The sentencing of David Pietz | Forensic Files

the sorrow and the anger that I feel is I think is palpable in this courtroom it's still raw after eight
years I don't know of any way to adequately address the pain felt by a parent who loses a child whether that
child is an infant a juvenile or an adult I wish I could provide closure to the family and friends by what I do this
morning but that's really beyond my pow as a to do I can't provide a adequate explanation for why Nicole Pizza is
dead I would suggest that the mother's forgiveness is a step in that direction of closure Miss Snider uh I think you
recognize that the anger that you carry with you probably eats at you as much as
it eats at him and that going through that period of resolution and forgiveness is probably the first step
toward healing we all heard ample testimony concerning Nicole's medical history her
struggle with prescription drugs her addiction and her visits to AA and her efforts to recover you were well aware
of her struggle you knew full well when you married her that she had that struggle and you knew it through the
course of the marriage what I found particularly appalling prior to the date of her death
was a testimony that in a nightclub without her knowledge you placed an illegal substance in her drink you did
it for the purpose of inducing her to perform a public sex act on you the rest of it that you did with
other women was not criminal likely what you did to your wife that night was criminal giving
someone illegal drugs against their consent and knowledge is probably an assault had you done it to a woman not
your wife it would probably have been raped in the second degree the state didn't charge those offenses at the very
least I regard it an act of domestic violence against your spouse I think it showed given her
addiction your utter disregard for her safety and her well-being you don't spite an addict's
drink with drugs if you care about them you don't know what spiral you'll put them
into you did it for your own personal sexual satisfaction and I found that when I heard the testimony absolutely
abhorent and criminal I don't know what happened on January 27th 2006 when you got home and we don't know what
confrontation led to Nicole's death whether it was over finances over your history with other women over her
discovery that I do not know what we do know from the evidence is that you kills your wife at very
close range within an arms length the inference is that she was able to look into your eyes when you did
it and that the resulting death took a course of several minutes rather than a few
seconds I don't know what was going through her head as she looked into the face of the man she thought she
loved as he took her life away I cannot conceive of her thoughts at that moment I I don't
know we do know that after the death you carefully planned to cover up the complicity and the murder you misled the
family you added to the tragedy that they were already feeling and ultimately it fell apart and
I suspect that you found out that you're you weren't quite as smart as you thought you
were and we standing here today but the evidence is pretty clear that as you committed the ACT you had
plenty of time to think of it as you looked into your wife's eyes this is the first case I've tried where it was so
close personal and lasted so long as a murder in the second degree and in my judgment that placees
it within the category of those offenses at the most aggravated end of the fence those are the factors I've
considered accordingly the sentence will be at the high end of the standard range
220 months there'll be 24 to 36 months of community custody victim penalty assessment DNA and a lifetime
prohibition this concludes this matter the court is now in recess pleas look

On. Nov. 7, 2013, Judge Michael Hayden of King County Superior Court speaks directly to David Pietz, convicted of the 2006 murder of his wife, Nicole, and then hands down his sentence. To watch full episodes of 48 Hours Mystery, CLICK http://cbsn.ws/1cai8zp

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Brief Summary

The episode covers the sentencing of Nicole Pizza's husband for her murder, highlighting domestic violence and emotional turmoil in the courtroom.

Key points

A Mother's Pain. The speaker reflects on the profound sorrow and anger of losing a child.
Criminal Actions Revealed. The court reveals shocking details about the defendant's actions leading to his wife's death.
Final Moments. Describing the tragic final moments of the victim's life.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

You don't spite an addict's drink with drugs.

Addressing the defendant's actions towards his wife.

2:28WatchNov 21, 2013

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