NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — An emotional victim impact statement was read in open court Thursday at the Newport Harbor Justice Center, detailing the years of anxiety, fear and harassment the victim said she and her family endured because of the actions of the guilty party.
In a three-minute speech to Judge William S. Zidbeck, the victim spoke about the anxiety and fear that the accused caused to her and her family. She spoke specifically about the guilty party arriving at her house unannounced and harassing her. She asked Judge Zidbeck not to take her statement as seeking “revenge” for the harm caused to her, but as an earnest report of the ways the guilty party has impacted her life, which she hopes will be taken into consideration during sentencing.
From an outside perspective, it is easy to assume that a trial ends as soon as a verdict is returned by the jury. But a great deal must happen between an accused being found guilty and the guilty party serving a sentence. For example, Judge Zidbeck must determine the sentencing of the party, a process documented on the Judicial Branch of California’s website. According to the rules of the court, “Judges have legal guidelines, called sentencing guidelines, to help them decide on a sentence.”…