Abrams heads to prison

Deepa Bharath

SANTA ANA -- Pam Wiener’s anguished cries pierced the dead silence of

a packed courtroom Friday morning as Steven Allen Abrams was sentenced to

life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The sentencing brought to an end a 1 1/2-year ordeal for the families

of Brandon Weiner, 3, and Sierra Soto, 4, who were murdered May 3, 1999,

when Abrams, 39, plowed his monstrous 1967 Cadillac through the

Southcoast Early Childhood Learning Center’s playground in Costa Mesa.

Five others were injured in the tragic incident, and several small

children saw Abrams as he embarked on the psychotic rampage, trying to

pin down as many victims as he could.

Wiener and Eric Soto received one last chance to express their

feelings about the loss of their children.

“Our lives have been totally destroyed,” said Weiner, sobbing and

shaking uncontrollably as she addressed the court. “It’s destroyed my

family. It’s destroyed my marriage. There’s a hole in my heart, this

nothingness that no one can repair.”

Soto, who spoke calmly during his short speech, said talking about

what Sierra meant to him has not made him feel any better about his

daughter’s death.

“I don’t want [Abrams] to go back today and be proud of what he did,”

he said. “So I’m not going to say how his action has affected me. . . . I

hope he never gets out again and do this all over again and cause pain to

others.”

Sierra’s mother, Cindy Soto, did not attend the sentencing.

Abrams sat through the proceedings with his head bowed and displaying

no emotion, a pose he had maintained throughout the trial.

Abrams did not speak, but shook his head to indicate “no” when he was

asked if he wanted to explain himself.

Wearing a white shirt and khaki pants, with his long hair slicked

back, Abrams at one point slightly waved to his daughter, Stephanie

Abrams, who was sitting in the court gallery. Others present were his

sister, Janice Abrams, and brother, Joseph Abrams.

Weiner expressed disgust and anger as she chided Abrams and his family

for showing no signs of remorse.

“I don’t know how he and his family can live knowing what he has done

to us,” she said. “The holidays are here, and I don’t have my baby to

celebrate with and that’s not fair.

“I just hope he gets what he deserves because he is scum.”

Some of Abrams’ family members were in tears as Weiner and Soto spoke.

Superior Court Judge John Ryan said it was clear Abrams’ “intent was

to harm as many people” as he could. He ruled that Abrams should pay

funeral expenses -- $7,000 to the Sotos and $5,000 to the Wieners from

his prison salary.

“I based my decision on what I heard during the trial,” he said,

pointing out several aggravating factors in the case. “It has had a

tremendous impact on so many people. What about the psychological harm to

other children who witnessed the incident?”

The complex, three-month-long trial involved numerous witnesses,

including 18 psychiatrists who analyzed Abrams’ psyche in great depth and

detail.

At the end of the sentencing, bailiffs led Abrams from the courtroom.

A jury of 10 women and two men found Abrams guilty of the Aug. 24

crimes; the same jury on Oct. 23 found him to have been legally sane when

he killed the children and also recommended him the life sentence Nov. 1.

Richard Widman, a juror and Newport Beach resident who came to the

sentencing, said it was an “emotionally draining” process for him.

“We made tough decisions, but we worked well together as a jury,” he

said, adding that the jurors plan to meet for dinner after the holidays.

“But I feel no satisfaction because no sentence is a perfect sentence.”