[ THE ARAKAWA VERDICT ]

DEAN SENSUI / DSENSUI@STARBULLETIN.COM The mother and father of Dana Ambrose, Rollie (Rod) Ambrose, Susan Ambrose, and brother Nik Ambrose at the City Prosecutor's office during this morning's press conference. They were answering questions regarding the verdict against Clyde Arakawa who was convicted of killing Dana Ambrose in a drunk driving accident.

Verdict brings Ambroses
relief, but not closure

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By Treena Shapiro
tshapiro@starbulletin.com

Clyde Arakawa's guilty verdict is not enough to give the Ambrose family closure, but they said today they are relieved to put the manslaughter trial behind them.

"I don't think it's ever going to be closed. Dana's loss is just always going to be there," her father Rod said at a press conference called by the family. "It's just a matter of adjusting or dealing with it or making some meaning come out of it."

Rod Ambrose said the jury's verdict is a message to people who may drink and drive.

"The verdict yesterday is a vindication of Dana's legacy," Rod Ambrose said. "The consequences of driving under the influence are way, way too costly and the penalty should be very severe. The cost is so exceedingly high it's unbearable."

Dana's mother Susan, who cried out yesterday when the verdict was read, entered the press conference in good spirits, but soon had to fight back tears as she talked about moving forward. "We go now to dealing with our life with out Dana, and that's really difficult. She was really remarkable," she said. "She had such an outstanding future ahead of her and we know that this loss we're enduring perhaps may motivate people to continue to do the right thing and fight for justice."

The next step for the Ambrose family is to try to ensure that Arakawa receives the maximum 20 year prison term, and Susan Ambrose asked that people send letters of support to City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle's office.

Susan Ambrose declined to criticize the police department for the "courtesies" extended to Arakawa during the investigation. "I am not, nor is my family, going to blast one department because of the action of one person," she said.

"When you come across ... or you have a brush with evil, it's uncomfortable, it's discomforting," she said. "When you run across somebody like that you try to turn the other way and try not to deal with them. We've had to deal with this for 16 months and it's been a challenge."