Dateline,

Hearing that you are airing an update about Ryan's situation has me quite anxious and trying to figure out what your motivation/intentions are. The first program you did regarding Ryan was fair and pointed out alot of what was wrong with his case. And then the second program was a total flip and very damaging to him. I have to ask WHY? Was it all about your ratings with no regard to Ryan and his life? It sure looked that way.

I'm a 64 yr. old woman with two sons of my own who lives in Warren Co. and wish I didn't after this case. I've worked full time as an R.N. for 41 yrs...25 of those years in Level One Trauma Center Emergency Rooms; trained as a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE); obtained my Certification in Emergency Nursing; and completed step III out of IV of the Clinical Ladder. I left emergency nursing approx. ten years ago to work at an inpatient Hospice unit. But I think my experience in the E.R. speaks for itself. I mention the E.R. experience because anyone with any kind of medical training knows that the autopsy pictures shown of Sarah is exactly what someone looks like after an hour of CPR by an over zealous, inexperienced squad. Not murder!

Because I live close to where Ryan and Sarah lived I became interested in this case and casually followed it in the beginning. And then much more seriously as details emerged. I attended every day of trials two and three to see what if anything was so damning to Ryan and proved without a doubt that he harmed Sarah. As you well know there is NOTHING proving he is guilty of anything other than being a good hearted human being who used to trust those in authority. Look where that got him..... You and others seem to want to depict Ryan as a womanizer and using the support website as a dating service. Why don't you emphasize the fact that people of all ages and genders contacted him to show support. I can't tell you the broad spectrum of people I saw approach him in the lobby of the courthouse during the trials and identify themselves as so and so from the website and came to show him in person that they still supported him. Too bad you chose not to notice that when you were in the lobby talking with his defense team.

I could go on and on but would rather speak in person than in an e-mail. There are so many things that has prevented Ryan from getting a fair trial: 

1. Incompetent police: would you want a detective who lied about his qualifications to get his job and to be highly under trained investigating YOUR case? Why wasn't this turned over to a police presence/agency who had experience investigating homicides from the get go? Why charge Ryan with murder

2. TWO days after Sarah's death prior to a full investigation having taken place? How can police go back to a "crime scene" to gather evidence after the "scene" has been compromised by others getting things for Ryan.
    
3. Totally incompetent coroner...his testimony speaks for itself.
    
4. A judge so far removed from methods of communication that he doesn't comprehend that a juror being on facebook during the trial is a violation of his instructions.
    
5. Why can't the jury understand that unfortunately statistics support the fact that young people sometimes die unexpectedly? Just because Sarah was never diagnosed with a health issue doesn't mean she didn't suffer from one. She was NEVER TESTED for anything while alive.
    
6. How can Ryan EVER get a fair trial even at the appellate level when one of the judges is the very person who was working as the prosecutor who brought the original charges against him? She has polluted that whole system by now.

What does his relationship with Sarah Manherz and their son have to do with his story? He would not have even known Sarah M if this whole nightmare had not started. Had he been allowed to grieve normally for the death of Sarah Widmer being in a relationship and having a son two years later would not have been a big story.

All I am asking for in this note is for you to examine your intentions for continuing Ryan's story...look in the mirror and ask yourself if this is how you would want yourself or a family member treated/portrayed. I did not know Ryan prior to this whole unfortunate situation but have spent alot of time with him since. I waited in the park with him waiting for the verdict of the second trial. And was with him at his attorney's office when he got the news the third jury had a verdict. Ryan has always treated me with the utmost respect, courtesy and appreciation. I'm asking you to please do the same for him.

Ryan is a human being first and a story second.

Respectfully submitted,

An FRW supporter