Armed with the before and after photos, I presented my side of the case. The judge looked at the pictures and $14K repair estimate and listened. After explaining that after taxes, rent, utilities and $700 a month in medical payments, I live on about $75 a week-25% less than the criminal. That's when the whole case took an interesting twist.
The public defender questioned the amount of damage and the cost being that The Contessa is a 28 tear old car and it wasn't worth that much. The judge snapped "You've destroyed a classic car! Look what you've done (passing the pictures to the public defender and defendant). You've ruined this man's car that he's cared for for years because of your actions. You have cases going back 11 years of car thefts causing your victims great hardship. In each and every case, you were ordered to complete drug treatment provided by the court at no cost to you. Looking at you history, each and every time you were released you went for treatment one time and never returned. Mr Lewis (the defendant)- today you will learn. 20 years with 15 to serve". The public defender countered that the sentence was excessive. The judge shot back with a bit of a snarl "Shall we make it 25? Mr. Lewis' trail of victims ends today. In addition, I'm ordering that Mr. Lewis pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $14,255.86 for that damages he caused". The gavel fell and it was over.
Although I will probably never see a dime from this guy, it's a comfort to know that he will spend the next 15 years regretting that I showed up in court and fought back.
