SAN ANTONIO — In his closing statement to Judge Michael Mery, prosecutor David Lunan said Mark Howerton had never shown any remorse for beating Cayley Mandadi back in 2017. Instead, Lunan said, Howerton continued to deny any wrongdoing.
In arguing for the maximum sentence of 20 years in the case of aggravated assault that resulted in the death of the then-19-year-old Trinity University student, Lunan said 20 years is appropriate but not enough to protect society from a man who is likely to do more harm.
In making his case for a lenient sentence, Howerton asked permission to address the judge and was given a chance to explain himself.
After family members testified they had recently learned of Howerton's claims that he had been sexually assaulted as a young boy and never told anyone, Howerton told the judge that early experience led him into isolation and drug use. Howerton said he started having sex at an early age with a hardened attitude towards life, when what he really wanted was affection.
Howerton said he started using steroids at age 19 and would rationalize his choices when plagued by guilt by telling himself everyone was a sinner.
"I was broken," Howerton told the judge, going on to claim that over and over again he turned to sex, alcohol and drugs.
Speaking about his troubled relationship with Mandadi, Howerton said, "I didn't want her life to end. I tried to save her."
Howerton summed up his remarks by saying he continues to pray for the Mandadi family and that he was very sorry for what happened.
"I wish I could undo it all," he added.
Judge Mery listened carefully to Howerton's statement, but after taking a short break for a few minutes of review, he returned to the bench and assessed Howerton a 20-year sentence, a fine of $10,000, court costs and restitution to Cayley's parents and stepparents.
He went on to issue a permanent no-contact order for everyone in the extended family as well as those who reached out to the court in support of the Mandadi family. In all, more than 20 people were named who Howerton is banned from contacting whether by in-person, mail or social-media means, including after he's released from prison.
'Not seeking revenge'
Cayley's mother, Alison Steele, spoke first when it came time for victim impact remarks.
Steele said she was grateful for Cayley's whole life, saying her family is not the type to seek retribution.
"We're not seeking revenge. We all need to learn from this case. Every year in Texas a jetliner of women is killed by violent men," Steele said, while pleading for more protection for vulnerable women.
Steele said navigating the trial process with Cayley's college friends was inspiring, citing a new generation of Texas women that are making progress.
Saying Cayley was vulnerable but wanting to be independent as a college student, the family gave her space because that's what she wanted. But it turned deadly.
Steele said seeing all capital letters on Cayley's death certificate was a sobering moment.
"BEATEN TO DEATH is what it read," Steele said, adding that's the first thing she thinks about every morning and the last thing she considers every night.
"This trial has shaken me to the core, of who we are," Steele said. "We live in suburbs. We've never seen this before. If we don't learn from this, it will be somebody else's daughter next time."
Speaking with passionate conviction, Steele said, "The jury has spoken but our responsibility is to do whatever we can to stop this from happening to someone else."
Steele called her daughter's death "an unfamiliar evil we were all caught off guard by."
Steele said fighting to establish the CLEAR Alert system in Texas was one way she worked to honor her daughter's life. Similar to an AMBER Alert for abducted children, the program provides a way to help protect vulnerable adults.
The law applies to adults ages 18 to 65 who are determined by law enforcement to be in imminent danger.
Speaking about Howerton driving down the highway across Texas with a dying Cayley in the car, Steele said, "He passed a dozen highway signs. He would have realized he had been outed" if the program had been in effect at the time.
'We love you. We miss you.'
Cayley's stepfather, Lawrence Baitland, called Howerton a sociopath and a monster, saying the sentence was just "like a gardener pulling weeds, the people of Texas will rest well tonight."
Addressing Howerton directly, Baitland said: "You are a manipulative, violent abuser."
He added he was grateful to all the family members and friends who had been standing by the family as the years dragged by in the wait for justice.
"We love you. We miss you," Baitland said, promising to never forget Cayley. "Our pursuit of justice has only just begun."
Cayley's father, Talik Mandadi, began his remarks by saying he felt sorry for Howerton's parents, and that as a first-generation immigrant to America, he still loves this country.
"It's six years and I still struggle," Mandadi told the judge, fighting back tears. "To protect her was my only job and I wasn't there. Everyone tells me, 'It's not your fault,' but everything is lost."
Trinity classmate Ariana Conway told the judge Cayley's death has impacted virtually every part of her life.
"Everyone thinks of their college experience as the good old days," Conway said, adding: "Not me!"
Conway said she is still and may always be filled with guilt, shame and regret for not doing enough to save her friend.
"The impact is so profound, I can't explain it."
Conway ended her time on the stand by addressing Howerton directly with the admonition: "Enjoy prison!"
Another friend read a letter to Cayley, saying, "Your life was like a beacon of light and your absence is a void that can never be filled. I whisper prayers in the night to hear your voice one more time."
After the court was dismissed, defense attorney John Hunter said, "We continue to maintain that the decision to submit a lesser included (offense) was in error and we believe the evidence is legally insufficient to support that verdict. Mr. Howerton intends to appeal. We are confident that he will be vindicated on appeal."
Prosecutor Lunan rebutted.
"It was good for the family to be able to tell everyone that was around and listening what a special person she was and how important she was in all of their lives," Lunan said. "There's an appeal. It's part of the process. The judge was even-handed. I am not concerned with any errors."
Steele summarized her reaction to this part of the process by saying: "It may not have been a perfect verdict, but it was definitely a good sentence for this crime and for that we are very grateful."
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