I wanted to share something that happened this week.It is not something new that I learned but this was brought to a new light for me.
I participated in a jury trial this week. I was put in a situation where I sat and watched as someone had to tell some very personal things that happened to them. Someone else had to share some more very personal things that happened to them as well as to another member of their family. It was hard to be in that room. It was very uncomfortable. You could watch those who were on the stand and could see how hard it was for them to be there. At the same time, it was very important for them to go through that. It was important for them to subject themselves to that embarrassment and hardship for the hope of justice being served. In the end weather their side won or lost, they new then had to do their part.
So, we sit and watch witness number one.
Witness number two takes the stand. This witness is also the victim. She is testifying of something that happened several years ago. She was at the time, a minor. The thing that stood out most for me is as she got up to take the stand, we seen her father whisper to her, "Just tell the truth, nothing else matters".
You could see how nervous she was. She seemed scared to look at anyone. All the same, she told what happened. She had a since of confidence in her words and she did well.
The defendant takes the stand. He was very defensive. Would not answer questions directly. For example, he was asked, did you visit the witness on one particular day? He said, I could have been at work that day. HUH??? That is not what he was asked. So, he proceeded to give several answers while being questioned that really had nothing to do with what he was being asked. He was asked once, (without giving out too much info) Did you use more then one of something? he said, many people could possibly use more then one of those. OK, no one asked you about what other or many people do. You were asked if YOU did this.
It was just really something to watch someone try to turn words around and manipulate words to create doubt in the minds of the jury. I guess that would be the idea of what he was doing. He at one point said, I have never been around this person and everything she said is a lie. He said everything she wrote on her statement years ago was also fabricated.
So.........who do you believe?
It is the job of a jury to take everything into consideration. Then, it is up to them to get 12 people to all come to the same conclusion. In a situation like this no one knows going in what the outcome will be. Some people are hoping for one result and others are praying for the opposite.
OK, what is my point? Some people lie because they are scare or nervous of what will happen if they tell the truth. Some people lie to protect the feelings of others. Some people are more compulsive with their lies and they do it because they can. What ever the reason for telling a lie, where does it get you? It might give you some time or you may feel as though you are getting by with something. Are you really winning? Are you really getting by? I have seen where telling lies has effected people in such a way that it is even life altering. I have had people tell lies about me and members of my family which caused a lot of hurt feelings and caused me to lose some dear friends. All because of lies. Not sure why those things happened. But I see it as a part of life that some people deal with everyday.
Paul and I teach our children that a lie is a terrible thing. You never truly win when you lie. Karma will get you and if you lie now, you will spend so much more time digging your way out of that lie then you ever would have if you had told the truth to begin with.
It is a fact that when one tells a lie, it weighs on the person in so many ways. I have had secrets before that I was not totally honest about when I should have been. Those things were like steel weights that I wore on my shoulders. Some of those secrets were things that maybe happened to me when I was younger. Some of those things were things that I did that I should not have done in my life. I think at some point everyone has a secret or more then one that they wear on their shoulders and or heart. For some it is no big deal and for others it is something that they struggle with everyday. It has taken long strides for me but I have found a way finally to share some of my past secrets and get those weights off of my shoulders. The relief I have felt is indescribable.
In the court story, after a deliberation of less then an hour there was a verdict GUILTY!
This was such a case that when given the choice, 90% of the jurors choose to come out and watch the sentencing process. Everyone wanted to know what was going to happen to this guy.
Well, what could not come out during that trial but what had to come out during the sentencing was that this guy had a prior record of a similar assault. Needless to say, the jurors were more then satisfied to hear that, knowing that they made the right choice to give a guilty verdict. To watch this unfold and just to watch this victim. Her family made a statement during sentencing that their wish was to make sure he was put somewhere that he can receive the kind of help that he needs so that there is never another victim. He got 8 years. Then she did not want to leave the court room until she watched them place the handcuffs on this man and take him away. You could see the gratification in her eyes.
A terrible chapter in her life finally has closer. She can put that book of this part of her life on a high shelf and hope to never come across it again. It will still be there always but she can now move away from it.
Then you see her walk out embracing her mother and father and tears of joy go down their faces. With the last comment, see,when you just tell the truth, ever thing will work out eventually. It is a lesson we should all remember.
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