Carlisle's Diary

The Verdict

Dear Diary: June 28, 2013

We all held our breath; you could have heard a pin drop in that court room. The only sound was the tick-tock of the clock on the side of the room. The foreman was looking at the paper in his hand. The judge had asked Ashley and her defense attorney to stand as the verdict was read.

"We the jury find the defendant Carrie Cunningham . . . " there was a slight pause and then he said, "Guilty."

GUILTY!

She was found guilty. The rest of what the foreman said was drowned out by the applause in the room and the sheer elation of practically everyone there. And she wasn't just found guilty, but on all counts. Guilty of impersonating a medical professional. Guilty of using a poison with the intent to harm. Guilty of stalking and harassment. Guilty of attempted murder. Guilty of premeditated murder. Guilty of capital murder.

GUILTY!

After the verdict was read, the judge thanked the jury and dismissed them. He was going to determine the sentencing himself. At this point the defense had one last option, and that was to try and spare Ashley's life; because the prosecution was going full steam ahead with asking for the death penalty. Now it was time for the impact statements. We really didn't have an order of those so the judge gave the DA and those of us who had decided to do it some time to figure out in what order we were going to go.

It was decided that Charlotte was to go first to get it out of the way, followed by Mr. Yang's daughter, the relatives of those people she murdered cold-bloodedly and finally, I would go. I knew exactly what I was going to say. Before we went, Ashley's attorney had a chance to address the court and after our statements, Ashley herself would be allowed to address the court as well as her victims. And you know something, I'm not calling her Ashley anymore because that's not her real name. She may want to live in a fantasy world, but even our immortal world is reality, so from now on—until we no longer have to address her or talk about her—I will call her Carrie.

The defense attorney stood up before the judge and said, "Your honor, my client has been found guilty but I implore you to spare her life. Death isn't the answer. She will not learn anything if she receives the death penalty. And she won't receive the necessary treatment for her illnesses. She deserves a chance to make amends and right her wrongs. Thank you."

Well that was short, I thought as we filed back into the courtroom. Charlotte and her fiancé then Ben walked to the podium that stood between the defense and DA tables and addressed the courtroom in a statement she had written. Her hands were shaking but Ben was there to support her as we all were.

"Good afternoon your honor and everyone present," Charlotte said. "Carrie Cunningham doesn't deserve to live. I have never been a real believer in the death penalty, which is kind of ironic since I'm originally from Texas and that state executes people on a regular basis. But as someone said to me once, 'You'll become a believer once it's happened to you or someone you love or care for.' They were right. Ms. Cunningham poisoned me and then brutally attacked me with a massive butcher knife that I believe you only use to slaughter sheep. Why? Because of a perceived notion that the object of her obsession liked me better than her. Even if that was the case, which it obviously wasn't, who does that? Where does that appear in the world of logic? I truly believe that Ms. Cunningham is crazy, but she's not insane. She's as crazy as Aileen Wuornos was when she killed 5 or 6 men in Florida because she wanted to rob them and used the guise that they all raped her to justify doing it. Was she insane? No. Neither is Ms. Cunningham. What Ms. Cunningham is, is ruthless, calculating, methodical, cold-blooded, and vicious. She needs to be kept away from society as a whole, even those in prison. She will do this again and again. Please don't let my suffering and the loss of our patients at the hands of this snake be in vain. Thank you."