A nearly full courtroom, and yet you could hear a pin drop for most of the sentencing of Clarissa Luyster, the 18-year-old mother of one who conspired with her mother and boyfriend to kill her abusive father last year. Judge Hamill followed the recommendation of the Commonwealth and sentenced Luyster to 15 to 30 years in the state penitentiary, despite an impassioned and eloquent defense from her counsel, Janine Edwards.
“Clarissa isn’t a career criminal,” Edwards said, referring to the psychological evaluation which was part of the cases lengthy pre-sentence investigation. “She has no criminal history, and no psychological evidence of being a lifelong criminal. She was led into this action by her mother, who she trusted fully.” Luyster’s mother Patricia has already been sentenced to 15 years in a separate case.
Despite this trust, Edwards also mentioned the lifelong emotional and psychological abuse Luyster received from her mother, and the emotional, psychological, and physical abuse she received from her father, victim Ronald Luyster.
“This isn’t an excuse for her actions,” said Edwards, “but a context for them...Ms. Luyster was a young woman with a history of learning problems, and she has a low IQ. She tried to use government services to get help for her and her small son, but when that was exhausted she didn’t know what to do, or where else to go.
“She loves her son, and wants to be involved in his life,” Edwards said. She also mentioned findings of the prosecution that suggested Luyster wasn’t remorseful for her actions leading up to her father’s death.
“Ms. Luyster has been evaluated and described as a person who doesn’t show much emotion,” Edwards said, “but she has also been significantly depressed. She regrets her actions, and wishes she could take them back. Isn’t that what remorse is?”
Despite the fact that Luyster was denied the right to be tried as a juvenile, Edwards also mentioned Luyster’s age.
“Clarissa has become a better student in prison, and obtained her high school diploma,” she said. “Abused and in the public school system, with a child at home, it’s no wonder she struggled. But she isn’t a career criminal, and I ask the court to consider mitigating their justice with mercy.”
In a small voice, Luyster read a brief statement of regret to Judge Hamill.
“I’m so sorry I’ve hurt so many people I loved,” Luyster said. “I know I made a huge mistake and wish I could change what I did. I was abused by both parents, and pray no one should have to live through that. I know sorry isn’t good enough because it won’t bring my dad back...I’m scared, but I know I have to pay for what I did.”
In beginning his sentence remarks, Judge Hamill acknowledged all the arguments Attorney Edwards made, saying that she had cooperated with the prosecution.
“You’ve taken responsibility, to a certain extent, for your actions,” said Judge Hamill. “That’s in your favor.”
But it wasn’t enough for Hamill to abandon the recommendations of the Commonwealth and grant Attorney Edwards’ plea for six years for her client.
“The murder of your father wasn’t impulsive,” said Hamill. “You say you ‘didn’t want it to happen.’ Yes you did.”
Hamill also pointed out the fact that Luyster consistently denied culpability for her part in the murder, attempting to pin the blame entirely on her boyfriend, Cody Steich.
“You didn’t admit culpability until you learned you were going to be tried for murder as an adult,” Hamill said. “You are an adept manipulator...I wonder when it first occurred to you that Cody Steich was the person to have your father killed.
“It’s clear you exerted more influence over him than his own family. A word from you could have stopped him that day, but you helped him, gave him a flashlight to hide with, and went about your daily chores knowing what was going to happen. Your fingerprints are on the gun, just like your mothers’.”
Luyster has thirty days to appeal her sentence, which will be served in a state facility. Her codefendant, Cody Steich, will be sentenced Friday morning at 11 a.m.