Matthew Weatherhead stood at the podium in a Wayne County Circuit courtroom, barely able to get out the words to describe how dearly he misses his wife after she was killed when a car fleeing from police slammed into her SUV.
"I stand here because she can't stand up for herself anymore," he said. "She was the most wonderful wife and would have been a great mother."
The grieving husband addressed the court Tuesday as Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway sentenced John McCallum III, 27, of Detroit to 20-45 years in prison in the death of Francesca Weatherhead, 25, of Royal Oak.
McCallum took a plea deal several weeks ago in the case. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, as well as fleeing and eluding a police officer. In exchange, charges of home invasion and reckless driving causing death were dismissed.
Police say McCallum was fleeing from police after burglarizing a home in Livonia on Oct. 6. He crossed into Redford along 6 Mile and his car struck Weatherhead's vehicle at the 6 Mile/Beech Daly intersection, flipping it over and killing her. McCallum had been paroled just months before the incident after serving a prison sentence for burglary.
McCallum told Hathaway before sentencing that he felt horrible about what had happened and thinks about it every day in jail.
"If I could have avoided the death of her, I would have," he said. "I would like to say I'm sorry."
Hathaway said while she sentenced him along the terms of the agreement struck with the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, she hoped the Michigan Department of Corrections chooses to keep McCallum locked up for more than the 20-year minimum, saying it was clear he could not be successfully rehabilitated.
"The Michigan Department of Corrections should seriously and painfully look at your behavior over the next 20 years," she said. "I don't see any rehabilitation for you in the next 20 years. I don't see it in 45 years."
Angela Vitale, Francesca Weatherhead's mother, brought a photo of her daughter from her wedding day to the podium in the courthouse. She spoke to Hathaway of the pain she has felt every day since her daughter's death, and addressed McCallum, asking him to turn around and look at the photo of her daughter.
She said she doesn't believe he intended to kill her daughter that day and that she did forgive him for his actions, even though he had an extensive criminal history.
"Your rap sheet speaks volumes," she said. "You took the easy way out."
Francesca Weatherhead worked for Altria at the time of her death, and was driving to meet with clients. Her family has said she and her husband had recently bought a home in Royal Oak and were looking forward to starting a family.
In addition to the prison sentence, McCallum will be required to pay more than $24,000 in restitution. He will receive no jail credit on the second-degree murder sentence for his time in the Wayne County Jail awaiting trial.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Raj Prasad said he and other prosecutors have met with Francesca Weatherhead's family extensively over the past few months. He said it's clear they have stuck together through this whole ordeal.
"We see the love in this family," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment