Impact Statement
The security camera-like photograph depicts the courtroom before Ms. King makes her way to make an impact statement before former Deputy District Attorney John Lonergan, Judge Gary J. Ferrari, members of the jury, courtroom staff and police officers, witnesses, and one of the defendants who are on trial for the murder of her son, Michael K. Green. Staggered, vertical wood paneling decorate the place where justice is an every day process.
The seal of California is centered above the presiding judge. The bailiff stands directly behind the defendant for security. The day is severely heavy. One life ventured in the skateboard industry and was taken by gang violence. Judge Gary J. Ferrari delivered the somber judgment to the gang members who were proven responsible for shooting Michael K. Green to death on April 9th, 2005. The removal of Michael’s life becomes a life sentence for the murders.
The podium is centered in the wide shot of the day of final sentencing. Ms. King briskly walks; the shutter fires off just slow enough to blur the capture, to where she’ll deliver her prepared speech. All ears and eyes present still themselves to curiously experience what Ms. King will say.
“(Gasps) Wooo. Giving honor to God. Thank you your honor, DA Lonergan, Detective Lasch, the entire staff who serve to bring justice to be served to my son’s murder Michael Green. The impact on my life… (pause) no one can image. As I stand here listening to the case unfold. (Gasps) What I do want to say to the murderer, Mr. Robert Williams, (Gasps) Wooo (Exhales deeply) You have murdered a young man. Mr. Blacc Mike as they called him in the streets. He was a positive young man. All he wanted to do was skateboard around the world. (Gasps and cries) He wanted to keep a happy face. He was loved by many, taken away by stray bullets which I can’t understand now-a-days. As your life haunts you over and over again, I just pray to God, don’t quit. Please make peace with God. Please change your life baby. God bless.”
In 2008, Marsey’s Law, the California Victims’ Bill of Rights Act rights passed from a proposition to legislated law. The prosecuting agencies must follow these legal requirements when dealing with victims and their families. The victims’ families are empowered by becoming a part of the process and help bring closure to their loss. Before Marsey’s Law, families felt victimized again by the judicial process by not being kept abreast of the case.
For example with Ms. King, Deputy District Attorney John Lonergan kept her abreast of the process and brief her family members before and after each of the proceedings. That helps educate the families on what’s going on or they’ll be left in the dark. During these ‘powwows’, John would warn the family about how the coroner’s testimony and photographic display could deeply disturb you.
Most importantly, at the end of a case the victim’s have a right in the court to require accept and listen to a victim’s impact statement. Ms. King suffered a great loss by outliving her child as a result of gang violence. She given the opportunity and took the opportunity to speak from the heart to let the court know what the three individuals that were prosecuted for her son’s murder what it did not only to her, but to a lot of others who were in the courtroom. Ms. King during the emotional delivery she forgave the individuals who were convicted of the murder of her son. The message of forgiveness is by far the exception and not the rule for impact statements in Los Angeles County.
Deputy District Attorney John Lonergan said, “That will always stay with me, how Ms. King despite her loss, told those individuals she forgave them and now it’s in God’s hands as I recall her saying. There wasn’t a dry eye in the courtroom. Her impact statement tugged at the heart. As a professional I have to maintain my composure as a 10-year veteran district attorney and carry fourth my work throughout the emotionally charged cases involving gang homicides. As soon as Ms. King finished I had to speak. Each case takes a little bit from you and tears the soul. I still remember the victims and their families that I work closely with throughout the trials.”