Our family wishes to thank the members of the jury for their time and effort in reaching their difficult decision. We would like to thank both the state and defense attorneys for the professional manner in which this case was presented and the witnesses for their honest and sincere testimony this week. Finally, we want to thank the police and fire departments, EMTs, and everyone else who provided help to our children at the crash site and medical centers.

Although Megan accomplished so much, her life was only just beginning; a new horizon was out there to accomplish. On April 6th, 1999, tragically, in such a violent and abrupt way, Megan was killed.

In eighth grade, Megan was class president and she ended her speech with "We will be the graduating Class of 2000." Megan had planned to run for class president in her senior year and address her classmates again. Yet due to Miss Marvin's selfless act, we will be remembering her tragic death instead of celebrating her high school graduation.

At her funeral we had many people tell us of the kind acts she had done for their children at school; acts far beyond her years. These are only a few of the things our family and others will never get to experience again from Megan.

Instead, our lives have been forever changed and we are now faced with constant daily reminders of our loss. We receive endless college applications for Megan in the mail daily; we now have one less name to sign on our holiday cards; one less spot to set at the kitchen table; one less person on our family vacations; her empty bedroom. We still celebrated her 18th birthday on July 26th this past summer by bringing her cake to the cemetery.

Nothing will bring our Megan, Angie, Shana, or Amanda back. And Michael will always have to live with the horror of the crash. But today, we are asking in our Megan's name for our society to realize that this was not an accident, it was a totally avoidable crime. It is a crime of murder.

Your Honor, we ask that the deaths of our Megan, Amanda, Angela, and Shana not to have been in vain. No other family should have to experience the pain and heartache we are now living with every day without our children. We believe your imposition of a long incarceration will deter others from repeating the actions of Miss Marvin. We believe a long incarceration will prevent other families and other communities from feeling the pain and suffering our family and this community are enduring and will continue to endure. Thank you.