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From Amazon.com description of "Justice Restored"
by Thomas Frank Christian:
Justice Restored is a true story of two young men who meet one early
morning in Albany, New York. Gary Geiger is an amateur athlete who works
the night shift at a motel close to New York's state capitol. Wayne
Blanchard is a high school drop out, on parole from a robbery of a pizza
delivery man back in Syracuse. Wayne and five of his partners decide to
rob the motel. They hear that due to tourism, there may be up to $50,
000 in the safe. In the course of the robbery they find only $150
dollars. Thinking they have knocked Gary out, the gang splits. Wayne
takes a final look in and sees Gary running to a door. Is he going to
pull an alarm? Wayne shoots, turns and runs to the getaway car. Gary is
seriously wounded. After leaving the state, Wayne is finally apprehended
and tried. Based on Gary's testimony, Wayne is convicted and sentenced
to twelve and one half to twenty-five years in prison. Gary suffers
post-traumatic stress for years and feels the only way he can finally
recover is to meet with Wayne in the correctional facility.
Dr. Thomas Christian from the New York State Unified Court System
prepares Gary and Wayne to have a victim and offender mediation. Home
Box Office hears about the meeting and receives permission from all
parties to film the encounter. After airing internationally, the program
is nominated for an Ace award. Gary is relieved and has his questions
answered and finds closure. He forgives Wayne and encourages him to
change his lifestyle. Wayne takes responsibility for his behavior and is
accountable to Gary for his actions. Gary now not only survives from the
trauma but thrives on it as he speaks to many schools, and community and
victims groups using the HBO video of the mediation as a teaching tool.
After serving twelve and on half years (the minimum sentence), Wayne was
up for parole consideration. Gary recommends Wayne get a second chance.
While out on parole, Wayne witnesses a drive by shooting and recognizes
the perpetrators. He comes to Gary and Dr. Christian to seek their
advice. Should he turn the people in and be labeled a "snitch" or stand
up for his community and testify against them. Wayne decides to repay
Gary and the community for his past crime and comes forward and
testifies. Two more predators are taken off the streets. Truly, a sense
of justice is now restored for both Gary Geiger and Wayne Blanchard.
Click here to go description of the HBO (later
purchased by A & E)
documentary "Confronting Evil" which features Gary Geiger.
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