I would like the opportunity to address a few of the
statements made in Nicole Price’s latest article which is about me. First off
if she knew grief was a heavy burden she would not have used my granddaughter Leah
Dye as an advertisement in her re-election campaign without permission from Leah’s
parents. A person who understands grief would not try to capitalize on the
grief of victims and their families.
When Price says she felt 10 years was not enough then why
did she want to offer a plea deal because she felt she couldn’t win a jury
trial? Yes the victim-witness director conveyed
this information to my son. I know my son said no! He was also against the
Alford Plea. Before charges were filed, Price explained nothing to me again the
only phone conversation she and I had still haunts me!
If Price understood grief the conversation she and I had 3
months after Leah’s death would have been different. The fact is an elected
official, The Commonwealth Attorney of Washington County Virginia Nicole Price,
told me that “it was none of my business how she handled the investigation” The
investigation of the violent murder of my two year old granddaughter was none
of my business!!!! REALLY!!!! In her words to me was “she had no plans to file
charges and may never file charges” This from a woman that knows grief is a
heavy burden… After the phone conversation I felt like I had just been attacked
and I felt like I had done something wrong.
After the sentencing hearing I did not speak to Nicole Price
personally. She left in a different direction than I did. The Victim-Witness
Director spoke with my son after the sentencing. I have had no negative encounters
with the victims-witness director. I did not talk with Nicole Price several
times, I had one phone conversation with her and then the day of sentencing
when I was on the stand she ask me to please tell the court how my life had changed
as a result of the death of my granddaughter.
I am not upset by the judge’s sentence of Mr. Marlow to 30
years. He stated he was imposing that sentence after reading the autopsy report
which Price had nothing to do with. The States Medical examiner worked
tirelessly to make sure there would be sufficient and concrete evidence to
convict and it was in her report. In my heart I do not feel there was any new
evidence that Price was waiting on. The reason I say that is in our only phone
conversation she said “she would not file charges until she knew exactly how
Mr. Marlow killed my granddaughter and the only way she would get that is if he
told her” Since he entered an Alford Plea I don’t feel he told anyone how he
snapped my granddaughters spine into, tearing her aorta leaving her to bleed to
death. Four hours before he killed her he withheld air from her until there was
brain damage. He was the only adult with her but yet there wasn’t sufficient
evidence. The judge sentenced him according to the results of the autopsy! The
autopsy results secured justice for Leah not Price. She went through the legal
formality required at a sentencing hearing but it was my granddaughters beaten
body that told the truth. Price did not call me to testify and she did not
contact me “many times” I only had the one conversation with her via phone.
Speaking of my granddaughter’s brutal death devastates me
but I feel it has to be said to let the people of Washington County Virginia
know they need to make a change and not be deceived my the misleading of an
elected official that holds such a vital position. I am voting for Josh Cumbow
because I want a Commonwealth Attorney that I can feel safe talking to and know
that if I have a problem they will be willing to talk with me. I want a
Commonwealth Attorney that I don’t fear but can trust. I want a Commonwealth
Attorney that will not try to publicly humiliate a person that disagrees with
them or seek some type of revenge on a person for evoking their freedom of speech.
Now is the time to make that change!!!! Vote Josh Cumbow.