Spencer Pearson sentencing hearing

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: activities? He was not. How was Spencer with the family? Very reserved, very quiet. Now in response [00:00:11] Speaker 2: to this, what did you and your husband do in terms of trying to care for your son or oversee [00:00:19] Speaker 1: your son during this period of time? My husband canceled business trips to make sure that he could be there with Spencer. We tried to be there for him and always somebody home to [00:00:41] Speaker 2: be with him, to talk with him, to be around. Where is your bedroom located in the house? Our bedroom is downstairs. And after this attempt, where did Spencer sleep? He slept on the couch. [00:00:59] Speaker 1: And why was that? The memory of what he had tried to do. And I think it was a coping mechanism. Also to be close to us. Is that one reason you wanted him on the couch? Absolutely. So that you should observe him? His dad would check on him. He wakes frequently and we were so worried. He would go in often during the night to check on him and sometimes just lay down beside him. Now at the time that this [00:01:29] Speaker 2: was happening, what was your concern about Spencer? We were concerned he was going to try to commit suicide. We've heard about Chubby's and we've heard about it apparently it's a fairly popular place in the neighborhood and I believe Spencer and Madison went but also your husband and Spencer went there quite frequently did they not? They did. That was their place. They [00:01:59] Speaker 1: loved to go there and watch any sporting event and eat chicken wings together. That was frequented sometimes [00:02:07] Speaker 2: three times a week to watch a sporting event. On the day of this tragic incident, did Spencer wake up the day of the day of this tragic incident, the day of this tragic incident? Yes. Did there come a time that he told you he wanted to go somewhere? Yes. [00:02:36] Speaker 1: Where did he tell you he wanted to go? I was out in the yard working and I saw his truck packing out and I asked him. I waved him down. I said, "Where are you going?" He said, "He was going to the the beach." He stopped and put the car in park. He wasn't in a hurry. Just very sad. I asked him if he wanted to take our puppy with him. I was glad he was going to the beach to get out and maybe get some fresh air and he's off the couch. [00:03:16] Speaker 2: Did you see that as a hopeful sign? I did. I didn't. Did Spencer have his phone with him that day? He did not. And why did he not have that phone? We had taken it earlier in the week. Once Jackie had notified me about him making the fake accounts, we took it and it was in our possession. And you and Jackie had some communication during this period of time. And she was very loving and caring. And she was very loving and helpful and caring and relaying information to you about your son's condition, correct? She was. How did you learn about what happened at Chuckie's? [00:04:06] Speaker 1: Jackie called me. She told me. She told me. She told me what happened. And she told me to hurry and get there because she didn't know Spencer was going to make it. [00:04:24] Speaker 2: And did you in fact go there? We did. And when you went there, was Spencer there? Yes. And you were there when he was light flighted to Shands? We were. And you saw the events that occurred or the aftermath of the events that occurred that day? The aftermath, yes. [00:04:49] Speaker 1: Yes. [00:04:50] Speaker 2: Do you know the extent of the injuries that your son committed on himself? Until very recently, no. The medical doctors would not talk to us. And was that because of his age? And because he did not have the ability to consent to the HIPAA regulations? So you were? Yes. So you were in the dark about what was occurring? We were. And have you now learned the extent of his injuries, his self-imposed injuries? I believe I have a grasp of that now. And would you, based on what you have now been told by the doctors, would you characterize these as a feigned attempt at suicide? Absolutely not. And is that because of the extent and nature of his injuries? Yes. I don't have anything further. [00:05:53] Speaker 3: Any questions for Ms. Day? No, you're not. Thank you, Madam. You can return to your seat. Thank you. Mr. Peturgis, do you have any additional witnesses you'd like to call? No, you're not. All right. State? Thank you. [00:06:11] Speaker 4: Sure, this is going to call up Ms. Jacqueline Roger. [00:06:19] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. [00:06:32] Speaker 3: Good afternoon. You raised your right in. You swear, affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So happy God. Yes. Thank you. [00:06:45] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you. [00:06:46] Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [00:06:49] Speaker ?: Just get this off. [00:06:50] Speaker 4: Is there a podium? [00:06:51] Speaker ?: Oh, okay. Oh, okay. Hold on. [00:06:53] Speaker 4: Crazy. Okay. All right. For the record, ma'am, just state your name real quick. [00:06:59] Speaker ?: Yeah, Glen Roachey. And you're Madison's mother, obviously, right? Yes. Okay. Okay. All right. For the record, ma'am, just state your name real quick. Yeah, Glen Roachey. And you're Madison's mother, obviously, right? Yes. Okay. All right. [00:07:13] Speaker 4: All right. For the record, ma'am, just state your name real quick. Yeah, Glen Roachey. And you're Madison's mother, obviously, right? Yes. Okay. All right. All right. Before you read your statement, I want you to inform the court of the injuries that you sustained that day. And then I'm going to display a few pictures. [00:07:31] Speaker 5: Okay. Go ahead. One in my head from here to here. One on my hand that cut both tendons of my thumb and broke my bone and cut the muscles away from my palm and then a couple more small ones on my hand and then one on my leg that's like nine inches maybe on my thigh. [00:07:58] Speaker 4: Did you have to have hand surgery? I did. And did all of your wounds require stitches and sutures? They did. And I'm displaying on the screen two of your more severe injuries. Is this you shortly after the incident? [00:08:14] Speaker 5: Yes. [00:08:15] Speaker 4: I believe you still have a scar on your forehead, although they did a pretty good job in fixing that. Is that right? Thank you. [00:08:24] Speaker ?: Okay. [00:08:25] Speaker 4: And is this your hand injury? Yes. And are those just photographs of your legs as well? [00:08:32] Speaker 5: My knees were like scraped really deep and the tops of my feet were. [00:08:38] Speaker ?: Okay. [00:08:39] Speaker 4: You had shorts on that day, correct? Yes. Okay. From where you kind of, we're in the sidewalk area there? Yes. Near the grass? Okay. All right, Ms. Roger, if you have a statement, I know you want to read that. [00:08:54] Speaker 5: My name is Jacqueline Roger and I'm the extremely proud mother of Madison Chemitz. First, I'd like to thank you, Your Honor, for all your time with this case. I imagine your job to be extremely difficult. Looking at all these images and evidence I know is awful. My family truly appreciates you. Thank you, Kennedy, for saving my daughter's life. I cannot ever express how much you mean to me and my family. You are the epitome of what a man should be. And I'm grateful for your parents for raising such a superhuman. I love you all beyond measure. Thank you to our amazing first responders who then kept Madison alive. You guys are a family now and we love you all so deeply. From that day and every day forward, you have all been incredible. To the Memorial Trauma Team and Neuro Team for being so amazing and taking care of my daughter like she was your own. That day at most times is a blur and you all work together so diligently and we owe you our lives, literally. My family and I are eternally grateful. Brooks Rehab Hospital, inpatient and outpatient. I'll never be able to express my gratitude enough. Madison has made tremendous gains with your help and support. Thank you to all of our friends and community for rallying around us and helping us through the worst time anyone can imagine and you're still here rallying. I would never have survived that first week without my friends and my family, let alone the last year and a half. So thank you all and for your continued support and prayers. Thank you to the State Attorney's Office of RJ Larissa. So many of you have worked on this case to see it through. And I appreciate you guys so much. To the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, you all are an amazing team of incredible people and our community is so lucky to have you all protecting us. Without the support and love from you all, we wouldn't be where we are today. There's so many to name individually from Sheriff Hardwick, his wife Kendall, Detective Haas, Deputy Stewart. The list goes on, believe me. But Lieutenant Harrigan stands out. You have been Madison's person. You're always there for her, which makes me feel so blessed. Thank you for being fabulous. I feel so much safer knowing that she has this team on her side. And I want to stress all of this so you, Spencer, know who Madison's people are, who has her back, and that you'll never get to her ever again. I cannot believe I ever loved you, and I worried about you, and I genuinely thought you were a good kid. What a fool I was, and I have to figure out how to get over that guilt that I have. You're evil and that's that. You handed Madison a life sentence on June 3rd, 2023, and it only seems fitting that you get the same. While Madison has been very private with her recovery, I have to watch my daughter struggle every night and day because of you. Struggle to breathe because her lungs were collapsed because of you. Struggle to maintain her oxygen through two huge pneumothorax in her chest because of you. Struggle to sit up because of you. Struggle to brush her own teeth because of you. Then to struggle to gain mobility back after being stabbed in her spinal cord, causing paralysis because of you. Struggle every day to regain the independence she lost because of you. You have no idea how much pain you've caused my family, and you never will. You're a horrible person. I lost time with my children because of you. Time I'll never get back. My poor boys had to spend an entire summer without me, and then the entire next year of my time was still consumed with Madison's recovery. You've stolen from my whole family, and that's unforgivable. I have full-time anxiety and fear because of you. Madison is extremely strong and will not let anything stop her, especially you. So she will still have a beautiful life that she will fight for despite your efforts to take that away. The only thing that separates you from a cold-blooded murderer is that you were stopped by Kennedy. You don't deserve to breathe the same air as someone as amazing as Madison, and I hope you spend the rest of your life knowing that. I've watched everyone in my family struggle because of you. I used to be happy and social, and now I'm medicated just to leave my house. I used to see the good in everyone, and now I expect the worst and worry nonstop what could happen or what people's intentions are. I've watched all my children have terrible nightmares and struggle with their own PTSD. I haven't slept more than four hours in a year and a half. I wonder how you sleep every day, and I wonder how your parents sleep. This isn't fair, and I'm not as strong as Madison, and I'm not recovering quite as beautiful as she is. I shouldn't be in fear every day, every minute for my kids' lives. You did this. You don't deserve to ever be free to instill more fear on me or my children. I'm forever scarred because of you. We all are. I live in constant fear of dying and leaving Madison to worry about a day you're free and I'm not there to save her. That is not fair. None of this is. I spent her entire senior year sitting in my car in the senior lot just in case, because of you. You're a monster. I pray for my family's peace, and I pray for you and your family to have the lives you deserve. Thank you, Your Honor. [00:13:44] Speaker 3: Anything else? [00:13:46] Speaker ?: I pray for you. [00:13:47] Speaker 4: Thank you, Your Honor. Stay close. [00:13:49] Speaker ?: Robbie. [00:13:49] Speaker 4: Who's that up? [00:13:50] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. Raise your right hand. [00:13:55] Speaker 3: You swear and affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God. [00:14:16] Speaker 4: Can you hear me? Robbie, just for the record, can you say your name, spell that last name for us, and the relationship to the family? [00:14:28] Speaker 6: Yeah, my name is Robert Cruseta, C-R-U-C-E-T-A, and I'm Madison's older brother, and Jackie is my mom. Do you have a letter you wrote today? Yes, ma'am. Okay, cool. Good morning, Your Honor. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today. Like I said, my name is Robert Cruseta, and I'm Madison's older brother. June 3rd, 2023 is the day my family and I's life changed forever. The phone call I received from my mother that day is an image I can't get out of my head, and the sound of her voice is something that plays in my head daily. That feeling of helplessness is a feeling I hope to never experience again. As an older brother and son, all I wanted to do was be there. I couldn't drive due to how distraught I was, so my friend drove me through the night to get to them that same day. Watching your mother and your sister fighting for their life is absolutely terrifying, but I don't think that is nearly as terrifying as what Madison had to endure months leading up to this incident. Being scared of someone she once trusted, being a new driver and being followed by him in fear of her own safety in the town that she grew up in. This is what my little sister had to deal with due to the defendant's actions. Madison was my first younger sibling and my only little sister, but that being said, I have always had a deep sense of protection over her and have always loved and cherished being her older brother. If anyone knows Madison, they know that she is light in every room she walks into. She never fails to make everyone laugh and smile. And for me, she was my first and very best friend. Being six years older than Madison, I was so excited to be a big brother and I would sing to her while she would be in her crib. She would hold my finger and I would stay there for as long as she held it because I felt like I couldn't leave. Going from that to holding her hand, looking at her over her hospital bed is a drastic change that I never expected to happen. And I would have stood there forever if that's what she needed. As I'm here today, I'm honored to say that I do not see my sister cry or get scared or let this incident change who she is as a person. I've watched Madison grow, educate, inspire and even comfort those affected by what happened to her and my mother. She has used what has happened to teach others and never complains about it. Madison has made a change not only in her school, but the community and other individuals around the world. Madison is the definition of using a negative and turning it into a positive. I'm immensely and forever proud of the progress that she has made. My mom is an amazing mother. My mom is an amazing mother, aunt, sister and friend. But most importantly, she is one of the greatest people you could ever meet. She goes above and beyond for everyone and makes every child feel like her own. And the love she gives definitely does not go unnoticed. Everyone would be lucky to have her in their life and I am so lucky and so thankful I get to call her my mother. She is so proud of each and every one of her kids for different things and will never pass up an opportunity to tell everyone success before her own. I hope to be half the parent she is someday and half as strong as Madison. And if I can succeed in that, then I will feel accomplished. Spencer may have thought that he was taking my sister and my mother's life that day, but instead he only took his own freedom. And as her older brother, as her older brother, I ask that he is never able to have the freedom to do this to anyone else ever again. The pain from a high school breakup is not even comparable to the pain and trauma that my mother and sister have to endure from this horrific day for the rest of their life. [00:18:58] Speaker ?: That's all I have. [00:19:00] Speaker 3: Thank you, sir. [00:19:06] Speaker ?: State? [00:19:08] Speaker 4: State calls Kennedy Armstrong. [00:19:11] Speaker ?: State. [00:19:41] Speaker 4: State. [00:19:42] Speaker ?: State. State. State. [00:19:42] Speaker 4: State. [00:19:43] Speaker ?: State. [00:19:43] Speaker 4: State. [00:19:44] Speaker ?: State. [00:20:11] Speaker 7: State. State. State. State. [00:20:17] Speaker 4: then is everything else cut up as well your mobility issues with i think one of your fingers yeah the pinky is still a little wanky okay working on that still okay and prior to june 3rd um what [00:20:32] Speaker 7: was your occupation i've worked at a restaurant i was also doing some carpentry work [00:20:36] Speaker 4: as well i can no longer do the carpentry you can no longer do carpentry okay so you're going to pursue a different avenue of employment yes ma'am okay all right i know you have a statement if you [00:20:47] Speaker 7: want to go ahead and read that thank you for your time your honor out of respect to the court madison and the shaggy i'm not going to say everything i feel this guy could not handle a breakup and proceeded or proceeded to plan the murder of madison his acts intended to leave a family grieving while he took the cowardly away out a man who cannot handle a breakup decided to take the time to stalk stab and tried to kill a young woman doing so impacted many lives families friends and those in our community laying the trauma one unit shand on the night of june 3rd 2023 left me with many thoughts first being are those women alive second being why did this happen third will my hand ever work again i had my hand essentially cut in half skin flapping seeing your own bones along with your own blood spewing from a separate artery was something most can't imagine i had to control and monitor every single breath to ensure i wasn't losing any more blood than i already had all while separating myself to make sure our amazing first responders got to madison and miss jackie first god bless the first responders laying in the trump units that night all i was praying for was to help madison and miss jackie after nine hours of being in the main trump unit i finally got my own room i thought that would bring a chance to sleep however that that did not i kept praying for the woman whom at the time i did not know and also refusing to close my eyes because every time i did i saw the stabbing again including the cow that the act he did to himself ironically the only reason you're still alive today i continue to see and feel these thoughts every day you planned this you knew what you were doing and thanks to god you failed you failed at your planned murder attempts you failed at your own suicide and you will remain a failure until god until you see god he sends you to the devil madison and miss jackie's road recovery has been something i wouldn't wish upon anybody except you to close things out you thought you were going to kill people that day but instead you blew on an amber that sparked a fire inside of madison and that fire wouldn't continue god bless the court i know that the proper sentencing will unfold thank you [00:22:52] Speaker 3: all right all right we're going to take a ten minute recess [00:23:25] Speaker 8: all right we're going to take a ten minute recess [00:23:34] Speaker ?: you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [00:42:25] Speaker 3: Thank you. All right. [00:43:25] Speaker 9: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [00:50:25] Speaker 8: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [00:52:55] Speaker 4: Thank you. Thank you. [00:53:55] Speaker 3: Thank you. [00:54:25] Speaker 10: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [00:57:55] Speaker 3: Thank you. [00:58:25] Speaker 4: Thank you. [00:58:55] Speaker 11: Thank you. Thank you. [00:59:55] Speaker 12: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [01:03:25] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you. [01:04:25] Speaker 13: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [01:40:23] Speaker 3: Thank you. Thank you. [01:41:23] Speaker 14: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [01:43:23] Speaker 3: Thank you. [01:43:53] Speaker ?: Thank you. [01:44:23] Speaker 8: Thank you. [01:44:53] Speaker 3: Thank you. [01:45:23] Speaker 8: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.