KTVF received the following email from a friend of Kevin Garner, whose vehicular manslaughter case has been a top story for quite awhile. Our decision to post this does not necessarily reflect the views of KTVF's management or staff. We were asked to give this person a voice, and that's what The Loop is all about.
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I am writing to you because I do not know who else may be able to help me. My name is Abigail Orr and my best friend was convicted of Manslaughter in a Fairbanks Court, Kevin Garner. I did not find any news about him on your sight when I searched it, but I believe that what is happening to him is cruel and unusual punishment. Kevin has been incarcerated for over a year now without being sentenced. The presiding judge in his case sent it to a three-judge panel, and just yesterday the panel sent it back to Judge Olsen (the Judge who presided over his case). He was arrested in February of 2007 and has been incarcerated ever since. He was convicted in October of 2007 and six months later still does not know his fate. I have come to accept his conviction; although there was such an enormous amount of reasonable doubt that I was shocked when he was convicted, but making a man, no matter his crime, sit in jail for over a year without knowing what is going to happen to him is cruel. Now, who knows how much longer it will take Judge Olsen to decide my friend's fate? How long does he have to sit there, day in and day out, before he knows his sentence? I am not saying he should not be punished, but it is torture for him to sit there wondering, waiting, not knowing how long he will remain there. As most people do not know anything about Kevin, I would like to tell you just a little bit about who he is as a man. Kevin is a kind, intelligent, hard working man who did make a terrible decision that night of the accident. But he has not sat in jail feeling sorry for him. He has expressed to me in many letters how remorseful he is, and not because he lost his freedom, but because he caused (or may have caused) the death of another human being. The victim's cousin even agreed, on record, that it was an accident; one of the police officers at the scene called it a "freak" accident. Kevin has been participating in AA while he has been incarcerated, along with taking numerous other classes to better himself and to prepare himself for living as a productive citizen in our country. Kevin has also helped numerous other inmates obtain their GEDs, and he has even become the leader of the AA group. I want people to understand that Kevin is not just some guy who got drunk and committed vehicular manslaughter; he is a good man with a good heart and he does not deserve this torture. I can't understand how it could be legal for him to have to wait so long for his sentence, at this rate he will have served the minimum for his crime before they even sentence him! If there is any way you can post this letter on your website or anywhere for that matter, it would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you have any other suggestions of who I can write to that would be most appreciated as well. I believe people should be aware of this case and Kevin's current situation, I do believe that this is cruel and unusual punishment. I do appreciate your time and I hope you will let me know if there is anything you can do, or where else I can turn to voice my opinion.
Most sincerely,
Abigail A. Orr
KTVF Administrator
