Chapter 17 - Valerie pleads guilty
Valerie changed her plea seven months after the attack.
By then:
Bodycam.
Hidden phone.
Witnesses.
Medical records.
No fetal injury.
No prior violence.
She accepted responsibility for striking me and raising the pan again.
Plea:
Felony assault with dangerous instrument, reduced sentencing exposure.
Child-endangerment count resolved as misdemeanor plea/concurrent disposition.
No plea saying she intended to harm unborn baby.
Because evidence did not support that specific intent.
At sentencing later.
Not yet.
Then she gave a statement in Lucas’s case.
No immunity for her own assault because already pleaded.
She said:
“Lucas wanted Mara provoked.”
Did he tell her to hit me?
“No.”
Did he tell her to threaten me?
“No.”
Did he tell her children should stay?
“Yes.”
Did he say why?
“He wanted witnesses.”
Did he know Valerie might become physical?
She said:
“I told him before I came that if Mara touched me, I’d defend myself.”
That is not same as announcing pan attack.
Then:
“After first hit, why didn’t Lucas stop you?”
Valerie looked down.
“I don’t know.”
“Did he encourage second swing?”
“No.”
“Did he smile?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think it meant?”
“I thought he was glad.”
Her interpretation.
Not fact.
Still.
Then she said:
“The second I saw police, I knew he had set both of us on fire and stepped back.”
That line was dramatic.
But partly self-serving.
May you like
Valerie had picked up the pan.
She knew.
