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We are very fortunate, and I mean very fortunate, that no one was hurt in these incidents.
But what if there had been? What if seven-year-old Emma Rodriguez had been playing in a front yard at 241 Cranston Street? What if 59year-old Mr.
Thomas Chen, a postal worker for 22 years, had been getting his mail at 2:15 that afternoon? What if Mrs.
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Henderson had been taking the daily 300 walk she has been taking for the past 10 years? You know, I have seven beautiful grandchildren, ranging in age from 6 to 16.
My youngest granddaughter, Sophia Marie Caprio, is 6 years old, born June 8th, 2018.
When I think about her playing in a neighborhood enjoying a sunny day, and I think about someone like Madison Thornton driving 70 mph through that neighborhood with complete disregard for her safety, it makes my blood run cold.
It makes me realize that we aren’t just talking about traffic violations here.
We are talking about potential tragedy.
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We are talking about lives that could have been lost.
Now, let me read to you what the prosecutor has recommended.
Assistant District Attorney Sarah Chen, who has been with the Providence DA’s office for nine years and has handled over 327 traffic cases with an 89% conviction rate, is asking for a substantial fine of $10,000, a 2-year license suspension, 150 hours of mandatory community service, and a jail sentence of 90 days to drive home the seriousness of these offenses.
the defense attorney, attorney Jennifer Morrison from Morrison Legal Group on North Main Street, and she is a good attorney who has been practicing criminal defense for 15 years, graduating from Roger Williams Law School in 2009, is asking for leniency.
She points out that Madison Thornton has no prior criminal record.
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She suggests that a fine of $3,000 and 80 hours of community service would be sufficient.
She also mentions that her client is young, having graduated from Moses Brown School in 2019 and Boston University in 2023 with a degree in marketing and communications and argues that a harsh sentence could damage her future career prospects.
I have listened to both arguments.
I have reviewed all the evidence.
