[Nfbf-l] Sentencing

[Marion & Martin]

Dear All,
    I wanted to let you know that i haven't had the chance to post information about the sentencing, as I have been accompanying Kris on his interviews and meetings. However, Michael Watts, Kris's attacker, could have gotten a generous sentence of juvenile sanctions which would have provided him with a GED, vocational training, and no criminal record. But, when the judge asked Watts if he had anything to say to Kris, he said, "I'm really sorry about what happened to you and whoever did this to you!" This angered the judge, who railed on him. "You mean to tell me that you are denying that you attacked this man? You are going to stand there after pleading guilty to three felonies and tell the court you are innocent? You have asked the court to give you another chance! We gave you a chance after you attacked someone when you were fourteen! You got another chance after your weapons charge when you were fifteen! You were given another chance when you were released on bail for attacking this man! And after that you committed another crime! How many chances should we give you? Mr. Watts, you don't deserve another chance!
    After sentencing Watts to five years in prison followed by five years of probation with no early termination, he warned him, "You will get your GED when you get out of prison or you will be violated and sent back to prison! You will do 250 hours of community service with 150 hours of them with the Division of Blind services or you will be violated and sent back to prison! You will have a curfew of 10:00 pm and will observe it or you will go back to prison!  You will pay Mr. Scheppe restitution of $1834 or you will go back to prison! You will not use drugs or alcohol and will be randomly tested three times each month and, if you test positively you will go back to prison. You will write Mr. Scheppe an apology or you will go back to prison!"
    The St.Ptersburg Times wrote an excellent article about this. To read it, go to Newsline, choose the St. Petersburg Times for March 12, and find it in the A section. Congratulations, Kris! Justice has been served!

Fraternally,
Marion Gwizdala