"My name is Jerry Lockwood. I
reside in the City of Salamanca, NY.
I am the father of Penny Lea Brown who
was raped and murdered by Edward Kindt on Mother's Day, May 9th, 1999.
Penny was a wife, a mother, a nurse, a
midwife, and the most wonderful daughter her mother and I could have ever hoped
for. Her friends were countless, and her joyous disposition and caring ways were
a pleasure to observe every day of her short life.
Penny's murder left her loving husband
without a wife, as well as her two daughters, Kaitlyn, age 14, and Bradleigh,
age 11, without a mother. The responsibility for raising these two young ladies
now falls completely on their father, Robert. He is the homemaker, the role
model, the confidante, and the sole provider for the girls. While carrying out
this great responsibility, he lives with the grief and loneliness of not having the
wife at his side that he loved so deeply. All of us in the family and many
friends try to share the burden with him, but none of us can replace Katie and
Brad's mom.
We are here today to hear the court pass sentence
on Edward Kindt, for the vicious and horrible acts he committed in the murder of
my daughter.
In my eyes a fair and just sentence for his
crimes would be death in the electric chair or life in prison without
possibility of parole. However, I fully understand these remedies are not
available to the Court, because of sentencing laws enacted by the State of New
York. Kindt's age has been made a factor in the severity of the sentence that
may be imposed upon him. I strongly feel that at the moment he committed the
rape and murder, he also became an adult, and should be treated as such
throughout the Judicial System. Perhaps someday the laws will change, and young
adults who commit serious crimes will receive the serious punishment they
deserve.
I have been advised that under today's laws
the harshest sentence that may be rendered by this court is nine years to life
in prison. I respectfully request that this be the sentence imposed on Edward
Kindt. I also request that this sentence be carried out in the most disciplined
and highest security prison in the state.
It is common knowledge that Kindt is no stranger to
the court system. He has had problems in school, problems in his neighborhood,
and committed acts serious enough to cause his confinement in a Juvenile
Detention Center. I see no remorse in his attitude or actions since he committed this rape and murder. Apparently any rehabilitation effort in the
Detention Center failed and probably will fail while he is in prison.
Our community must be protected from this
felon being in our midst. I have daughters, granddaughters, and other members of
my family who should not have to fear his release from prison. As time passes
and Kindt becomes eligible for parole, I hope this Court, and this community
will do everything in it's power to prevent his release and keep society safe
from this predator.
Edward Kindt's punishment is the fact he has
to live everyday with the shame and horror of the acts he committed. His final
punishment will be at the hand of God.
This concludes my statement, and I would like
to thank the court for it's time and attention." ( end )
-Jerry Lockwood,
Father of Penny Brown
May 1, 2000
