Brandon's Letter to Judge Mira
This letter was sent to Judge Mira by Brandon Hein during the trial and prior to sentencing. Mira said at sentencing that Brandon showed "no remorse."
"As for the Farris's, my thoughts have been with this family ever since this happened, and will be for the rest of my life. I pray for their forgiveness and well-being always because I could never imagine what it must feel like to lose a loved one so close to you as your own son. Over and over I think of what it must be like living with a loss so great. I think of how they must have felt when they received the news of Jimmy's death. I think of what it must've been like at the funeral, seeing their son that way. I think of them going to the cemetery to pay their respects and send their love, probably thinking of all the things Jimmy's going to miss out on, and of the experiences he'll never have and they'll never have again with him. When I see Mr. & Mrs. Farris is court crying and hurt I feel helpless because I can't do anything to ease their pain. I can only hope that in time they can come to find some sort of peace again in their lives."
"My thoughts and prayers are also with Mike McLoren and his family. They have also been through a great deal of pain since this incident happened. I try to think of what must've been going through Mike's head as he ran from the fort into his house not knowing how seriously injured he was. Then having to see his mom and grandma's reaction as he came into the house and told them what had happened. Then to have to see your best friend in that condition, come into the house, collapse, and die right in front of you. I try to think of what they must've all been thinking at that point in time, and if they still think about it every day. With scars like that Mike will have for the rest of his life and now a civil suit being filed against them. [The Farris' filed a wrongful death civil suit against the McLoren's and the other families involved.] I wonder if they feel this will ever end."
"I am very sorry to both of their families for all the pain that I have caused them. I can only hope and pray that one day they can find it in their hearts to forgive me."
Brandon Hein, June 1996
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