Sentencing is the first time the victims’ families can speak directly to their children’s killer. They’ll get the chance to read victim impact statements in open court, though the parents of victim Ethan Chapin have said they’re not planning to attend.
“I would almost describe this as like a legal funeral, in the sense of, it’s your ability to give your last goodbyes in a situation where you’re talking about your pain, your anxiety, how you feel about the loss of a loved one,” ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire said. “Everyone grieves differently. Some people grieve by going to the funeral and speaking, some people grieve by going to the funeral and saying nothing, some people grieve by not going at all. And I think all are healthy, all are correct.”
The victims’ roommates, who have avoided the spotlight, might also speak at sentencing. The night of the murders, two roommates inside the house survived, including one woman who told authorities she saw a man in a mask walking past her in the middle of the night, according to court documents.
It’ll be up to the women whether they speak in court themselves, have an attorney or relative read a statement on their behalf, or decline altogether, Buckmire said.
Moscow police and the victims’ friends are also expected to be in the Boise, Idaho, courtroom. Moscow Police Chief Anthony Dahlinger said last week about sentencing, “Our hope is that not only the families, but the friends, even the Moscow community and all the communities that were affected by this, can start to heal and bring some sort of closure to this horrendous act.”
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