A Run To Witness Justice and Remember Lost Friends Print E-mail
Written by Grant Sweet   

Many of you may know that Nancy and I along with Marty Condron rode to Milwaukee to attend the sentencing of the woman who struck and killed Mike Fleming while she was driving drunk. I have many thoughts about this but a lot of it is disjointed and hard to get down on paper, so I will do my best.

We left from the dealership at noon on Sunday May 10th. The trip over went well with the exception of our little excursion through Chicago. How those who live there manage to keep their sanity while driving on the Skyway, I do not know. Construction, rude drivers, tailgaters and people who either through ignorance or design refuse to merge from a lane that is clearly (a warning sign every ½ mile) ending. What a *$%#@!! mess.

Steve Johnson with his wife Cindy
Steve Johnson with his wife Cindy on Mikey's bike
We started our day Monday at the Harley Davidson museum. Steve Johnson who has tirelessly advocated on Mikeys behalf had arranged a guided tour of the facility for us. Some of the women did not go on the tour but joined us for lunch. All of our chapter members that where with Mikey that day were in attendance, the Consiglios, the Betzs,  Bill Stein along with Mike’s cousin Dora and her sister Lisa.

Mikey Flemming's Rivet at the Harley Davidson Museum Wall
Mikey Flemming's Rivet at the Harley Davidson Museum
After our lunch we went to the rivet wall to see the markers. I have to tell you that this affected me emotionally more than I normally would admit. The rivets for Mikey and Tom are up and are next to one another which I found to be fitting as we lost them both the same summer. We spent a few minutes there with the news crew hovering around and I presented Steve with a certificate of appreciation from the chapter for all his efforts. When we could not be in court for Mike, he was. I can not think of many people who would do what he has done for people he did not know.

Tom Snell's Rivet at the Harley Davidson Museum
Tom Snell's Rivet at the Harley Davidson Museum
At about 12:30 we left for the Courthouse In a memorial procession of about 10 – 12 bikes under the watchful eye of yet more news cameras. Once we where all settled into the court room I looked around and was gratified to see so many bikers on hand to show support. Wisconsin Abate members, HOG members, Blue Knights and others. We pretty much took up more than half of the gallery.

As all courts go we were not on time and at the last second it was decided that no one would be able to give a victim impact statement. A cousin did not meet the definition of a relative under the law and I guess that friends just don’t count. Very disappointing. Once the procedural stuff was through the prosecutor started his remarks and I was having trouble figuring out whose side he was on, as he came across as if he might be sympathetic to Boland. The defense then had their opportunity to make a statement and came up with what you might expect “she went to the bar and had two or three beers about three times a week. Never more then just enough to get buzzed” of course except that day. Give me a break. I am a big guy and can hold my own, but if my BAC was what hers was while she was driving that car, I would have been out cold. She was no three or four beer drinker.  Boland then made a statement. She was tearful and apologetic but I had difficulty discerning whether she was remorseful or was just crying because she was going to go to prison.

Grant presents certificate of appreciation on behalf of the A3HOG Chapter
Grant presents certificate of appreciation on behalf of the A3HOG Chapter
The Judge was the man who had to make the decision as to what her sentence would be. He seemed to be a tough one and did not seem to buy into the story that the defense had tried to sell. Nor did he seem too concerned with the prosecutor’s weak performance. He placed significant weight in the letters that he had received from many of us. In the end he decided that she would get a fifteen year sentence. 10 years incarceration with no early release and 5 years of supervised release there after.

This trip for me has brought back the realization that our Hog family suffered to many sad losses last year. Some too young, some too unexpectedly and some so needlessly. I sincerely hope that this riding season will find us having only good rides and good times so that we can all gather at the next winter party to reminisce about the rides and not about someone who is no longer with us.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 03 June 2009 )
 
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