Justice served...

...well, sort of.

Today was the day. The sentencing hearing proceeded as scheduled, and the man who killed my grandfather was FINALLY taken to jail. It took about 3 1/2 years, but we can finally close the door on this part of our lives.

What amazes me, though, is the amount of time he will serve. The man was convicted of 1st degree involuntary manslaughter, and 2nd degree assault. With the laws on the books, this would allow him to be sentenced up to 7 years per count. With the sentences running concurrently, he will serve a total of 7 years in prison. (That is, if he doesn't win an appeal or is denied parole.) I applaud the judge for giving him the maximum sentence, but it just blows my mind that it will only be 7 years.

This man killed my grandfather! We were given a life sentence because this man made such poor decisions. I know that nothing will bring him back, but only serving 7 years seems a bit light to me.

I wasn't able to attend, but was able to talk with my aunt about how things went. She told me that, even when given a chance to make a statement, the defendant still wouldn't admit ANY wrong-doing. He is still blaming other people for HIS choices. He is refusing to see that his actions led to the death of a good man. Bottom line...he made the decision to drink the night before. He made the decision to drink so much, that he was still over the legal limit at lunch time the next day. He made the decision to go in to work, even though he was still "buzzed." He made the decision to continue on the road, even after he noticed that he wasn't feeling well. He made a decision that changed the lives of my entire family, as well as his.

I wish I could tell this man what has been on my mind. I wish I could open his eyes to the truth of the matter. All of this tragedy was avoidable. If only he had stepped up and been responsible.

It's just another story that shows just how far out decisions can reach. It's usually further than we would ever expect.