takes the stand.She first thanks the Judge for giving her the opportunity to speak."Kaitlin Armstrong. I'm not sure my words can penetrate your heart, but I'm going to try. I hate what you did to my beautiful daughter. It was very selfish and cowardly. That violent act on May 11. It was cowardly because you never chose to face her woman to woman in a civil conversation. She would have listened. She was an amazing listener. She would have cared about your feelings...if you allowed yourself to actually know her, you never, ever would have wanted to hurt her. This never would have happened. You and Colin could have had a beautiful life together. You destoryed that. You ruined your life. Your family's life. Our lives, and crushed the lives of many more. When you shot Moriah in the heart, you shot me in my heart. You shot Eric and Matt in the heart...you will have to live with your choices and its consequences just like all of us do on this planet because you are a human being, created in the image of God. I pray for your healing. The only way that can begin is to admit your guilt. Only your actions can seek forgiveness. And not just from us, but most importantly, from your creator. Jesus is your very best friend. He is the one who can cover this sin because he is the only righteous one who suffered on his behalf... only you can choose to cry out to him and be redeemed. He can melt your heart of stone with his unconditional love, mercy and grace. It's up to you. There is no winner in this story. Your actions have caused all sides to suffer. There is a ripple effect of sorrow upon sorrow upon sorrow. Moriah is free of this sorrow, though. She is more alive today than any of us here.”
Karen
Mike Armstrong stands at attention while his daughter is being dismissed. Kaitlin does not look back at her family. Christine Armstrong continues to cry from her seat. Kaitlin is called back in. The judge is now giving instructions to the jury for their dismissal before thanking the jury for taking their responsibility seriously. The jury is now dismissed. The defense asks for a sidebar with the Judge. Armstrong now approaches and joins them at the judge's table.
Mike Armstrong is standing at attention as he watches his daughter and her defense team speak to the judge. We are unable to hear their conversation with the judge.
Armstrong is guided back into custody where she will begin serving her sentence. She makes prolonged eye contact with her family as she is escorted away. Now that court has adjourned, the Wilson family stands and takes turns hugging each other. Caitlin Cash and Karen Wilson cry in each others arms. Eric Wilson comes from behind and hugs them both.
We will now head outside for an anticipated press conference with the Wilson family and the Travis County District Attorney's Office.
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