Chapter 16 - The Verdicts
The jury deliberated nearly two days.
I stayed with Ava and Lucy at Rachel’s.
We baked cookies.
I burned first batch.
Ava laughed.
Normal.
Then Nora called.
“Come in.”
I left girls with Rachel.
Richard stood.
The verdicts were read.
Serious domestic assault causing bodily injury.
Guilty.
Unlawful restraint.
Guilty.
Threatening conduct connected to domestic violence.
Guilty.
Conspiracy related to fraudulent property transfer.
Guilty.
Attempted financial exploitation.
Guilty.
Witness and reporting interference related counts.
Guilty on some.
Not guilty on one charge alleging he personally submitted the forged deed because evidence did not prove which person clicked the filing.
Accuracy.
Then pregnancy related serious injury count.
Guilty under the charge prosecutors had selected based on medical evidence and state law.
I closed my eyes.
No celebration.
Then Margaret’s sentencing.
Her cooperation mattered.
Her conduct still severe.
She received five years active incarceration followed by supervision, restitution, and no contact with me or girls unless future court and we consented.
She had no prior convictions.
She was not physically principal attacker.
But months of false reports, fraud, coercion, assistance in restraint, and evidence manipulation required more than probation.
She spoke.
“I taught my son that control was love.”
Then:
“I taught my granddaughters that their mother deserved punishment.”
She cried.
“I’m sorry.”
I did not respond.
Then Richard’s sentencing.
The prosecutor requested a substantial term.
Defense cited no prior record, employment history, family support, remorse.
My victim statement focused.
“I do not ask the court to punish Richard because he wanted a son.”
Then:
“I ask court to recognize what happened to the wife he had, the daughters he had, and the child who died.”
I looked at him.
“He had many chances to stop before the final morning.”
Then:
“He knew our daughters were not failures.”
Then:
“He knew I had said no to selling my mother’s house.”
Then:
“He knew I wanted to leave.”
Then:
“He chose control.”
Richard cried.
At his turn:
“I blamed Emily for everything I hated about myself.”
His voice shook.
“I wanted a son because I thought it would prove I wasn’t a failure.”
Then:
“I became worse than the thing I was afraid of.”
The judge sentenced him to seventeen years active incarceration, followed by supervision and restitution obligations, considering repeated abuse, restraint, threats, pregnancy loss, financial coercion, and pattern.
He would later have whatever lawful credits and review the correctional system permitted.
Not life.
Serious.
Then divorce.
I filed.
Richard did not contest custody after conviction.
The decree terminated marriage.
The San Angelo house remained mine.
The forged deed voided.
Inheritance account accounting continued.
May you like
Then I did something that frightened me more than court.
I applied for a job.
