Thomas J. Lafoe must have a lot of family that are following his case from afar. How do I know this? Mostly because I can see who’s looking for what in the admin part of my blog. In fact, today (today is an exception) there have been more searches for Lafoe than for Jeff Norton. I know about how many people look for Jeff’s information, so I have a pretty good idea of how many folks are looking for Lafoe’s updates. I know how to use the internet too, and I know that most of you live in the northeast. A few of you have made comments various places on the web apologizing for his actions, disparaging his reputation or trying to redeem your family reputation.

I know some of you call him “Butch”and others “Tommy” or “Tom” but to me he is simply Thomas J. Lafoe, Case # CRC1015736CFANO in the Pinellas County jail. I cannot envision him as anyone else. He ripped an ugly wound in my life with his actions. Put yourself in my place as, once again, I have to explain to my employer that I need a day off to go to court because my friend was murdered. In my world, nice people don’t have friends who are murdered.

I realize we may have a lot in common, outside of our relationship with him, so I am sending you this open letter:

Dear Lafoe Family and Friends,

I’m sure that the last 14 months have been hard on you and that you’ve been in shock since learning that your son/brother/uncle/friend/cousin/co-worker/neighbor/former employer/Army buddy/etcetera is a murderer.

I don’t know if you’ve had nightmares or lost sleep thinking about what may have happened the night he murdered Jeff Norton. I  have.

I don’t know if you’ve experienced the sheer terror of knowing exactly what he did. No one but the prosecutor and the defense can see anything except the “sanitized” file but I have a pretty good idea of what pictures and reports it contains.

I don’t know if you now wonder if a loved one is in harm’s way when phone calls are unanswered for more than a few hours as I do.

For years I’ve supported the ideals of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s work to help the wrongly accused. And I still do. I understand the constitutional protections of the accused. But I also understand the anguish of the friends who found Jeff’s body and those who are witnesses in one way or another. And I understand the visceral stillness of my body’s organs when another horrible detail comes my way. Time stops and my world is simply this horrific event.

So I am asking you to encourage your son/brother/uncle/friend/cousin/co-worker/neighbor/former employer/Army buddy/etcetera to take a plea deal the next time one is offered.

As you know, the whole judicial process, excepting the depositions, will start again with a new attorney in a couple of weeks. All of you have or had mothers and hopefully you loved them and they got to or will enjoy their last years.

Well, Jeff’s mother just turned ninety years old. Will you deny her peace at her age?

I won’t post anything that will interfere with Lafoe’s right to a fair trial but there is evidence that points directly at him. He will not be walking into free life again with or without a trial. No attorney can convince a jury otherwise. The evidence is too strong. And this trial will not be of the dragged out Casey Anthony variety.

It will last no more than one week and Judge Ley doesn’t fool around. She isn’t going to let any defense attorney make the mistakes that Jose Baez made. This case will have only one outcome and that outcome is “guilty.” Along the way, your family name will be dragged through the mud. Is this what you want?

So I ask you to do the right thing and convince your son/brother/uncle/friend/cousin/co-worker/neighbor/former employer/Army buddy/etcetera to take a plea deal if for no other reason than to give a grieving mother some closure. He knows he’s guilty and the police have his confession and other evidence on digital media.

All comments on this blog are private until they are approved. If you wish to make a comment for my eyes only as a way of sharing information, your request to do so will be honored.

I wish there was no need for this post and that we’d met in happier circumstances.

Sincerely,

Jeff’s friend.

 

Distribution of surname "Lafoe" in United States

September 25, 2011
Categories: Crime, Florida . Tags: Braintree, Butch, Casey Anthony effect, Ipswich, Jeff Norton, Lafoe, Mass, Methuen, Pinellas County, Plea, Thomas J Lafoe, Tom, Tommy . Author: 5redherrings . Comments: 13 Comments