EXah is being sentencing for aggravated stalking (of me) next monday.
I've been praying alot and really thinking about whether I want to attend the sentencing hearing. I've decided against it and this is why...
I provided a written victim impact statement that says everything I feel the need to say re: my exah, the effect his behavior had on our son and me, and what I hope to see as far as his sentence goes. I'm asking that he be required to obtain (and continue with) substance abuse and mental heatlh counseling and that he be ordered to have no contact with our son and me once he finishes serving his jail term and is placed on a mandatory period of 5 years probation.
The prosecutor and the agent preparing his presentence report both believe that my requests will be honored so I honestly don't feel the need to go. I know the prosecutor will advocate strongly on my behalf.
AT first, the idea was that I needed to show up and show my exah that I'm not intimidated by him. But I don't feel the need to do that. I suspect that if I do show up and my exah says something prior to sentencing, he will do one of two things...(1) he'll minimize his behavior or (2) he'll apologize for his behavior. The thing is...it doesn't matter. Nothing he says at this point would mean anything. It just doesn't.
No...I've decided that I've had enough. The whole reason I filed the police report, went forward with the aggravated stalking charge and testified against him in Court was so that the Court could intervene and relieve me of the burden of having to deal with his erratic and sometimes psychotic behavior. I'm going to let the Court do its job on Monday and I'm going to do mine...and that means I'm going to take care of ME and keep the focus on ME and leave exah where he belongs...in the hands of his higher power and the judical system.
I'm moving forward. I'm done looking back. And I feel good about the decision.
Thanks for letting me share. And thanks to everyone for holding my hand and cheering me on during this process. Your support has meant so much.
Mary
