We found out that Dominic doesn't even see us. Apparently, he is placed in the room before we arrive along with the Parole Board. We are supposed to sit behind him. We can't see his face or his expressions, or anything. I found this not acceptable. I asked for permission to actually see him during the time I read the impact statement to him. It took about a month, but yesterday I found out that I could at least sit on the side, not directly in front of him, while I read. The other problem is that he has already read our statements ahead of time, which again I find ridiculous. As far as I am concerned, I should be able to read it to him as if he's never heard it before, as now, he has had time to block it from his mind.
As well, I took a novel approach to impact statements. I decided that TJ has never been heard from, and it's time he has. So, although it's never been done, I have written it as if TJ was writing it.
Here it is...
Floyd Wiebe
Hey Dom,
It’s TJ…
Wow, I thought I'd never be able to talk to you after you had me killed… I guess you didn't think you'd hear from me did you? Yeah, well listen up Dom…
Dom, I am talking to you right now... The other people in this room can listen if they want to, but I'm really talking to you. I want you to listen to me very carefully.
I'm supposed to be 28 years old by now... 28... Wow. It's seems like it was yesterday that I was only 20. In fact I’m still 20 I guess. So much has happened in the past seven years. I've watched my mom change so much. Domenic, you have no idea what you've done to my family. I wouldn't say you've destroyed it… as we have always been a strong family. I miss my family. I miss my brother Chad and my sister Stacey so much, and I know they miss me. I also miss my mom and dad… Know what? Every time I left my mom or dad, or hung up the telephone, I said… “Love you, kisses, hugs…” Everytime! Now those words are engraved on a huge 200 lb rock at the cottage and is in a beautiful garden which they called “TJ’s Garden”. That’s crazy that the only way they will ever hear me say that again is to look at the big rock… That isn’t right…
My mom, who is sitting right behind you, is an incredible woman, but you've almost killed her and Domenic I'm really pissed off about that. How dare you attack my mom on so many levels? You've heard all the crap she's been through. You caused this Domenic, you. Before you ordered me to be murdered, my mom was strong and healthy. She isn’t healthy anymore, but she sure is strong. I sit here watching her go through surgery after surgery, and I can’t even wish her well or help her get better, thanks to you.
My dad has changed so much. He's sad almost all of the time. He loses touch with reality a lot. He doesn't have the smile he had. He used to be this guy that would make a whole party laugh at his jokes. I haven’t heard him tell a joke for a long time. He's even on anti-depressants. He misses me. I cry and cry cause I can't make his pain go away. I look at him and I just want to make it all go away but I can't. You have taken all that Dom. I remember, during the trial, after you listened to my dad cry in court reading his victim impact statement to you, and how you just sat there, looking at the floor. You never once even looked at him. You just sat there and you never even said you were sorry. You had a chance to tell my dad how sorry you were and you sat there. Why not? I guess you were just glad that you got the drugs off my body. That’s all you cared about… drugs. Just don’t tell this parole board that you were high on drugs and didn’t know what you were doing Dom. Your lawyer tried that and it didn’t work, and it better not work today either. I did a lot of drugs Dom, and I didn’t kill anyone. I never planned some guys murder just so I could get their drugs like you did. You had no reason to murder me other than to look after your selfish needs. Don’t even go there. Be a man and tell them why you had me murdered Dom, not an excuse, the reason. There isn’t any. Even the judge who sentenced you could not believe how senseless this was.
You never met my parents, and you never met my sister Stacey and my brother Chad. I was their big brother. I protected them their whole lives. My parents would often wonder if I was their parent as I cared so much for them. My death stopped their lives cold. They saw my mom and dad so upset most of the time, they had to hold in their feelings, so they wouldn’t cause them more pain. But, I see their inner torment in their faces. I see them cry while they are alone. I see them put on their masks to the outside world. I see them be brave for my mom and dad. I don’t know how this will affect them in the future, but I won’t be able to look after them, not after what you did to me.
I'm sure you’re sitting here today thinking, what a load of crap this all is. I suppose that when you've actually succeeded in murdering someone that you've got to justify it somehow so that you can live. So that “you” can live... I wish I could say that word... live… but I'm dead… because of you... I suppose you've had seven years to justify what you did… or in “your” mind, probably didn't do. I suppose you really believe that only Anthony and Chad murdered me. The jury convicted “you” of Conspiracy to Commit Murder, but one member of the jury couldn’t grasp the fact that because you weren’t in the car, they couldn’t convict you of First Degree Murder. Eleven jurors did know you were guilty of First Degree Murder. But because only one person couldn’t agree, you got off a life sentence, and here we are. The other members of the jury were so mad they couldn’t convince one person, that they are still mad today. Just last week my dad ran into one of the jurors, and he’s still shaken by what you did to me.
Dominic, you were the one that got Anthony and Chad involved in my murder! You are the one that told Shawn you could easily have me murdered. You set this whole murder up, and you know it. So did the jury. Make sure you tell these people in front of you that you wanted me dead… and how you got the whole plan ready. Explain to them how you wanted me dead, and now you want to get out of jail.
When my dad asked me to write this I really didn't know what I would say to you. I guess the first question was why? Why did you plan my death? Why did you tell Anthony and Chad to beat the shit out of me...? Why did you tell them to inject my neck with Drano...? Remember watching the movie, “The Salton Sea?” That movie gave you that idea, so it would look like a suicide. Why did you tell Anthony to strangle me with such force that he pulled me over the seat with his shoelace...? Why did you tell Anthony to jump on my chest Dom…? Why did you tell him to stab me in my neck repeatedly…? Why did you tell them to leave my almost naked body out there in that field for five weeks in the middle of winter…? Why did you let animals chew on my face Dom…? Why did you let my family search for me for weeks and weeks? WHY…?
I'm sure you don't even know this, but my family wasn't able to even see me after I died. The medical examiner said “We don’t want to see him in this condition…” The condition your plan left me in. They couldn’t see their first-born son after he died. They never got the chance to say goodbye to me. Your plan made sure of that… Your plan… Dom.
You know what? I don't even want to hear your answer Dom. You don't even have one do you. I did nothing to you to cause this, nothing. I have so many questions, but I don't want any of your answers, because no answer is worthy of my life. Life… You don't care about life. You have no respect for your own life. You’ve never had respect for other people either, and you never will. You’re incapable of that. My life to you was totally meaningless.
There is one question I'd like the answer to. I'd like to know why you refused to testify against Shawn James. You even got more jail time because you refused twice in two separate trials, so that he could get off and walk free. Why? You even refused to come out of your cell and demanded a wheelchair to take you to court. The guards told me you laughed at the judge’s orders when she ordered you into court to testify against him. You then laughed at the guards. You’re laughing right now at these people you’re facing aren’t you? You really don't care what happens today. You don't care about anything. I know you Dom. All you care about is getting out of here.
You want to get out of jail, and live a normal life again.
You want to go to MacDonald’s and have a Quarter Pounder. I can’t.
You want to drive a car. I can’t.
You want to go to a bar and have a beer. I can’t.
You want to have a girlfriend. I can’t.
You want to have a job. I can’t.
I doubt you wanted a family, but did you ever ask me if I wanted a wife and kids? You didn’t care…
But I also know you Dom. I know that you want to go to a party and brag about how powerful you are, that you can actually convince people to murder for you.
So here you sit in front of the Parole Board. You’re asking to be released into the public. I don’t know what they will decide, but if they do let you out early, then I want you to promise me something, and Dom, you better live up to it. If you get out, promise me never to do drugs again. Promise me that you will never murder again. Promise me that you will spend the rest of your life telling people what you did and helping others in this world to stay away from drugs. My parents are doing that. They formed the TJ’s Gift Foundation and raise hundreds of thousands of dollars keeping kids away from drugs. You better do something with your life and you better change other people’s lives. You owe it to me to do that.
The parole board is going to hear about all the things you’ve done while you’ve been locked up. They are going to hear your side of the story as to why you should be released from here. It’s all about you today isn’t it… I think it’s about me, or it should be…
I also hope that this same board listens to me.
I’m not asking them for anything.
I can’t.
I’m dead.
T.J.
…on behalf of my dad Floyd Wiebe, “Love you dad, kisses and hugs…”
