© St. Petersburg Times published October 11, 2002

'A bond forged by forgiveness'

[Times photo: Jamie Francis] Bruce Murakami shakes hands with Justin Cabezas after their joint appearance at Northside Christian School. Murakami asked a judge to spare Cabezas, who killed his wife and 11-year-old daughter in a car crash four years ago.

By LEANORA MINAI, Times Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG -- Their last time together was in criminal court.

Bruce Murakami asked a judge to withhold a finding of guilt against the driver responsible for the deaths of his wife and daughter.

On Thursday, Murakami and Justin Cabezas were together again -- before 400 students in a school gym.

"This is not an easy thing to do," Murakami said as he gathered his thoughts before his message at Northside Christian School.

Murakami and Cabezas will be side-by-side more often, visiting Tampa Bay area high schools to relay their lessons about choices and forgiveness. Their next stop is Plant City High School.

"It's all about choices and consequences," Murakami said.

He even wondered aloud how he could share a microphone and podium with someone who caused a crash that killed his wife and daughter.

"I have two words for that: "Jesus Christ,' " Murakami said.

The crowd of sixth- through 12th-graders clapped.

Jay Van Zeeland, a Wisconsin emergency rescue worker who developed Tell-My-Mom.com, also joined the program on Thursday. On the Web site, parents can subscribe to receive bumper stickers with a telephone number (1-866-2-TELLMOM), so motorists can report erratic driving.

"It is vitally important that parents take an active role," Van Zeeland said.

In November 1998, Cabezas, then 19, decided at a stoplight to race a Mustang on W Hillsborough Avenue. Cabezas slammed into the Murakamis' minivan, which struck a car and exploded.

Cindy Murakami, 45, and Chelsea Murakami, 11, were killed.

Bruce Murakami, then a contractor, was not with his wife and daughter. He was nearby and went to the scene after he saw smoke in the sky.

In July 2002, Murakami -- after hiring attorneys and persuading prosecutors to file charges -- decided to forgive Cabezas.

"I could be in jail for 30 years," Cabezas told the audience.

Cabezas told the students that he didn't want them to follow in his footsteps. The next time a buddy brags about racing, tell him to take it to a track, he said.

"Just don't take the chance of killing somebody for a moment's thrill," said Cabezas, 23, who lives in Nokomis and works at a pet store.

He is on two years of house arrest, his driver's license is revoked, and must do 300 hours of community service.

"Justin is a good kid; he's not a bad kid," Murakami said. "He made a wrong choice."