I and two of my clients, Kevin Doty and Bob Lowe, who collectively lost more than any other victims are appalled. Although we sympathize with Mr. Palmer’s attempt to call for the court to be “merciful” in biblical terms, this letter and his analysis clearly misses the mark in legal terms and in terms of the overwhelming and tremendous harm caused by Hatch countywide. Mr. Palmer claims that the court should have shown mercy because Mr. Hatch advertised on his radio show which in turn supported various charities. As pointed out by the state attorney in the sentencing hearing, where does Mr. Palmer think the money came from for Mr. Hatch’s charitable donations?
More likely than not it was money stolen from his victims. Of course Mr. Hatch could afford to be generous with other people’s money.
Mr. Palmer next attributes “good character” to Mr. Hatch because he did not “run”. This is a nonsensical statement. Has Mr. Palmer analyzed the character of a man who would steal people’s entire lives savings in order to support his outlandish lifestyle?
He next says that he has not heard a bad word uttered Mr. Hatch’s lips. Is he so naïve to think that all criminals are mean-spirited and foul mouthed? What does Mr. Palmer think about a quiet, cold, deliberative and calculating thief quietly orchestrated a scheme to enable him to live a lifestyle he cannot afford at the expense of persons who could not afford to lose money he stole from them.
Would Mr. Palmer be so quick to ask the judge to be merciful if Hatch had stolen his life savings? What does he think about the realtor who testified yesterday who had to sell her new BMW acquired after 25 years of hard work to cover the $100,000 of losses she sustained which money was used by Hatch to purchase BMWs for his kids?
I would wager Mr. Palmer would feel different if he lost his riverfront home because of Mr. Hatch?
The letter is so shallow that it would be comical and considered a joke if it were not submitted in such a serious proceeding. Because of its lack of depth and meaningless and nonsensical reasoning the last sentence of the letter, which reads “I pray this letter inspires true justice” was right on the mark.
True justice was not only inspired, but was rendered.
