Emily Simpson

It is a dramatic difference between

from reading the words on the statement of charges to watching that betrayal, that abuse, and the disturbing act that the defendant chose to record.

And with that, the prosecutor concluded her argument.

She asked the judge for the maximum possible sentence under the plea agreement.

For Saskia, the speech was validating.

It was like, yes, we've had to go through this painful process, but we didn't doubt that he was guilty.

The prosecutor sat back at her desk.

But before Judge Cummins could make her sentencing decision, there were still two people left to hear from.

Absolutely.

Saskia and her sister Marisa had prepared victim impact statements.

It would be Saskia's one chance to address Mike on the record.

And it would be her only opportunity to show the judge who Mike Levengood really was.

Marisa stood up and addressed the court.

Michael Levengood, you have no shame.

You sit here and you deny your wrongdoing in the face of irrefutable evidence that you're a rapist.

We, her family and friends, we know what you did.

We see the truth clearly.

I know when it all started, even before the date was shared today, because she was deteriorating mentally and physically right before our eyes and we had no explanation as to why.

I went with her, with you sometimes, to multiple doctors and hospitals, trying to find out what was wrong with her.

No one could answer how she could get well.