In New York State, victims of crime have a number of rights. In criminal court felony cases, victims have the right to be heard at sentencing; this is done through a Victim Impact Statement. Victim Impact Statements are written or oral statements that describe how the crime has impacted the victim’s life.
Victims can present these statements to the court during sentencing, and they are also used during parole. They are entirely voluntary. However, many find these statements helpful in the victimization journey. It provides an opportunity for victims to express in their own words what they, their family, and loved ones have experienced as a result of the crime. Although it will never bring loved ones back or fix what is broken, many victims find it helps provide some measure of closure to the crime.
A few months ago, Alivea Goncalves, sister of Kaylee Goncalves, made headlines for delivering a powerful victim impact statement to her sister’s killer. Kaylee, Kaylee’s lifelong best friend Maddie Mogen, their roommate Xana Kernodle and Xana’s boyfriend Ethan Chapin were stabbed to death at the girls’ off-campus house in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022. In July, their killer was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences on the four first-degree murder counts and the maximum penalty of 10 years on the burglary count after pleading guilty to all charges. Alivea’s emotional and feisty statement received a round of applause from those inside the courtroom.
“I was fueled by seeing the rage on his face,” she told ABC News. “Man… was he mad. That was obviously a big point of why I did what I did — to make him feel small… I got up there knowing that my speech wasn’t to Kaylee and Maddie — it was for them. I just wanted to reclaim their power,” she said.
Alivea’s statement read: “My true final act of love was to continue on without them for them. That dream to read aloud my love to them, to bring meaning through pain, was the latest blow in realizing you don’t deserve it and Kaylee and Maddie don’t need it.”
Alivea confronted her sister’s killer with confidence, composure, and utter disgust. Simply put, she was a bada**. She took back control, tore the perpetrator down and honored her sister’s memory. I am in awe of her strength and courage. Fueled by grief and rage, Alivea’s statement was nothing short of powerful and admiring.
Read Alivea’s complete statement, here or watch here.
For more information on victim’s rights, please visit Your Rights as a Crime Victim.