Jade West family crash sentencing: Deadline for support e-mail

A reminder today from the family of Jade West Cafe proprietor Wah Wong (left), badly hurt along with son Jason Wong when a drunk driver hit them outside their Beacon Hill home two months ago: 5 pm today is the deadline to send a message supporting the toughest sentence possible when the driver, Rodney James, is sentenced Friday, two weeks after pleading guilty to vehicular assault. (Prosecutors are requesting a two-and-a-half-year sentence.) The request for e-mail support was first made by Wah Wong’s son Jimmy Wong, who spoke with us while visiting from California weekend before last. The family has sent three links for those interested in e-mailing their support: Guidelines for what to write, here; sample statement, here; archive of news stories (just for reference, no need to include in the letter), here. Their reminder e-mail adds:

– You can keep your message short (no need for a LONG essay – a paragraph or two is sufficient)
– You do NOT need to physically sign your letter (just name and date at the end will do)
– If you have any specific questions, feel free to call Diane Priest, our crime victims’ advocate (206-684-7702)

The future of the Jade West Cafe, which Wah Wong ran as mostly a one-man show, remains undetermined; he and Jason are now continuing their recovery at home in Beacon Hill. We plan to be in court to cover the sentencing on Friday.

(Photo in this story is from 2008, courtesy Paul Sureddin)

8 Replies to "Jade West family crash sentencing: Deadline for support e-mail"

  • Sea February 10, 2010 (11:04 am)

    WSB,
    Do you have a link to the Wong’s facebook page? I would love to leave a message.

    Thank you.

  • miws February 10, 2010 (11:26 am)

    TR, at this point, should we e-mail the Judge and/or her Bailiff directly?

    Thanks for this reminder!

    .

    Mike

    • WSB February 10, 2010 (1:34 pm)

      Mike – the Wongs say specifically NOT to e-mail the judge directly – so go ahead with the procedure outlined in the links (and if any of those links don’t work, let me know) – TR

  • miws February 10, 2010 (1:44 pm)

    Thanks TR. I’ll e-m it directly to the Wongs’ addy!

    .

    Mike

  • old timer February 10, 2010 (1:55 pm)

    Where is this sentencing to take place?
    Downtown, or maybe Kent RJC?
    Thanks…

  • miws February 10, 2010 (5:41 pm)

    I got a reply from Ms. Priest a couple of hours ago, saying she had recevied 90 Letters of Impact!

    .

    old timer, it looks like it’s Downtown, in Courtroom W-842, Judge Julie Spector.

    .

    Mike

  • Ms Evelyn February 10, 2010 (7:07 pm)

    I am so sorry that the Wong’s have been hurt so much by the actions of this man! I pray so much that the judge does not allow them to be hurt again by giving this loser an unfairly short sentence when their lives are forever horribly changed!

    I am so glad to hear that Diane Priest is the families Victim’s Advocate. She helped my family tremendously with my brother’s murder case. I couldn’t have done it without her!! Yay Diane!!!

  • grr February 10, 2010 (7:55 pm)

    Indeed..I got a reply from Ms. Priest as well..Hopefully our support will have an impact and justice will be served. I visited Wah while he was in the nursing home. His inner strength is amazing. I wish them both a speedy and strong recovery. WS is just not the same without him.

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