Court update - Good news: we didn't have to testify. Bad news: we didn't have to testify. So now we are due back in court on Nov. 2nd - to testify, hopefully. We sat in the courtroom for 2 1/2 hrs., seeing faces totally devoid of joy being called up to the judge's bench one after one. After all of that, the accused was called up and we were given a new date. Basically, the accused was there, the lawyers were there, the judge was there, and we were there, but the jury was not. And of course his lawyers wanted a jury trial, not a judge trial. Because of our proposed dates for our survey trip, we had to ask for a later trial date. If the case goes beyond Nov. 2nd, we will have to withdraw (the district attorney gave us this option yesterday even), but that also means all charges would be dropped. We didn't file the charges personally, but the D.A. needs our testimony to have a case. The main problem though, is that Jason never saw him and I only got a quick glimpse of him. I of course didn't memorize his every feature. The D.A. told me they are going to want a positive i.d. from me and I'm just not sure I can give it. It is frustrating because I know that's the man and what I do remember is what he looks like, but could I have picked him out of a line-up? I don't know. Pray the police man will come because he could give the positive i.d. and we could just tell our side of the situation and confirm to the jury that we did not invite him in (in the middle of the night, no less!). He looked right at me when he left the court room. We later passed him in the hall and he didn't look at us. I was nervous at first, more because of the environment - we were sitting in a room of law-breakers, abusers, etc. It was sad, really. As time went on that morning and afterwards, I came to some conclusions, and resulting peace. I cannot be afraid of him or of testifying against him. If I do that, his crime will go unpunished, as many crimes do every day. Also, regardless of the results (which could be up to 1 yr. in jail and/or $2,500 fine), he needs to hear how he affected our lives. I can't control the jury, but I can still communicate the fear he put into our lives that day. I still don't think it will be easy to do, but I know I need to do it. If for nothing else, maybe he will realize he needs to stop drinking before he does something worse.
This whole experience has reminded me once again how depraved our society is. How depraved we all have the potential of being. Without Christ in our lives, I am unsure where I would be. My parents and I have talked about this before. They would most likely have gotten a divorce. My insecurities would have been multiplied even more without the influence of godly parents, particularly of a godly father, and I most likely would have done whatever I deemed necessary to gain acceptance and friends. What a scary existence that would have been. Without God in their lives, these people, most of them young, have turned to crime, drugs, and illegal living. They seek joy in all the places that can only bring them pain. And when they reap the consequences, they are unwilling to face their mistakes or to accept guilt. Even as a Christian I can be like this - looking for happiness (not true joy) in the wrong places or in people. And of course not wanting to face the consequences of my sin.
All sin is dirty to God. There is no large or small sin in His eyes.
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