Hear yea, Hear yea, this court is now back in session. The honourable judge Hardman presiding.
Will the defendant please rise?
Has the jury reached a decision?
Yes, We have your honour.
Please pass the decision to the bailiff.
Mr. Leventon, the jury has found you guilty of two counts of murder. Sentencing will be one week from today. Take him back to his cell.
They take me back to my dim lit cell where I have been for the last few weeks. They tell me I killed two people, A man and a woman. I don't remember anything about it. Let me start from the beginning.
About a month ago, I went to a Christmas party with a few of my friends. It was a big party with some of the best food I have ever eaten and also an open bar.
I had a large cut of prime rib with a serving of steamed vegetables. I also had a strawberry short cake for dessert. I always get a headache when I eat strawberries, so I asked if anyone had something for a headache. Someone gave me something. I don't really know what but it worked like a charm. Soon I was drinking and partying with the best of them.
The next thing I remember is waking up with blood all over me and the police all around. I was in the hospital. They had done a drug test on me and found I was on some very strong drugs. I swore I hadn't taken anything but soon remembered the pill for my head. OH GOD! What had I done?!!
They cleaned me up, read me my rights and then took me to jail. There they asked me if I had a lawyer. I told them no. I told them that I didn't have one and I said I didn't need one. I told them I didn't remember much but I wanted to know what happened just as much as they did.
They started asking me a lot of questions. I didn't answer much. I really didn't remember. I told them of the pills and asked them what I had done. They told me I had killed two people. They said I walked into their house and when they tried to find out who I was and what I was doing there, I went crazy and started throwing and breaking things. I then picked up a big vase and hit the man across the head. After that his teen-aged daughter tried to stop me. When she did I hit her with a fire poker. Her mom and little sister were out Christmas shopping. When they came home they found me passed out in the corner of their living room. The man and older daughter were dead.
At this time I decided to call a lawyer. We worked on my defence for several days and then off to court we went. He was a court appointed lawyer and I don't think he really tried or cared about what happened to me.
Well, that is all I can tell you about what happened or at least what they told me happened.
Now I sit in this small cell and have only one week to wait. I will know what is going to be done with the rest of my life. I will be sentenced to either life in prison or death. I will just have to wait and see.
As I sit here and listen to this small radio that they let me have in my cell, I think to myself, I really am not a bad person. I don't drink much and have never done anything like this in my life. I am not a mean individual. I don't ever even fuss nor have disagreements often. I don't see how I could have done a crime like this.
As I sit here and listen to my radio, I hear a small child's voice. I listen as she tells this story:
A long time ago, in a small town there was a man and his pregnant wife. They had travelled a long way to be in this town but when they got there all of the places to stay were full. They tried and tried to find a place but they couldn't find one. Then one nice man told them that they could sleep in his barn if they wanted to. They told him thank you and then they went outside and found a place to stay with all the animals. Then some men were taking care of some sheep and an Angel came and told them to follow a star and see the baby. The Angel also told three kings to follow the star. Mary and Joseph had their baby and the kings and shepherds came and saw him. They called him Jesus. He grew up and then died on a cross for all of us.
After the story a man came on and said that this was a nine-year old girl's version of the story of Christmas. He also told that she had just lost her dad and sister in a horrible incident. When he said this I realised that this was the little girl of the man I had killed. I had heard this story many times before but I had never heard it told like I did that night. Never had I really let the true meaning sink in.
On that night, only three days before Christmas, I fell on my knees and found Jesus. I felt sorry for what I had done. I felt sorry for everything I had ever done in my entire life. My heart went out to that little girl and her mother. How could I have ever done such a thing? I knew I could never make it up to them but I had to do something. I just didn't know what.
One week after the trial the judge passed sentence. I was to be electrocuted. I tried to get a pardon but even though I had found God, they wouldn't give me one. They said I had done the crime and this was the punishment. A few days after my execution a letter arrived for that little girl and her mother
I have thought long and hard about this and hope you will please take time to read this letter.
My name is Larry. I am the man who, while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, took the life of your husband and daughter. I don't want to cause you any more pain than I have already caused but I had to write you. I know I can never give you back the lives that I took but I do want to tell you I am sorry.
I heard the story of Jesus that your little girl told on the radio. I had never heard it told with such feeling or love before. I felt I had to let you know that you are the reason I found Jesus.
By the time you read this letter I will have been executed. I tried to get a pardon so I could tell you how sorry I was but they wouldn't give me one. So I paid the price for my crime.
I just wanted you to know that, through your daughter, God gave me the
pardon that the courts wouldn't. Thank you and again I am sorry.
With my sincerest apologies,
Larry Leventon.
I made a huge mistake that will change the lives of two people forever and for this I am sorry. I can never change what happened but I am thankful that even though the court gave me the death sentence, God, through all of his love, gave me a pardon.
By Mark Davis