Please Help!
Some of you may remember that, last year, my godmother was murdered by a drunk driver. Yes, I use the term "murdered". At roughly 9 AM on a Sunday morning, a woman driving with nearly twice the legal blood alcohol content and a suspended license hit a car, fled the scene at high speed, turned a corner, lost control of her vehicle, jumped over the curb and slammed her SUV into my godmother, pinning her between the car and the house and taking out the entire wall of the house. Then she backed out, took off again into the neighborhood, where she slammed into yet another car, missing the owner by inches as he had just finished washing it, where her car finally stopped running. THEN she got out of the car and ran on foot. She was apprehended by the neighbors, who had chased her down from my godmother's house and held her and her companions until the police arrived.
This completely irresponsible woman is playing the sympathy card. She has 4 children, and instead of this fact making her actions even more reprehensible, she collected 20 letters saying what a good mother she was so she can't go to jail, so please can she have the minimum sentence, in spite of pleading guilty to all charges, in spite of having double the legal alcohol limit, in spite of driving double the speed limit when she hit my godmother, AND in spite of having 4 PRIOR CHARGES in 4 other states for traffic & DUI-related incidences (my mistake - I thought my godmother's daughter told me about having 4 prior charges in other states that she found when Googling her, but the DA says Martinez does not).
My godmother had 3 children too, and was helping to raise her severely mentally disabled grandson since her husband has died and her daughter (the grandson's mother) is physically disabled. Her goodness is really not relevant because the horrific actions of the woman are equally horrific if she had hit an elderly charity volunteer, a child, a miserly Scrooge, or a thug, but the injustice of someone who would drive drunk and flee from 3 crime scenes, one of which involved a fatality, being painted as a "good mother" while an actual good mother lost her life is just too much.
The DA is asking for letters, even if you didn't know my godmother. Here is the letter her daughter just sent to me tonight:
I just got a call from the District Attorneys office this morning and she told me that the date for sentencing in Moms case is set for sentencing on May 14th 2012 at 1:30 P.M. They had a court date yesterday and the Probation Department gave a recommendation of the shortest sentence possible with all charges running concurrently. Ms. Martinez got 20 people to write in recommending that she get a light sentence since she is such a wonderful person and great Mother.
What Cody Jones the Assistant District Attorney needs from our side is as many letters as possible from people stating that Leticia Daisy Martinez showed total disregard for human life and public safety on May 1st 2011 when she made the conscious decisions to run from the scene of the first accident,who's diriver was injured, drive erratically through traffic, hit and killed Diana Pundsack where she did extensive property damage to a home, ran from that crime, and hit another car before she was finally forced to stop. It is their recommendation that Leticia Daisy Martinez be sentenced to the maximum sentence available in this case. She needs to learn the lesson that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated and will be met with a stiff punishment.
Could you get as many people as you can to write a letter to this effect. The courts do not need to know if they knew my mother or not,. At this point it is all about the numbers. We can't let this woman get away with this. I will try to get as many people as I can on this end too.
The Letter (2copies) should be received ASAP but definately no later that April 30th 2012. The mail address is:
County of Santa Clara
Office of the District Attorney
County Government Center West Wing
70 West Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110
ATTN: Cody Jones -ADA
People vs. Leticia Daisy Martinez 110510239
So, please, this is a personal case for me. If you have a few moments and $0.45 for a stamp and an envelope, please write on behalf of my godmother and our family to insist that Leticia Daisy Martinez be punished to the full extent of the law for crimes she has already admitted to. These are not the actions of a good mother, and as someone who is adopted, I fully stand behind the idea that children do not need their blood mother to raise them, and sometimes they are better off without them. Children should not have a woman like this responsible for their welfare. What happens the NEXT time she gets drunk? What if her kids are in the car with her next time? What if YOUR kids are in the next yard she drives into?
***UPDATE*** My Letter
March 14, 2012
County of Santa Clara
Office of the District Attorney
County Government Center West Wing
70 West Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110
ATTN: Cody Jones -ADA
People vs. Leticia Daisy Martinez 110510239
To Whom It May Concern;
I am writing on behalf of Joyce Young and Diana Pundsack, in the case against Leticia Daisy Martinez. Diana Pundsack was my godmother until she was killed by Ms. Martinez last year. I am told that she is trying to win sympathy by having people write in about what a good mother she is. Does a “good mother” choose to get so drunk that she still has a .15 BAC at 9:30 AM on a Sunday morning? Does a “good mother” choose to get behind the wheel while drunk and while on a suspended license? Does a “good mother” abdicate responsibility by fleeing the scene of her crimes, not once, not twice, but three times? Does a “good mother” repeat her offenses and refuse to learn her lessons by having 4 traffic & DUI-related charges against her in other states? Does a “good mother” drive 70 mph into a residential area, killing another person and destroying a home?
No, a “good mother” is the woman who was killed. Diana Pundsack was a loving mother, grandmother, godmother, and friend to all. She volunteered her time with her church. She was helping to raise her mentally disabled son. She was my support, my family, a bright light shining in a world filled with shadows.
Diana Pundsack helped my parents find their way when they were newly married and first moved to town. She became a second mother to them. When I was born, she was the natural choice for the sacred role of godmother. She was always there for me, supporting me, encouraging me. She helped me become the woman I am today.
And in one moment, all her beauty and light and goodness was taken from the world by a person who made deliberate choices that resulted in the loss of life and extensive property damage. Ms. Martinez made choices. Every step of the way that led to this horrific situation was created by her decisions. She has shown a shockingly poor display of good decision-making skills, of responsibility, and of learning from her mistakes. This is not the definition of a “good mother” by even the most generous of definitions.
If the court really wants to take pity on Ms. Martinez’ children, and really wants to do what’s best for them, the court will remove her influence from them to allow them to be raised by someone who is more competent and responsible, and to teach them that bad decisions have consequences. As an adopted child, I strongly support the notion that a child does not have to be raised by his biological mother to become a responsible, caring, well-adjusted adult, and that sometimes it is necessary to not be raised by such, to improve a child’s future.
Please do not be lenient with Ms. Martinez. Her past criminal record shows that leniency, in her case, is not effective. She needs to learn her lesson and she needs to be made an example of for those children that her friends and family are using in an attempt to sway the court. She is a danger to her children and to society and she should be responsible for the consequences of her actions - actions which resulted in physical injury, property damage to two cars, the destruction of a family home, uprooting a single mother with a special-needs child, depriving that mother and child of a primary care-giver, and taking the life of a woman who has contributed more to society than Ms. Martinez ever will. This is not a woman who deserves leniency. This is a woman who deserves justice, and we are a family and a society that deserves to be free from the irresponsible actions of an unrepentant, repeat offender.
This completely irresponsible woman is playing the sympathy card. She has 4 children, and instead of this fact making her actions even more reprehensible, she collected 20 letters saying what a good mother she was so she can't go to jail, so please can she have the minimum sentence, in spite of pleading guilty to all charges, in spite of having double the legal alcohol limit, in spite of driving double the speed limit when she hit my godmother, AND in spite of having 4 PRIOR CHARGES in 4 other states for traffic & DUI-related incidences (my mistake - I thought my godmother's daughter told me about having 4 prior charges in other states that she found when Googling her, but the DA says Martinez does not).
My godmother had 3 children too, and was helping to raise her severely mentally disabled grandson since her husband has died and her daughter (the grandson's mother) is physically disabled. Her goodness is really not relevant because the horrific actions of the woman are equally horrific if she had hit an elderly charity volunteer, a child, a miserly Scrooge, or a thug, but the injustice of someone who would drive drunk and flee from 3 crime scenes, one of which involved a fatality, being painted as a "good mother" while an actual good mother lost her life is just too much.
The DA is asking for letters, even if you didn't know my godmother. Here is the letter her daughter just sent to me tonight:
I just got a call from the District Attorneys office this morning and she told me that the date for sentencing in Moms case is set for sentencing on May 14th 2012 at 1:30 P.M. They had a court date yesterday and the Probation Department gave a recommendation of the shortest sentence possible with all charges running concurrently. Ms. Martinez got 20 people to write in recommending that she get a light sentence since she is such a wonderful person and great Mother.
What Cody Jones the Assistant District Attorney needs from our side is as many letters as possible from people stating that Leticia Daisy Martinez showed total disregard for human life and public safety on May 1st 2011 when she made the conscious decisions to run from the scene of the first accident,who's diriver was injured, drive erratically through traffic, hit and killed Diana Pundsack where she did extensive property damage to a home, ran from that crime, and hit another car before she was finally forced to stop. It is their recommendation that Leticia Daisy Martinez be sentenced to the maximum sentence available in this case. She needs to learn the lesson that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated and will be met with a stiff punishment.
Could you get as many people as you can to write a letter to this effect. The courts do not need to know if they knew my mother or not,. At this point it is all about the numbers. We can't let this woman get away with this. I will try to get as many people as I can on this end too.
The Letter (2copies) should be received ASAP but definately no later that April 30th 2012. The mail address is:
County of Santa Clara
Office of the District Attorney
County Government Center West Wing
70 West Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110
ATTN: Cody Jones -ADA
People vs. Leticia Daisy Martinez 110510239
So, please, this is a personal case for me. If you have a few moments and $0.45 for a stamp and an envelope, please write on behalf of my godmother and our family to insist that Leticia Daisy Martinez be punished to the full extent of the law for crimes she has already admitted to. These are not the actions of a good mother, and as someone who is adopted, I fully stand behind the idea that children do not need their blood mother to raise them, and sometimes they are better off without them. Children should not have a woman like this responsible for their welfare. What happens the NEXT time she gets drunk? What if her kids are in the car with her next time? What if YOUR kids are in the next yard she drives into?
***UPDATE*** My Letter
March 14, 2012
County of Santa Clara
Office of the District Attorney
County Government Center West Wing
70 West Hedding Street
San Jose, CA 95110
ATTN: Cody Jones -ADA
People vs. Leticia Daisy Martinez 110510239
To Whom It May Concern;
I am writing on behalf of Joyce Young and Diana Pundsack, in the case against Leticia Daisy Martinez. Diana Pundsack was my godmother until she was killed by Ms. Martinez last year. I am told that she is trying to win sympathy by having people write in about what a good mother she is. Does a “good mother” choose to get so drunk that she still has a .15 BAC at 9:30 AM on a Sunday morning? Does a “good mother” choose to get behind the wheel while drunk and while on a suspended license? Does a “good mother” abdicate responsibility by fleeing the scene of her crimes, not once, not twice, but three times? Does a “good mother” repeat her offenses and refuse to learn her lessons by having 4 traffic & DUI-related charges against her in other states? Does a “good mother” drive 70 mph into a residential area, killing another person and destroying a home?
No, a “good mother” is the woman who was killed. Diana Pundsack was a loving mother, grandmother, godmother, and friend to all. She volunteered her time with her church. She was helping to raise her mentally disabled son. She was my support, my family, a bright light shining in a world filled with shadows.
Diana Pundsack helped my parents find their way when they were newly married and first moved to town. She became a second mother to them. When I was born, she was the natural choice for the sacred role of godmother. She was always there for me, supporting me, encouraging me. She helped me become the woman I am today.
And in one moment, all her beauty and light and goodness was taken from the world by a person who made deliberate choices that resulted in the loss of life and extensive property damage. Ms. Martinez made choices. Every step of the way that led to this horrific situation was created by her decisions. She has shown a shockingly poor display of good decision-making skills, of responsibility, and of learning from her mistakes. This is not the definition of a “good mother” by even the most generous of definitions.
If the court really wants to take pity on Ms. Martinez’ children, and really wants to do what’s best for them, the court will remove her influence from them to allow them to be raised by someone who is more competent and responsible, and to teach them that bad decisions have consequences. As an adopted child, I strongly support the notion that a child does not have to be raised by his biological mother to become a responsible, caring, well-adjusted adult, and that sometimes it is necessary to not be raised by such, to improve a child’s future.
Please do not be lenient with Ms. Martinez. Her past criminal record shows that leniency, in her case, is not effective. She needs to learn her lesson and she needs to be made an example of for those children that her friends and family are using in an attempt to sway the court. She is a danger to her children and to society and she should be responsible for the consequences of her actions - actions which resulted in physical injury, property damage to two cars, the destruction of a family home, uprooting a single mother with a special-needs child, depriving that mother and child of a primary care-giver, and taking the life of a woman who has contributed more to society than Ms. Martinez ever will. This is not a woman who deserves leniency. This is a woman who deserves justice, and we are a family and a society that deserves to be free from the irresponsible actions of an unrepentant, repeat offender.