Chapter 16 - Walt Pleads First
Walt’s lawyer negotiated.
He was sixty-three.
No criminal record.
Less central to forgery.
But clearly complicit in neglect and misuse.
He accepted plea:
Child endangering.
Unlawful restraint.
Theft/misuse of funds.
One false-record count.
In exchange, other overlapping counts dismissed.
He agreed to testify truthfully against Gloria.
No immunity.
At plea hearing judge asked:
“Did you know Elizabeth was locked in closet?”
“Yes.”
“Did you personally use latch?”
“Yes. Once.”
“Did you leave child locked while you went to casino?”
“Yes.”
“Did you use funds intended for her care for personal expenses?”
“Yes.”
“Did you believe you were entitled?”
“At time, yes.”
“Do you now?”
“No.”
He cried.
I felt nothing.
Then felt guilty for feeling nothing.
Therapist said:
“Emotions do not have moral quotas.”
Good.
Walt was later sentenced to forty-two months incarceration, with credit and post-release supervision.
He served a little over three years.
Restitution assessed jointly for certain losses.
Gloria called him traitor.
He told prosecutor:
May you like
“She trained us all to call consequences betrayal.”
That was perhaps the smartest thing my father ever said.
