DearRobert
Thanksfor all Vourhelp. I am saddenedthatI missedthis opportunity
to be at the hearing.You know
the circunxtances:raindelaysat Kennedythat madeit impossible
for me to be in ColoradoSpringsin
timeto attend, ll is no faultof lhe airlines;thingsjust turnedout againslme in thisregardand I only
hopethat it doesnot resultin tuminqthingsagainstmy sisteror thefamiliesof thevictimsin this case.
Pleasetellthe membersof the paroleboardthat it is my sincerehopetheydo not releasemy sister's
killer. KarenElisaGramnrerwasher name. I thoughtthey shouHloow a litdebit abouther. Shewas
18 yearsold andthe lasttimewe spokewas on the morningof the day shewas murdered.Karenwas
planningto comehomebr her birthday-July15th. Shewas a greatkid. Karengraduatedhighschool
a yearaheadof time andthenatlendedcollegefor a semester.Then,to my surprise,shedecidedto
take a year off and explorethe countrya bil We had grownup in Floridaand had neverbeenWest,so
she wanbd to headto Coloradofor a whilethenmaybeCalifomiawheremy Mnther'sfamilywas from.
Therewas alsoa boy that shelikedwho had goneto Colorado$prings,so'thatmighthavehad
"sornething"
to do with iL But thatday in 1975,she was reallylookingforwardto cominghome.
Insteadshewas abductedby a groupof animals;rapedby them,savagedby themanclthenfinally
butcheredby them.
$he was eo smarland goodand decenl Shewrotepoetryand lovedbeingalive;we couldlaughfor
hourstogether,she hadthe greatestsmile. $he wa$my bestfriendandihe bestpersonI knew. $he
had so much to live firr.
I loved my sisler, Karen" I miss her. I miss her in my bones. I was her big
brother.I was supposedto protecther*l couldnot. I havenevergottenoverit. I rvassupposedto
who spoke
saveher. I couldnot. lt very ne:rty destroyedme. knowit destroyedrnyGrandmother,
very litlleafferKaren'sdeathand diedthreeyearslater. My Motherwas brokenby it. $he continuedto
live her lifewith a griefthal coloredher remainingycars. Shecaniedherselfwith suchdignityand
character,thoughshe was bentfromsuffering.lMrenwe heardthis manmightbe paroled,the
sufreringbegananew. She diedlastJulyjust daysbeforeKaren'sbirthday.We spokeof my sister
oftenthroughthe yearsand mostlyof howwonderfula girl she was butwe alwaysspokewith a nuance
of sadnessand abidingdespair.
Pleaaeconsidel when you wrestlewith fhefate of this manthat killedmy sister,the degreeof suffering
he hasinflictedon his vic'timsbut atsoon the tamiliesof his victims.[t has beenmanyyearssincethe
and
murdersand he has spentmanyyear$in jail. We,whoseliveswereso alteredby his selfishness
bn:tality,havespenlthoseyearsin a prisonof our own. Yes,tine has helped.Butwe will neverbe
free. Why shouldhisfate be anydifferent?Moreimportantly
however:howcanyou believethisman
can be safelyretumedto society? Considerthe extremenalureof his srimes--thedisregardfor simple
humanity.This is a butcher.Thisis a monster.ls il.reallypossiblefor himlo liveon the outsideagain
withoutreturningto his old ways? Canyou be cerEinhe will notslaughteranotherinnocentlife and
destroyanotherfamily?
I am a manof fiaithand my faithteachesmethat I mustforgive-And so I do. lforgivethis manfor
whathe hasdone. Forgiveness
allowsme to livemy life. lt allowsme to lovemy childrenand my wifu
and the daysI haveleftwith lhem. But I can neverescapethe horrorof whathappenedto my sister. I
can neveracceptthe notionthathe can payfor thal nightmarewithanythinglessthanhis life. We all
makechoices.He madehis. Surelya manwho haskilledso manymustnevertakea singlebreathas
a free man.
I thankyoufor listening.I wishI couldsay more. I wish I had beenthereto speakwith you in person.
Please,let this suffice. Pleasedo not releasethis mantromprison.
$incerely
KelseyGrammer.