The judge thanked the jurors, reminded everyone that sentencing would follow a separate proceeding, and instructed the parties about the next steps. The courtroom remained orderly. Harlan left slowly with Simone beside him. Outside, reporters called questions, including whether the former agent believed justice had been served. He stopped at a microphone only after the crowd settled enough that Lila could leave without being pushed by a camera operator.
"The jury has made its decision," Harlan said. "I respect the process and thank the witnesses who came forward. There are other people whose complaints deserve serious attention, and this verdict doesn't finish the work our town needs to do."
A reporter asked whether he was happy to see Derek ruined. Harlan looked directly at the questioner. "I am relieved that the court took what happened seriously. Ruin is not my ambition. Accountability is." He declined further questions and went home.
The sentencing hearing took place in late summer. Before it, the probation office prepared a report, and both sides filed arguments about the appropriate punishment under federal law. Derek's defense presented information about his family, his employment history, and the practical consequences of a prison sentence. The prosecution submitted a statement addressing the physical injury, the abuse of official authority, and the need for deterrence. Harlan prepared a victim-impact statement, then read it to Simone at his kitchen table and removed several sentences that sounded more like a verdict on Derek's entire character than a description of what the encounter had done to him.
He spoke at sentencing about the concrete aftermath. His chair had required extensive repairs, leaving him dependent upon unfamiliar equipment. He had missed several volunteer sessions and lived through nights when pain woke him unexpectedly. For weeks he had been startled by sudden braking sounds outside his house. More difficult than the physical symptoms was the awareness that a uniformed stranger had decided he was safe to hurt and became careful only after discovering his former title.
"I do not ask the court to punish him because I worked for the federal government," Harlan said. "I ask the court to recognize what happens when a public servant treats a citizen's dignity as optional. I had witnesses. I had a daughter who could help me. I had people who understood how to preserve evidence. Some people he stopped before me had none of those advantages."
The judge listened without interruption. When Derek was invited to speak, he apologized for the injury and said he had handled a stressful situation badly. He also spoke about losing his job and being separated from his children. For the first time, he did not explicitly use Harlan's former position as an explanation for his fear. Harlan noticed, but the apology still contained more about Derek's losses than the choice that had caused them. He did not feel obliged to decide whether it was sincere.