Appeal, appeal, appeal - Justice for Andi.

*DISCLAIMER* Sensitive subject matter, please be advised this blog should not be read by children due to brutal violence and language.*

Supreme Court of Arkansas Streaming Media Archive: www.courts.state.ar.us (please clip and copy into browser, Blogger won't let me link.)

CR 10-1068 Karl D. Roberts v. State of Arkansas, from Polk CircuitNovember 03, 2011 - 8:58 AM
Please click the ORAL ARGUEMENT tab on the left and the video should pop up. Each side has 20 minutes to present their side. The decision should be given within a couple of weeks and I will post it here.

No one ever believes they will be a crime victim. In fact, I was raised a pretty sheltered life. I was a tomboy who got dirty, rode my bicycle, brought my mother the biggest toads (much to her horror) I could find and played outside all the time. I never thought about bad things when I was a kid. There were some hard times, sure, of course, but there were more great, great times. Laughter and silly games with the neighbor kids after dark: kick the can, witches midnight hour and my family, thanks to my Grandma Brake on my moms side and the Petty family on my dads side we always had the best Christmas'. And I felt the importance of raising my girls with a sense of family and fun and laughter. Life really was pretty good.

May 15, 1999 evil knocked on the door and stole my oldest daughter, Andi. She was kidnapped out of the security of her own living room at the tender age of 12 years, one month, and 5 days. She was minding her own business, not bothering anyone, but was simply making some chicken tenders for her step-siblings, being selfless and making sure those little children had something to eat. Her step-momma was working and her daddy was down the hill not far from the house fishing. She waved bye to him when he left. He has since said that image is seared in his mind and it haunts him. I cannot imagine being one of the last persons to see her alive. It truly makes me very, very sad. He wasn't even that far from the house.

After forcing her into his vehicle, this predator drove her 10 miles away down an old logging road in an adjacent town and told her to get out of the vehicle. She was crying, he told her to, "Shut the fuck up." Then he forces her to disrobe in front of him. Next, he pushes her to the ground, the hard rocky terrain. If anyone has ever strolled down an old dirt road or stepped off into the Ozark forest they know that it is covered in rocks, tree branches, pine needles and debris. He didn't care, he pushed her down onto her back and brutally raped her. She cried, plead, fought, scratched and when he was finished he got off of her and through tears she asked him to take her home. He said no. She then told him, "If you take me back, I won't tell my daddy, I won't tell anyone. Please take me home." He again refused and put his hands around her neck and strangled her. It took several minutes for her to die in his hands. If you have a few minutes I would like you to imagine this scene and look at the clock for two to three minutes and imagine being a 12-year-old child being strangled. Hold your breath and see how long you can do it. I can only hold my breath for 24 seconds before I am pretty uncomfortable.

You may ask why after 12 years am I torturing myself writing this blog. You may ask why I am not letting my daughter rest in peace and moving forward with my life. The answer is this. After this predatory monster brutally raped and strangled my first born child and disposed of her clothing in the Buffalo River right outside of Cove, Arkansas he dragged her small nude body into the woods and left her there, face up, eyes open, tongue bitten nearly in half from her fight for her life and after all this he went to his parent's house and had a cup of coffee. Meanwhile, she was laying there alone and naked in the forest for three days and during those three days it stormed something awful, the cloud cover made the nights awfully dark, she was terrified of the dark. But, she was deceased you say. I don't care. She was afraid of the dark. Additionally, animal activity did what animals do to a decomposing body and part of her thighs and arms were...sorry I cannot even say. Then her killer assisted in the search for her. Unbelievable. So, when someone says I should let her rest in peace it is awfully difficult when I have an agency called the ACLU, ie, Karl Roberts vs. the State of Arkansas fighting to save his pathetic life, and tomorrow morning at 8:58 AM via live stream satellite, some 12 years after my daughter was brutally murdered, me and my family are faced with the seemingly never ending appeal process. This is where some defense attorney, some bleeding heart individual, is fighting for the life of a confessed child rapist and murderer, this pathetic creature who has been rotting on Death Row in an Arkansas prison longer than my daughter was even alive on this planet.

Don't get me wrong, I truly believe Andi is in the arms of the Lord in heaven. I have nno doubt. I also believe that as her mother I am her voice now. It is up to me, my job as a parent to create a legacy for her. To see to the unfinished business of her sweet little life. I do that by speaking out. I do that by being involved. I teach, train, help victims, love parents who have or are walking in the same shoes I have walked in. And tomorrow at 8:58 AM there is yet another hearing, another appeal, and I am asking those of you who are willing and able to watch via satellite, to log in and do so at:
Supreme Court of Arkansas Streaming Media Archive:

www.courts.state.ar.us

CR 10-1068 Karl D. Roberts v. State of Arkansas, from Polk Circuit November 03, 2011 - 8:58 AM
Please click the ORAL ARGUEMENT tab on the left and the video should pop up. A wonderful lady name Laura Shue for the State of Arkansas and someone on Roberts' latest defense team each have 20 minutes to present their side. The decision should be given within a couple of weeks and I will post it here.

To those of you who have made it this far into the blog post thank you for your support and thank you for never forgetting Andi.
All my love,
Rebecca
Andi's Mommy