This is what the Deputy Prosecutor put on his FB page, so I wanted to pass it along to everyone else. What an outstanding man he is both personally and professionally. On Friday night the trial that I have been working toward for a little over a year and a half concluded. I have been congratulated for my part, and I thank each of you for that. I also need to thank those who helped make it possible. The many officers and investigators who worked so hard back in 1993 laid the foundation for the case. Some of them feel bad for not being able to solve the case or make an arrest,or looking at the wrong suspect. I wish they wouldnt. Hindsight is 20/20, and those guys hearts were in the right place. It just wasnt meant to be back then. Several retired officers came back to testify and were very helpful in securing the conviction. The investigators who took up the mantle after that-First Sergeant Allen Williamson of the Indiana State Police reviewed the file and followed up on dead ends leads for over a decade until there was a break in the case. That break came from a prisoner who put himself in jeopardy to come forward with the information that led to a killer. Rickey Hammons committed an egregious crime, and he and his family have and always will have to bear that weight, but he also did a great thing by finally coming forward. Hammons has a lot of remorse for not coming forward sooner. Better late than never. Detective Brett Airy of La Porte (IN) Police Department then was assigned to the case and spent over 6 years absorbing everything in the case file, and that was monumentally helpful in getting me up to speed on it. He and Williamson also followed up on every new lead that came down the pike and were the ones who came forward to me to seek immunity for the witness that ended up proving the case. These men worked every day of the trial along side me. A lions share of the credit for this rests with them. The key witness was Eric Freeman. His testimony was credible to the jury, and that was what really won the trial. Freeman was cooperative with all of the impositions and inconveniences of being a witness from out of state and coming back for depositions, and trial. He opened himself and his family up to a lot of scrutiny and judgment for no gain but finally doing the right thing. We are all in his debt for that, but he doesnt see it that way. He believes that he has made a small step towards making amends for his role that night and not coming forward sooner. Others who were of great assistance to me personally include Jason Schadt from our office. Witness wrangling about 48 people all through the trial is no cakewalk, nor is getting a everything filed that a case like this requires, witness lists, discovery responses, motions and responses, and the like. Jason was a big part of the team. My pastors and church family and friends that have been praying for me to be able to carry the case through to the end and for the jury to see the truth- I can never thank you enough for that. The Lord sustained me when I was not sustaining myself. He gave me clarity when fatigue stole it. I relied on Him, and was not let down. A former prosecutor and mentor who was familiar with the case came in and sat with me for two hours one morning to basically tell me that I had things under control and was ready to do this. My wife Tracy Fronk works very hard. She puts in a lot of hours AT work, then she comes home and puts in a lot of hours OF work. I havent been much help for about a month (or at least a month, anyway). Tracy has carried the load at home. The kids saw their dad in passing, and they knew it was important, and they were very good about understanding. I absolutely could not have done what I did without their unconditional love and support. There were many others, of course, who were helpful in bringing this to a successful conclusion. I by no means wish to be perceived as slighting them by not mentioning them. Just let me say, Thank You to each of you…you know who you are. Finally, Raynas family. They were very supportive and helpful. A couple of them knew that going through this trial meant that they were going to be pounded in the press and on the stand. They sucked it up and took the hits. It was ugly and brutal. They bore the burden with grace for Rayna. To all of them, a great deal of thanks. A trial like this comes along maybe once in a career. When you become a prosecutor, you think about someday maybe trying a case like this and making a difference to a family, and a community. Then you get the chance, and you wonder at times why you ever wanted it. Its exhausting physically and emotionally. You are afraid that you might fail. You question your skills, your strategy and your resolve. Then, those listed above and the others rally around you and lift you up. Its an awesome experience to have so many support and put their faith in you. I cant say enough thanks to each of them…to each of you. Chris
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 03:14:44 +0000
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