What was most extraordinary about the "victim impact" statements delivered ahead of Isaiah Kalebu's life sentence today was how much kindness and compassion those statements contained.

“This is a case of extreme deliberate cruelty," said King County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brian McDonald as he introduced the speakers. "The cruelty in this case is particularly astonishing in light of the dignity of the [surviving] victim, Jennifer Hopper.”

The gap McDonald was referring to—the tremendous difference in empathic capacity that appears to exist between Kalebu and those whose lives he affected—was on unusually stark display this afternoon.

Norbert Butz, the father of Teresa Butz, who was raped and killed by Kalebu, spoke first.

He thanked the jury and the wider Seattle community and spoke of the joy of having Butz as a daughter. “I speak for my wife and her mother that, if we would have known something this horrible would happen with her in life, we would not give up the 39 years we had her."

He also spoke of how angry he had been with Kalebu—"You can’t imaging the thoughts that were going through mind about the defendant, for a long time"—but said he's now in a different place. “I just hope somewhere in his life that a light turns on and he acknowledges that he did a diabolical, dastardly deed," Norbert Butz said. “I’m not excusing him. I haven’t forgiven him. But I pray for his soul.”

Jim Butz, one of Teresa Butz's brothers, then spoke of the huge tangle of humanity that was once connected to his big sister, and has now become connected to the trial of her killer. “It’s a strange provenance that’s brought this whole group of human beings into a single room, and there’s a lot of stories represented here," Jim Butz said. "And in the wake of so much… wickedness that we can barely comprehend, I’ve found myself searching for some beauty and light.” He spoke of Teresa as a young woman, recalling how she "was really my protector—I was a weak kid, a scrawny kid."

Once as a scrawny young kid, he told the court, another neighborhood kid had stolen his bike. Teresa, he said, went and beat the kid up, stole his bike, and threw it in a pool. “She had a real strong sense of justice," Jim Butz said, to laughs.

Then he turned to Kalebu. “I don’t know you, and you don’t know me, and we’re just two human beings, and I don't know your back story" Jim Butz said. He quoted from Romans, spoke of everyone falling short of what's expected of them. "I’ve prayed for you every day since this happened," he concluded. “I hope I see you in heaven. I’m serious.”

Kalebu responded: “I’ll be there… God bless.”

Jim Butz did not respond to that.

Then Jennifer Hopper stood, thanked Judge Michael Hayden and "everyone—for protecting me and surrounding me when I needed it the most." She, too, eventually turned away from the judge to face Kalebu, who remained expressionless throughout.

“I did beg you for my life, and [Teresa] begged you for her life," Jennifer Hopper reminded Kalebu. "And I tried to show you our humanity." Given that, Hopper said: "I can’t understand how it would matter to you today, but I do say to you that I wish you peace, and I do not hate you. I am sorry for whatever in your life brought you to this.”

She said she wanted to tell him he had not broken her, but that the truth was more complicated. "Pieces of me are and always will be," she said, but added: "I will fight every day of my life to be as whole as I can.”

Then Ramona Brandes, Kalebu's defense attorney, stood.

"There’s not a lot, as a defense team, that we can say," Brandes told the court. "This has been a difficult case for all parties…. All I can say is this: We are in awe of the grace of Ms. Hopper and of the Butz family. We are saddened by the internal demons and delusions that Mr. Kalebu has struggled with, not just in the two years that we have known him, but also in the years leading up to this incident.

“We appreciate the voice that Ms. Hopper has given to women who have suffered through violence.

“We wish that everyone go in peace.”