Eric and Michelle Harsin, parents of Clayton Harsin, released a statement following the guilty plea of Michael Lee Liggett in the drunk driving death of their son:

“Nothing from these court proceedings, or anything else, will bring our son Clayton back. The best our family can hope for at this point is to prevent another family from going through the hell we have been through in the last 20 months since we lost Clayton.

Clayton had lots of plans for his future. Plans of a wife, a home, family, and a career. Ironically, Clayton was pursuing a career in criminal justice at DMACC at the time of his death.

Our family has learned more about the criminal justice system than we ever knew in the course of these proceedings. We would encourage people to educate themselves about our parole boards, prison system, and maximum sentencing. The loss of Clayton has opened our eyes to many gaps in our system that need attention.

We feel that the plea reached with Michael Liggett was, under current law and correction practices, the best opportunity for him to receive punishment for his actions, as well as providing an opportunity for him to stop his destructive ways and become a person who can contribute to our society rather than take from it.

We wish to thank the efforts of law enforcement, the county attorney’s office, and all of their staff for working to bring this case to a resolution. Nothing will ever bring our Clayton back, but we truly appreciate the support we have received from our family, friends, and entire community. The encouragement and assistance we have received from friends and strangers alike makes us proud to be part of this community.”