Chapter 12: The Sentencing
Three weeks later, I returned to the courtroom for Michael’s sentencing.
The judge was a woman in her sixties. She looked at Michael for a long time before speaking.
“Mr. Bennett,” she said, “you took advantage of the one person who should have been safest with you — your own mother. You used violence, threats, and manipulation to try to steal her home and her money. You broke her ribs. You made her fear for her life in her own home. And you did all of this while she was at her most vulnerable.”
She paused.
“The court has taken into account the extensive video evidence, your mother’s testimony, and the impact this crime has had on her physical and emotional well-being. I am sentencing you to seven years in state prison, with the possibility of parole after five years.”
Michael’s shoulders slumped.
The judge continued.
“You will also be required to pay restitution for the medical expenses and emotional damages caused to your mother. And upon your release, you will have no contact with her of any kind.”
I closed my eyes.
Seven years.
It wasn’t forever, but it was enough.
After the hearing, I stepped outside the courthouse and took a deep breath. The air felt cleaner than it had in a long time.
Sarah stood beside me.
“It’s really over now,” she said.
I nodded.
But deep down, I knew it wasn’t that simple.
May you like
The legal part was over.
The healing would take much longer.
