The first accounts of the sentencing hearing were short on details. There are a few more out. I think they bear reading for a fuller picture of the atmosphere in the courtroom that day.
Yesterday, the Peoria Journal-Star featured an article by Kevin Sempier titled “McCarron Shows Remorse“:
PEKIN – Karen McCarron stood trembling in a courtroom Tuesday, apologized for suffocating her autistic daughter and was sentenced to 36 years in prison, saying she doesn’t deserve forgiveness from those she hurt.
Reading a handwritten statement from a sheet of lined notebook paper, McCarron apologized and said she would take back the moment in May 2006 when she killed her 3-year-old daughter, Katherine “Katie” McCarron, if she could.
“I reach out to all of those I hurt the most,” she said, and began to read a long list of names that included her husband, Paul McCarron. “I reach out to them, but not for forgiveness. I understand that I do not deserve it.”
Kevin Johnson, chief assistant state’s attorney for Tazewell County, commented on the sentencing on behalf of the McCarron family:
Speaking on behalf of Paul McCarron’s side of the family, Johnson said they are ready for the next chapter in their lives.
“They’re relieved that this is over,” Johnson said. “They feel justice has been served, and they’re ready to move on.”
Tenth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Stephen Kouri had these words to say, according to Robert Kerns of the Pekin Daily Times:
While speaking to the McCarron family, Kouri told them that he believed that Katie was lucky enough to have been born into a family that loved her.
“I believe that Katie McCarron won the lottery the day she was born into your family. But I know you may think that it was you who had won the lottery.”
I think that judge Kouri’s sentiments reflect the impressions that many of us have gotten of the McCarrons, mostly through the words of Mike McCarron, Katie’s grandfather.
Finally, Billy Dennis at the Peoria Pundit was kind enough to alert this blog that he’s going to be talking about this trial and “Autism Awareness” on his radio show and invites call-ins:
PeoriaPunditRadio: Autism Debate
April is autism month. I thought it appropriate to devote at least one Peoria Pundit Radio segment to debate on the myths and reality surrounding this condition. The next show is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday — that’s two days from now. Autism certainly has been in the news recently, from Sen. John McCain jumping on the autism is caused by vaccines bandwagon, to Karen McCarron’ sentencing for killing her daughter with autism. So I’m hoping for a lively debate. Please call at (347) 326-9459.
I plan on accepting his invitation to listen and call in. I hope others will as well. –Stephen Drake