SC - Bride, Samantha Miller, dies 5 hours after wedding when DUI driver slams golf cart, Folly Beach - 28 Apr 2023

[nodamselindistress]

From everything I have seen on JK, she is incredibly immature. Her father did her no favors by trying to present her situation in light of "bad things happen to good people". He should have made it clear to her this didn't just HAPPEN to her, she actually CAUSED IT BY HER ACTIONS.

 

[HelenK]

A bench trial is a regular proper trial but without a jury. There's a huge difference between that and a blind plea deal.

Well, yes there is. As you say, the former has no jury, but evidence is submitted, and witnesses can be called and cross-examined, just as in a regular trial. In a blind plea, there is nothing submitted by the defense but a guilty plea right at the outset.

In opting for a bench trial, which involves all kinds of preparation, I would think that the defense must believe it has a solid case to present on behalf of its client. This would have been all but unimaginable in the case of Ms. Komoroski. What on earth would her counsel have offered as a defense?

This is my take on it, anyway - FWIW, MOO, and all of that -

 

[HelenK]

From everything I have seen on JK, she is incredibly immature. Her father did her no favors by trying to present her situation in light of "bad things happen to good people". He should have made it clear to her this didn't just HAPPEN to her, she actually CAUSED IT BY HER ACTIONS.

Absolutely. Seems to me it's her father who has been at the forefront of everything. Did either or both of her parents make statements at the hearing?

 

[mickey2942]

Absolutely. Seems to me it's her father who has been at the forefront of everything. Did either or both of her parents make statements at the hearing?

How does anyone defend an daughter who drove drunk and killed someone? And gave brain damage to another person? Destroyed a couple on what was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives?

 

[acehard]

What on earth would her counsel have offered as a defense?

She was facing a sentence of 3-85 years or something like that. The defense goal would be to minimize the sentence. If the DA is unwilling to offer a deal, I would think a bench trial would make more sense than take a blind chance. What if they gave her 80 years? You already agreed. MOO

 

[Marysmith]

She was facing a sentence of 3-85 years or something like that. The defense goal would be to minimize the sentence. If the DA is unwilling to offer a deal, I would think a bench trial would make more sense than take a blind chance. What if they gave her 80 years? MOO

They made a gamble on what would happen and they lost. They thought she would appear more sympathetic than she was. I'm sure they will never do thay again and I'm sure there were many angry things said behind doors.
That being said she deserves every second IMO.
Edited to add: but I also did believe her statement that she was remorseful.

 

[HelenK]

She was facing a sentence of 3-85 years or something like that. The defense goal would be to minimize the sentence. If the DA is unwilling to offer a deal, I would think a bench trial would make more sense than take a blind chance. What if they gave her 80 years? You already agreed. MOO

 

[HelenK]

In South Carolina the maximum sentence would have been 25 years, which is what she received. I too saw the 3-85 years way back somewhere, and it is incorrect. The 85 was probably referring to the mandatory serving 85% of the sentence.

A bench trial would have been preferable only if she had a valid defense. Her attorney concluded that she did not. Accordingly, the blind plea was not all that "blind."

MOO, and what did I agree to?

 

[HelenK]

dbm

 

[kaen]

Absolutely. Seems to me it's her father who has been at the forefront of everything. Did either or both of her parents make statements at the hearing?

Both of her parents spoke as did her sister and brother. They were extremely respectful of the damage she did to these individuals and families. Her mother referred to substance abuse/alcoholism being in the family. The mother, father and sister remarked about the work she had been doing and her leading meetings. Her brother was more awkward and didn't feel as coherent as the others did.

 

[worm]

In South Carolina the maximum sentence would have been 25 years, which is what she received. I too saw the 3-85 years way back somewhere, and it is incorrect. The 85 was probably referring to the mandatory serving 85% of the sentence.

A bench trial would have been preferable only if she had a valid defense. Her attorney concluded that she did not. Accordingly, the blind plea was not all that "blind."

MOO, and what did I agree to?

The court could have ran those other sentences consecutive and she would serve a lot more time.

 

[Marysmith]

In South Carolina the maximum sentence would have been 25 years, which is what she received. I too saw the 3-85 years way back somewhere, and it is incorrect. The 85 was probably referring to the mandatory serving 85% of the sentence.

A bench trial would have been preferable only if she had a valid defense. Her attorney concluded that she did not. Accordingly, the blind plea was not all that "blind."

MOO, and what did I agree to?

Thank you for this and sorry for my earlier post as I didn't leave all the details so it makes sense that this happened and they really had no choice.

 

[Marysmith]

Thank you for this and sorry for my earlier post as I didn't leave all the details so it makes sense that this happened and they really had no choice.

*didn't have, not leave

 

[acehard]

In South Carolina the maximum sentence would have been 25 years, which is what she received. I too saw the 3-85 years way back somewhere, and it is incorrect. The 85 was probably referring to the mandatory serving 85% of the sentence.

A bench trial would have been preferable only if she had a valid defense. Her attorney concluded that she did not. Accordingly, the blind plea was not all that "blind."

MOO, and what did I agree to?

She was charged with driving under the influence and reckless homicide. There are multiple charges and several articles in the past regarding the max sentence.

This is a criminal case. She can be assigned an attorney for a trial to defend her. What do you mean "she has no valid defense?"

 

[HelenK]

She was charged with driving under the influence and reckless homicide. There are multiple charges and several articles in the past regarding the max sentence.

This is a criminal case. She can be assigned an attorney for a trial to defend her. What do you mean "she has no valid defense?"

She, a grown woman, not some young kid, got into a car of her own volition, blind drunk, caused the death of one person and serious injury, one extremely so, to three others. What defense would you suggest that she has? And if she has one, why did her counsel not opt for a bench trial? For that matter, why did they not just continue with the trial that was supposed to start when they entered the blind plea?

 

[worm]

The sentence reduction hearing request isn’t a surprise.

 

[HelenK]

The sentence reduction hearing request isn’t a surprise.

Apparently it's standard procedure. Remorse and acceptance of culpability? - there was not one iota of either up until the time she stood in front of the judge. I wonder how this is going to play out. Any thoughts?

 

[mickey2942]

Apparently it's standard procedure. Remorse and acceptance of culpability? - there was not one iota of either up until the time she stood in front of the judge. I wonder how this is going to play out. Any thoughts?

She has the right to appeal her sentence. Too bad her victims had no choices.

MOO, is that she won't get any breaks here. I think that she has been living some sort of fantasy life/denial that she wouldn't be sentenced to prison, time served in her apartment, and good to go on with her life. Nope.

 

[arielilane]

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - Attorneys for Jamie Komoroski have asked for her lengthy 25-year prison sentence to be reduced.

Woman convicted in fatal newlywed golf cart crash asks for reduced sentence

A woman who smashed into a golf cart killing a bride was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

www.kswo.com

12/13/2024

 

[worm]

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC/Gray News) - Attorneys for Jamie Komoroski have asked for her lengthy 25-year prison sentence to be reduced.

Woman convicted in fatal newlywed golf cart crash asks for reduced sentence

A woman who smashed into a golf cart killing a bride was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

www.kswo.com

12/13/2024

Im sure their stats are more accurate that I’ve read but this sentence is about what I expected from looking into these cases since it happened. There are some that have much lower sentences I’m sure but I’m just lost on what her defense is looking at to say it’s disproportionate.