Emily Simpson

This woman had been raped.

But their belief in Saskia and their certainty that this was a crime wasn't enough to ensure a conviction.

It shouldn't, but it does.

With all of this in mind, when Mike said he was ready to take a plea, the prosecutors said yes.

With a plea deal, they'd avoid the risk of a jury acquitting Mike.

They'd get a guaranteed guilty.

When Ashley, the original prosecutor, got the news... I was really glad to hear it.

Given all of the complexities with this case, I thought that him pleading guilty was the very best thing that could happen.

I told my colleague that I was very pleased with what she had been able to work out.

So the decision was made.

There would be no trial.

But Saskia would still get her day in court because after Mike took the plea, he had a sentencing hearing.

At this hearing, Judge Jill Cummins would determine exactly how long Mike would spend behind bars.

Saskia walked down the center aisle into the courtroom with her sister, brothers, and friends by her side.

We were just all so excited for at least this piece of this terrible process to be behind me and behind us and for him to at least be taken away in shackles for doing what he did.

The courtroom was emptier than she'd imagined it.

It was just a handful of spectators, some attorneys, some clerks, and the judge sitting at the front of the room.

Where the jury would have been were 12 vacant chairs.

Saskia, her friends, and family took their seats in the gallery.

We're just pretty dead silent waiting for the case to be called and waiting for Mike to be brought in.