Goodman Letters of Support Part 1

8/2/2019 Goodman Letters of Support Part 1

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 15TH JUDICIAL CIRCUITOF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY

STATE OF FLORIDA,Plaintiff,

CAS EN o . 2 01 OCF 00 58 29AMBJUDGE JEFFREY COLBATH

v.JOHN GOODMAN,

Defendant.

LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROMFAMIL Y, FRIENDS, EMPLOYEES AND

BUSINESS ASSOCIATES OFJOHN B. GOODMAN

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IIIIApril 6, 2012II

IThe Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 20 IOCF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath:II My name is Harriett Goodman. I have four children, the youngest of my children being John B.Goodman. Needless to say, your honor, I have been devastated by my son's conviction. Obviously,a mother views her son in a different way than friends, colleagues, your honor and in this case, themedia and general public at large. I will try my best to accurately represent my son John.I

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Contrary to what has been reported, my children did not grow up in a life of privilege and were notspoiled or overindulged. We, like many regular folk, had very real challenges and overcame muchadversity through hard work, strong morals, faith and perseverance.John's humble upbringing played a large part in forming the person he is today. We have a lovingfamily that has been bounded by tradition, charity, honor and integrity. John has had many pastexperiences in adversity and has always learn lessons and grown from adversity moving forward.John has always been a people pleaser. Even as a small boy John has tried to be exceedingly helpfulto others, generous, kind and considerate.John has history of a lifetime of self-less dedication. He has been a committed son, father, brother,uncle and friend. He is devoted to his religion. I too have faith and I hope and pray that somehowthere will be some type of positive intervention which will lessen the nightmare that both the Wilsonfamily and my family endure each day.

IIIII unfortunately, witnessed the media's conviction of my son before actually going to court. Isubsequently endured the court trial and the unusually intense media frenzy which surrounded thetragic demise of two families. I can tell you for certain that this trial has changed me forever. It hasmade me a different person. I can no longer ever again look innocently at the media as presentingfacts or being fair, because I unfortunately know now the truth. I am beginning to loose faith inhumanity.Despite my physical limitations, r was in the court room every day in order to support my son.might be able to shed some light on certain subjects for the court.


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My son does not lie. My son does speak as he did on the stand, it was not an act or "drug induced" asthe prosecutor Ellen Roberts suggested. If you speak with my oldest son Greg, you will see that hespeaks the very same way. The very core of my son's being is about helping others. There isnothing that could destroy John's spirit more than the thought that people truly believe he left thescene of an accident and failed to give aid to someone in need. This is the antithesis of who John isat his very core. My son regularly employed a driver in the evening ifhe felt he might have alcohol.He is well known for advocating against drinking and driving. In fact, he often times had his drivertake home other people who he did not even know, who had been determined to have drank toomuch. This is a well known fact in the Wellington community. My son thought he was in a onevehicle accident, he would never call the 911 emergency number to help himself. When he stated onthe 911 call "this is a disaster" that is how he defines most things that go wrong. He is a verycatastrophic person due to his anxiety and always has been. He was scared to be "in big trouble"because he has never been in trouble and he has only ever followed the rules. Police lights wouldonly signify trouble to someone who has never been in trouble.

IIII As you can imagine this is a difficult letter for me given the charges that have led to my son'sconviction. I ask that you consider all the good that my son has done and do not allow this tragedy toovershadow all else.III

Your honor, there was much mention of my son's wealth however, I don't need to tell you that beingrich has nothing to do with monetary means. I would trade every dollar for this accident to havenever happened and for the Wilson family and my family to never have endured this trauma.I hope that you will not overlook -John's historical behavior and lifetime of philanthropy whenmaking your decision. Contrary to this conviction, John has lived his life as a law-abiding,productive citizen and I hope that you will not allow a tragic accident to erase everything that he hasdone over a lifetime to better the lives of others.III

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Sincerely,\ . -j--L c_c4c.;._.;.~L\\ .J~ " ' - i ~ ~ / \ . . - ' )

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Aprilll,2012

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 20 IOCF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath:My name is Hannah Jane Goodman and John Bailey Goodman is my uncle. I graduated in 2010 from Transylvania University with aBachelor's in Arts degree. I majored in Art, with a focus on photography, and minored in Spanish. I have had my photographs publishedin Blood-Horse Magazine as well as The Daily Racing Form both in print and online. During and after my college career I have spentsome time traveling to Africa, Europe and South America. I sit on our Family Foundation's board where I, along with my parents andsiblings, give back: to our community and other causes that are close to our hearts. Philanthropy and volunteering is very important to myfamily, and especially to myself. 1 s pent most of2011 volunteering my skills as a photographer to a group based in Tampa, Florida calledthe Wildlands Network. I followed their founder as he took us on a 7,500 mile trek from Key Largo, Florida to The Forillon NationalPark, Quebec to raise awareness for the need to create and protect natural wildways in the Eastern United States an d Canada. I will bejoining the group again in 2013 as he begins his trek through Western North America.I have known John Goodman my entire life. When I say my entire life, that is exactly what I mean. My Uncle John was there not only formy birth, but for the births of all three of my siblings. He and my father, his 10 years older brother, have always been very close. He isthe Godfather to my older brother, Hutton, as well as a supportive mentor in polo for both of my brothers. Hutton, Mary Jane, Bo and Ihave always looked up to our uncle as a kind and caring individual who would do anything for his family. We have always known thatshould we ever need him in any way he would be there for us in a heartbeat. I know this from personal experience. My father has hadmany health struggles throughout my life, one of the most serious was during February of2004, my junior year in high school. My olderbrother tends to be very protective of me and my younger siblings and tried not to worry us with the severity of my father's condition.There came a time, though, when Dad was in a coma, that we became aware that there was a very good chance that my dad was going todie. That terrifying time in my life is sort of a blur now, but one thing I do remember is my Uncle John dropping everything he hadgoing on in the peak season in Florida to come and be with our family and help in any way that he could. Sometimes we sat Sometimeswe cried. But, mostly we all prayed. Uncle John was the best support any of us could have imagined during that crisis. This is because heloves so wholly and passionately that we couldn't believe that with that much love surrounding him, my father could not pull through.Thankfully our prayers were answered and my father is still here to yell at me for fighting with my brothers, but I am mostly thankful forthe courage and support of my Uncle John Goodman when we needed it the most.Though being his adoring niece may make a person believe that I have a biased opinion of John Goodman's character, an account like theone I have just given is nothing but a truthful representation of the man who has been a wonderful uncle and friend throughout my life.He extends his caring not only to every member of his family but also to his friends and employees. Everyone who knows Uncle Johnknows that they can go to him with any problem big or small and he will help in any way he can. This is apparent in the way he hasgrown the International Polo Club into what it has become. There is little profit that comes from a business like IPC, but John keeps itrunning because he loves it as well as the people he has involved with it. He is also very proud of the village of Wellington and how ithas become an equine epicenter since the opening ofIPC. Not only did the club create almost 200 jobs, it exponentially increased thenumber of people coming to visit and work in Wellington especially during the four months of the peak polo season. Wellington'Ssuccess as a community is directly related to the foundation and growth of the International Polo Club. John cares deeply about thiscommunity, which is part of the reason he founded it in the first place. The club hosts numerous events throughout the season that benefitlocal as well as national charit ies.I am deeply sorry for the loss of Scott Patrick Wilson, and I cannot begin to imagine what his family has had to go through over the pasttwo years. I know that losing one of my siblings would be one of the most devastating experiences of my life and my prayers have beenwith the Wilson family every day since February 12,2010. I also know that the knowledge that he took this young man from his familyin what can only be described as a horrible accident has weighed on John Goodman since the moment he realized that this life had beentaken. My uncle is an extremely compassionate man, and there is no doubt in my mind that had he known Scott Wilson was in that canalhe would have risked his life to save him. I believe a prolonged prison sentence in this case would do more harm than good. The affectthis will have on the community will be devastating should his sentence be a lengthy one. Please consider all that I have said to you inthis letter when deciding the sentencing of John Bailey Goodman.Sincerely,t\~~~Hannah Jane Goodman


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T he H on o ra ble Je ffr ey C olb athS ta te o f F lo rid a v . Jo hn G oo dm anC a se N umbe r: 2 01 0CF 00 58 29AXXDe ar J ud ge Co lb at h:M y n am e is R ebecca G oodm an . I am John G oodm an 's s is ter - in -law . M y husban d, Greg G oodm an an d I have ra isedfour c hi Idren ages 19, 22, 25 an d 26. W e run a thoroughbred opera tion in Lexin gton , K en tucky. I ea rn ed a B Adegree in Span ish a n d a m in or in M athem atic s from the U niver s ity of A rizon a a n d a M BA from the U niver s ity ofH ouston . I ha ve w orked in the H ea lthc are an d B an kin g in dustr ies . I have served on the boa rd of S t. Joseph H ospita lin H ouston , Texas a nd am c ur ren tly on the board of Sayre Sc hool in Lexin gton , K en tuc ky. O ur Fam ily F oun da tionha s don ated m on ey to m an y en tities in volvin g E duc ation a nd H ealthc are. O ur c hildren ha ve been in volved in thep ro ces s o f s eek in g o ut, r es ea rc hin g a nd v is itin g the r ec ip ien ts o f the F ou nda tio n's d on atio ns . It is o f u tm os timpor tance to G reg an d m e tha t our c hildren un ders tan d the im por tan ce of givin g bac k.I have kn ow n John Goodman sin c e he w as a teen ager a n d have w itn essed his grow th from a fun -lovin g teen to akin d an d c om pa ssion ate m an . John is givin g a lm ost to a fa ult. W hether w ith his fa mily or w ith his em ployees , Johnen deavors to offer ass is tan ce w ith a nythin g an d everythin g tha t he possibly c an . Throughout the yea r s , John hasbeen a sourc e of s tren gth a nd s upport for m e an d m y c hildren durin g stressful tim es due to m y husban d's ser ioushea lth problem s an d surger ies . W hen I w as told by G reg's surgeon tha t his orga n s w ere shuttin g dow n an d he w asbein g plac ed on a respira tor I w as overw helm ed w ith fea r ! O ur doctotadvised m e to c all in a respon sible fam ilymem ber to take cha rge an d prepa re for the lon g road ahead. I c a lled John ! I KNEW that I could coun t on him forguida nc e a nd s upport, m en ta lly a nd s pir itua lly. H e did n ot let us dow n . K now in g John 's c arin g n ature, I am positivetha t he w ould have don e A NY TH IN G hum an ly possible to save Scott W ilson if he had kn ow n .John G oodm an has been a positive in fluen ce in W ellin gton 's grow th. The In tern ation al P olo C lub em ploys 130 fullseason em ployees a nd The W an derers C lub 80 full sea son em ployees . The in flux of people (players , groom s,veter in ar ian s etc .) eac h sea son c rea tes jobs for m an y an d reven ues for W ellin gton 's rea l es ta te busin ess as w ell a s theloc al res ta ura nts a nd reta il s tores . In a ddition , IPC is the bac kdrop for a t leas t a dozen c ha rity even ts per sea son . T hec lub m akes m an y don ation s to loc al c ha r ities as w ell. A len gthy pr ison s en ten ce c ould a dvers ely im pa ct theW ellin gto n c ommu nity a nd b eyo ndI w as w ith m y brother - in -law on the m orn in g after the a cc iden t. H e w as devasta ted w ith the rea liza tion tha t he hitScott W ilson 's c a r a n d tha t the youn g man had died. He sa id, " Oh my God .... I am sure tha t he w as a w onder fulyoun g m an ! H ow c an this be!"I have prayed everyday for G od to hea l the W ilson 's broken hea r ts for w e c an not ever begin to im agin e their pa in . Inthe days follow in g the a cc iden t, I w alked pa st Scott's Shrin e on m y w ay to m ass a t St. Therese an d m y hear t ac hedas I plac ed rosa ry bea ds a mon gst the m em orabilia . H avin g c hildren Sc ott's a ge, m ade it even more pa in ful! I w ishtha t I could have reac hed out to Sc ott's Fam ily. This w as truly a tragedy. I do n ot believe tha t a prolon ged prisonsen ten ce w ould serve a n y m ean in gful purpose! Sadly, n othin g ca n brin g Scott ba ck! B ut John ca n do so m uc h m oregiven the oppor tun ity a nd I kn ow tha t he w ould. Thank y ou fo r y our c on side ra tio n o n Jo hn 's b eh alf!

Sincerely,

~~~Rebe cc a Go odm an


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III ever met the Goodman family it is easy to see why John is such an amazing father, son andbrother. The entire Goodman family are incredibly kind, generous, loving people.

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Now I want to share a couple stories with you. It was Saturday, February 13th, the day after theaccident. John was very distraught about Scott Wilson. Family and friends began to call afterhearing the tragic news. Calls, texts and e-mail's began to flood to John's phone. I have neverseen such an outpouring of support in my life. It wasn't until that week that I really started tounderstand who John Goodman really was. I would listen to the conversations and voice mailswith amazement of how passionate they were to help John in any possible way they could. Andthe reason they wanted so desperately to help was because of all John had done for them andthe community. What all those phone calls, text and e-mail's proved to me that week was whata great human being John really is. There are so many people in Wellington that absolutelyadore John. I've always thought about how ironic it was that his last name was Goodmanbecause he is definitely a good man.

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A few weeks after the accident, John could not stop thinking about Scott Wilson. In memory ofScott, John bought a necklace engraved with Scott Wilson's initials. He has great remorse andsympathy for the Wilson family.

IIt would be a tremendous loss to the community and to everyone that loves John to have himincarcerated. There are a lot of bad people in this world. John is not one ofthem. John hasnever been in trouble with the law in the past under any circumstance. He is the kind of personthat would continue to do great things for the community. Please give him a chance.

II Sincerely,

~{~r\R~Heather Anne HutchinsII

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SUZETTE f:I ASSOCIATES

suzette NoreDus

April 9, 2012The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John CoodmanCase Number 2010CF00s829AXX

Dear Judge Colbath,My name is Suzette Norelius. I am a retired international flight attendant. I retired with 36 years of seniorityfrom United Airlines. During those yean Ils o started and currently own my own company as amanufacturer's representative. Previous to that Iheld positions of responsibility in national sales management.My daughter, Heather Hutchins (Colby), introduced me to John Goodman 3 years ago. He has been wonderfulto me and my family. He has been an exceptionally positive father figure to my two grandchildren, Isabellawho i s 12years old and JaI:le who is 9 years old. A short time 090, J


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II April 9, 2012I The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 201OCF005829AXXII Dear Judge Colbath:I

II am writing on behalf of Mr. John Goodman whose case is before your court forsentencing. I am a physician who has known John Goodman for the past ten years. I am aProfessor of Pediatric Oncology at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Texas. Forthe past 19 years I have been Director of Texas Children's Cancer Center, the country'slargest children's cancer center. Before that I was a Deputy Branch Chief of the PediatricOncology Branch at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.IIWhile I cannot comment on the case that brought John Goodman to your court, I canspeak to John's compassion for sick children, his innate goodness and his extremelycharitable nature. When I first met John he expressed interest in seeing our Children'sCancer Center and in getting involved in helping to support our cause. I am sure youwould agree that there are few causes as compelling as that of supporting research forchildren with cancer.I

III recall that John was in tears during his initial visit to our center. Itwas clear that seeingchildren afflicted with cancer had a profound effect on him. I believe it was atransformational experience. From that time onward John's commitment to support ourprogram has been consistent. Philanthropy is critically important for our patient care andresearch activities.

I Not only did John become an enduring supporter of our program, he encouraged hissiblings to help us as well. His sister Meg and his brother Greg have both helped ourcause. As a result we have been able to sustain and grow what is arguably the finestcenter of its type in the nation, one that offers great hope for children with cancer andblood diseases.III

John has always been there when we needed him. The waiting room in our outpatientclinic bears a plaque recognizing his and his family's outstanding generosity. In addition,John introduced me to members of the International Polo Club specifically to encouragetheir support for children's cancer research. Each year for the past 5 years, the Polo Clubhas donated the proceeds of its annual Polo Ball to the Curing Children's Cancer Fund, a501(c)(3) organization that supports childhood cancer research. This would never haveoccurred without John's generous and caring nature. Significant strides have been madetowards our goal of curing 100% of children with cancer, because of John's support.I During the entire time I have known John, his demeanor has always been caring andthoughtful and he has conducted himself with integrity. Over the years, I have workedI


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with numerous donors. Few have demonstrated John's level of compassion and concernfor sick children.I hope that this information is helpful to you as you consider John Goodman's sentence.Please feel free to contact me at the following number ~f I can provideany more information.

ISincerely,

~~Elise C. Young Professor of Pediatric OncologyChief, Hematology-Oncology SectionBaylor College of Medicine andDirector, Texas Children's Cancer Center

IIII Texas Children's HospitalTexas Children's Cancer and Hematology Centers6701 Fannin Street, Suite 1410Houston, Texas 77030IIIIIIIII


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GRAYCOPARTNERS

April 12, 2012

I The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida vs. John GoodmanCaseNumber: 2010CFOO5829AXXI Dear Judge Colbath,I

My name is Jeff Gray. I amthe President of Grayco Partners, a multifamily residential real estatedeveloper. I am a friend of John Goodman. I am respectfully writing to express my personal beliefsabout the trial and sentencing of John BGoodman. Firston the trial, asI understand the jury's findings,John Goodman was found guilty of both DWI manslaughter and not rendering aid. On the first charge Iwil l not dispute the findings of the jury in this trial. Dn the second, however, I unlike the jury haveknown John for 30 years. I don't believe for a minute that John Goodman failed to render aid or in anyway sought to flee the sceneof a crime where his actions could have savedScott Wilson's life. This isagainst John's nature. My strong conviction on such isbasedon my close, personal and intimateknowledge of the man that John Goodman is. John and I met more than 30 years ago. He, his ex-wife,Carroll, and kids, John and Betsy, grew to be like my family over the years. With the perspective that a30 year personal friendship provides, I am absolutely certain that John isnot nor has ever been the"billionaire polo playboy" asthe media has portrayed.

IIII Inthe late 1980's John joined his late father Harold and worked side-by-side in growing a true Americansuccessstory. Goodman Manufacturing grew from a blue collar start-up manufacturing company in the

1980's into a substantial enterprise in the 1990's. By 2000John and his late father Harold had createdone of America's greatest private companies. While other smokestack manufacturing companies acrossthe U.S.headed for Mexico, Koreaor other world economies to take advantage of low wages, johnremained in the U.S.and reinvested in the company. later, in the mid 1990'swith Harold Goodman'shealth waning and John being the only member of the family at work in the company, the attraction tosell out was very compelling. During those years John and I discussedthat option on many an eveningand he decided that the abili ty to continue to grow Goodman into the premier private manufacturingcompany in the U.S.was his passion. This sort of a commitment is again not what a "Billionaire PoloPlayboy" is all about.

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In 1994 John's first child, Betsy, was born after he and Carroll struggled for 10years to have children. In1998a second child, JohnJr., was born to the two loving parents. In the yearssince, I've spent a manyan evening and weekend with John and his family and havegained the same respect for him asa fatherasI had asa business leader. Hewas and has always been a good father; kind, generous and a humbleto all. By all, Imean the factory floor workers at Goodman, family members, friends and members ofthe community. That is not the type of person who leavesa young man to die.

Rut Estate D,vdopm,nt "nd lnuestmenr4 I I . _ 7 r . 3 I n _ _ n _ ? ~ , E LQt. tr f A X . ' " ' 1IW1 /.C RAYCOPARTNE RS.CO M


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Asthe yearsof my friendship with Johngrew, I was amazed again and again at the kind, decent andpassionateway he lead his life. After selling Goodman Manufacturing in 2002, John devoted himself toa new passion, Polo and equestrian interests. As I watched him single handedly transform and revitalizethe Wellington area, I was often amazed at his humble manner. The Polo and Equestrian world has lotsof big shots; John was certainly one but, that is not the way he conducted himself or dealt with others.Again I state the myth of the "Billionaire Polo Playboy"is untrue.

I I respectfully ask that you consider the model citizen that I know John to be. He is a good father,devoted businessman and generous phtlanthrcpic man whom I know and value asa life-long friend. Heisnot the man that the press and prosecutor have portrayed. For you to not examine the man that Irefer to would be to avoid the truth. This was truly a tragedy, but a sentence that takes into account thesecondcharge would be an equal one for John, his family and those whose lives he has positivelyaffected over the years. Johnwasting away injail will not undo the Wilson tragedy. John has and willcontinue to be a productive contributor to his family and community in the future. I believe the Courtshould be lenient with my friend.II I trust that when you examine the facts your sentencing will be appropriate. In the event you wouldI ?ike to contact me, I can be reached a (0) or & (C). Thank you for your timein allowing me to express my feelings about John.Respectfully,I J 2 f ! < ~PresidentIIII

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April 12, 2012

Melissa HornungIIII

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v, John GoodmanCaseNumber: 2010CF005829AXX

Dear JudgeColbath,

IMy name isMelissa Hornung. I'm a published, commissioned fine artist and part owner of a small poloclub in Wellington called Palms PoloClub. I am currently a seasonalresident of Wellington aswell. I f irstcame to Wellington asa child with my mother where I attended Rosarian Academy in Palm Beach beforereturning to my native state, NYto attend college and work as a fashion model. Wellington was neverfar from me though; my career asan international model and my avid equestrian enthusiasm hasbrought me back over the years again and again. I grew up on Palm BeachPoloand began playingtwelve years ago, despite the reputation of it being a sport known predominantly to men. Last year, myteam won the World Cupof Women's Polo Championship in Miami and we will compete once again onApril zs" to defend our title. Moving backto Wellington was the best move I have ever made. I havefound happiness and good friends, one being John Goodman.

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I f irst met John upon moving backto Wellington four seasonsago.We quickly became friends and Johnwas kind enough to show me around the "New and Improved" Wellington and all the developments thathad occurred while I had been living inother places. I was so impressed with the International Polo Cluband the polo community that once again was thriving since the "fall" of the old PalmBeach Polo Club.Before IPC,Palm Beach Polo Clubwaswhat Wellington was originally founded on. When it was sold,mainly for its real estate prospects and not polo, polo dissipated in the community and many of itsfollowers went to other places. Not until JohnGoodman shared his vision with the creation of IPCdidpolo in Wellington begin to thrive once again putting polo here and its people back on the map. I lookedaround and watched aspeople enjoyed themselves with their families in a placethat offers privatemembership but was also shared with the public, serving not only the community of Wellington but allof the communities that surround and beyond. It is known to everyone that john Goodman is of greateconomic status but much to the contrary of how he has been portrayed by the media, John choose toshare his great fortune with the world rather than keep it all to himself like most of the people in hisposition often do. Yes,polo is a hobby for the very wealthy, yet nowhere inthe world has one man buil ta place like IPC,attracting the highest level of the sport, bringing people of all nations to one communityand shared it with the world. Nowhere.

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In the four years that I have known john Goodman, I know him to bea man of great sincerity. He careswhat people think in an unselfish way of just needing to know that everyone ishappy and enjoyingthemselves. Farfrom the uncaring, superficial, elitist that he has been portrayed to be, John has achildlike innocence and embracesthe world and the people around him without thought. I stood bymany time aspeople approached him to ask for various favors and I watch how he extended his hand,his home and his heart to anyone who asked. This is not the uncaring and selfish playboy boy that theworld would like to believe him to be. That idea was created by an envious reality TV clad public, and thepresswho is always looking for a bigger story. The truth is, I am not sure what made John get into his carthat night, or what really happened, but I know for sure it was not for the intention of hurting anyone.Nomatter if for bad judgment, exhaustion, irresponsible act, or malfunction, for sure it was not for theintention of hurting a soul. What happened was the most horrible thing that could have ever beenpredicted and a most horrible circumstance of chance and for sure lives have been changed and one lifetaken. But where does that leave things. The sentence beginswith the irreversible fact that one mandied and the man that lived will forever be burdened with the guilt, pain and shame for his l ife time.Although I realize the law may not discriminate the person from the crime, I hope that you may take intoconsideration the nature of the man behind it, his intentions and value to society before throwing hisl ife to the gallows. I am one of many who believe whole heartedly that John did not see the car in thatditch. I know that hewould neverwalk away ifhe did.

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When I saw John for the first time after the accident, what I sawwas a roaming spirit. A once formidableman was reduced to an emaciated shell of his former self and the look that was in his eyes was not fearfor himself but rather, a deep sadnessand emotional pain for the life that was lost. The first words thatcame out of his mouth which haunted me most as I extended my arms to him were "I feel so bad, so badfor that family, so bad". There isone thing that I told him in that moment and the same thing that I havebeentelling him ever since;the one thing that I believe with complete conviction, John Goodman is agood man, a visionary, a man of greatness, one who cares for all people and that he was meant for greatthings, and that somewhere behind this whole nightmare, there has to be a deeper meaning then all ofthis sadness, all of this pain. There isno comparison for the pain of Scott's family or for the loss ofScott's life. Nothing can ever be done to replace a life or take away the loved ones pain. However,condemning a man like John Goodman to the hell of a Florida State prison filled with unconscionablemurderers, drug dealers and thieves for the duration of his young life seems somehow just anothertragic lossto society. Forsure Johnshould have to pay penance, but surely his life would be betterserved asa servant to the public somehow rather than wasting away in a public institution.

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For sure ever life was made for greater things and we will never forget the one life taken but I believethat something good cancome out of even the darkest tragedy.

IWith the Greatest Respect,~:-o


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II To: The HonorableJeffrey ColbathI Mrs. Lucas P. Van AlenII $II The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanII

Case Number: 2010CFOOS829AXX

Dear Judge Colbalth:III

My name is Juliet Van Alen. I am a resident of Palm Beach County, a wife and mother. I have anundergraduate degree from Williams College which was ranked the #2 liberal arts college in the nationthe year that I was accepted (1997) according to U.S. News and Wor ld Report. While there, I competedon the crew teamin the NCAA rowing championships in Sacramento, California. Currently, I own ajewelry design business with accounts across the country, including an account on Worth Avenue inPalm Beach. I have owned the business for 7 years.I I am a friend of John Goodman's and I have known him for 9 years. We met through my husband, whohas known John since they attended school together as teenagers. John is the godfather to our fouryear old son.I

IIAs a godfather, John has been loving and attentive. He delights in our son Lukie's laughter andspontaneity. He is happy to have our lively and energetic son running through his home and alwayswelcomes Lukie with a big hug. There are those who are more interested in their belongings and day today concerns to be encouraging and caring towards a young child. John is not one of them.

IIJohn's admirable qualities are not limited to his friends and family. The successful charitable events hehas held for the Curing Children's Cancer Fund and the Buoniccinti Fund to cure paralysis and spinal cordinjuries reflect his concern and care for the sick and less fortunate. He also possesses the creativity,drive and intellect that are reqllired to start and run multiple successful businesses. T he InternationalPalo C l u b and Wanderers Club In Wellington providej6bs for many people of varying skill revels Thesejobs enable individuals to support themselves and to provide for their families. There are plenty of


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thosewho are self-satisfied, who live off of their wealth with no inclination to contribute to the societyand culture around them. John isnot one of them.I amasking for leniency inJohn Goodman's sentencing because I believe that in many ways, John's lifehasbeendedicated to helping people. Heis always striving to improve himself and in turn he benefitsothers. I askyou respectfully, if John is imprisoned, what will Palm BeachCounty gain? What futureproducts of John's ingenuity will be lost? John isexceptional in his ability and passion to realize adream. I am fortunate enough to know him and I believe that if he is placed in prison, we as a societywill suffer a grave loss. Pleaseconsider my request for leniency.

Sincerely,

Juliet Van Alen


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Georgette Escobar2 ' & & 3-IIIIIII

The Honorable Jeffery ColbathState of Florida v.John GoodmanCase Number: 2010CF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath,

Myname is Georgette Escobar. I am 39 years old, a wife and mother of twoboys. I have known John Goodman for over 20 years. Myfamily and I are a part ofthe equestrian community residing and working inWellington Florida. MyhusbandLuis Escobar is a professional polo player who at this current time is playing for theCoca Cola polo team at the International Polo Club,the world-renowned polo clubthat John Goodman founded.

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For thousands of people John Goodman is an amazing man. Before Johndeveloped the international Polo dub, polo was being played for decades at thePalm Beach Polo and Country club. This club was the biggest and best club in theworld for many years until one day it sadly came to an end. Thousands of peoplefeared they would be out of jobs and polo would be coming to an end in WellingtonFlorida. John Goodman is the "savior" for polo in Wellington Florida so to speak. Toso many people he is a true hero! Solely for the love of the players and the sportJohn decided to development a new and improved polo club. This new club is biggerand better, and polo was saved inWellington Florida. To this day The InternationalPolo Club is by far the biggest and best polo club in the world. Not only did he savethe sport in Wellington, he also saved thousands of jobs, and so many personalinvestments. Thanks to John working class people like us were able to continue towork and survive.

IIJohn continued to do great things for the community, holding charity eventsat the International Polo Club, one event that holds a very special place in my heartThe Challenge OfThe Americas, an equestrian event that raises money for breast

cancer research. I am a breast cancer survivor and thanks to John, he has helped thecharity raise millions of dollars that has funded The Breast Cancer Research


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Foundation/Play For PINK.The Challenge OfThe Americas has been so successfulevery year with the help and support of John Goodman.

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This is who John Goodman really is. John is a man that's kind, caring,generous, and so very humble. So humble that he has been known to walk into theclub that he created and ask very shyly if there is a table for him. John is such adown to earth man who doesn't have a mean bone in his body. That's why it is sohard to think of John being locked up in a jail cell when there are so many really badpeople in this world that truly deserve to be behind bars. John is not one of thosereally bad guys. John is a good guy who made the first biggest mistake of his life.John was the cause of a fatal car accident that took a young man's life, but it was anaccident, not intentional, John Goodman would never intend to hurt anyone. Ifthecitizens of Palm Beach County personally knew the kind of man he truly is and allthe good things he has done for others, the people would have given him a chance tohave a fair trial here. Sadly, the people of Palm Beach County had made their mindsup very early on giving him such bad publicity, making it impossible for him to get afair trial. This is a man that doesn't deserve to be locked up for a long period of time.There must be a more civilized way for justice to be served. Perhaps, a shortersentence, in house arrest and community service. We are human, we all haveaccidents and we all make mistakes. John Goodman has to live with this one for therest of his life, that alone is a sentence!

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RICHARD W. PRYOR nApril 3, 2012

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 201OCF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath:

IIIMy name is Richard W. "Ricky" Pryor II. I am an investor and a board member of the KentCounty SPCA where Im currently on the nominating committee and was also the formerVice President. Iave served on the board of the American Red Cross for the DelmarvaPeninsula for I I years. I am a supporter and work as a fundraiser for numerous othercharitable organizations within the State of Delaware.

III

Im writing on behalf of my good friend for 30 years, John Goodman. He will be comingbefore Your Honor on April 30, 20 t 2 for sentencing. Imet John in the early 80's when hecame to Dover, Delaware to attend Wesley College where Ilso was a student. Ourfriendship was more than just being college friends as we both became very close with eachothers families as well. Ieel Im very capable of speaking o f John's integrity and his moralcharacter as we have remained close friends throughout these years.John is one of the most compassionate, thoughtful, sincere and generous individuals that Ihave ever had the pleasure of knowing. He has always supported his family, friends, and hismany charitable organizations. He has done so by not only offering his financial assistance,but also with his time and participation. Even though he hasn't lived in Delaware for over 25years, he continued to involve himself with all of the organizations he supported while livinghere. Iave always been able to count on John for his support not only for the charities butalso for my own personal endeavors.

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In closing, Ian't stress enough how remorseful John is for what happened the night ofFebruary 1 2 , 20 I O . He will live for the rest of his life with the knowledge of how thoseevents that occurred that evening will forever affect so many lives. Judge Colbath, Iealizehow difficult it will be for you to make such a life altering decision, especially not knowingJohn. Iope that this has given you some insight to whom John Goodman is as a person. Iam pleading for you to please consider the mostlenient sentence that is possible as John hasso much moreto offer in the community rather than being imprisoned. Lappreciate yourvalued time to read my letter; .. '. .

ISincerely;'" _. . ,~c;lp.P~/rRichard W. Pryor II ., ,


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Thursday, April OS, 2012Peter H. Alexander

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 20IOCFOO5829AXX

IDear Judge Colbath,Let me introduce myself. My name is Pete Alexander, and I am currently Sr. Vice President ofEngineering for Goodman Manufacturing Corporation based in Houston, Texas. In 1982 I moved toHouston to participate in the startup of Goodman Manufacturing with John Goodman's father HaroldGoodman. Through my professional relationship with Harold Goodman, I came to know John as aGoodman family member and business associate. My working relationship with John spanned overtwenty years, and for a period oftime after his father passed away (1998-2004) I worked directly forJohn. In those twenty plus years, I grew to know John as a caring, giving, and compassionate individualto all of those around him.This horrible accident has touched many lives and compels me to write this letter with a fullunderstanding and respect for our system of justice, but also as a result of the profound human tragedy ofthis event. As we all feel tremendous compassion for the family and friends of Scott Wilson, whose lifewas so unexpectedly cut short, we should also pause and have compassion for John as I believe he is anhonest and decent human being. We must ask ourselves how many times any of us have come close tobeing in a serious accident and how we would have reacted in such a traumatic, life-changing experience.This does not excuse John's actions, but it should cause us a measure of soul-searching and understandingof the situation.In closing, is there not some way that John can contribute to society in a positive way and ease the pain ofScott Wilson's loved ones?"Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving,tolerant with the weak, andforgiving with the wrong; for some time in your life you will be all of these."

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Sincerely,

Peter H. AlexanderSr. VP &President, Engineering

Manufacturing, Co., L.P.

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March 28, 2012

I The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCaseNumber: 201OCFOO5829AXXI Dear Judge Colbath:I I am an equine veterinarian in the Houston, Texas area and my client base are people that I have hadin my practice for 2Sto 45 years. I have been in practice for 45 years and have had the pleasure ofknowing and working with John Goodman for the last 25 years. I met John when he started to learnhow to play polo at the Houston Polo Club. I would like to think that I am a good judge of characterfrom my years of experience with all types of people, in all types of situations.John is a quiet and kind person. From the beginning of our relationship, he was the type of personthat asked good questions and listened to the answers. I have been around John in many differentcapacit ies, when hewas learning the game, working with his employees, at many social functions thatalways involved charitable events, hard action competit ive polo games and around his family.John has always been extremely kind and compassionate to everyone. I have never seen Johnintoxicated or anything but a gent leman. I bring up these points because I have read things in themedia that are uncharacteristic of the John that I know and respect. While being a successful businessman he is not what was described as a tycoon or playboy. That is not John. This is a man thatrespects his fellow man, his family and his friends. If anyone ever needs a helping hand, John isalways there but in a quiet and unassuming way. He does not do anything for attention or theaccolades of any celebrity status. John just cares about people and respects their space.

IIIII John took the reins of his father's ranch when he passed away. His primary goal was to continue theintegrity of the ranch with the emphasis of being a good steward of the land. Hewanted it to be therefor his family and friends to enjoy the country atmosphere. John has had many of the same

employees that he started with in the beginning. He listens to his employees and respects theirknowledge.II

II called John in the middle of the night to apprise him of a sick horse that needed emergency surgery.John was easy to reach, listened to me regarding the diagnosis, was compassionate to the needs ofthe horse, went forward with the surgery. He asked me to keep him informed but was clear that mydecision would be for the good of the horse and that I should know that he trusted my directives.John was most appreciative of what time it was and asked if there was anything else he could do tohelp me. He said he would come right then if I needed him. He wanted to personally thank me andmy tech for coming to the farm in the middle of the night. He called later to see if we were all ok andif there was anything else he could do.

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Page2, John Goodman / CaseNumber 2010CF005829AXX

When I see John at the farm he always asked how I am doing, how was my wife, asked how my sonwas doing, asked how my tech was doing, asked about her family in New Mexico. John alwaysremembered the last thing we had talked about and about the outcome of the situation. He is a manthat cares about others. Thesewere never idle remarks, they were personal and thoughtful.Iwould ask that you weigh the personal qualities of a caring and thoughtful man that Iknow in myheart is a good person when making your decisions. This was a horrific accident and Inow that Johnisdevastated by the loss of that young man. Hewill never forget that fateful night. Iknow that Johnwould never have left anyone in peril if he had had any idea that there was someone in need. John isa loving father of two children. He feels the pain of the family and friends. Please give him theopportunity to show his true feelings by making amends with the family and friends of Scott.Iknow that John wil l make a difference but he won't be able to do this by incarceration.I incerely thank you for your time and consideration regarding JohnGoodman. Iam available to talkwith you personally if you feel it necessary. You may contact me at my office or please feel free to callmy cell phone, st-. ' a a t your convenience.

d~#t!&~ K.Currie, VMDAC/ks


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I SANDRAT. CURRIEI CURRIEEQUINECUNICII March 29, 2012The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCaseNumber: 201OCF005829AXXI DearJudge Colbath:

II have personally known John Goodman for 25 years. My husband is aveterinarian that has takencare of his horses in Texas since John started riding at the Houston Polo Club. I am the office managerfor our veterinary clinic and have been involved in the horse business all of my life. When I wasintroduced to John, he was shy and polite. His shyness was intriguing to me. It was a quality that Ifelt was endearing. Here was someone that could have had a huge ego and could have imbibedhimself with selfish favors, he did not. John is truly a humble person. The more I got to know him,the more I realized this was a man that cared deeply about people. He cared about his family, friends,employees and strangers. This was evident by the many charitable events that he was involved in andpersonal interactions with people in need. John never did anything for notoriety and would want tobe as anonymous as possible. It was never about who he was or what it could do for him. His help isalways genuine.

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I have been involved with our local county fair, where John's ranch is located. I called John and askedhim if he wanted to support the local projects. John was happy to support the kids. He especiallywanted to help the kids that were in situations that his support would give them a leg up. Several ofthe fair projects even became pets at his home. John enjoyed hearing about the projects and thework the kids were doing,John is an adoring father. I have always enjoyed watching John interact with his children. He listensto them, he lets them express themselves. He is soft and gentle. These are qualities of a lovingfather.John Isan animal lover. He will call me and first apologize for bothering me, then explain to me thathe had a friend that has a dog with an issue, knowing that we only work on horses, would ask for areferral to someone that could help them. This happens often. John is always thinking of others.Since I have known and been around John for 25 years in many different situations, I have never seenhim anything but a gentle gentleman. I know in my heart this was a tragic accident. John will livewith this pain for the rest of his life. It is my belief that he will do something that will make a


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Page2, john Goodman/Case Number 2010CFOOS829AXX

difference. You can't bring this young man back but you can try to make a difference. Please giveJohnthe opportunity to make that difference.Irespectfully ask that you consider the many good things John has done and find forgiveness for anaccident that has changed so many lives. Iask that you consider what good he can do in the future.Iask that you give him the opportunity to make a difference. John is a good man and has a goodheart. He truly cares about people. "There by the grace of God go I."Thank you for your time, I respect your job and the task put before you. Please consider leniency forJohn, so that he can make something posit ive out of this tragic accident.If you have any questions regarding my statements, please call at your convenience. My cell numberis 7*

SC/ks


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ANToNIA Ax:SON JOHNSON

Stockholm, April 15, 2012

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v John GoodmanCase number 201 OCF005829AXX

Dear Judge Colbath,I am Chairman and Owner of the Axel Johnson Group, which I have run for the last 35 years.The Axel Johnson Group is now in the fourth and fifth generations. Our companies, head-quartered in Stockholm, Sweden, have businesses in Europe and the United States with acombined annual turnover of 15 billion USD and with close to 20.000 employees. Our credoas business owners is to take a long term perspective on the building of our businesses, tohave a strong personal commitment to what we are doing and to believe in the sustainabilityof our businesses as a guiding vision. You can find us at our websites: www.axeljohnson.se.www.axeljohnson.com, www.axfast.se, www.lovstastuterLcom, et al.I am a friend of John Goodman since a few years back, when we together decided to bringone of the world's finest dressage shows to Wellington and South Florida. Our company hasbeen the major sponsor of World Dressage Masters for the last four years based on my deepengagement in horses and the sport.My decision to join forces with John Goodman in introducing this high-level competition to theUnited States and Wellington was based on his reputation as a fine horseman, an entrepre-neur and a man of unusual personal commitment to the projects he runs. This choice provedright, as the World Dressage Masters shows in 2011 and 2012 were real successes inbringing some of the world's finest riders and great horses to Wellington.During this work I have come to know John Goodman well. We have had many conversa-tions about the ways, in which we can support young riders and develop the equestriansports for new generations of American and international sportsmen and -women. We havediscussed animal ethics. We have discussed how we can contribute to developing Wellingtoninto a community of new initiatives and caring for our young riders and equestrian students.John Goodman has inspired me to understand the American ideals of entrepreneurship andthe building of a community. With his quiet insistence he has been instrumental in having meand my family make the decision to move to Wellington as winter residents, living in our ownfarm together with part of our equestrian operations.

THE AXEL JOHNSON GROUP

POSTALADDRESS:P.O. Box 2 6 00 8 , S E -l0 0 4 1 S TOCJ (HOLM ,SWEDEN HEAD OFF IC E:V lllA GA TA N 6 P HONE : + 4 6 8 7 01 61 00
http://www.axeljohnson.se./http://www.axeljohnson.com%2C/http://www.axfast.se%2C/http://www.axfast.se%2C/http://www.axeljohnson.com%2C/http://www.axeljohnson.se./


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michael roque collinsApril 6. 2012The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v . John GoodmanCase Number: 2010CF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath:My name is Michael Collins. I am an art ist. serve as Artist in Residence at Houston Baptist University. and amalso the Director of the School of Art at HBU.It is with such sadness that I witnessed the verdict for John Goodman this past month. This was a horribleaccident. The loss of life and now sentencing John for whatever period of t ime is a continuing tragedy. I sendthis let ter in his support and in hopes that the court will take into considerat ion that John Goodman is a goodman and I know hasgreat remorse for this accident.I have been friends with John Goodman for over 30 years. My father. Mr. Lowell D. Collins dated Ms. HarrietGoodman. John Goodman's mother. for the last 25 years of his life. My father passed away in 2003 and as aresult of his close relationship to Ms. Goodman, we saw John as family, thus enabling me to know John verywell.Over these many years my father and I witnessed John's growth as a college graduate, loving husband andfather, and hardworking business man in his family business, and in the polo arena.We have always known himto be kind. patient, and conscientious with his time and always a gentleman. He and my father traveled andexplored art together. and he also, always showed interest in the side of the art world that I, as a painter, couldshare with him. Through these years we watched John's developing passion and resulting intellectual capacityfor the arts and as a result feel these traits serve as signs of his ability and desire to serve and cult ivate higheraspirations of our shared humanity and our shared cultural advancement.I feel that in knowing John as I do. this accident has presented a turning point for him on so many levels andthat the magnitude of good which can emerge from this tragedy through John will be immeasurable. This lifechanging event is something that he will bear with great regret for the remainder of his life but I believe that theheightened sense of responsibility that John already realizes, will lead to a greater good within John.Sometimes bad things happen to very good people. In John Goodman's case the loss of life which he isresponsible for is a tragic life lesson. As I know him to be a sensitive loving human being, I am hopeful that thisheartbreaking experience will not let him lose sight of the many good things he has been responsible for in thepast and that he will be inspired with the right focus and clarity to accomplish great things in the future for thoseless fortunate.Although we have not seen John since before the accident, we continue to visit with his mother and know howmuch his entire family is suffering from this experience. They are broken hearted over the loss of life and thepain it has brought to many. I know they share in the immense pain the Wilson family is going through and theynow grieve as John faces his sentencing.It would be my wish that his many posit ive qualit ies and abil it ies that I know him to possess, should be carefullyweighed and taken into account when considering his future as a result of this event.

~e~Michael Roque Collins

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ICarol F. Cohen

April 12,2012

I The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 2010CFOO5829AXXI Dear Judge Colbath:I My name is Carol F. Cohen.l am the widow of the late Alan N. Cohen, who died in2004. Alan attended Columbia University, Columbia Law School, was a prominentbusinessman and owner of the Boston Celtics and the New Jersey Nets. He wasChairman of the Board of Madison Square Garden, Executive Vice President of WarnerCommunications, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the NBA and one of the fathersof the salary cap. Alan was well known for his high standards, charity and moralcompass.

II I attended Sarah Lawrence College, where I studied Art History. I served on the Boardsof both the Katonah Museum of Art in New York and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Iwas Vice President of the Women's Division of the South Palm Beach County JewishFederation and Chair of the Butterfly Campaign for the Holocaust Museum in

Washington, D. C. I am presently on the Board of the Palm Beach County SherriffsFoundation and the Board of Overseers of Columbia Law School.

IIn 1999, Alan and I built our first horse farm, "Two Swans Farm," in Wellington. WhenAlan became ill, we sold it and built the second "Two Swans Farm" for our daughterRebecca and myself. Rebecca is sixteen years old and an equestrian; she was eight yearsold when Alan passed away.

II am extremely active in the Wellington equestrian community as well as theinternational dressage community. I own one of the top European breeding stallions,whose progeny includes two contenders for the U. S. Olympic team, one of which isgoing to the 2012 World Cup. My daughter Rebecca is ranked third inthe country; shecompeted in the North American Jr. Young Rider Championship, winning a BronzeMedal at the age of fourteen in 2010.I

Phone _ Cell~. Email: F:l0ne:~ fax:


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I have kn ow n John Goodm an , both soc ia lly an d profession ally, for the past six yea rs . H isp er son a l i n ve s tmen ts inWellirtgton's state o f the a r t e qu es tr ia n s po rts fa c ilitie s and eventshave helped to tran sform this com mun ity in to the "Rom e" of the sport horse w or ld.T ha nks to John 's effor ts , c oun tless youn g people have been in troduc ed to equestr ia nspor ts , jobs ha ve been c rea ted, m on ey raised fo r ~ l\~ ti es , and t a x . r ev en u es g en e ra te d.In addition to brin gin g w or ld c la ss polo to the In tern ation al Polo Club, w hich he open edin 2 002 , Jo hn has been a ctive in the FT I W in ter E questr ia n Festiva l held a nn ua lly a tW ellin gto n's P alm B ea ch In ter na tio na l E ques tr ia n C en ter . Jo hn s in gle-ha ndedlyre:volutio~ dre~e in the United States w hen he carne t o tile l\ id o f iln. i n ternat ionalc om petition tw o year s a go. W orld D ressa ge M asters , the w or ld's prem ier dressa ge c irc uit,offers $125,000 U S in pr ize m on ey an d draw s top riders from allover the w orld. TheW ellin gton even t is the on ly N orth Am eric an leg of the tourn am en t's c ircuit W hen it wasc an celled in 2010. John G oodm an stepped in an d saved it by person ally footin g the bill.In resc uin g this even t, he brought Europea n r iders to our c ommun ity, a nd W ellin gton hassin ce bec om e a per ma nen t part o f the w or ld c ir cuitJohn is n ot on ly a good leader an d bus in essman , but a good hum an bein g as w ell. Hekn ew the dea th of m y husban d was diffic ult, s ho wed gen uin e c on cer n fo r m y w ell-bein g,an d a lw ays took the time to lis ten . Keen ly aw are of how hard it w as for my daughterRebecca to cope w ith the loss of her fa ther , he n ever fa iled to in quire about her as w ell.John is a kind, c ar in g a nd c om pa ssion ate person . H is per son al, a nd even his busin essin ves tm en ts , ha ve a ll helped people, a nim als a nd the en tire c ommun ity. John givesgen erously to m an y c ha rities , in cludin g the V in cer em os Thera peutic Ridin g C en ter , w ithw hic h I a m person ally in volved. V in cerem os provides equin e thera py for autis tic an dm en ta lly a nd phys ic ally dis abled c hildr en . Jo hn has n ever sa id no w hen w e have askedfor help. John open s his hea r t to man y, an d w hen he open s his home, it is n ot just tow ea lthy polo fr ien ds, but a lso to the groom s, their w ives, their c hildren a nd even theirdo gs . H is gen er os ity is in clus ive. n ot exc lus ive.On a person al level. John is a quiet an d som ew hat shy per son w ho n ever puts him self inthe spotlight. A lthough he does n ot come from a humble backgroun d, he n ever brags. Hehas a lw ays prefer red to rem ain in the backgroun d, m edia tin g an d mak ing th in g s h ap pe n .This man is a vision a ry an d a voice of reason , w ho in his ow n quiet w ay leads people byb rin g in g th em toge th er , sharing the vision , a nd m akin g grea t thin gs ha ppen .John Goodm an is n ot a horr ible person ; he is kin d, direc t an d hon est Through my ow nloss of my beloved husban d, I have been the vic tim of fraud in w hich Larry Sa lan der ofS ala nder O 'R eilly G aller ies . the #1 art dea ler in the w orld, s tole a ll of our art collection,sold it a nd kept the mon ey in an art Pon zi sc am . My testimony in New York to a GrandJury heJped put Sa lan der in ja il for sixteen yea rs . There w as a lw ays a feelin g w hen I m etMr. Salan der tha t som ethin g w as w ron g, tha t he w as disin gen uous, a lia r . John Goodm andoes n ot evoke tha t feelin g of suspic ion w hen you m eet him . There is n othin g phon yabout him. M y in stin c t, an d I am hoping yours as w ell, is tha t John is a good man and tha tyea rs of in ca rcera tion w ill on ly result in yet an other tragic loss , n ot on ly for John , buta ls o for our c ommun ity and the m an y people he has h elp ed a n d in s pir ed .

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I am a mother an d w ould n ever w an t to be inMrs. Wils on 's po sitio n. I feel ter rib le for herloss. K now in g John w ell, Im cer ta in tha t had he kn ow n Scott W ilson was inth e c an a l,h e w o uld not have hes it ate d to help him . W e horse people a re n ot faint of hea rt; our ban kac coun ts do n ot defin e us inour spor t or in our hearts. W e all w ork w ith th e horses an dw e a ll sh ovel manu re . You canno t be a par t of the horse w o rld w ithou t w o rk in gp hy sic ally h ar d and getting dirty. We a re a ll th e s ame. Whe th er jum pin g o ver six footfences , riding dr essage, or pla yin g polo, w e are tough, w e persevere, a n d w e go th e extram ile. This is w hy I am certa in John n ever w ould have left an yon e inneed.I

IJohn does n ot live ina fancy house in Palm Beach. He lives on a fa rm n ext to h is h or se s,as Io. To w ork suc cessfully w ith horses , as John has a ll his life, on e m ust ha ve bothpa ss ion an d c om passion . H or ses a re sensitive animals w ith huge hear ts ; they c a n no t an dw ill n ot bon d with a h um an t hey do n ot trust. John has dedic ated him self to w or kin g w itht h e se an ima ls and to helpin g people fr om all walks of life. H e is a good man and he has avery big heart.Y our hon or , I r espec tfully ask you for len ien cy in s en ten c in g Jo hn G oo dm an . P lea se.T wo fam ilies ha ve already been des troyed. Sen din g John aw ay for yea rs an d yea rs w illh ur t ou r en tir e community. So m uc h w ill be lo st w i th ou t him her e. Please, fr om m y hear t,save him.I

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rr;::~~Caro l F. Cohen

CFCljdb

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T I M O T H Y F . K E L L YP r e l i J e n t

April 12,2012

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Nwnber: 201 OCF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath:My name is Timothy F. Kelly. I am President and CEO of Lockton Companies, LLC inHouston, Texas. Lockton is a privately held insurance and risk management business with 58locations in the U.S. and rest of the world.In 1992, I first met John Goodman at the Houston Polo Club. As a novice player with priorhorse experience but limited resources, I took care of my horses. John was often around thebarns and he observed that my interest in the sport was clear, but I did not have the resources ofmany others in the sport. John told me that he admired how hard I was working in both mybusiness and with horses. He had nothing to gain in striking up a friendship with me and thistrait is indicative of behavior John has displayed many times in the 20 years since we first met.He later offered and sold me a horse at a fraction of its value - a horse that helped me and manyothers learn the sport. John had no obligation whatsoever to help me other than he recognizedthat with a little help I might become a contributor to the sport.As an early stage entrepreneur, I worked very hard on my business and John shared hisexperiences in working for his father's company - Goodman Manufacturing. His small officewith threadbare carpet seemed at odds with the growing success of Goodman, but not with hispersonality. He introduced me to his father in an effort to help me and my colleagues pursuebusiness opportunities with Goodman.John's father was an extremely demanding and hard driving business leader. He was innovativeand almost obsessively focused on being the lowest cost producer regardless of the impact thatsome decisions might cause. The pressure and toll on John was obvious, but he was dedicatedand determined to help the company improve manufacturing in and outside of the U.S.When Mr. Goodman died, John took over leadership. Like many other closely held privatecompanies with a larger than life founder/leader, Goodman was successful but unprepared for asudden leadership change. John stepped up and he immediately began making changes to

L oc K TO N COM PA NI ES O F HOU ST ON , I N C ..: m r I F A X I .


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improve the workplace and environment for employees. He asked me and my colleagues totake a look at the risk management and safety programs. His trust in us and his willingness totake a different approach led to significant cost savings and process improvements designed toreduce employee injuries. John was very concerned and focused on making Goodman a valueleader and a safe place to work. His genuine concern for the welfare of employees representeda change and fresh approach for the company.John had his challenges along the way and his reserved and occasionally awkward personalitywere obstacles he struggled to overcome. He sometimes stuttered in meetings and for peoplewho did not know him, it was and is easy to mistake these traits and behavior as aloofness orarrogance. Nothing could be further from the truth. John is simply awkward in situationswhere small talk or groups of people he doesn't know well are present.Community involvement has always been important to John. He has led countless benefits andevents inspiring others to become involved in Child Advocates, Casa de Esperanza, CovenantHouse and other worthy causes. He gave his money and time and more importantly he hasencouraged others to do the same.Another example of his kindness comes from the polo field. After many years of hard work,my business and resources enabled me to play in one of the oldest tournaments in the history ofpolo. John had won this tournament previously, but it was the one and only time I would be ina position to play and we both made it to the finals. Weather and hurricanes prevented thefinish in Houston and the only option appeared to be for our team to forfeit. John volunteered asolution - he offered to host the final in Wellington and he provided stabling, housing and otherassistance free of charge. This act of kindness, just like his behavior many years before inselling me my first real horse, are indicative of the true character, kindness and consideration ofothers that John has displayed in the 20 plus years I have known him.Less than 10 days before the tragic accident, John hosted a dinner at his home in Wellington.We talked about some of the opportunities and challenges we have faced. His recent divorceand the naturally associated difficulties of maintaining and further developing his relationshipwith his children were front of mind for him and he expressed that he had been working hard onself improvement. I, likewise, was going through a divorce and his genuine concern wasevident. He was relaxed, composed and other than a glass of wine consumed no other alcoholthat I observed.The loss of Scott Wilson is a tragedy. I and other friends of John Goodman share the grief ofthe Wilson family. We have questioned how we could have helped prevent this tragedy, orbetter yet help prevent this from happening again. While Scott's loss is tragic, equally tragic isthe potential loss of John Goodman for an extended incarceration. As the court determines theappropriate punishment, I request that your honor please consider the past behavior andrepeated acts of kindness of John Goodman.There is also an opportunity to help prevent these types of accidents through education,alternative transportation for impaired individuals, and encouraging those with alcohol


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Iproblems to seek counseling. John could be a significant part of any effort and your honor maybe assured that the many friends John has helped along the way will support whatever effort thecourt deems appropriate.Respectfully submitted,

Timothy F. KOffice:Mobile:Email:


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II PAUL WILLIAM HOBBY. . . . - " 1 1II

Telephone I IFayR It

April 5, 2012

IThe Honorable Jeffrey ColbathRoom: 11.2213Main Judicial Complex205 N. Dixie HighwayWest Palm Beach, Fl 33401IIRE: Stateof Florida v. John GoodmanCaseNumber: 2010CF005829AXXIIIIIIIII

Dear Judge Colbath.Please considerthis a letter in reference to the upcoming sentencing hearing in the above captioned matter.I am a former Assistant United States Attorney who has a long personal relationship with John Goodmanthrough the sport of polo and other common social interests here in Houston. The loss of life in this matter isforemost in my mind at all times, and nothing herein should distract from the fact that a young man of greatpromise was lost. Our criminal justice system requires a fair trial and, in the event of conviction, societydemands a price for the act that took his life. That is of course where we are, and it is left to you to take allthe circumstances into account as you determine what that price should be.Perhaps the only value I can add to your deliberation is many years of experience in John's company, andthe grasp of his essence that necessarily yields. John is a kind soul and loyal friend to many. He is painfullyshy, to a fault at times. The point there is that when John does generous things for people (and there aremany acts of medical mercy. self-fess service to his fellow man and simple personal generosity) it wasnever for attention or acclaim. John's ability to receive a simple compliment, for example, is often clumsilysubsumed by his want to deflect attention to others. If you are quite properly trying to ask yourself if this is aman who is fundamentally malicious or evil, I can report with every confidence that he is neither. He hasand will pay a terrible price for failing to tame his personal demons, but is he a danger to the community?My opinion is no, I don't believe that reckless living will ever be part of his life again. Will a maximumsentence increase the chance of his rehabilitation? I do not think that the marginal years in his range ofpossible incarceration will serve any legitimate public purpose in that regard.There is finally the matter of family, and mutual need for eventual reconciliation for the benefit of allconcerned. I could write extensively on this point but my guess is that you have a firm grasp of that dynamicby virtue of life's experience and many years in a courtroom.Thank you for your public service and for your careful judgment in this important matter.IVery Truly Yours,IPaul W. Hobby


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II G O L D S T E I N A S S O CI A T E S , L L CREAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS I DEVELOPMENTIII

April 10, 2012

The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida v. John GoodmanCase Number: 2010CF005829AXXI Dear Judge Colbath:

I My name in Gene Goldstein and I am writing to you on behalf of my friend, JohnGoodman. Although I recently moved to Miami, I was born and raised in Providence,Rhode Island where I founded my business, Goldstein Associates, almost twenty yearsago. We own and develop hotels, shopping centers and other commercial propertiesthroughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. We have specialized in turningaround underperfonning properties with great success. Our properties employ over 200people and we continue to grow our business.

III I met John over 10 years ago in Florida through our mutual interest in horses and polo inparticular. We played with and against each other over the years and developed themutual respect and friendship that competition can foster.II

The caricature of John Goodman presented by the press and the prosecution bears noresemblance to the kind, humble and giving man I am proud to call my friend. John isrich and he does play polo but those facts never defined who he is or how he behaved.My experience has been that you can learn a lot about the character of successful peopleby how they treat those who work for them. Just ask the people who work for JohnGoodman, as I have, and they will tell you that they are proud to work for him. He ishonest, fair and respectful of the hard work that is required for their jobs. He is wellknown in Wellington as an employer who treats his employees with dignity and respect.

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John has been passionate about creating a sense ofcommunity in Wellington and thedevelopment of the International Polo Club (IPC) is just one example of his commitmentand generosity to the West Palm Beach community. Along with the thousands of jobspreserved and created by ensuring a permanent venue for high goal polo, IPC has createda social community for hundreds of Wellington residents and visitors. He has generouslyoffered the IPC venue, its staff and revenue from events to numerous local and nationalcharities including the West Palm Beach YMCA, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and theAmerican Red Cross.I On the most personal level, John's kindness and compassion was evident when my wifeand I faced a personal tragedy involving the death of our twins during childbirth. Thisevent occurred around the time of John's accident with Scott Wilson. Despite all theII


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personal crisis in John's life at that time he reached out to my wife and I, in a very sincereand meaningful way, to express his condolences and concern that was of great comfort tous.The terrible events of February 12,2010 have changed many people's lives forever andnothing can reverse what has happened. John will live with those consequences foreverbut he still has much to offer his children, family, friends and community. I plead for thecourt to recognize the positive, constructive influence John Goodman has had on all thosehe has encountered over his life. I plead for leniency, not to disrespect the tragedy of thecrime John was convicted of but to respect the force for good that John has and cancontinue to be.Sincerely,

/' '/{~C.JAt~Eugene Goldstein


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The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathRE: State of Florida v. John Goodman Case Number: 201OCF005829AXX

Dear Judge Colbath:My name is Jonathan Cameron-Hayes. I have lived in Palm Beach County since 1983 and mybusiness is commercial real estate. I am Chairman of a number of local non-profit charitableorganizations. I am well acquainted with our local communities and like to be involved withhelping to guide our future generations to make Palm Beach County a better place for ourchildren.I have known John Goodman for about ten years. My interaction with him has been on apersonal level and primarily in the Wellington community and at charitable events. John isbasically a quiet and very caring person who has given a great deal to the Wellingtoncommunity. He has donated significant amounts of money to local charities such as the YMCAof the Palm Beaches knowing that this will help to provide for a better life for many youngpeople who do not have much in this world. I have always seen him talking and listening topeople - never grandstanding or showing off.The tragic car accident that he was involved in seemed very out of character. John would neverhave wanted to hurt anyone, let alone see someone killed. I am sure that he has spent the last fewyears in torture trying to come to terms with what has happened. John would want to do anythingpossible to reverse this sad state of affairs for both families who have and will go on suffering.I believe that he has much to offer to the world and our local community and I pray that you willtake this into account when you sentence him. I hope that you will be as lenient as you can inyour final determination.Thank you for reading this and hopefully many other letters. which will testify to John's goodcharacter.

y~

Jonathan Cameron-Hayes


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The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida vs. John GoodmanCase Number: 2010CF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath,My name is Gabriella Kelley, I go by Gabi. I am a 19-year-old freshman at FraminghamState University in Framingham, MA. My hometown is Marblehead, MA and I graduatedfrom Marblehead High School in 2011.

My sister Alexandra (Allie) is the girlfriend of John Goodman's godson and nephew, HuttonGoodman. Hutton's family is extremely close so Allie has spent a lot of time with John. Sheand Hutton even lived at John's house when they moved from Boston to Florida. My sisterand I are very close so even before I met John I got to know him through Allie. I also havespent time with John myself, when I have visited my sister and he has been absolutelywonderful to me. John is one of the kindest and most considerate people I have ever met.The way the media describes John is extremely incompatible with the John I know. John isso incredibly down to earth and grounded; any money he has or had in the past does notchange that or make him a bad person .He always puts other people first. Even though heonly knew me through my sister and Hutton, when I came to visit he made me feel like Iwas family and very important to him.

In 2009, on my way to pick my mother up from work at night (we all share a car) I wasinvolved in a serious car accident involving a drunk driver. The man was driving a stolencar and had prior DUl's. After hitting me the man got out of his car, ran over to mine andstarted shrieking and swearing at me not to call the police and that it was my fault. I do notremember that happening, it is all a blur, but I told by the police and witnesses. I was notinvolved in his trial in any way, but learned that he received 2 years in jail. He easily couldhave killed me had only a few variables been different. Our car was totaled and carinsurance did not pay much because it was an old car. That man who hit me hadcommitted crimes before, felt no remorse and in all likelihood when released from jail willcommit another crime, potentially one that could endanger someone else. He is a dangerto society.My father, Brian Kelley drowned in an undertow on a family vacation in 2002. Since mydad died, my family has struggled. He was our rock. I didn't even realize just how much hedid for our family until he was gone. John reminds me a lot of my dad. He too is a kind,generous, selfless man who always puts other people first. John has looked out for mysister Allie just like my dad would have. I don't know John as well as Allie, but if she, or mysister Christina or I were in trouble -I would contact John. Not because he has money, butbecause I know he would do absolutely everything he could to help, and if he couldn't help- he would find someone that could.


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John's oldest daughter Betsy is a few years younger than me, and John Jr. is evenyounger than her. Please don't take away their father. When I lost my dad at least I couldtake comfort in knowing he was in a better place. John Goodman's children will have tolive every day with the knowledge that their father, who is a kind, non-violent andcompassionate man is living in hell.Scott Patrick Wilson would have been the same age today as my sister Christina. I havelost friends to car accidents and have and friends who have lost sisters and brothers -there are no words to describe the loss. I am not trying to make light of this tragedy. JohnGoodman holds himself accountable daily for the loss of Scott Wilson. Financially, theWilson family wanted financial restitution to hold John accountable. They received that.That should factor in to giving him a lenient sentence since they specifically sought that outas part of his punishment. There was no criminal intention in John's actions the night ofthe accident. Having been in a car accident myself, I can say that it is completelydisorienting and you have no idea what happened or what is going on. In the momentsfollowing the accident John had no idea what he had hit (or probably even if he had beenthe one hit). It is absolutely impossible that John could have known that a car was in thecanal and gone and saved Scott Wilson.To put John in jail for 15-30years (a life sentence for him) is wrong and unjust. It will helpno one and it will hurt so many people so much. No good can come of it. John being inprison will negatively affect my life and for John's children, family, close friends, employeesand the community the negative impact will be"even greater. Let something good come ofthis horrible tragedy. Let John's punishment involve the least amount of jail time andinstead have him do extensive community service with many years of probation and somesort of beneficial program that will honor Scott Wilson and carry on his memory.Thank you.Sincerely,


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The Honorable Jeffrey ColbathState of Florida vs. John GoodmanCase Number: 2010CF005829AXXDear Judge Colbath,My name is Alexandra Kelley. I am 27 years old, and a graduate of the University of Virginia.Currently, I work in sales and marketing for Mt. Brilliant Farm, LLC in Lexington, KY. PreviouslyI worked for Boston Magazine, POLO Magazine and the International Polo Club.I met John Goodman in 2009, through my boyfriend (John's nephew and godson) Hutton Goodman.The following year, when I went to work for IPC, John insisted that Hutton and I live at his homefor several months during the transitional period. Since then, John has become one of the mostimportant and influential people in my life, not simply as an employer, but as a mentor, trustedfriend and father figure.I lost my own father when I was sixteen; he drowned on a family vacation. I know my father wouldbe so grateful to John, for consistently providing me with unconditional support and guidance. Hiskindness and belief in me has helped me immeasurably. I can, and do, go to John with myproblems, both professional and personal, and, no matter how trivial or seemingly insurmountable,and he always does everything humanly possible to help alleviate the situation and make sure I am"ok."The media portrayal of John, as a self-centered, callous and spoiled man, and the John I know andlove, are two entirely different people. Seeing John, at home, with his own two beautiful children,Betsy and John Jr., it is so clear, what a wonderful man and father John really is; he is a father whodeeply loves his children, his family and his friends.John is a humble and se1f-depreciating person; far from the "playboy", "mogul" and "bazillionaire",the headlines profess him to be. I have seen John in many varied business and social settings, and Ihave never seen him be anything less than what he is - an exceptionally generous, kind and well-mannered man, whose concern is always for other people. I have never seen the reckless andnarcissist man the media alleges. John is someone who always puts everyone else's needs above hisown.While working with John, it always impressed me how well he has come to know each employee.From polo director Jimmy Newman to wait-staff employees Jeff and Kyle - John always made surethey all were not only treated fairly and well compensated, but also that they were genuinely happyas well. I routinely saw employees come to John with everything from professional concerns, toserious personal problems. While this is unusual for a work environment, with John it is business asusual. John's employees know and trust John, and they all depend on him. Between the


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International Polo Club, and the Wanderers Club, that accounts for well over 200 employees andtheir families who rely on John, both as an employer and a friend.

On February 12,2010, while in Wellington, I listened to John's brother, Greg Goodman, recountingJohn's reaction, upon learning someone had died because of the wreck that night. John was (and is)completely shattered by the news. I have not a single doubt in my mind that John had absolutely noidea there was a car in that canal, let alone a person in it. If John had any reason to believe thereImight have been a car in that canal, he would have gone down into that canal and attempted to getScott Wilson out I can say with complete and utter confidence that John Goodman did notknowingly leave Scott Wilson to die in that canal.That said, I realize that the verdict has been rendered and the task at hand is to deliver a sentence. Iwould beg you to be lenient. John is a father (and a wonderful father at that) to two amazingchildren, Betsy and John Jr. I had my father taken from me as a teenager and know personally howdamaging it can be to grow up without a father. John's children do not deserve that punishment.John has not had so much as a speeding ticket prior to this incident and he is certainly not a threat tosociety, there was no malice or intent inJohn Goodman's actions. In terms of restitution, fiscallyJohn has paid an unprecedented sum. No good will is served by locking this man away. John is oneof the kindest, generous, selfless and cofupassionate individuals I have ever met.I would urge you to render the minimum sentence with probation. John should serve as muchcommunity service as possible and participate in an outreach program or foundation of the Wilson'schoosing in order to honor Scott's memory. To lock John away for years accomplishes nothing,benefits no one and stands to destroy the lives

Documents

Goodman Letters of Support Part 1