January 25, 2007
Dear Judge Peters,
I am writing to you today on behalf of my friend, Amanda Hamm. I met Amanda when she was a child around the time Mark Walston adopted her and we have remained friends. As you are well aware, people have not always been kind to Amanda. I have gone out of my way to show her kindness and she has in turn always given me respect. Unfortunately, Amanda was born into less than ideal circumstances and with only a few exceptions, difficult circumstances have continued throughout her life.
The only time I have known Amanda to appear competent, even happy, was in her role as a mother. I saw Amanda confident, capable, mature and loving with her children. These were characteristics she did not have prior to motherhood. For the first time in her life, she was good at something… very good.
In fact, I was so impressed with Amanda that I asked her to babysit my own children on a few occasions when I came to visit Clinton for family functions or my class reunion. She treated my daughter as she did her own children with patience, excellent communication, appropriate discipline and above all love. My daughter loved playing with Amanda’s son Christopher.
I understand that Amanda did not always make good choices for herself or her children. She had many demons, but most were internalized demons that led her to look for love and what she perceived as safety.
My mother and I attended the funeral for her children. I hope to never see anything like that again in my life. I understand the anger directed at Amanda from this terrible tragedy, but I fail to see how inappropriate punishment will help anyone heal. If there is a "greatest loss" in this it would be the loss from which Amanda is suffering. She lost her children, the only thing in her life that ever went right she lost almost every friend she ever had, she lost her freedom and came very close to losing her life… three times; once from the accident, the second when she was suicidal and the third when the judicial system threatened to execute her. If that weren’t enough, she hasn’t even been able to begin the process of mourning the loss of her children. Her internal prison is indeed hell. She is only able to speak briefly with Pastor Farrell once a week and then Mr. Skelton sporadically. Amanda and I speak on the phone about once a week and I tell her that my only wish for her is that she be able to cry.
But, that isn’t true. Judge Peters, I wish that Amanda be granted the shortest, most appropriate sentence you might give. Amanda often speaks of how "fair" you have been to her and I agree.
Respectfully,
Kari L. Sommers
Dear Judge Peters,
I am writing to you today on behalf of my friend, Amanda Hamm. I met Amanda when she was a child around the time Mark Walston adopted her and we have remained friends. As you are well aware, people have not always been kind to Amanda. I have gone out of my way to show her kindness and she has in turn always given me respect. Unfortunately, Amanda was born into less than ideal circumstances and with only a few exceptions, difficult circumstances have continued throughout her life.
The only time I have known Amanda to appear competent, even happy, was in her role as a mother. I saw Amanda confident, capable, mature and loving with her children. These were characteristics she did not have prior to motherhood. For the first time in her life, she was good at something… very good.
In fact, I was so impressed with Amanda that I asked her to babysit my own children on a few occasions when I came to visit Clinton for family functions or my class reunion. She treated my daughter as she did her own children with patience, excellent communication, appropriate discipline and above all love. My daughter loved playing with Amanda’s son Christopher.
I understand that Amanda did not always make good choices for herself or her children. She had many demons, but most were internalized demons that led her to look for love and what she perceived as safety.
My mother and I attended the funeral for her children. I hope to never see anything like that again in my life. I understand the anger directed at Amanda from this terrible tragedy, but I fail to see how inappropriate punishment will help anyone heal. If there is a "greatest loss" in this it would be the loss from which Amanda is suffering. She lost her children, the only thing in her life that ever went right she lost almost every friend she ever had, she lost her freedom and came very close to losing her life… three times; once from the accident, the second when she was suicidal and the third when the judicial system threatened to execute her. If that weren’t enough, she hasn’t even been able to begin the process of mourning the loss of her children. Her internal prison is indeed hell. She is only able to speak briefly with Pastor Farrell once a week and then Mr. Skelton sporadically. Amanda and I speak on the phone about once a week and I tell her that my only wish for her is that she be able to cry.
But, that isn’t true. Judge Peters, I wish that Amanda be granted the shortest, most appropriate sentence you might give. Amanda often speaks of how "fair" you have been to her and I agree.
Respectfully,
Kari L. Sommers
