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Narrator: 27-YEAR-OLD JAMIE HART
WAS LOSING FAITH THAT HE'D EVER LAY EYES
ON THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE --
UNTIL HE MET AN AMBITIOUS TEACHING ASSISTANT
NAMED MELISSA STREDNEY.
I FOUND HER QUITE ATTRACTIVE.
SHE WAS KIND OF QUIRKY, KIND OF FUNNY.
SHE SEEMED TO BE A FREE SPIRIT.
Bridges: JAMIE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER,
AND THIS IS THE WOMAN HE WANTED TO BE IN HIS LIFE.
Narrator: BUT BEHIND MELISSA'S PIXIE STYLE AND PRETTY FACE
WAS A TURBULENT PAST.
Zeyen: SHE WAS DEFINITELY IN A DOWNWARD SPIRAL.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE MIGHT DO NEXT.
Narrator: AND BY THE TIME JAMIE SAW WHAT SHE WAS IN FOR,
THERE WAS NO GETTING OUT.
JAMIE NEVER BELIEVED
THAT SHE WOULD GO TO THE EXTREME THAT SHE DID.
Hart: I SAID, "YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS."
I REMEMBER MY VISION GOING BLACK.
Narrator: WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE AND MARRIAGE,
THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS AS THEY SEEM.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
COLUMBUS, OHIO, RESIDENT JAMIE HART
HAD DONE HIS FAIR SHARE OF DATING,
BUT HAD NEVER FOUND THE ONE CONNECTION THAT CLICKED.
Hart: I WAS JUST KIND OF LOOKING FOR SOMEONE
TO GO ON A FEW DATES WITH AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANY CHEMISTRY.
Narrator: THE 27-YEAR-OLD COLLECTIONS AGENT ALWAYS TRIED
TO KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
SO IN THE EARLY SUMMER OF 2008,
WHILE WAITING FOR COFFEE AT HIS LOCAL CAFé,
JAMIE EXCHANGED SMILES WITH AN ATTRACTIVE GIRL IN LINE.
THE LINE WAS EXTREMELY LONG.
I MADE THE COMMENT,
"MA'AM, WE'RE GONNA BE HERE FOR AWHILE."
AND SHE KIND OF CHUCKLED AND SAID...
YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE.
AND WE JUST KIND OF STARTED TALKING BACK AND FORTH.
Narrator: THE YOUNG WOMAN INTRODUCED HERSELF
AS MELISSA STREDNEY.
AND WHEN THEIR COFFEE CAME,
JAMIE DECIDED TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING.
Hart: SO, WE JUST SAT DOWN
AND HAD A CONVERSATION FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO.
I FOUND HER QUITE ATTRACTIVE.
SHE SEEMED KIND OF QUIRKY, KIND OF FUNNY.
SHE SEEMED TO BE A FREE SPIRIT, BUT WELL ADJUSTED.
Narrator: AND JAMIE WAS IMPRESSED
BY THE 27-YEAR-OLD'S DRIVE AND AMBITION.
Hart: SHE HAD HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE ALREADY.
SHE WAS A GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT
FOR THE CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSITY HERE.
SHE HAD A LOT OF THINGS GOING FOR HER.
Narrator: AFTER EXCHANGING PHONE NUMBERS,
JAMIE WAS PLEASED WHEN MELISSA TEXTED HIM ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
ABOUT SEEING A MOVIE TOGETHER.
THE DATE WENT SO WELL, SOON, THE TWO WERE INSEPARABLE.
Hart: AS THE RELATIONSHIP PROGRESSED,
THERE WAS MORE AND MORE CHEMISTRY.
THIS IS THE BEST DATE I'VE EVER HAD!
I FOUND MYSELF FALLING IN LOVE WITH HER.
Narrator: BEFORE JAMIE KNEW IT,
HE AND MELISSA WERE IN A HOT AND HEAVY COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP
JUST A FEW MONTHS INTO DATING.
Bridges: HE WAS EXCITED AT THAT TIME,
BUT ME AND MY WIFE, WE WERE KIND OF TAKEN BACK
AS TO HOW SUDDEN THINGS WERE DEVELOPING
IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
BUT JAMIE SOUNDED EXTREMELY HAPPY.
Narrator: STILL, JAMIE WAS HESITANT
WHEN, AFTER SIX MONTHS TOGETHER,
MELISSA ASKED HIM TO MOVE IN WITH HER.
I WANT YOU TO MOVE IN WITH ME.
IT KIND OF SEEMED LIKE THE NATURAL PROGRESSION
OF HOW THE RELATIONSHIP WAS GOING.
BUT MELISSA WAS MOVING
A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY THAN I WAS READY TO DO.
Narrator: FOR THE FIRST TIME, JAMIE GENTLY PUT ON THE BRAKES.
AFTER ALL, THEY HADN'T BEEN THROUGH
ANY OF LIFE'S TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS YET,
THAT IS, UNTIL FEBRUARY THAT YEAR.
Hart: MELISSA TOLD ME
THAT SHE WAS GOING TO RESIGN HER POSITION FROM THE UNIVERSITY.
SHE DIDN'T REALLY GO INTO DETAIL WHY,
JUST SAID THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING
WITH HER AND SOME OF THE STUDENTS.
WHEN I KIND OF PROBED
ABOUT WHAT THE MISUNDERSTANDING WAS...
[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
...MELISSA WAS UPSET, ANGRY, SO I DIDN'T REALLY QUESTION IT.
Narrator: JAMIE WASN'T SURE WHAT TO THINK,
BUT AS THE WEEKS PASSED,
MELISSA COULDN'T SEEM TO STOP CRYING.
Hart: SHE TOLD ME
THAT SHE HAD DEPRESSION AND SOME ANXIETY ISSUES
THAT SHE WAS BATTLING WITH FOR A FEW YEARS.
SHE WENT INTO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR DEPRESSION.
SO, I'M LIKE, "THIS MUST BE A PRETTY BAD SPELL."
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
THAT DO BATTLE DEPRESSION,
SO IT WASN'T ANYTHING TO STOP ME FROM CONTINUING TO SEE HER.
Narrator: JAMIE WAS RELIEVED
WHEN MELISSA WAS DISCHARGED A WEEK LATER.
Hart: SHE WAS TAKING MEDICATION
AND SEEING A THERAPIST ONCE OR TWICE EVERY FEW WEEKS.
THAT ZEAL AND PASSION FOR LIFE RETURNED.
SHE SEEMED TO BE BACK TO HER NORMAL SELF.
Narrator: THEN MELISSA TOLD JAMIE
SHE HAD A BIG SURPRISE FOR HIM.
HEY.
Hart: SHE WAS AT MY APARTMENT.
SHE PRESENTED ME WITH A CARD.
I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU.
IT SAID, "CONGRATULATIONS. YOU'RE GOING TO BE A FATHER."
AND I'M LIKE, "WOW. ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S -- THAT'S EXCITING."
Narrator: JAMIE WAS EVEN MORE STUNNED
WHEN MELISSA SAID SHE WASN'T JUST PREGNANT,
SHE WAS EXPECTING TRIPLETS.
Hart: MY REACTION TO THAT WAS SHOCK.
IT WASN'T OUT OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITIES IN MY MIND
BECAUSE TWINS RUN IN MY FAMILY.
EVEN THOUGH I WAS WORRIED, LIKE, "HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THIS?"
BEING A FATHER WAS ONE OF MY DREAMS.
Narrator: BUT BEFORE LONG,
HIS EXCITEMENT WOULD TURN INTO HEARTACHE
AND THEN HORROR.
Bridges: EVERYWHERE HE WENT, SHE WOULD SHOW UP.
SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS DOING.
THIS WAS NOT THE PERSON I FELL IN LOVE WITH.
THIS WAS THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL.
Narrator: IN APRIL OF 2010,
JAMIE HART AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, MELISSA STREDNEY,
WERE EXPECTING TRIPLETS.
Hart: THERE'S THAT INITIAL SHOCK.
THERE WAS THAT SENSE
OF EXCITEMENT AND HAPPINESS THAT COMES WITH THAT.
HE WAS ECSTATIC, NERVOUS, FREAKED OUT --
EVERY EMOTION THAT YOU COULD FEEL,
AND HE REALLY TOOK THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY.
Narrator: AND SINCE MELISSA SEEMED
TO BE DOING SO WELL WITH HER ANTIDEPRESSANTS,
JAMIE FELT IT WAS TIME
TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP.
JAMIE MOVED IN WITH MELISSA,
AND THE COUPLE SET A WEDDING DATE
FOR OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR.
Bridges: I THOUGHT THINGS WERE JUST MOVING TOO FAST,
AND WE EVEN MENTIONED IT TO HIM.
"ARE YOU SURE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO THIS EARLY?"
HE SAID, "YEAH, THIS IS WHAT I WANT."
Narrator: AND AS JAMIE FOCUSED ON HIS FUTURE WITH MELISSA,
HE BECAME EVEN MORE EXCITED ABOUT BEING A FATHER.
Hart: I WANTED TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER.
THESE WERE MY CHILDREN THAT SHE WAS CARRYING,
SO I WANTED TO BE THERE FOR EVERY MILESTONE.
Narrator: BUT WHEN MELISSA STARTED SCHEDULING
PRENATAL VISITS WITHOUT HIM,
JAMIE COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL SLIGHTED.
THEY ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE WHEN I WAS WORKING
OR WHEN I HAD OTHER OBLIGATIONS.
I WOULD SAY, "IF YOU'RE HAVING AN APPOINTMENT, LET ME KNOW.
I CAN GET THOSE DAYS OFF."
AND SHE SAID SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BURDEN ME WITH THAT
BECAUSE WE WERE IN A LITTLE BIT OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY,
SO MISSING WORK WASN'T REALLY AN OPTION.
Narrator: BUT WHEN MELISSA SHUT JAMIE OUT OF A MAJOR PREGNANCY MILESTONE,
HE GREW FLAT-OUT ANGRY.
Hart: SOME TIME IN THE LATE STAGES OF THE FIRST TRIMESTER,
MELISSA TOLD ME THAT SHE GOT AN ULTRASOUND.
AND I WENT, "OH, AWESOME. CAN I SEE IT?"
SHE SAID, "WELL, MY DAD WANTED TO SEE IT,
AND I ALREADY MAILED IT TO HIM."
WHY WOULD YOU SEND ONE TO YOUR FATHER
AND NOT LET THE FATHER OF THE CHILDREN SEE IT?
AND I WAS QUITE UPSET THAT SHE DID THAT.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
I WANTED TO BE THERE FOR EVERY APPOINTMENT,
AND I MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
Narrator: SADLY, HE WOULDN'T GET THE CHANCE.
Hart: A FEW DAYS LATER, I CAME HOME,
AND MELISSA WAS DISTRAUGHT.
AND SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL THAT DAY,
AND THAT SHE ACTUALLY MISCARRIED.
I LOST THE BABIES.
[ CRYING ]
YOU KNOW, I DID MY BEST TO COMFORT HER.
I WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK.
BOTH OF US SHED A LOT OF TEARS THAT NIGHT.
Narrator: JAMIE BARELY HAD TIME TO FEEL HIS OWN GRIEF
BEFORE MELISSA PLUNGED BACK INTO A DARK DEPRESSION.
JAMIE EVEN FOUND HIMSELF
QUESTIONING HIS DESIRE TO GET MARRIED
NOW THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER EXPECTING.
Hart: I HAD SERIOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT ENDING THE ENGAGEMENT,
BUT I KIND OF THOUGHT TO END A RELATIONSHIP,
ESPECIALLY WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVED,
AFTER THEY HAD A MISCARRIAGE WOULD BE UNFORGIVABLE.
Walters: HE HAD ALREADY ASKED HER TO MARRY HIM,
AND HE WANTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING,
AS FAR AS NOT ABANDONING HER.
Narrator: THEN, ALMOST OVERNIGHT,
JAMIE SAW AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SIDE TO MELISSA.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
Hart: SHE WOULD CALL ME, LIKE, WORTHLESS.
JUST ANYTHING THAT SHE COULD THINK OF.
I WOULD JUST KIND OF ZONE HER OUT
AND NOT REALLY HEAR WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
WHAT DID YOU SAY?!
Narrator: UNTIL ONE NIGHT, WHEN MELISSA TOOK HER ABUSE
TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
Hart: IT WAS LIKE 2:00, 3:00 IN THE MORNING.
I WOKE UP, AND SHE WAS OVER TOP OF ME,
JUST SWINGING AWAY, PHYSICALLY ASSAULTING ME.
SHE WAS TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE.
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!
Narrator: BUT WHEN JAMIE TRIED TO LEAVE,
MELISSA SUDDENLY APOLOGIZED.
I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY!
Hart: SHE KIND OF MADE IT INTO, LIKE,
IF I WOULD HAVE LEFT, I WOULD BE ABANDONING HER.
Narrator: JAMIE DECIDED TO LET THE INCIDENT SLIDE,
BUT DESPITE HIS BEST EFFORTS AT KEEPING MELISSA CALM,
THERE WAS NO PEACE ON THE HORIZON.
AND BEFORE LONG, JAMIE WOULD REALIZE
HIS UNHAPPY FIANCéE WASN'T JUST MISERABLE, SHE WAS MONSTROUS.
Bridges: SHE WAS VERY ANGRY.
WHO KNEW WHAT SHE WAS CAPABLE OF?
IT WAS CRAZY.
HE NEVER BELIEVED THAT SHE WOULD DO THAT.
Hart: SHE KNEW WHERE I WOULD BE.
IT WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE SCARY.
I WAS THINKING,
"HOW MUCH LONGER CAN SHE DO THIS?"
Narrator: IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010,
JAMIE HART'S FIANCéE, MELISSA STREDNEY,
WAS BECOMING VOLATILE AFTER A MISCARRIAGE.
I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT ANYMORE!
Hart: SHE WAS VERBALLY ABUSING ME,
AND SHE WAS PHYSICALLY ASSAULTING ME.
[ INDISTINCT SHOUTING ]
EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS SUFFERING FROM DEPRESSION,
I WAS TURNING MORE AND MORE INTO THE VICTIM.
Walters: SHE WOULD THREATEN TO COMMIT SUICIDE IF HE LEFT.
I THINK HE HAD A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO HER.
HE REALLY WAS DEEP INTO THAT CAREGIVER ROLE.
Narrator: THEN ONE NIGHT,
JAMIE WOKE UP TO A FRIGHTENING SIGHT.
Hart: MELISSA WAS AWAKE.
AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING UP?"
I CAN'T SLEEP.
AND THEN I SEE THAT SHE HAS,
IN HER HANDS, A KITCHEN KNIFE.
I'M KIND OF DAZED AND CONFUSED.
I'M LIKE, "WHY DO YOU HAVE A KNIFE?"
HER ONLY RESPONSE WAS...
I CAN'T SLEEP. I CAN'T SLEEP.
Narrator: JAMIE STAYED CALM AND GENTLY TOOK THE KNIFE
FROM MELISSA'S HAND.
Hart: I WAS MORE CONCERNED SHE WAS GONNA HURT HERSELF THAN MYSELF.
I ENDED UP STAYING UP WITH HER THE REST OF THE NIGHT.
SHE EVENTUALLY KIND OF DOZED OFF.
Narrator: THE FOLLOWING MORNING,
JAMIE REACHED OUT TO MELISSA'S THERAPIST.
AND SOON, MELISSA WAS ON SOME NEW MEDICATION,
BUT JAMIE WAS TORN.
Hart: I WAS VERY UPSET.
THIS WOMAN WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
THAN THE WOMAN THAT I MET INITIALLY.
BUT I CAN'T ABANDON HER.
I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SHE WAS GONNA GET BY
IF I WOULD HAVE LEFT.
Narrator: BUT JUST A FEW DAYS LATER,
JAMIE FINALLY REACHED HIS BREAKING POINT.
Hart: ONE EVENING, I CAME HOME FROM GOING OUT WITH A FRIEND.
I NOTICED THAT MELISSA WAS GONE, WHICH WAS KIND OF STRANGE.
BUT I ALSO NOTICED SOME OF MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS WERE GONE.
THERE WERE MEMENTOS, PHOTOS,
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, TOTALLY MISSING.
I IMMEDIATELY CALLED HER
AND ASKED HER WHERE MY BELONGINGS WERE.
SHE JUST LAUGHED AND HUNG UP ON ME.
IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT
THAT I MADE THE DECISION THAT I HAD ENOUGH.
THESE WERE THINGS THAT I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO REPLACE.
SHE WAS STEALING MY MEMORIES.
I CALLED MY FATHER UP,
AND WE PACKED UP AS MUCH STUFF AS I COULD
IN MY CAR AND HIS CAR AND LEFT.
IT WAS A SEPARATION OF NOT ONLY ENDING THE RELATIONSHIP,
BUT ENDING HIM KNOWING MELISSA ALTOGETHER.
Narrator: BUT MELISSA WASN'T GOING TO LET JAMIE GO
WITHOUT A FIGHT.
Hart: SHE WAS STARTING TO SEND ME THREATENING MESSAGES,
SAYING THAT SHE WOULD FIND ME AND STAB ME.
THEY WERE ALWAYS OF PHYSICAL HARM.
SHE KNEW WHERE I WOULD BE AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY.
IT WAS BECOMING MORE AND MORE SCARY.
SHE WOULD SHOW UP ONE, TWO, SOMETIMES THREE TIMES A WEEK
AND TRY TO CONFRONT ME.
I STARTED TRYING TO ALTER MY PATTERNS
OR PLACES WHERE I WOULD BE.
Narrator: BUT MELISSA WOULD NOT BE IGNORED.
ON DECEMBER 14, 2010,
JAMIE BUNDLED UP AND DROVE INTO WORK.
AS HE EXITED HIS CAR,
BRACED AGAINST THE FREEZING WIND,
HE FOUND HIMSELF FACING SOMETHING MUCH COLDER.
Hart: I ONLY MADE IT ABOUT 10 FEET FROM MY CAR,
WHERE I WAS IMMEDIATELY STOPPED BY MELISSA.
I ASKED HER WHAT SHE WAS DOING HERE.
MELISSA TURNED TO ME AND SAID, "GET INTO MY CAR OR ELSE."
I HAVE TO TALK TO YOU!
AND I'M LIKE, "EXCUSE ME?"
Narrator: KNOWING INSTINCTIVELY NOT TO GET IN,
JAMIE ATTEMPTED TO REASON WITH MELISSA.
Hart: AND SHE PULLED OUT A SILVER AND BLACK HANDGUN.
I WAS SHOCKED, YOU KNOW, SCARED.
I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.
PLEASE PUT THE GUN AWAY."
AT THAT MOMENT, TIME KIND OF STOPPED FOR ME.
GET IN THE CAR!
[ SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY ]
WHEN IT WAS CLEAR TO HER
THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO GET INTO HER CAR, SHE SHOT ME.
[ GUNSHOT ]
I REMEMBER MY VISION GOING OUT BLACK.
[ CROWD SCREAMING ]
Narrator: PIERCED BY THE BULLET IN HIS LEFT EYE,
JAMIE'S LIGHT DIMMED AND HIS SIGHT VANISHED
AS MELISSA FLED THE SCENE.
[ TIRES SQUEAL ]
Zeyen: MELISSA IMMEDIATELY PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT.
EIGHT SEPARATE PEOPLE SAW THIS INCIDENT
AND ARE ALREADY ON THE PHONE WITH THE POLICE.
Narrator: EMERGENCY VEHICLES WERE DISPATCHED
AS AUTHORITIES HURDLED DOWN OHIO HIGHWAYS
TO FIND AND STOP AN ARMED MADWOMAN.
IT WAS LIKE PULLING A PIN ON A GRENADE.
[ SIREN WAILS ]
Zeyen: POLICE WERE CONVERGING ON THE AREA.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE MIGHT DO NEXT.
Narrator: ON DECEMBER 14, 2010,
POLICE WERE HUNTING JAMIE HART'S EX-FIANCéE, MELISSA STREDNEY,
AFTER SHE FIRED A BULLET INTO HIS FACE AND FLED.
WITHIN MINUTES, AN OFFICER LOCKED ONTO MELISSA'S CAR.
POLICE OFFICER PULLED OUT BEHIND HER,
LIGHTS AND SIRENS, SIGNALING HER TO PULL OVER.
SHE WOULD NOT STOP.
Narrator: AS MELISSA ACCELERATED TOWARDS A BUSY INTERSECTION,
THE QUICK-THINKING POLICEMAN MADE A TOUGH DECISION.
Zeyen: HE EXECUTED A MANEUVER
IN WHICH HE RAMMED THE BACK OF HER CAR.
[ TIRES SCREECH ]
[ GLASS SHATTERS ]
WITH GUNS DRAWN,
OTHER OFFICERS CONVERGED.
PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW!
THEY DIDN'T KNOW IF SHE STILL HAD THAT GUN IN THE CAR OR NOT.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE MIGHT DO NEXT.
THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL HER OUT OF THE CAR AT GUNPOINT
AND TAKE HER INTO CUSTODY AT THAT POINT.
Narrator: MELISSA SLOWLY SURRENDERED,
BUT THE GUN WAS MISSING.
Zeyen: MELISSA TOLD THE POLICE THAT,
AS SHE PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT
AND ONTO THE MAIN ROAD,
SHE HAD PITCHED THE GUN OUT THE WINDOW.
THEY STARTED WALKING
FROM THE POINT OF WHERE SHE LEFT THE BUSINESS
TO THE POINT OF WHERE SHE WAS ARRESTED,
AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND THE GUN.
Narrator: MELISSA WAS CHARGED WITH FIVE FELONIES,
INCLUDING ATTEMPTED *** AND KIDNAPPING.
MEANWHILE, JAMIE WAS RUSHED TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL.
Bridges: I WAS INSTANTLY IN SHOCK.
THAT WAS KIND OF A SLEEPLESS NIGHT FOR US.
WE WERE NUMB.
JAMIE, HE WAS JUST IN OUR PRAYERS.
Narrator: MIRACULOUSLY, JAMIE SURVIVED,
BUT THE BULLET HAD COMPLETELY DESTROYED HIS LEFT EYE,
SHATTERING HIS SKULL AND ENTERING THE BASE OF HIS TONGUE.
LUCKILY, THE BULLET NEVER PIERCED HIS BRAIN.
THEY HAD TO SURGICALLY REMOVE THE EYE.
IT WAS SHOCKING TO SEE HIM LAYING THERE.
IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL.
Narrator: JAMIE'S SIGHT RETURNED IN HIS RIGHT EYE,
AND AS HE HEALED,
HE BEGAN TO SEE THE FULL EXTENT OF MELISSA'S DECEPTIVE NATURE,
STARTING WITH THE MISUNDERSTANDING
WITH HER JOB AT THE UNIVERSITY.
Hart: MELISSA TOLD ME THAT SHE RESIGNED HER POSITION.
WHAT I LATER CAME TO FIND OUT
WAS SHE WAS FIRED FROM THE UNIVERSITY.
Narrator: APPARENTLY, MELISSA HAD ENCOURAGED HER LAB CLASS
TO CHEAT AND TO LEAVE EARLY.
WHEN SOME OF THE STUDENTS REPORTED HER,
SHE WENT ON THE OFFENSIVE.
Zeyen: SHE FOLLOWED UP
WITH MAKING THREATENING E-MAILS TO THE STUDENTS
TO THE POINT WHERE THE POLICE BECAME INVOLVED.
NO FORMAL CHARGES WERE FILED,
BUT SHE WAS DISMISSED FROM HER POSITION.
Narrator: AND JAMIE COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER
IF MELISSA HAD LIED ABOUT OTHER THINGS, TOO.
Hart: I ENDED UP HAVING DOUBTS
ABOUT WHETHER THE WHOLE PREGNANCY WAS MADE UP.
I WASN'T ABLE TO GO TO ANY OF THE DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS,
NEVER SAW THE ULTRASOUND.
I ONLY HAD HER WORD THAT SHE MISCARRIED.
Narrator: AS JAMIE TRIED
TO COME TO GRIPS WITH ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED,
MELISSA CLAIMED THE SHOOTING WAS AN ACCIDENT.
BUT WHEN WITNESSES REPORTED TO POLICE
THAT MELISSA AIMED TO KILL,
HER DEFENSE SHIFTED TO AN INSANITY PLEA.
SHE DESCRIBED A LIFELONG BATTLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
BUT MELISSA'S ACTIONS AFTER SHE SHOT JAMIE
LEFT HER DEFENSE FULL OF HOLES.
Zeyen: SHE FLED THE SCENE. SHE GOT RID OF THE EVIDENCE.
SHE WAS RATIONAL, AND SHE WAS GOAL DIRECTED.
THERE'S LOTS OF BIPOLAR PEOPLE OUT THERE
THAT DON'T COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES OF THIS NATURE.
SHE KNEW WHAT SHE DID WAS WRONG.
Narrator: ON JUNE 21, 2011,
JUST 6 MONTHS AFTER HER VICIOUS ATTACK,
MELISSA FINALLY ACCEPTED A PLEA DEAL
TO THE LESSER CHARGES OF FELONIOUS ASSAULT
AND TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE.
SHE WAS SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON.
Hart: I REALLY WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE 15 YEARS.
I THINK SHE USES HER MENTAL ILLNESS
AS AN EXCUSE FOR A LOT OF HER ACTIONS.
SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS DOING THAT DAY.
HER GOAL THAT DAY WAS TO END MY LIFE.
Narrator: TODAY, AFTER EIGHT SURGERIES,
JAMIE'S LEFT EYE SOCKET AND CHEEKBONE
HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY RECONSTRUCTED.
THEY ACTUALLY SPLIT HIS SKULL TO GO IN
AND TRY TO BUILD UP THE CHEEKBONES.
THAT'S PRETTY MAJOR SURGERY.
HE REALLY HUNG IN THERE.
HE'S VERY BRAVE.
Narrator: BUT THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE HAS BEEN FAR WORSE.
I'M VERY GUARDED.
I NOW HAVE ANXIETY,
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS, THE NIGHTMARES THAT I SUFFER.
Narrator: THOUGH HE'LL NEVER AGAIN SEE WITH HIS LEFT EYE,
JAMIE'S VISION OF HIS FUTURE IS CLEAR.
Hart: THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE, IT'S MADE ME MORE HUMBLE
IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS.
EVERY ONE OF US WANT TO BE HAPPY,
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M SEEKING NOW,
IS JUST HAPPINESS.