The first event was by far the most emotional. I have never been a part of anything like it and hope that I will never have to again. It was the sentencing of a 24 year old woman after her guilty plea for killing a seven month old child while she drove her car drunk and high on marijuana and cocaine. Even now the sentencing is too difficult to recount, with the child's mother's statement and the tears that flowed freely from the dozens of people in the courtroom. To me, sentencing in a death case rarely brings closure. It's not just two lives that are affected. All we have to do is look at every person in that courtroom to see this case will affect everyone forever, including me. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to talk about this case, but know I will never forget it.
The next event is about an ongoing trial, where a 17 year old is accused of gunning down another teenager at a crowded park in the middle of the day. I am not prosecuting this case, but I did watch some of it because the lawyers on both sides are the best at their jobs. The defendant waived a jury trial and the trial proceeded before a judge only. It disgusted me to watch the defendant laugh, make faces, and flash signs to one of his friends in the audience as the testimony poured forth about a young man gunned down for no reason. Guilty or innocent, the kid had no respect for the proceedings or the fact he is accused of murder.
Otherwise it was a normal week, witnesses making appointments and not appearing, 20 year old defendants going to jail for crime sprees and leaving behind their 5 kids, and the weather is getting nicer which means crime usually increases.
It's been a tough, emotional week. Not all are like this, but the frequency of them increases as you deal with more serious cases in advancing your career.
I suppose the best thing you can do at this point is enjoy your family and find a way to put it behind you for the weekend. Not easily done, I'm sure.
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