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Transcript of Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
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8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
1/8
This is a victim-impact statement from Edwin Stevens, Alice Stevens brother:
“This is what I want to remember.
There are too many good memories to name. Alice was a talented girl who
excelled in anything she wanted to do. Her talents included, but were definitely
not limited to, athletics.
I remember playing lacrosse in the backyard with her. Being the obnoxious,
older, teenage brother that I was, I continually reminded her how much more
physical and faster paced boys' lacrosse is compared to girls'. I playfully showed
off a few moves that are far easier to do with a boys' lacrosse stick, thinking
she'd never be able to compete with that. The next day, she scored in a gamewith the same fancy move and her coaches were bewildered as to how she
learned such a thing. She caught on fast.
She attended a high school that has many girls' varsity basketball state
championships. As a Freshman, she started at point guard along with muchlarger juniors and seniors. She played so well in a playoff game that the
television reporter said, on the air, "I'll get to the seniors, but first, I have to talk
to the freshman!" Alice had lit up the court with a plethora of 3 pointers that
day.
There are so many things I would like to have back, but here are a few that standout in my mind.
Alice was pronounced dead 5 days before my wife and I were pronounced man
and wife. I had worked tirelessly on courting my wife for 14 years - half of my
life to that point. What was surely going to be the happiest day of my life
became one of bittersweet agony. Although we tried to separate our new life
together from the horrific death of my sister, it was just impossible to achieve
that schism completely. I want that day back.
Alice had a very funny sense of humor. When she was 8 or so, I had been babysitting her and found her sleeping in her bed wearing a clown nose with a
hot water bottle on her head. Although my mother insists that I must have
dressed her up like that, I can tell you that I absolutely did not. It's just a small
example of how Alice would go to great lengths to brighten the day of others
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8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
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around her. Instead of this joyful image, I am left with that of her lying lifeless
in a casket, only identifiable to me by the distinct tattoo on her arm.
Alice was such a great aunt to my brother's children and was looking forward to
being an aunt to mine. I regret that we never got to tell her that at the time of herdeath we were pregnant with our youngest son. He will never meet her. Theclosest he will get is sleeping with her old stuffed bear. Our older son only got
to meet her once on Christmas where she and Forrest very generously showered
him with gifts of toy trucks - His favorite thing. She affectionately referred to
him as "my little Mcnugget."
I want back the world where my family and I don't know such evil and horror
and where I'm not raising 2 amazing little boys within such a ghastly existence.
I want back the capacity to be the father and husband I should be, instead ofenduring the days where the loss of my beautiful, little sister still leaves me
paralyzed by grief.
When Alice was quite young she had a strange reoccurring dream of a mouse
eating ketchup in her bed. Not only was it a somewhat hilarious nightmare, but
it also made her wake up in a screaming panic. I want back the days where that
was the scariest thing in her, and all of our, lives.
But I will never get that back.”
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8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
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Dear
udge
reesemann,
This s
myvict im
mpact
tatement
egarding
ase
umber:
CRI42379
or
Michael
onnta
Jones.
Forrest
asa
loving
erson
ullof
kindness
nd
humor.
He
was
a
prankster
ndalways
ound
a
way
o make
eople
augh.
h is
was
mpor tant
o h im
even
t
anear ly
ge.
One
example
as,
when
hewasa
kidhe
went o
a nice
estaurant
ith his
grandparentsearing
hose
ugly
ake
teeth
ouget
n Hal loween
ostumes
nd
waseat ing
i th
hem
on.
His
randparentsere
hear ing
eople
round
hem
say ing
i t
ooksike hey
ould
et
hat
poor
ids eeth
ixed .
memorable
oment
is
grandparents
i l l
never
orget .
ven
hen
ou
didn ' t
ee l
ike
par t ic ipat ing
n
someth ing
orres t
ad
a wayof
get t ingyou ot ivated
ndbeing
nvolved.
ne
example
as,
e
persuaded
s o
par t ic ipate
n he
v ideo
ame
ust
Dance.
eal l
ooked razy
t ry ing
o
dance
ut
we hada
great
ime
and h is
sanother
memory
e wi l la lways
ave.
Hewasa veryhardworker ndusual lye ld wo obsevenwhen n High chool .ome f hese
jobs
nt roduced
im o the
wor ld
f cook ing.
e
was he
oldest
f
3 sonshat
were3
years
apart
ach
n ageand
he aught
hem
a
lot about
being
ompetit ive
et
o
bea
good
sport '
They l l
p layed
igh chool
asebal l
ndwere
on he
wrest l ing
eam.
Hewonsevera l
wards
n
these
por ts .
hey ooked
p o h im
and earned
otabout
i fe
hoices
hrough
oing
hese
same
ports
ogether.
hey
were
competit ive
ven
when
playing
he
board
ame
Risko
putt
put t .
They
ave
otbeen
hesame
ince
his ragedy.
oth re
hur t
somuch
nd
notable o
open
pand
alkabout
t . Hopefu l ly
neday
both
wi l lbe
able
o
let he i r
ee l ings
eknown.
Nei ther
ereemot ional ly
b le o
come o
th is r ia l .
Forrest
as
a very ntel l igent
erson
ith a
lQof 1-42
nd
eceived
letter
rom
Mensa
tat ing
assuch. eappl ied ndwasacceptedo a chemicalng ineer ingrogramn Nor thCaro l inaut
af ter
nesemester
ropped
ut
o
pursue
is
pass ion
f
cook ing.
e
appl ied
nd
wasaccepted
to cu l inary
chool
n Nor th
Caro l ina.
e
was ops
n
his lass
nd
won
numerous
wards
n
cooking
nd
baking
ompetit ions.
orrest
oved
eing
chef
and
excelled
t
cooking
nd
bak ing.
is pec ia l ty
asFrench
uis ine.
ne ay
hecame
ome
wi th h is
smel ly
east
tar ter
for mak ing
read
nd
named
t d iesel .
t was
hebeginning
ngredient
or a
otof
h isaward
winning
reads.
ecame
o Savannah
ar t ly
o enhance
is ra f t
nd
iked
iv ing
ere.
t d idn ' t
take
Forrest
ongbefore
e
got
a sous
hef
posit ion
t one
of the
better
estaurants
n
Savannah
nd
began
moving
uickly
owards
working
n becoming
n
executive
hef.
His
dream
id
come
rue
and
many
eople
ere new
nd
oved
is
ook ing
nd
bak ing.
e
was
featured
n a
local
magazine.
e've
had
numerous
eople
ontact
nd
et us
know
hat Forrest
had
ouched
hei r ivesn somanyways.
We hink
of
Forrest
ai ly
nd ind
t extremely
if f icult
t
amily
unctions
uch s
birthdays,
holidays,
tc.
as hose
were he
imes
we cherished
he
most.
Last
ime
we alked
ewas
exc i ted
o beable
o come
ome nd
cook
hanksgiv ing
or us
as he
ast ouple
ears
ewas
not
ablebecause
f
work.
Hehad he
entire
meal
already
lanned
ut.
He
eally
ooked
orward
to
family
atherings
ike his.
Being
Chef,
orrest
ept ate
hours
nd
he
would
requently
al l
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8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
4/8
us
n he
ear ly
morn ing
ours
el l ing
sof
h isday
and
he
people
e
would
ook
or
or meet .
Most
parents
ate
o hear
f
ca l ls
t h is
imeof
he
morning
ut
we
cher ished
t
ashewas
ul l
o f
i feand
exc i ted
o
te l lus
of h is
day.
We ravel f ten o Floridaor vacationsndevery ime
get
near
Savannah
start
crying
ust
thinking
f
Forrest
nd he
evil
hing
hatwas
done
o him
here.
After
hese
rials
we
cannever
visit
his
cityagain.
t
is
ust
oo
painful.
cryevery
ime
see
a
chef n
hisuniform
ftera hard
days
work
hinking
nd
knowing
orrest
oved t so
much.
We st i l l
have ome
f
his
chefs
c lo thes
nd
a
ew h ings
e
ust
can ' t
eem o
let
go
of .
My
husband's
ob
requi res
im o
hi re
and
i re
people
nd
heof ten
wonders
hen
he i res omeone
s
his he
kind f
person
hat
would
ome
ack ndat tempt
o do he
same
hing
hat
happened
o Forres t .
t s
a lways
n he
back
f h is
mind.
No
words an
express
he
waywe
eel .One
ould
ever
nders tand
os ing
son
n h is
manner .
hadalways
een
here
or my
k ids nd
have
o
much
ui l t
or not
being
here or
Forres tnd av ing im rom hisev i l r ime.hur t and rybecausecannot peakto imand el l
h im
love
himand e l l
o f he
hings
isbrothers
as ccompl ished.
ou
ust
can ' t
magine
ot
being
ble
o
ta lk o
or see
our
son
mi le
r augh
ver
gain.
here
s
a
empty
ole
n
my
hear t hat
us t
can ' t e
i l led.
have
otbeen
ble
o s leep
t
n ight
sa
resul t f
h is .
Weare
compass ionate
eople
ut
o th is
dayhave
at red
nd
anger
o
the
people
hat
commit ted
his
ev i l
r ime.
My husband
nd have
xper ienced
inor
eal th
ssues
ue
o
the hear tache
nd
stress
f this
eviland
heart less
rime.
Mike ones
ad
no
right o take
he
ives f
Forrest
nd
Alice
ndshould
ever e
allowedo
l ive
reeagain.
ur
percept ions hat
hehas
o emorse
or h is
heinous
r ime
nd
we
request
l i fe
n
pr ison
i th
NO
chance
f
paro le
s
hedeserves
his
punishment
or
ak ing
he ives f
Forres tndAl ice. h iswasa ev i landheinousr imehatheknowinglyndwi l l ing lyommit ted.
He
sa ev i l
person
i th
NO
compass ion
or human
i fe .
Dur ing
his r ia l ,
ear ing
hat
hebragged
about
ommit t ing
his
cr ime
hows
e
has o
egard
nd
ompass ion
or human
i fe .
Last ly
want
o read
a text
Forrest
ent
o me
on May
12,2013
or
Mothers
Day.
his hows
he
love nd
ompass ion
ehad.
Mom,
I ove
ou
and
hank
ou
or
he
moral
uppor t ,
omet imes
ust
hear ing
hat
you
unders tand
y
pain
and
struggles
ives
me
he strength
need
o do
what
have o
do
n order
o truly
be
happy
nd
hat
personal
appiness
sn ' t e l f ish
t
a l l .
hank
ou
or every th ing
om
know
don' t ay
hank
ou
veryof ten
ut hank
ou
or
a l l he
guidancendal l hes t rengthhatyou
have
nst i l led
n
me.
wouldn ' t
e
he
man am
oday
wi thout
ou
n my
i femom.
ove
ou
Happy
Mothers
ay.
Sincerely:
Markand
Shel ia
ingham
Parents
f Forrest
son
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8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
5/8
This s
probably
onger
han
you
wont
o
hear
but I reallyhove
o soy hisbecouse o
onewants o hear
it
-
no
onewonts o knowhow
bodly
hurt
my
omily
hos
beenby Alice'smurder
ondhow we still
ore
deeply
grieving
or
her.
This s a
picture
f my daughter
l ice.This s
he image hat we
are ryingdesperately
o keep
in mindbecause
he
ast
ime we
saw
Alice
he
was ying n
a casketwith her
aceso misshapen
from the two
bullets
ired
direct ly nto her
head
hat
we
did
not recognize
er.
Almost
hreedecades gowe
got
a call
rom
an adoption gency
hat
we
wereaccepted
s he
adopt ive
arents
or
a b i rac ia l
h i ld ue o be
bornat he endof summer
989. My husband
and
were
ecstat ic swell
asour
younger
on. Hewas
3 T,
years
ld and reallywanted
a baby
sister.
For
monthsaswe
awaited he
birthof the
child,
my it t le
guy
was ol lowing
me around
saying,
l
reallywant
a sister"
"
Do
you
hinkwe
couldask hem
o
make
sure t is
a
gir l?"
I
am
tell ing
ou
hisbecausewant
you
o knowhow
muchwe wanted
and ovedAlice rom
the
momentwe learned
f the
possibi l i ty
f her
adoption.
And Aliceand herbrotherwere riends ndcompanionsrom dayone. He oved he roleof big
brother
ndshe
oved
im, ater
a l l ing im
her
hero. "
From
he ear ly
ays , e ook
care f
her. I
used o
put
Alice n
a
playpen
when
wantedher
o be safewhile had
something
o do.
Pretty oon would
hear
"EE-EE,
EE-EE"
hen he
scamperingf feet and
soon herewould
appearmy 4
year
o ldsonhold ing
p h is
s is ter ho was
smi l ing e l ightedly .
would
say,
I
wantedher
o be n here or
a few minutes"
And he
would say,
"But,
Mom,
shewanted
o
get
out " Theywere
great
buddies
s
you
canseehere.. . . . .
Al ice
died n he very
earlymorning
f
November
,201,3.He
was
scheduledo be married
5
days ateron November th. l t wasalmostpostponed ut because veryone ascoming n
from out-of-town,
he weddingwas
held. Alice
wassupposed
o be a bridesmaid.nstead,
he
was epresented
t the wedding
y a vase
of her avorite lowers.
Thatweekend
we had
a
wedding neday
anda
unera l
he
next
day.
Our
Al icewi th her
horr ib ly
is tor tedacewas
ly ing n he casket i th her
br idesmaid 's
ress
n andherbouquetn herhands.
Instead
f
having
honeymoon
nda
year
of the normal
adjustment
ssues
hat newlyweds
face,he andhis
bride
had
a
year
of
hell .
Theywere
n a verydark
place
he
wasso
sadabout
hissister ndshocked
bout his horrible
nd
senselessragedy nd hiswifewas
desperate
o
understand
nd
helphim
eel
better. l t continues
o torturehim hat his
beloved ister
ould
be ki l ledwith no more hought hanonegiveso swatt ing peskymosquito.Hehasbeen eft
with emotional
cars nd
physical
ssues.
heir
anniversariesi l l orever
be ingedwith
sadness
about
Al ice.
My e lder onwas20
years
lder
han
Al ice
ut washappy
whenshe
oined
ur
ami ly .
When
we visited im at col lege, e
had
great
un
pushing
er n
the strol ler andhe
called er he
"Chick
magnet"
because
ll he
gir ls
would
comeoverand
"oo
and
ahh"overher. Whenhe had
hisown family,he oved
eeing ow Alicehad
so much un
playing
ith
his
young
children. He
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8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
6/8
has
been ormentedby visions
f
Alice ying
herewith
bullet
holes n her
head
and
with
the
shockhat such v i l ou ld t r ike is ami ly .Hehas
he sav ing b i l i t y
o be able o
compartmental ize
o
he
purposely
iverts is
energy o
hiswork
or family
but
I wonder
what
the unshed earsand unspoken
rief
are
doing o
his
heartandblood
pressure
nd his
psyche.
My husbandovedhis hreesonsbut he was hri l led hat he now hada daughterwhenAlice
wasborn.
There
ru ly ssometh ing
pec ia l
bout he
ather-daughter
e la t ionship
ndAl ice
o
loved er
dad.
My
husband admul t ip le
eal th
roblems
nd
he
hadsurv ivedi fe- threatening
medical
r is is n several
ccasions.Henever
ried or himself uringhis
hreecancer
d iagnos is ,is
painfu l
reatments
nd
procedures ,
ishospi ta l izat ions
or
pneumonia
ut a t
Alice'suneral
ervice
e
was
sobbing which hadnever
eenbefore n
the 30
years
we had
been
married
and
gripping
my
hand
so ight ly thought t would
break.Afterher
death,he
became
uieter
and morewithdrawn
nd herewas
an awfulsadnesshat never eft his
eyes.
Six
months
afterAlicewas
soviciouslymurdered,
my husband as
admitted
o the
hospital
with a medical mergency.n he pasthewouldhaveand did ightagain ndagain o regain
hishealthno matterhow
diff icult
he struggle.
During hat hospital izat ion
n Apri l ,2014he
was i red,
depressed,nddishear tened
nd
s imply id not have
he
wi l l
o l ive. The
doctors
may
hink hat
he
died rom h is
medica l
rob lems
ut I knowhis
broken ear twas
a
contribut ingactor.
The mpact
f
Alice's
eathhas
affected verymember
of this amily. My
younger
randson
may be
oo
lit t le
o
feel
he
grief
but he wonders
why hisDaddy s
sadsometimes.He keeps
ask ing,
Where
sAuntAl ice?"
Hesawher
one
ime
and hen
never
gain.Tel lme how
o
answer 5
year
old's
question, Why
was
she
kil led?"
I have wo teenage randsons ho aregoing hrough he adolescentasks f trying o figure
out who they are,what
hey want rom ife,
what
hey
value.They
emember
nd
honor
heir
aunt by wearing er
ersey
number n
the various
ports hey are
nvolved
n.They
are bright,
sensit ive oysand
now
hey
arealsodealingwith
he loss nd ragedy
f the
vicious
murder
of
their aunt.
Their nnocence
as
beendestroyed
y hissenseless,vi l
act.
Do
heyseea bright
future or themselves
r do they wonder
what
s
he
point?"
when
you
get
ki l led or
doing
absolutely othing
s
Alicewas.
As or me,
am a brokenwoman.
emot ional ly ,
hys ica l ly ,
p i r i tua l ly ,ndmenta l ly . In
sp i te
of therapy,meditat ion,medicat ion,
pir i tual ounseling,
nd
prayers,
crippling
adness
remains .
Letme ell
you
about
a day n he l i fe
of a
grieving
mother. l t is
dif f icult o
get
out of
bed
n
the
morning | would ather
leep
l lday .
I
knew
his
wasnot heal thy
o adopted dog
abouta
year
ago.
Thatway
wouldhave
o
get
up to walk t
andout of the house
everalimesa day. I
wanted n o lddogs ince d idn ' t
h ink could eep
up wi th a
puppy.
The
dog hat appealedo
me was
a t inyChihuahua
over
L2
years
ldat
he
ime,
b l ind
n
oneeye,
ard
of hear ing, o
teeth,and
with l iver
problems... . just
y
speed. He haskept me
going
but even his s
so
-
8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
7/8
bit tersweet
or me
becausehat s
ust
he kind
of dog hat
Alicewould
have oved
and
cher ished.
have
uch
ond
memor ies
f
her
asa smal l h i ld uddl ing
aby h icks nd
goats
t
my aunt 's
arm
andshe oved
alldogsandcats
the
moreneedy
and handicapped
heywere,
the
more
she
oved
hem.
I went o the grocery toreandstarted ryingwhen sawa ar of coconut i l - Al iceused o
rave
aboutcoconut i l evenbefore
t became
o
popular.
I comehome o a house i l led
with
pictures
f a smil ing l icewith her amily,
with the fun
imaginative
if ts
she
gave
us, he artwork
shecreated.
I
can
barely andle
ocial i tuat ions.t is
dif f icult
o
meet
new
people
nd
cannotbe n
groups
where here
s
a lot of laughter.
cannot
be around ighthearted
eople
nd
events
when
my
heart s
so sadand
heavy.
I am ortunate
o have
a
few
friendswho
understandhat I may
become ad uddenly
nd
need
o leave
brupt ly
r that to ta l ly vo id he i r
gather ings .
At night, go o sleep rying r I wakeup with nightmareselivinghe horrorAlicemusthave
fe l twhen
shesaw he
gunpointed
t her ,
o f her y ing
here
wi th
wo bul le tho lesn
herhead,
of
her
going
o the hospi ta l
sa JaneDoe
and
y ing
n he morgue
nknown, f her
dy ing lone.
I know
hat
Alicewasnot
perfect
ndour relat ionship
asstormy
at t imes. t remindsme
of a
bookwrit ten n 2002
aboutadolescent
ehavior
Get
out of my ife
but
f irst
could
ou give
me
and Cheryl r ide o
the
mall?"
t comforts
me o remember ow
shewantedme
o movenear
herwhenmy husband
ied.
Beside
missing
er
andbeing
physically
ickabout he horrible,
nprovoked iolence
he
exper ienced,
am soupset henever
ad he
oppor tun i tyo achieve er
goals .
Shehad
so
many a lents ndwe wi l lnever nowwhatshecould ave ccompl ished.erpar t icu lara lent
and
pass ion
ay n
work ing i th
young
t - r isk
h i ldren.Whi le n co l lege,
hewasa counselor
for hreesummers
t an enr ichment
amp or hese
hi ldren nd he camp eaders
aid hewas
like he
"piedpiper".
They
old me how
well
she
workedwith
the children nd how
hey
oved
and
istened
o her.
Sheevenestablished relat ionship
ith
an autist ic hi ld here. Alice
often
told me hat
she
elt ucky
o have
he
family
shedid
andshe
wanted
o help
otherswho did
not have he same
dvantages. hewas
compass ionatend oyal
nd
had
a warmand
generous
ature.
So
many
people
ave o ld
ushow k indand f r iendly
he
was.
Howcan
ever
accept hat his
good
human
being,my
daughter, ied or no reason
t al l?
l t hasbeen2 l ryears ince ermurder nd wish could e l lyou hat my days rebet ter , hat
memor ies
re
ess
ainfu l ;
hat
am heal ing. .but fee lworse
hanever .
am
no onger
umb
or
in
shock.
The eal i ty
as et n
andeach
ay
s
or ture. th ink have
een
hold ing
hings
together o hat I can
see
Alice's
murderers
aught ndconvicted
ut
now I
really eeno
future.
I have o keep eminding
myself
f the blessingsn my l i fe. I have
wo sonswho I love
and
who oveme,
our
grandsons,
ndsomesupport iveriends.
Butevenas
enjoy
un
imes
with
them,
my heart
hurts
and
my
eyes i l l with
tears hinking hat Alicewil l never
experience
-
8/17/2019 Jones Trial | Victim Impact Statements
8/8
these
good
imes
with
hoseof us
who love
her and
remember
he
fun
times
we
did
have
together. cryat
weddingshinking ow
beautiful
l icewouldhave ooked
n
her wedding
day.
Thescripture eadings t Churchmakeme cry becausehey alk of God's
oodness
nd
see
no
goodness
n my
daughter 'seath.When seea f r iendhold
her
daughter 'saby, th ink
that
Alicewil l neverhave hat and wil l never
hare
hat specialmother
daughter
bonding
experience verherchild. l t isa struggleo get hrougheachandeveryday.
Al ice
s
he one
who
diedbut mywhole ami ly nd have eenwounded ndwi l lnever e he
same.
PLEASE,
LEASE
o not ethimdo
his o another
amily.