Every day in courtrooms, the demand echoes loudly — punish criminal defendants severely.
However, in an unexpected twist seldom witnessed at the Multnomah County Circuit Court, a man whose wife was killed by a drunk driver criticized District Attorney Nathan Vasquez for tearing up a plea agreement endorsed by his predecessor and handing down a more severe sentence.
"It simply seems like gratuitous brutality," remarked Lauran Parise, who was riding shotgun beside his spouse, Jennifer Parise, approximately two years back when a drunken driver collided with their sedan, resulting in her death.
The Gresham police pursued the other motorist, Nathan Franklin Jr., for 34 blocks after reportedly confusing him with the suspect involved in multiple armed robbery cases.
The pursuit ended when Franklin, moving at 102 miles per hour, crashed into the rear of the Parises' sedan and subsequently hit another vehicle on June 25, 2023, at Northeast Glisan Street close to 147th Avenue.
After completing their Sunday chores, the pair was heading back to see their 10-year-old boy when the accident occurred. Rather than returning home, Lauran Parise found herself empty inside a hospital waiting area, awaiting the surgeon who would inform her that Jennifer hadn’t survived.
She was 40.
Looking at her body and making vows to her was the final time I physically connected with her," stated Lauran Parise, 41, in court. "I clutched her cold hand and could feel her sticky blood on my palm during that moment.
He has since submitted a $17 million federal civil rights lawsuit In opposition to the city of Gresham, they argue that starting the high-speed chase resulted in the demise of an unsuspecting pedestrian. In response, the city filed a counter-suit against Franklin, asserting that he bore responsibility for the incident. A representative from the police had earlier informed the press that the participating officers adhered to all protocols and regulations. weren’t disciplined ).
Following the accident, Franklin consented to pleading guilty as part of an agreement leading to a 7½-year jail term, stated both sides involved. According to Parise, he had given his assurance to the current 63-year-old accused and felt certain the deal was finalized.
However, soon after Vasquez assumed office in January, he personally examined the case and decided that Franklin deserved an extended prison term of 10 years.
Franklin had accumulated four prior DUI convictions, mostly in the late '90s and another one in 2006, along with receiving numerous tickets for driving without a valid license.
Vasquez stated in an official statement that his office consistently confers with victims, however, he believed that imposing a less severe penalty would not align with the outcomes observed in comparable situations.
“We must protect the public,” Vasquez said. “In this case, the horrific driving record of the defendant and the deadly consequences of his choices led to a term of 10 years in prison.”
However, Lauran Parise claims he was caught off guard. His wife had dedicated her weekends to volunteering at the district attorney’s office where she worked as an advocate for sexual assault victims, and throughout her career, she had been employed by Multnomah County, most recently within the Youth and Family Services department.
Over the past several years, the couple had been pinching pennies and cutting costs, postponing holidays and major buys in anticipation of a brighter future for their child.
Giving the driver more time wouldn't have brought her back.
Lauran Parise stated in court, "She wouldn't want to serve as a political tool, particularly since the officer responsible for this tragedy hasn't faced consequences for their behavior." She added, "This goes against her wishes."
Defense attorney Grayson Lindstrom mentioned that Franklin had entered treatment for alcoholism previously, adding that he had stayed sober for almost twenty years and served as a foster care respite worker until he suffered a relapse.
The defender stated that Franklin accepted the stricter plea bargain to assume responsibility.
Judge Christopher Marshall stated that he would adhere to the new pact agreed upon by both sides, which involves permanently revoking Franklin’s license and convicting him of second-degree manslaughter, assault, DUII, and additional charges.
Franklin wept as he almost touched his face to a courtroom desk while his lawyer recited his statement.
"I'm terribly sorry," it said.
—Zane Sparling reports on breaking news and court stories for The Oregonian/OregonLive. You can reach him at 503-319-7083. zsparling@oregonian.com or @pdxzane .
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