Widow's presence sends message in cop killer case

I wasn't at the hearing this morning .. but here's what I know:

The news reports say that Ashford Thompson sat quietly and at times yawned during this morning's arraignment -- his first since being indicted with death penalty specifications in the shooting of Twinsburg Police officer Joshua Miktarian.

Wire copy indicates that Miktarian's widow, Holly, was also in the courtroom to observe and was quickly whisked away when it was over.

Her presence tells me a lot.

I've seen murder cases where the victim's family never comes to court because it's just too difficult to be in the same room with a killer who took their loved one.

I've also seen murder cases where the family never misses a single update, no matter how slight, and is always there to send a message to the killer that they won't get a moment's peace until they're held accountable.

That's what Holly Miktarian's presence at today's procedural arraignment tells me.

I can't imagine what that must be like for her, and no one would have thought twice if she'd skipped today's hearing because it was just be too difficult.

Only in this case, Holly is both a widow and also a fellow police officer. I can only guess that maybe she feels she needs to be there. For her and for Josh.

Twenty years ago, I barely had the courage to attend one hearing for my brother's killer. At the same courthouse as this morning's hearing, I came in as a 16-year-old kid still devastated with a senseless shooting that claimed my older brother, Brian. Seeing the man who pulled the trigger in the flesh .. just feet away from me .. shook me up big time. I can't imagine putting myself in that position over and over again with every court hearing.

Yet, some relatives do.

Holly Miktarian did this morning.

And if I were Ashford Thompson, I wouldn't get too comfortable in those courthouse chairs, because that heat that's coming from the back of the courtroom will only get hotter.