Victim Impact Statement

Victim Impact Statement Maliek A. Bailey Case# D00320110CR002582 Robert L. Harper Case# D0032010CR002517 Steve W. Bassett Case# D0032010CR002382 How Michael's murder has affected us: I'm not sure how to adequately describe to you how this crime has affected us. I don't know if my words can convey to you the feelings that I experienced on Saturday, Oct 16th, 2010 when my husband came and woke me up at 5am and told me that I needed to get up and get dressed and go down to the Aurora Police station to pick up Cullen (my 8 year old son, who had been at the Police station ALL night!). I don't think I can adequately express the pain and shock, I felt when Anne Doerr the Victim Advocate told me that Michael was found bounded, beaten and dead on the floor of the Crestwood Suites, 2 blocks from his house.. I don't think I have the words to describe to you how it felt to wake Cullen up from the sofa at the police station, doing my best not to fall apart in front him, knowing that his father was dead and I was left the task of telling him. All I could do was pray and ask the Lord to please help me, guide me! Help me to stay strong and find the words to tell our child that he will NEVER see his dad again! I remember very vividly holding his hand as we stood in the doorway waiting for Anne to drive us home (because I was too shaken to drive). It was cold that morning and Cullen had no coat and no shoes, he looked up at me and asked "momma is it still my weekend with dad?" All I could say was "we'll see honey," knowing that my heart was breaking and I just didn't know how I was going to tell him about his dad. I sent my husband David a text message and asked him to call our Pastor Unless you have personally experienced losing a family member by the way of Murder, I don't think you can EVER understand what it does to you, how it affects you, your daily life, thoughts and actions. It destroys your sense of security and faith in mankind. Cullen will forever remember that 2 weeks after celebrating his 8 th birthday that his father was murdered... he will never forget the moment that the honor guards presented him that flag from his father's funeral.. Cullen will never forget standing beside his father's grave stone. Cullen will never get to share his new love of WWII history with Mike.. Mike would have been so thrilled and SO proud! Because he too had a love for history - WWII in particular. Cullen has become fearful and gets anxious when he see's men dressed a certain way, or men who look a certain way. I took Cullen to the mall to get new shoes and we stopped at the food court to get something to eat, there were a few guys a few feet away from us that made Cullen very uncomfortable and anxious. I have to remind him that he IS safe and that I will protect him! Cullen will never get to spend another night in the room that has been his since birth. He will never get to take another walk to the post office with Mike, go to the water-park, play chess, or do any of the other things that the two of them enjoyed doing together. Cullen's ability to focus at school was affected and for several months he had a hard time when Thursday came around, that was chess club day, he and Mike were part of chess club. I don't think I will ever be able to understand how and why this all happened. These people planned this out together, carried out their plan and because of their greed, need for a quick buck and complete lack of respect for human life! They carried out a plan that took Cullen's father away from him, and have FOREVER left a young boy with scars that will NEVER go away! Not ONLY did they take Cullen's father away, they left his father Ben, step mother Natty, sister Susan, daughter Heather, granddaughter Michaela, mother Ruth, brother's Mike & Keith, sisters Donna & Sherry, as well as my mother devastated and lost and trying to comprehend WHY!?? They have left Linda and Rose forever changed and scared and Mike's friends will forever miss him. I have struggled with my own feelings because of all of this. Mike and I were divorced, but we spent 15 years together and had a life and a child together and I loved him very much. I cannot get my head and my heart around the fact that he is really gone, that I will NEVER see him again or speak to him again and that he suffered such a horrible death just because these people had no respect for human life! How would they feel in my shoes!? I pray that the court is able to see through the lies that these men and women have told and how they have pointed the finger of blame at one another in order to get a lesser sentence.. I pray that this court is able to see the truth! That these people planned this together and carried it out together!! I pray that they NEVER get the chance to roam the streets freely again! Sincerely Susan Thurston (Pinkus)