The story here doesn't talk abt the family forgiving, but the link here shows the pics of the mother, sister and daughter forgiving the shooter. It is so sad. Even the courtroom deputy was crying. I applaud people like this. I don't know that I could forgive. I pray that I never am in a situation where I have to do this:

http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060413203209990003&ncid=NWS00010000000001

Paralyzed Girl Forgives Shooter in Court
By DENISE LAVOIE, AP

BOSTON (April 14) - Five-year-old Kai Leigh Harriott sat in the front of the courtroom in her wheelchair and looked directly at the man who had just pleaded guilty to firing the shot that paralyzed her.

At first, she broke down, crying harder than she ever had since the night nearly three years ago when Anthony Warren fired three rounds at the house where she was sitting on a porch.

After a sip of water and some consoling from her mother, Kai spoke.

"What you done to me was wrong," she said to the man seated just 10 feet away. "But I still forgive him."

Warren, 29, of Boston, had been scheduled to go to trial on six assault and weapons charges last month. He instead pleaded guilty to all charges Thursday.

Prosecutors say Warren, his brother and others had an argument with people who lived on the first floor of the three-family house where Kai lived with her family. They left, then Warren returned around 11 p.m. on July 1, 2003, and fired three rounds at the house.

One of the bullets hit Kai - then 3 years old - as she sat on a third-floor porch with an older sister. The bullet shattered her spine, permanently paralyzing her from the chest down.

After his guilty plea, the girl, her mother and two sisters gave emotional statements to Judge Margot Botsford, who then sentenced Warren to 13 to 15 years in prison and five years' probation.


04/14/06 06:30 EDT

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.

i heard about that. it's so sweet. :(
and it's such a great thing to hear about.. especially at this time of year. because everyone is so bitchy and unforgiving nowadays.. and it's so heartwarming to know that a poor little girl who will NEVER be able to live a normal life can forgive the person that caused it.

i heard about that. it's so sweet. :(
and it's such a great thing to hear about.. especially at this time of year. because everyone is so bitchy and unforgiving nowadays.. and it's so heartwarming to know that a poor little girl who will NEVER be able to live a normal life can forgive the person that caused it.

Couldn't have said that better myself!

I'm not so sure I would be as forgiving if I was in her place.:(

Please don't say anything hateful, you guys. Just let the family forgive this man.
No one is saying anything hateful, everything good here, *knock on wood* :)

No one is saying anything hateful, everything good here, *knock on wood* :)
I am glad so far none of that has been posted. I debated whether to even post this...i felt this tug in my heart reading the story and looking at the pics. Which is why I felt compelled to add the link as well so everyone can get the full scope of this. Like I said, I pray to God I am never in a situation like this...but I do applaud those who can forgive. It gives a different spin on the usual tragic stories...it really opens your eyes.

that's sweet


"what you did to me was wrong...but i still forgive him"

http://news.bostonherald.com/galleries/images/878136_bh_Apr142006_A001.001.jpg

what i found so touching aside from the little girl crying in the pic, is the pic of the mother hugging the shooter. that really tears my heart.

Aw, she's so cute :(

I don't think I would be able to forgive someone if they did something that horrible to me!

She, a young five year old seems much more mature than many teenagers and adults who would have pure hatred in thier hearts and actions to the person who crippled them.:cool:

How could you forgive someone who did that to your young child? If it was my child, I would kill the guy myself.

I'm a forgiving person; however, I think some things are unforgivable, and this would definitely be one of those things.

Did anyone here watch that special presentation on A&E called CONFRONTATION? It had two women who each lost a loved one (one's father was murdered, the other woman had her son murdered) and they each had a chance to meet with their loved ones murderer in prison. It was gripping. I was crying. It was heartbreaking to see these women confront these two "people" and ask questions, ask for details...bottom line, these two women forgave these murderers. The one lady who lost her son asked the man who killed her son to please do something positive with his life, in prison and whenever he is released. Her son was killed by a man when the man felt threatened by the lady's son. Her son was a drug dealer of sorts. The murderer bought drugs from him occasionally.
The other lady was 17 and in her bedroom when her father was being murdered in the next room while she slept. Her father was gay and he brought home a guy he met that night at a bar. The guy in turn tried to steal money from the father. The father refused to give him any money and the guy killed him. This woman forgave her father's killer. She even extended her hand out and they held hands. Her husband on the other hand had this look in his eyes as if he wanted to reach out and kill the murderer. It was really powerful.
http://www.aetv.com/listings/episode_details.do?episodeid=158016

I'm guessing this was the best way for them to heal mentally from the incident, even though it seems like an odd thing to do.

I'm guessing this was the best way for them to heal mentally from the incident, even though it seems like an odd thing to do.
I guess so. There are programs like this in various states...but only if the victims want to do this and of course, the prisoners must admit their crimes. They have mediators there and there are other things done before they come face-to-face. They don't just throw them together. It's a process that prepares them for this moment. The daughter wanted to know things such as had she come out of her bedroom would the killer have also killed her? He told her "No." He would have ran off. She felt she needed to know this as well as other aspects that she never had answers to.

I've seen those types of shows Irene, and they didn't do a thing for me. I guess it comes down to the person who's doing or not doing the forgiving. It's such a personal decision.

I am positive that I could never forgive anyone who killed someone I loved. I don't criticize anyone who does forgive, but for me, never in a million years.