Spring Break
Wines' Family, Friends Reflect On Loss At Emotional Hearing
Andrew Porter
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: News
Schwitz, who is roughly the same age as Alvino, said he couldn't understand how Alvino could be portrayed as being unsure about what to do after the incident. He said he had no doubt that if he found himself in a situation similar to Alvino's, he would certainly stop and couldn't comprehend not doing so.
Wines said that stuck with him, especially in contrast to the Alvino's defense.
"Every bit [of the defense] put blame on someone else," he said, something he deemed, "unacceptable."
The defense, which acknowledged that Alvino made a mistake by fleeing the scene, repeatedly argued that his actions after that were so influenced by others - notably his parents, that he shouldn't be held fully responsible for not turning himself in immediately.
At one point, the defense read a letter to the court from Alvino's 8-year-old sister, describing her brother as her best friend and saying how much she would miss him if he was sent to jail.
According to Wines, his oldest son Shaughn was upset by the letter, leaning over to his father to say that although Alvino may not see his sister for a few years, Shaughn would never be able to see his sister again.
Wines said that he felt the apology Alvino gave to the Wines family - his first public apology - was sincere insofar as Alvino sincerely regretting the incident and how he handled it. But at the same time, Wines said that he felt Alvino did not severely regret the loss of life, but rather, only the fact that he was going to jail.
Overall, Wines said that the day was able to bring him some closure and relief that this particular case has ended. Although Alvino's parents still face charges in New York, he now knows that the driver of the car that killed his daughter is going to jail.
"There is relief that this phase is done," he said.
Contact Andrew Porter at Andrew.Porter@UConn.edu.
Wines said that stuck with him, especially in contrast to the Alvino's defense.
"Every bit [of the defense] put blame on someone else," he said, something he deemed, "unacceptable."
The defense, which acknowledged that Alvino made a mistake by fleeing the scene, repeatedly argued that his actions after that were so influenced by others - notably his parents, that he shouldn't be held fully responsible for not turning himself in immediately.
At one point, the defense read a letter to the court from Alvino's 8-year-old sister, describing her brother as her best friend and saying how much she would miss him if he was sent to jail.
According to Wines, his oldest son Shaughn was upset by the letter, leaning over to his father to say that although Alvino may not see his sister for a few years, Shaughn would never be able to see his sister again.
Wines said that he felt the apology Alvino gave to the Wines family - his first public apology - was sincere insofar as Alvino sincerely regretting the incident and how he handled it. But at the same time, Wines said that he felt Alvino did not severely regret the loss of life, but rather, only the fact that he was going to jail.
Overall, Wines said that the day was able to bring him some closure and relief that this particular case has ended. Although Alvino's parents still face charges in New York, he now knows that the driver of the car that killed his daughter is going to jail.
"There is relief that this phase is done," he said.
Contact Andrew Porter at Andrew.Porter@UConn.edu.
Be the first to comment on this story