Chapter 18 - SENTENCING JUDITH
At sentencing, prosecutors described:
Repeated conduct.
Vulnerable infants.
Prior warning episode.
Continued administration.
Evidence destruction.
Post-death manipulation.
Lack of early remorse.
Defense described:
Age sixty-seven by sentencing.
No prior criminal record.
Decades of caregiving.
Philanthropy.
Genuine grief.
No intent to kill.
Both belonged in the record.
I spoke.
“Noah had a crease beside his left ear.”
Judith looked up.
“Caleb sneezed three times whenever sunlight hit his face.”
My voice shook.
“They were not two counts.”
I breathed.
“They were people.”
Then:
“I am not asking this court to pretend Judith wanted them dead. I am asking the court to understand what it means to believe your judgment is so superior that you can put an undisclosed drug into an infant’s body after being warned.”
I looked at Judith.
“And after they died, she stood beside their coffins and blamed me.”
That was the sentence I could barely finish.
Judith received a lengthy custodial sentence.
Not life without parole.
Age considered.
No priors.
Two deaths.
Repeated recklessness.
Obstruction.
Financial conspiracy.
Fiduciary bans.
Supervised release if she lived to complete custody.
Restitution limited to appropriate losses and investigative/civil costs.
No imaginary value placed on two children.
Trevor’s sentence remained shorter because his role differed and he cooperated.
Some people hated that.
I understood it.
He did not administer the drug.
May you like
He still failed his sons.
Law names different failures differently.
