1

 

 

          1                   UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

 

          2            FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA

 

          3                        CHARLOTTE DIVISION

 

          4

               UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,    )

          5                                 )

                                            )

          6            vs.                  )  File No. 3:97CR23-P

                                            )  STATEMENT OF MR. BARNETTE

          7    AQUILIA MARCIVICCI BARNETTE, )  AFTER JURY RETURNS VERDICT

                                            )  OF DEATH

          8            Defendant.           )

                                            )

          9

 

         10

 

         11                 Transcript of proceedings before the Honorable

 

         12    ROBERT D. POTTER, Senior United States District Court Judge,

 

         13    before Scott A. Huseby, Official Court Reporter and Notary

 

         14    Public, on the 10th day of February, 1998.

 

         15    APPEARANCES:

 

         16    For the United States:

 

         17       ROBERT J. CONRAD, JR.

                  THOMAS G. WALKER

         18       Assistant United States Attorneys

                  227 West Trade Street, Suite 1700

         19       Charlotte, North Carolina  28204

 

         20    On Behalf of the Defendant:

 

         21       GEORGE V. LAUGHRUN, Esq.

                  Suite 602

         22       301 South McDowell Street

                  Charlotte, North Carolina  28204

         23

 

         24

 

         25

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                          2

 

 

          1    APPEARANCES: (Continued)

                  PAUL J. WILLIAMS, Esq.

          2       Suite 801

                  301 South McDowell Street

          3       Charlotte, North Carolina  28204

 

          4

 

          5                              ---

 

          6            THE COURT:  All right, if you ask your client if he

 

          7    wants to say anything before I sentence today.

 

          8            THE DEFENDANT:  Since this trial started, I haven't had

 

          9    a chance to address the families, and I wanted to very badly.

 

         10    And I would just like to tell you that I've stared in your eyes

 

         11    and I've felt your pain, no matter what these guys say, I hurt.

 

         12    This shouldn't have happened, none of it should have happened.

 

         13    I'm ashamed of myself.  I used to be able to look you in the

 

         14    eye, I can't do it anymore.

 

         15            You might listen to these guys, they want my life,

 

         16    that's fine, because I don't know, you know, if I want to keep

 

         17    my life because it shouldn't have happened.  They said a lot of

 

         18    bad things about me, you heard a lot of bad things about me, but

 

         19    you haven't heard any good, and that's fine.  Because nobody

 

         20    deserves to hear any good about me.  I took something from you

 

         21    that you very much deserved to keep, and I hurt because I know

 

         22    you hurt, and I know of your loss.

 

         23            Bertha, I loved your daughter more than anything in this

 

         24    world, and it hurts me that she is not here.  It hurts.

 

         25    Mr. Allen, I know I did not know your son, but I know how you

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                          3

 

 

          1    feel.  You may not believe me, you may never believe me, but

 

          2    that's the truth.  They called me a lair, they called me

 

          3    everything, but I know how I feel.

 

          4            They sentenced me to death, that's fine.  The worst

 

          5    thing they could have done is sentence me to life because I live

 

          6    every day in a little block and think about what I did.  And

 

          7    that is painful.  That hurts worse than anything I've ever felt,

 

          8    and I feel it every day.  And I can only imagine what you are

 

          9    going through.

 

         10            I may have done a lot of bad things but I've never done

 

         11    anything like that.  And to think about what I've done to you,

 

         12    both families, and to my family, it hurts.  And I'm very sorry.

 

         13            I can't and I will never ask you to forgive me, because

 

         14    I don't deserve to be forgiven.  I would never ask you for mercy

 

         15    because I don't deserve it.  I don't deserve a second chance.

 

         16    They've said a lot of things that I agree with.  Regardless of

 

         17    what my attorneys have tried to do, I've agreed with the

 

         18    prosecution on a lot of stuff, because I was wrong.

 

         19            And I want you to know straight from me that I do feel

 

         20    for you, and I do feel for the pain, and I still pray every day,

 

         21    and I will never stop because I know you won't.

 

         22            To my family, I am sorry and I love you all.

 

         23            Thank you, Your Honor.

 

         24            MR. LAUGHRUN:  Thank you, Judge Potter.

 

         25            THE COURT:  Thank you, Mr. Barnette