Behrman family finds some solace in court's ruling

MARTINSVILLE -- The tension in the Morgan County courtroom was thick Monday evening, the small, uncomfortable seats packed with a silent audience of friends, family and the media, all there to hear the ruling in the murder trial of John R. Myers II. \nAs they waited, Marilyn Behrman, sitting in the front row, reached over and patted her son Brian on the back, her other hand holding several squares of folded tissue in her lap. \nAfter 6 1/2 years, the man the Behrmans believed killed their daughter, IU sophomore Jill Behrman, was about to receive a verdict.\nBehrman disappeared May 31, 2000, after she went on an early morning bicycle ride. Her remains were found in 2003 by hunters near Paragon, Ind.\nOnly three jury members glanced toward the defendant's table as they filed in. With a calm demeanor, Myers, 31, stood and listened as Judge Christopher Burnham read the guilty verdict. As Burnham polled each juror to confirm his or her vote, members of the Behrman family broke down into tears. One of Myers' relatives could only shake her head as she listened to the litany of "yeses" from the jury members.\n"I love you, John," his brother Sam Myers said as John Myers, smiling, was led away in handcuffs. \nArms linked, the Myers family quickly exited the building with solemn faces. \nThe Behrman family's relief was palpable. Nancy Behrman, 78, Jill Behrman's grandmother, walked out of the courtroom and gave a thumbs-up with her right hand. \n"It's been an emotional roller-coaster ride," she said. \nJill Behrman's brother, Brian Behrman, 27, red-eyed, said that despite media coverage casting doubt on the prosecution's case, he "always had faith" in them and the jury. \n"I'm not surprised (by the verdict)," he said.\nJill Behrman's father, Eric Behrman, cried as he hugged the members of the prosecution team, all wearing yellow heart-shaped lapel pins with Jill's name on them. Even Indiana State Police 1st Sgt. David Bursten couldn't keep from tearing up. \n"There's probably about four prosecutors in the state of Indiana that would have done what (Sonnega) did," Bursten told the Behrman family as he wiped away tears with the backs of his hands. \n"I'm kind of relieved," Marilyn Behrman said, expressing concern for the many people who had testified against Myers. "I was just worried. What if he got 'not guilty'? How would we protect all of those people who came forward?"\nMarilyn Behrman said she was astonished by the many friends and members of the community who had reached out to help her family throughout the long search for her daughter and the killer.\n"Jill would have been so amazed that so many people cared this much," she said. "Everyone from day one did the best they could with what they had."\nA close group of Jill Behrman's friends hugged both inside and outside the courthouse.\n"I think we're at a loss of words," IU alumna Jillian Richards said, her eyes still watery. "We never thought we'd get justice for Jill."\nMarilyn Schwartzkopf, of Bloomington, who had been helping the family since the day Jill Behrman went missing, said she held her breath while the judge read the verdict.\n"I don't think anything has sunk in yet," she said.\nJill Behrman's grandfather, Lester Behrman, 78, gave some perspective to the joy his family was feeling.\n"Think about what (Myers') grandmother and (his) aunt did," he said, his voice cracking as he referenced the testimonies jurors said had the most impact in swaying their opinion. "We're glad they prayed about it"