Sometimes They Are Very Angry

In some cases when you meet new clients or parents who have lost children they are very angry. In many cases, it’s very understandable. Their lives were changed forever by criminal acts of the defendant. They were speeding, drunk, on drugs, and/or driving when they shouldn’t have been on the road. Often the anger is a cover for a deep hurt.

We sometimes have limited ability to help. This would be such a better business if we could make people better, go back and stop them from being out that day, or even help in some kind of eye-for-an eye justice. Thing is that most people really don’t want that.

Justice for most is some sort of balance or restoration to their life, help with making sure the prosecuted understands what their loss is, help with the paperwork dealing with restitution or victim impact statements. I think back to a two week criminal trial that I sat through and one of the questions the jury asked the jury was if I was there to help the family who had lost their son. The judge indicated that even though there was a criminal acquittal, the jury was heartened by the thought that the family world still have some way to protect themselves.

The recent request by an Indiana truck driver for lenience to his time in prison after he lied in his log books. He was driving when he shouldn’t been. As a result, he killed five and injured 28 members of a school band ho were in a bus heading home. The judge will have to determine what his punishment is, there may be nothing that the families will ever be able to receive to replace their lost. But, proper representation and someone who can be there at the time of need may help with the anger.