Emily Simpson

You're not supposed to take photos or videos in the courtroom.

Saskia's other friend Colleen remembers Mike's reaction well.

He looked around frantically for the judge to help him.

Saskia wishes this moment of seeing her perpetrator taken to jail would have fixed everything.

I thought it would heal a part of me.

I thought it would heal me feeling like a helpless victim.

She thought she'd be relieved.

Instead... I just had anger and hatred.

I had sadness and loss for the person that I thought he was.

But that person died.

Saskia had a lot of healing to do, but that healing had to happen beyond the courtroom.

For perpetrators, jail or prison can be a final destination.

But for victims, that jail sentence is just the beginning.

It's something Ashley, the prosecutor, often tells victims.

The result of the criminal case can't be the be all and end all.

Even if we win and get every single count, somebody that you loved and cared about and married is going to prison for a long time.

That's hard too.

Or...

There's an acquittal.

You've internalized that a jury didn't believe you.