Meredith's Parents - Victim's Impact

Dave Emerson:


"You Honor, we stand before you as broken hearted parents having lost our beloved daughter to the vicious murder committed by Mr. Hilton.

Our days are filled with tears and blank stares and we constantly struggle each day. Meredith was a shining light in our lives and now we are left with a hole in our hearts which will not heal.

In life Meredith was an inspiration who stood for all things good and she treated all people with respect and dignity.

The outpouring of love and support from friends and loved ones and countless numbers of strangers is a testimony to how Meredith touched so many people in a positive way both in life and in death.

As a father having lost his daughter at such a young age, I will forever feel the grief and sadness. No longer will I be able to look forward to walking my daughter down a wedding aisle or holding a grandchild from Meredith.

My gleeful anticipation of seeing Meredith on trips home to Colorado or on trips to Georgia is forever gone. Therefore, I feel that no punishment for Mr. Hilton is too great.

In our civilized society we protect and nourish such heinous criminals as Mr. Hilton by providing three hot meals a day and a warm place to sleep under the protective eye of penal officials.

This practice has of course displaced the handing over such criminals to the family members of his victims to administer punishment commensurable with his murderous act. Therefore, I feel that no punishment is too severe for Mr. Hilton.

I only pray that he suffers immensely for his heinous acts and that even his fellow inmates recognize his evil and malevolence for mankind and treat him with appropriate measures.”


Susan Emerson:


“Before I read my statement, I want to mention that Mark, our son, found it too difficult to write his own statement at this time. He has read the statements that Dave and I have prepared and he wanted to go on record as being 100 percent behind both of our statements.

Your Honor, as far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as justice in this case.

Nothing can bring our daughter back to us.

I am not sorry that the death penalty was taken off the table. That would have been an easy out for this menace. Let him stay alive and slowly rot.

I believe he is nothing more than a bully and a weak-minded coward who preys on others.

He fancies himself a survivalist while anyone can see he's a scared little man on the run.

He’s the fool who goes through life too ignorant to realize he is a fool.

Meredith has exposed him.

Meredith was probably one of the few people in this world who would have spoken to him again the next time she saw him and would have accepted him without judgment.

I have no doubt that her goodness and light intimidated the hell out of him. So, he struck out in fear.

I am sure he thinks he's snuffed out her light, but the truth is she is stronger and brighter than ever while he is diminished.

I believe that on a soul level she may have decided to take him out so he could never harm innocent person.

I was shown a vision of him as a mass of darkness with one tiny pinpoint of light. Had he the courage to nurture that pinpoint of light he could have been someone worth counting in this world. Instead he made one conscious choice after another to become the pathetic shell of a man that he is. In the deepest part of his soul I believe he knows this.

God may choose to forgive him. However, he is not worth the time and energy it would take me to do so.

My focus will remain on all the good Meredith stood for, and still does.

She lives on. Her energy is strong and expansive.

Thank you for your time.”