Peter, thanks for your thoughts. As the trial as gone on I shared most of the feelings and thoughts you shared and made the same observations that you made. I have two daughters and two sons about the same age as yours and as these two and I would not want any of them to go through what either of these two in this trial have gone through and are going through.
Our experiences and how we deal with them and use them shape who we are. I have not had to face anything as serious and hard as these two (two experiences in my life come really close though) are going through right now. But the hard experiences have been the ones as I look back at them now have led me to my success in my current profession and have made me better person. I would not have seen that as the "hell" was going on and it was tearing at me, my family and parents. It is easy to remain bitter and to take the get even mode which does not lead to healing. I hope they both can use these experiences in a different manner than that as they move forward in life. My thoughts and prayers are with both. I also do not know for sure how the verdict will come and I am glad I am not sitting on this jury.
Peter, I remember you well from the early days at the little station in Helena long ago now. Good memories for those days back there.