Is This What You Call Justice?

Prior to the loss of my daughter to a drunk driver on October 2, 1989, I believed that our justice system was designed to be fair and responsive to the victims of a criminal action.  Little did I know how untrue this belief was and how negative an impact the process would have on my family.

The following newspaper accounts are a chronological record of the death of Angie and the legal process that her family, friends, and other individuals involved suffered through.  The dates listed are the dates of the articles, not the dates of the actions. 

Oct 3, 89    Crash Kills Warrensburg Woman

Oct 4, 89    Drunken Driver Likely Cause of Girl's Death

Nov 9, 89   Roberds Bound Over to the Circuit Court

Nov 11, 89  Circuit Court

Jan 23, 90   Change of Venue Granted

Mar 16, 90  Guilty Plea Scheduled 

Mar 22, 90  Roberds Files for Dismissal of Case

Apr 19, 90  Roberds' Motion Denied

Apr 24, 90  Roberds Charged with Assault

May 22, 90  Roberds Enters Plea

Nov 2, 90   Roberds' Trial

Nov 6, 90   Roberds Takes Stand at His Trial In Warsaw      Pg2     Pg3 

Nov 7, 90   Jury Assesses One-Year Term for Roberds               Pg2

After the trial, Roberds appealed his conviction and was released on bond.  His appeal was denied and he was finally jailed on November 7, 1991 (A full 2 years after killing Angie).  Amazingly, more was to follow.  

Aug 24, 92  Roberds Seeks Parole from Rest of Sentence           Pg2 

Sep 11, 92   Benton County Court Grants Roberds Parole          Pg2 

Nov 5, 92    Court Revokes Roberds' Parole   

An 18 year-old young woman was killed by a drunk 57 year-old man, just 5 days before her 19th birthday.  Her family and friends lost her physical presence forever.  After playing the system for over 2 years, he served one year in a county jail.  Is this our justice system?  Sadly,  IT IS!

Update April 3, 2012:   Charles J. Roberds died April 13, 1998.  The cause of his death is unknown.