Ghost Ship parent’s anger at lenient plea deal after 36 died
“The law does not seem to care about the people who died, only the rights of the defendants.”
It is inconceivable that the Ghost Ship defendants might receive such light sentences. Under their plea deals, one will serve nine years in county jail, the other six years. With good behavior, those sentences would be cut in half — and they will get credit for more than a year they’ve already served.
On Dec. 2, 2016, I lost my only son, my only child, my only family, Edmond Lapine. It is my hope the horrendous event in which he died does not disappear from public memory.
The illegal actions of Derick Almena and Max Harris led to 36 people dying. Ironically, the law does not seem to care about the people who died, only the rights of the defendants. The Alameda County district attorney cannot justify greater punishment for the defendants even though 36 people died?
I do not believe in capital punishment. However, while I do not wish these men bodily harm, I do wish them the enduring memories and consequences of their illegal actions. If the defendants are not given the sentences of serving one year per victim — my desired jail term — I have come up with my own plea deal.
My version of a plea deal for these defendants involves four elements. First, their jail cells are to be papered with the photographs of the 36 victims, alive. Second, because most of the victims died of smoke inhalation within three to four minutes, an equally offensive acrid odor is to be pushed through the air system of the defendants’ cells just long enough to cause them panic. This should be done at varying times each day, in order to catch them off guard.
The third element is forcing each defendant to wear or look at a victim’s clothing every day. For this, I can send a piece of my son’s clothes cut from his unburned body by the Alameda County coroner three days after the event.
The fourth element is much harsher. The defendants are to be forbidden from having visits, letters, phone calls, photos, messages or any type of contact from any member of their families for the entire duration of their incarceration.
In other words, they are to know what it is to be without family.
I realize I am not the only Ghost Ship mother, nor am I the only mother to have lost a child. I have four friends who have lost sons, plus I have gotten to know Ghost Ship parents living in my area of Washington.
If I sound bitter, angry, hopeless, disheartened, that’s because I AM. My bitterness has reached the point where I want to lease a billboard in Oakland, maybe have t-shirts printed, with a photo of Chor Ng and the statement, “Chor Ng owns the warehouse where 36 people died.” On the other side of the billboard and tshirt, “Oakland’s District Attorney believes ignorance is equivalent to innocence.”
This event could happen again. My son had just turned 34 when he died. Many of his friends are now having babies. Which is why I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if this disaster had instead occurred at a daycare center? What if there had been kids trapped in the building? Would the district attorney treat that in the same manner as the Ghost Ship fire?
It seems a precedent of leniency is being set with this plea deal.