Thanks to you Beth and to those of you who have defended my sister Kristen and also to those of you who expressed compassion for her. It would seem that many can only see the monetary issue at hand and yet you fail to fathom the depths of care she now requires, or how much that might cost for the rest of her life, or the emotion my family has experienced as a direct result of this horrible string of events. I do not have to mention the permanent scenario she is now forced to live with.
Some of the comments here have been truly insulting and biased, and sadly probably intentional. And as a few of you have also felt the need to comment on her level of intelligence, you really have no idea as to who you are talking about. I will refrain from swapping injury for injury as it would play into your snare. My sister has never been an unkind person or one to withhold truth; to withhold details has never been in her nature. I cannot imagine why she would act any different if she felt as if her life was threatened. Her life and those of us who care greatly for her have been forever changed by this, yet at the end of it all I am thankful, each and everyday to have her here with us. Yet I am also amazed at the levels humanity can sink into and the depths to which people can plunder. A man made a mistake, and it nearly cost someone who trusted him her life. The jury heard the case and made a decision. I pray you all will never experience anything close to this-- even those of you who say things merely to hurt.