July 3, 2024

Honorable Judge Sams ,
I’m writing to you today as a mother with both a heavy heart of sorrow and hope. As Makai David’s mother, I have known him his entire life and have observed firsthandfirst-hand the kind of person he is.
Makai has always been an intelligent, kind, considerate, and generous young man who cares deeply about others. He’s the oldest of three children and has always been such a great big brother to his younger siblings. My youngest son always says “mom, I need some boy time”, that’swhich is a term himhe and Makai will use when they wantedwant to hang out with each other and do things like go to the basketball court, movies, etc.
Makai was going into his senior year at Sandy Creek High School. His teachers have often praised his strong work ethic and eagerness to learn. Although he sometimes struggled academically he was still and exemplary student, never getting ininto trouble and maintainedmaintaining a great attendance record. He was allowed to continue his education while incarcerated, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough for him to graduate being thatbecause he was limited to what he could do as an incarcerated student. I’m beyond grateful for the Fayette County school system not giving up on him, however it was truly heartbreaking not being able to see my son walk across that stage and receive his diploma with the Class of 2024.
While I in no way condone the actions that have led us to this point, I firmly believe that this incident is uncharacteristic of my son’s true nature. Makai has expressed sincere remorse for his mistakes, and we’ve had many conversations on how he will make better choices moving forward. I’ve observed my son turn himself in as a scared 17 year old17-year-old boy, and in the last year become a man due to his environment and circumstances. He understands the gravity of the situation and is committed to regaining the trust of the community.
Your Honor, I recognize that you have a difficult decision to make regarding sentencing. I beg you, do not let Makai’s future be defined by this single, devastating lapse in judgement. He has so much to offer the world, if only given the chance. With your compassion and wisdom, I am confident he can learn from this ordeal and go on to lead a life of purpose and service.
I thank you for your time and for the care and consideration I know you will give to my son’s case.

Sincerely,
Angela Latimore