The Last Word

You’re going to learn a lot about my story as this blog continues but I’m not typically one for anything other than cannon-balling right in. I was inspired to start this whole thing to potentially gain a platform. I recently wrote a letter to the editor of my hometown newspaper. I don’t know what they will decide to do with it. I have decided to publish it myself in the form of my first blog post though. Read on and see.

To the Editor:

My name is Melodie Ozorkiewicz.

Yesterday, my biological father Martin K. Miller was sentenced again to life in prison for murdering my mother. Typically at a sentencing hearing family members are allowed to address the court. Since I was not able to be there physically I wrote a statement to be read aloud by the prosecution. It was reported this statement was in support of a strong sentence for Martin. It actually wasn’t (this was not the first inaccurate report regarding this trial). I saw this as my opportunity to address the court and give a final statement concerning this entire re-trial. Unfortunately, the defense attorney did not allow my statement to be read aloud. I haven’t attempted to be publicaly vocal about this trial because I did not think it was necessary. However, I do not appreciate the defense silencing my last few words regarding an event that so dramatically impacted and changed my life. So, I am sending you a copy of the statement I intended to be read to the court yesterday. I hope we don’t have to do this a third time and can all walk away with a sense of closure.

Sentencing Statement:

To say I am happy this is over would be a misappropriation of words. There is nothing happy about doing this trial over again. It unfortunately does not reverse the devastating events of 10+years ago. There is however, hope in it being over. Not just hope that we don’t ever have to do this again but hope that the second time around we can walk away with something new. The verdict remains the same, but our focus does not have to. Instead of focusing on the scandal that surrounds my mother Mary’s death, I hope we can focus on who she was as a person, not a victim. A woman who, though faulted as we all are, was who she said she was. She lived out her life through her faith as a woman who loved her family and those around her. I have no doubt she is now living in joyous freedom and I take great comfort in that. I cannot wait for the day I see her again. I hope we walk away celebrating the victory of life after her death. Although our lives were permanently altered, Matthew and I’s lives were not ruined. We were not only able to survive, but thrive thanks to an incredible new family and community. There is nothing happy about this. There are however, many bright points. I hope we choose to dwell on these rather than allowing the darkness of these events to overshadow those bright points. I so appreciate the hard work of the District Attorney’s office and judge Martin in fairly executing this trial as well as the support of this community and the continuing love and support we receive from our family. I’m hoping we can all move forward into a bright future.

For (semi-accurate) coverage of both trials you can visit: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/crime/murder/martin_miller_trial/