QUEENSBURY, N.Y. – More than ten months after a boat crash violently cut short the life of her eight-year-old daughter, Charlotte, the grief could be seen on Courtney McCue's face and heard in her voice.
"I will live with a broken heart forever because of the loss of my dear baby, Charlotte," said McCue, who referred to her daughter as a “spectacular, freckly-faced firecracker with a scratchy voice."
With her family watching from the gallery, McCue gave the first of three victim's impact statements at Alexander West's sentencing Monday. Last month, a jury found West guilty of eight of the 12 counts he faced tied to the July 25 crash off Lake George’s Kramer Point. The 25-year-old was accused of spending the afternoon partying with friends, drinking alcohol and taking drugs at Lake George’s annual Log Bay Day celebration before driving his boat home from dinner.
"Alex West shows no remorse and accepts no responsibility, which makes this tragedy even more difficult to heal from," said McCue, whose statement came before those given by her father and step-mother, all of whom were on the boat at the time.
"When anybody uses the word 'accident' in this case, they are completely misplacing what that is," Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan told the court.
While McCue and her family members sought the maximum penalty, Judge John Hall showed some leniency, sentencing West to between 5 and 15 years for the manslaughter in the second degree charge. Also convicted of leaving the scene of the accident without reporting it, West will be allowed to serve his sentences concurrently, reducing the amount of time he spends in prison.
"It appears to be both appropriate and supported by law and required by law that the defendant be sentenced to concurrent time," Hall stated.
"We came in expecting that he was going to stack the sentences for the manslaughter and leaving the scene,” West’s attorney, Cheryl Coleman, said after the proceeding. “So we're grateful he didn't do that."
Given the chance to address the court, West spoke only briefly; confirming the prosecution's belief he's never accepted responsibility or showed any remorse.
"I'm haunted every day by it, knowing that I was part of something that took away a beautiful little girl," West said.
"I think the most troubling aspect of this case is the defendant's complete lack of taking any responsibility," Hogan said.
Only a few miles south of where the deadly crash forever changed their lives, Charlotte's family left the courthouse together Monday evening, knowing West will now have to face the weight of his actions.
"Truly, my wish is to have Charlotte back in my arms,” Courtney McCue said. “Since that's not possible, that man that stole her life should be punished forever."
Coleman plans to continue her appeal of West’s conviction. Hogan says she’s confident the state’s appellate division will uphold the guilty verdict.