Child rapist: 'I let my aggressions out on them'
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BENTON COUNTY, Wash. - Lucas Miller will have to wait yet again to learn his fate. His public defender made a last ditch effort to spare the convicted child rapist from a long stint in prison.
Eric is the father of one of the alleged victims. He told KEPR, "I don't think it's fair." The court couldn't prove his son was raped. But another child was.
Eric didn't want to be seen on camera, but told me everyone had been waiting for this sentencing for a long time. He was disappointed to hear another evaluation was ordered.
The defense wants to see if Miller qualifies for a special sexual offender sentencing alternative. If he does, he could be facing only one year in prison. The idea upsets another victim's mother.
She was too distraught to finish reading her victim impact statement.
Miller tried to explain himself to the court.
"I was going through a very rough patch and instead of asking for help from the people that could have provided it to me I, I kept it bottled in and unfortunately since I was working with children at the time I let my aggressions out on them," he said.
Miller's father also spoke up, saying he still doesn't believe the evidence, despite his son's confession.
Eric was troubled by this. He said, "I mean, I understand that he doesn't want his son in all this trouble but there's other families involved in this."
This case has been difficult on everyone involved especially the children who were not able to tell police what Miller did to them. They were too young to recount everything Miller confessed to, which is why he's only facing one charge of child rape instead of 4.
This is why the judge is allowing parents like Eric to speak during the next hearing.
"Well, we're just taking it one day at a time and you know trying to work as a family on things and just try to stay together and get through this," Eric said.
It's his only chance to get justice for his son.
Miller is scheduled to be back in court right after Labor Day. The judge will review the new evaluation and hear more testimony before making a final ruling on sentencing.
Eric is the father of one of the alleged victims. He told KEPR, "I don't think it's fair." The court couldn't prove his son was raped. But another child was.
Eric didn't want to be seen on camera, but told me everyone had been waiting for this sentencing for a long time. He was disappointed to hear another evaluation was ordered.
The defense wants to see if Miller qualifies for a special sexual offender sentencing alternative. If he does, he could be facing only one year in prison. The idea upsets another victim's mother.
She was too distraught to finish reading her victim impact statement.
Miller tried to explain himself to the court.
"I was going through a very rough patch and instead of asking for help from the people that could have provided it to me I, I kept it bottled in and unfortunately since I was working with children at the time I let my aggressions out on them," he said.
Miller's father also spoke up, saying he still doesn't believe the evidence, despite his son's confession.
Eric was troubled by this. He said, "I mean, I understand that he doesn't want his son in all this trouble but there's other families involved in this."
This case has been difficult on everyone involved especially the children who were not able to tell police what Miller did to them. They were too young to recount everything Miller confessed to, which is why he's only facing one charge of child rape instead of 4.
This is why the judge is allowing parents like Eric to speak during the next hearing.
"Well, we're just taking it one day at a time and you know trying to work as a family on things and just try to stay together and get through this," Eric said.
It's his only chance to get justice for his son.
Miller is scheduled to be back in court right after Labor Day. The judge will review the new evaluation and hear more testimony before making a final ruling on sentencing.
