Brake sentenced to life in prison; victims families testify about grief
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Grand Haven — As Troy Brake was led out of the courtroom where he was sentenced Monday to life in prison without parole, members of his family called out, “I love you, Troy,” while a supporter of one of the people he was convicted of killing said, “Rot.”
Brake, 32, was convicted May 29 on four counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of MSU student Katherine A. Brown, 18; her boyfriend Jeremy Zimmer, 20; his mother Sharmaine Zimmer, 53; and his brother, Tyler Zimmer, 17. Brake also was convicted of three felony firearms charges in relation to the murders. The victims were found dead Sept. 29, 2008, in the Zimmer’s Wright Township home. Brake and his family maintain that he is innocent.
The sentence came in Ottawa County’s 20th Circuit Court after family and friends of the victims described Brown and the Zimmers and the pain they endure because of the deaths.
“My sister was a nice person and a wonderful sister,” said Brown’s 12-year-old brother James Brown, his voice racked with grief. “She had a beautiful smile that could light up a room and a warm personality. … What happened will affect me in a way that will last a very long time.”
James Brown told the courtroom although he cannot be certain of how his sister’s death will affect him in the future, he is certain won’t have nieces or nephews.
On the defense stand, Brake remained expressionless, watching as the victim’s family and friends held up photographs and struggled to contain emotion. Brake’s attorney, Paul McDonagh, said although his client sympathizes with the victims, he has maintained his innocence throughout the case.
Brake’s father, Tad Brake, said after the sentencing he has no doubt his son is innocent and would not be capable of committing the murders. The family intends to appeal the case, he said.
“(The victims) was nice people, they was good people, but Troy had nothing to do with it,” he said. “I don’t understand how anybody can do this.”
As each speaker outlined what they had lost because of the crime, many people in the courtroom wept. Katherine Zimmer, Jeremy and Tyler Zimmer’s aunt, told the court of a loss she and her husband re-experience every morning when they wake up: the realization they will not see Tyler Zimmer wave as he drives by their house, Jeremy Zimmer stop by to play with their children or Sharmaine Zimmer working at the Wright Tavern.
“Every morning we long for our loved ones. Every morning we grieve their loss,” she said.
Family and friends of Brown spoke of her effervescent personality and dreams for her years at MSU, the school she had always dreamed of attending.
“For every time my heart beats, I will tell you something exquisite, beautiful, kind and everlasting about her,” her aunt, Ann Kik-Powers, said.
Ottawa County Prosecuting Attorney Ronald Frantz said the loss experienced by friends and family of the victims cannot be filled by a verdict or sentence, but the families feel some sense of justice.
“They certainly are not whole by any means,” he said. “There’s the sense of missing loved ones that cannot be replaced by a jury verdict.”
But the “black cloud” that engulfed the world of friends and family after the deaths has diminished, said Brown’s mother, Natalie Kik-Brown. With each day that passes, she said she grows closer to seeing her “precious” daughter. Kik-Brown said she is reminded of the goodness in the hearts and souls of each victim, telling the courtroom of two rainbows that appeared in the sky the day of her daughter’s funeral.
“In the end, good wins,” she said. “Good will always triumph over evil.”
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Hope
(07/06/09 10:17pm)Report
“she is reminded of the goodness in the hearts and souls of each victim, telling the courtroom of two rainbows that appeared in the sky the day of her daughter’s funeral.”
“In the end, good wins,” she said. “Good will always triumph over evil.”
I applaud Natalie Kik-Brown, for her great faith. This mother had her faith tested, in the most horrific way, yet her faith still remains strong. I wonder to myself how this could be? What an inspiration her faith is to me. Iknow that I wouldn’t be where she is now, had I myself be given her circumstances. People like Natalie Kik-Brown are a true inspiration to me. God Bless her.
What a shame...
(07/06/09 11:06pm)Report
Brake’s father, Tad Brake is in complete denial about his son. Seeing the way in which he speaks, as posted in Hmm’s blog, gives me the impression that he lacks simple intelligence. Maybe that is the reason his son turned out the wayhe did? I guess that you can never go wrong with a good education and proper English skills.
Jeffrey Lebowski
(07/07/09 2:38am)Report
Granted the guy is an idiot and can’t speak English…but was there any hard evidence in this case or just a bunch of sob stories? Or did they just find some “poor sap to pin it on”?
I seem to remember...
(07/07/09 4:41am)Report
…that Troy Blake wanted Katherine A. Brown for himself and because he oculdn’t have her, he killed her along with the other victims…I don’t know what hard evidence they had…but I am sure that there was enough evidence to convict this person. DNA evidence is amazing. The evidence that can be found in order to link an individual to a crime is eyeopening…Such evidence can be seen in microscopic fibers, saliva, finger prints, it is even possible to even tell if the assalent was right or left handed etc. Actually the ability to solve a crime today and to do so with mounting evidence is a skilled profession in itself.
Jason B
(07/07/09 7:18am)Report
Jeffrey, this was just the sentencing portion of the process. The evidence was already presented at the actual trial where he was found guilty. This was just the sentencing portion where the judge listens to the victims’ families and/or people that speak on behalf of the (now commited) murderer. No evidence at this time.
confused
(07/07/09 9:26pm)Report
Does “life without parole” actually mean he will die in jail? I’m not a CJ major and don’t watch enough Law & Order
I love to goggle!
(07/07/09 9:59pm)Report
Confused, I hope that this definition will help you out. It is FUN to goggle, I am learning all kinds of things…….;)
life without possibility of parole n. a sentence sometimes given for particularly vicious criminals in murder cases or to repeat felons, particularly if the crime is committed in a state which has no death penalty, the jury chooses not to impose the death penalty, or the judge feels it is simpler to lock the prisoner up and “throw away the key” rather than invite years of appeals while the prisoner languishes on death row. Opponents of capital punishment often advocate this penalty as a substitute for execution. It guarantees the criminal will not endanger the public, and the prospect of never being outside prison is severe punishment.
lol
(07/08/09 6:49am)Report
Life without parole means that he is sentenced to life without the ability to meet with parole board for early release (good behavior). He can however be freed if sentencing will be lowered if lawyers appeal for retrial or if new evidence will suggest that he is innocent.He will spend his life in prison, unless new evidence comes up or a retrial will be held.
I thought so....
(07/08/09 7:49am)Report
Thank you lol, your explanation makes the definition of Life without Parole easy to understand. You exlained it clearly & laid out he process, making it easy to understand, thank you for your post.
*exlained=explained
(07/08/09 7:51am)Report
In above post.
June
(07/08/09 10:21pm)Report
I really wish the victims families the best considering everything that they have been through. I know that even the best isn’t good enough..but my wishes and prayers are all I can do.