MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK THAT THIS VERDICT SHOULD MAKE US HAPPY, GLAD TO HAVE WON. THAT'S WHAT ONE WOULD THINK. BUT IT'S NOT THAT WAY..

PLEASE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME. WE KNOW PEOPLE MEAN NO DISRESPECT WHEN THEY SAY CONGRATULATIONS. WE KNOW THEY ONLY MEAN WELL. AND WE DO APPRECIATE THEIR WELL INTENTIONS. AS WE KNOW IT'S FROM THE HEART. I GUESS IT'S JUST THE CHOICE OF WORDS. WHICH FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IS APPROPRIATE. FOR WHAT OTHER WAY IS THERE TO SAY IT.

IT WAS A VICTORY OF SORTS OF A MAJOR PROPORTION. AS 3 YEARS AGO THIS CASE WAS DISCARDED BY A NON CARING DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO DECIDED THAT VINNIE'S LIFE WAS MEANINGLESS. AND I GUESS IT CAN, AND IS, VIEWED AS A VICTORY. BUT RONNIE AND I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL, IN OUR HEARTS, THERE ARE NO WINNERS HERE. NO VICTORS.

OUR SON IS DEAD. WE WILL NEVER SEE VINNIE AGAIN. NEVER EMBRACE HIM, LAUGH WITH HIM, EXPERIENCE HIS LOWS AND HIGHS OF LIFE. OUR CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF LOVING ANY GRANDCHILDREN THAT VINNIE MAY ONE DAY HAVE FATHERED IS GONE FOREVER. NOW, THERE WILL NEVER BE ANYONE TO CARRY ON VINNIE'S LEGACY.

NEVER AGAIN WILL WE BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY. NOR WILL HIS MOTHER'S EVER BE THE SAME AS IT WAS ON THIS DAY THEY SHARED A BIRTHDAY CAKE, SEPTEMBER 12TH. NEVER AGAIN WILL MY BIRTHDAY EVER BE CELEBRATORY AS IT'S THE SAME DAY AS KYLE BOLASKI'S, JANUARY 4TH. THESE DAYS OF CELEBRATION AND HAPPINESS ARE NOW DAYS OF HEARTACHE AND DESPAIR.

2 YOUNG MEN'S LIVES ARE DESTROYED AND 2 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN TORN APART. WE CAN NEVER REJOICE IN THAT. WE FELT THAT, AFTER 3 YEARS OF STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE, THAT WE WOULD FEEL SOME SENSE OF HAPPINESS. TO OUR SURPRISE IT WASN'T THAT WAY. WHEN THE VERDICT WAS READ THE ONLY EMOTION WE FELT WAS ONE OF RELIEF. THAT OUR LONG FIGHT WAS OVER AND WE COULD, AT LONG LAST, GRIEVE FOR OUR SON.

THE EMPTINESS WE FEEL INSIDE IS STILL THERE AND WILL BE THERE FOREVER. THE HEARTACHE AND GRIEF WILL NOT END. THOUGH KYLE WILL BE INCARCERATED, AND FOR THIS WE ARE GRATEFUL, HIS FAMILY WILL STILL BE ABLE TO EMBRACE HIM, SPEAK WITH HIM AND MAYBE EVEN ONE DAY BE ABLE TO SEE HIM FREE FROM HIS PRISON. BUT NOT US.

WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO EMBRACE OUR VINNIE, JUST A HEADSTONE. WE MUST SPEAK TO HIM THROUGH SIX FEET OF SOIL. UNLIKE KYLE VINNIE WILL NEVER BE FREE FROM HIS ETERNAL PRISON OF CONCRETE AND SOIL. SO WE HAVE NOTHING TO BE GLAD OR HAPPY ABOUT, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE LONGED FOR THESE PAST 3 YEARS...WE CAN NOW FINALLY GRIEVE FOR OUR SON WHO NOW HAS THE JUSTICE THAT HE HAS SO LONG DESERVED.