'l(pn anaJI.lice Starr 'Waco, it~ 76798 September 17, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. ~rodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, My husband and I raised our three children in Mclean, Virginia from 1978 - 2004. We moved to Malibu, California in 2004 when Ken became Dean of Pepperdine Law School and subsequently in 2010 to Waco, Texas, where Ken now serves as President of Baylor University. We 'were·pleased with the'·educatidn - ·ur·ahiidre'n rece4ved at The Potomac School. Ail tbree ,of o our childre·n were "lifers'~ (K.:.12). Our oldest child, Ra'ndy, now 36 years.old, marr.ie.d ar:rd the father of two year 'old-twins, ·was ih the lnterm·ediate ·school.-at Potomac.(7~h a.nfi· 8th_ grades) from 1990:.:1991. Chris Klaman was.the Head bf.the lntermediat€--Oivision and his.son-, Peter, was~tn th'e same grade as Randy: Randy was truly shocked to·learn of the .charges ·against Mr. Klaman because there was no evidence of any abuse when he attended intermediate school. Our daughter, Carolyn, is 33 year old, married and the mother of 4 delightful children in Falls Church, Virginia. She was in Potomac's Intermediate School from 1992 -1994. Mr. Klaman selected Carolyn to receive the Helen Seth Smith Award - a special award for having good grades, a servant heart and being kind to other students. She too was distressed to learn of Mr. Kloman's past behavior as she admired him very much as head of the Intermediate School: Our third child, Cynthia, was in Junior high at Potomac from 1997 - 1999. I do not believe Mr. Kl om an was head of the Intermediate Division at that time and that he had left the school a few years before. However, Cynthia was especially upset about hearing the charges against Mr. Klomari because wh'e n she was a Senior at Potomac in the fall_of 2.002; Mr. Kloi:nan's:wife ·Pam t u't oted ·her at th'eirhome a couple of evehings ·a week ih preparntionfor the Math ,SATs; ·. Cynthia·would ·arrive a few min.utes early,.and Mr. Klomanwas Qlways there helpingar:o~f'1d the ho'use a'i1a ·getting·'l::linner ready. ·Hetook· he time to•chat.with Cynthia.:On each .O\=Ca~iqn ,a.nd " t could not have been more gracious or friendly. She felt very close to both Mr. and Mrs. Kloman and experienced no untoward behavior from Mr. Kleman. ~-I personally have known Mr. Kleman since 1982, as we both served on the Claude Moore Colonial Farm Board in Mclean for thirty years together. He was very helpful to the farm for special projects and market days and had an excellent rapport with all the board members. Not once, in the thirty years I have known him, has Mr. Kloman demonstrated any abusive behavior. My husband Ken always found him to be a gentleman and sincerely interested in our children's education and well-being during parent-teacher conferences each year. We would occasionally see Mr. and Mrs. Kloman on social occasions, and again, there was no evidence whatsoever of inappropriate behavior. In short, all of us in the Starr family have admired Mr. and Mrs. Kleman for many years. We do not know of any occasion when he was abusive to women or children. Thus it is possible that once Mr. Kloman had children of his own in the 1970s and once he was promoted to head the intermediate division, he made a concerted effort to correct his behavior of the past. Although we in no way condone Mr. Kloman's actions, we are aware that his family has suffered the consequences of his past behavior, including his wife being fired from her job, even though she had no knowledge of his misdeeds. Since Mr. Klaman has apparently conducted himself in an acceptable manner for more than thirty years, with no other violations, and he has ·cooperated with the police and accepted responsibility for his actions, we hope the Court will provide leniency in his sentence. Mr. Klaman is currently repenting for his past sins and will continue to do so if given a chance to serve his community and neighbors . Community service would be a far better punishment than having him languish in jail. Judge Brodie, thank you for your service on the Fairfax County Circuit Court. You have to make tough decisions each and every day. We trust you will do what is best for the situation at hand. Sincere ly yours, The Honorable Jan L Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 United States of America 23 September 2013 Mrs Amelia H E Kidd United Kingdom · Dear Honorable Brodie Christopher Klaman My name is Amelia Kidd (nee Knight). I am 41 years old. I am married with two daughters and live in the United Kingdom. I currently · ork for law firm, Baker & w McKenzie LLP in London. When I was 5 years old (in 1977), my family moved to Virginia for 22 years. I came to meet Mr Christopher Klaman in or around 1980. My relationship with Mr Kloman is pri_ marily through his daughter, Sybil Whitney Leslie (nee Klaman) although he was also a faculty member of the school I attended at the time, The Potomac School in Mclean, Virginia. · I was, and remain , one of Whitney's "best friends" despite the Atlantic Ocean keeping us physically apart today. Whitney and I were lucky enough to be in the ·same school class, sharing the same teacher, for five consecutive years from first grade through sixth grade. We held a very close and tight friendship during that time, which was additionally supported by the fact that our families gelled well socially and, from our parent's perspective, professionally. We both had parents who were faculty of The Potomac School as my mother was the School Nurse and my younger sister was also friends with Mr Kloman's youngesfson, Peter as they were in the same grade at the same school. Throughout our years of friendship, I have spent significant time with and in the Klaman home. As a child in their care I was always comfortable in the company of both, or as individuals, Mr and _ Mrs Klaman. I would spend numerous play:-dates and sleepovers at their family home - Mr Klaman always got up to cook our breakfasts! Frequently there were planned -activities with Whitney's family including Mr Klaman taking just the two of us on a number of outdoor adventures, for example hiking in Harpers Ferry and walking in Great Falls Park. It was always fun to be with thyn:i and a time I often reflect happily on. I was also very much part of Mr Kloman's involvement in community activities - one of which I remember.fondly when he~·. volunteered at Turkey Run Farm. He was a positive contributor to neighbourhood society. Our fa_ milies frequently holidayed together, including vacations at the Kloman's home in Maine. After sixth grade, at the age of 12, I attended boarding school in the U~ but returned to Virginia three times per year every school holiday. Keen to catch up with Whitney, I continued to visit the Kleman household. Mr Kleman was, and is, the father of one my best friends and I have maintained a friendship with Whitney's parents during my adult years. Since leaving the US, I continue to travel to the Washington DC area and each visit I always make the point of catching up with Mr and Mr Klaman and introducing them to my own youhg family. I understand that Mr Kleman has entered guilty pleas to offences. His co-operation with the police does not come as a surprise to me as, k[)owing him ?~ .I do, he will be taking full responsibility of his actions. His contribution and work i~qrfl.nl"unity~;· the past will provide a solid foundation for which he can build on a re1'8rns~toimw community Jn the. future. Yours sincerely ~~ Mrs Amelia H E Kidd ·._ .. ". Andrew P. Hinton McLean, Virginia 22101 September 13, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, I am writing this letter of reference on the character of Christopher Kleman, who is before your Court on the matter of Conunonwealth of Virginia v. Christopher Kleman. I hope to provide information that will help in the assessment of Mr. Kloman's character and background. I was asked to tell you about myself first. I am 63 years old. I am married to a wonderful wife since 1980, and we have two wonderful children now in their mid twenties. Both are fairly successful already. My oldest, my daughter worked for Lehman Brothers, then the U.S . Foreign Service, and now is working on her MBA at the University of Chicago. My son is studying to take the CPA examination. I am an attorney. I work for the Board of Veterans Appeals, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where I write decisions in adjudication of appeals of claims for disability benefits by U.S. military veterans. I also have a MBA in finance, and a master's degree in Economics. In the past I worked for the IMF for 16 years in finance before leaving to attend law school. I helped to found Cardinal Financial Corporation and sat on the board of directors of a subsidiary bank, Cardinal Bank-Dulles. I have been active for 14 years in support of Boy Scout Troop 128 in McLean, Virginia, for which I am the Eagle rank candidate advisor mentoring boy scouts in the ultimate achieveme!lt for boys i..11 that orga..'!ization. Our troop and sponsc~'ing church strongly lobbied for the recent successful changes to open membership to all boys. I have been a · member of that church, St. John's Episcopal Church in Mclean, Virginia, for almost two decades. I am the head usher and coordinate the work of the ushers. I am currently also a member of the church vestry. I met Christopher Kleman at church maybe ten years ago. He and his wife are long-time and active members of St. John's Episcopal Church. He is a past vestry member and senior warden. The vestry is a committee of church members elected by the church to administer the temporal affairs of the parish. The senior warden is the top lay leader in the church parish chosen by the rector. These positions reflect the high respect the church members and rector have for an incumbent's leadership and character traits. I feel that I know Mr. Kloman well. We have worked together often when we were both on the vestry and in his past role as senior warden. Although I only know him through church, we have become friends and I have had lots of opportunities to develop a good sense of his character. We have interacted at church both socially and in performing public service through the church. After learning of Mr. Kloman's legal problems that he has confessed to, I read all I could of the press reports at the time of his arrest and then later read the updated reports after his attorney offered this occasion to write comment on his character. I found the behavior in the reports extremely abhorrent. Very disconcerting also was the dissonance I felt. I could not understand how the reports I read could be attributed to the person I knew, though I knew it was true as he has confessed. I looked at pictures of the person in the reports, pictures taken at the time of the crimes in about the 1960s and 1970s. Even these pictures showed a very cocky arrogance and it seemed to me very likely that the face in thvse pi1,;tw·es was connected to the acts confessed to by Mr. Kloman. But I felt that the arrogance shown in those pictures, and the behavior in the reports, could not be reconciled with the person I have known for many years. The person I have known has always been a very kind, humble, modest, and unassuming person even in performing his leadership roles at church. He has always been very generous of his time, helpful to those around him, and thoughtful. And though there are many volunteer roles in support of young people at church, I have never seen him put himself in a position that would place him close by. And I have never seen any behavior that would raise my suspicions, and I am by nature sensitive to such things. There was just no reconciliation of the behaviors of then and now. After much thought on this, it is clear to me now that the person who committed those crimes some 40 years ago no longer exists and I don't think has existed for a long time. I see nothing in the man I have known for about ten years that suggests the actions or motivations I read about that happened in about the l 9'60s or 1970s, or as apparent to me in the photographs from that time as compared to the countenance of the man now. IfI thought this wasn't the case I would not be writing you. I should tell you more about myself i...'1 this regard. I gre\v up the son of a.11 alcoholic. Without going into detail, th.is instilled in me the strongest aversion to bullies of children, and I have acted on this to protect people especially children on a number of occasions since I was a child. The point is I would not speak up for Mr. Kloman if I didn't have faith that he is a different person now and has been for a long time. I hope this information is helpful to the difficult decision you have to make. Thanks for the opportunity to write on this matter. Sincerely, Andrew P. Hinton The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie: I am writing with respect to the prospective sentencing of Chris Kleman. I am 70 years old and practiced law with the St. Louis law firm of Bryan Cave McPheeters & McRoberts for many years. Both during that time and after my retirement from the practice of law, I have also been Chairman of the Love Companies, which is a group of banking, mortgage banking and investment firms headquartered in St. Louis and with respect to its FHA Multi-Family Mortgage Banking business with offices in D.C. and other major cities in the United States. I have known Chris Klaman and his family my entire life, primarily through our summer residence in Tenants Harbor, Maine (actually Harts Neck in what was known in earlier times as the Village of Elmore, which is across the harbor from Tenants Harbor). This is a community of some 25+ families, many related to each other. My family's tenure there now spans six generations from my late great-grandfather to my 3-year-old grandson. The tenure of the Kleman family spans five generations from Chris' late grandparents to his grandchildren. Other families in this community, including collateral relatives both of mine and of Chris Kleman' s have similar tenure. While these families' presence in Tenants Harbor is primarily in the summer months, I think the community is almost unique in modem times for the closeness and long-lived nature of its inter-relationships in which generation after generation has thrived in a close and nurturing community. Chris Klaman and his family have, at least for my entire life, been an integral and contributing part of that community, and I mean contributing in the best and most positive sense of the word. It is my strong view that the earlier Chris Kloman's presence is restOred to his family, the Tenants Harbor community, and the families which are members of it, the better and more positive will be the results for all. September 18, 2013 .~ Circuit Court Judge Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Courthouse 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, - . By way of introduction, my name is Charlie Gibson. For 33 years I was a journalist for ABC News. For 19 of those years I was a host of Good Morning America and for the four years before my retirement I ·was the anchor of World News with Charles Gibson, ABC's evening news broadcast. For 46 year~ I have been a friend of Chris Kloman's. The morning after reading of the events in your courtroom in midAugust, I wrote you immediately as I was troubled greatly by what I had read . That letter was sent to your chambers. I am told the proper channel is to communicate through Chris's lawyer. So this is a near facsim ile to what I wrote earlier. I tried throughout the 12 hours or so after I read the Washington Post account of Chris's appearance to reconcile the Chris Kloman I read about and the Chris Kloman I know. And I could not. I was left with an ineffable sadness. I grapple with the thought that good men can do bad things, that, as Thoreau wrote, "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation." I have long believed that many of us carry demons within ourselves contrary to our character, and that at times those demons can overwhelm our basic nature. In my experience as a reporter and in my personal life, this is not the first instance I have observed of such a phenomenon, but to me this is the most difficult to try and understand. For I have known Chris as a wonderful husband, a great Dad, and yes, as a truly fine teacher. My wife and I came to know Chris and his then girl friend Pam when we moved to Washington and my wife started teaching at the Potomac School. We attended Chris and Pam's wedding. We rejoiced in the births of each of their chi ldren, Whitney, Trap, and Peter. My daughter Jessica grew up with Whitney, spent countless nights in the Kloman home, went to Princeton with her, and she and Whitney remain friends, as do their children. Indeed, Jessica is the Godmother of Whitney's daughter Samantha. This is a wonderful family and Chris has raised three kids whom I would be proud to call my own and I have no doubt you would feel likewise . --· Since the charges against Chris were first raised back in November, we reached out several times to the family and uncharacteristically they responded only with polite words of thanks - nothing more. That left my wife and me with a sense of dread that was realized when we read the Washington Post report. · I spent that first night thinking of the young girls involved in this case and of Chris. It is a case almost Dostoyevskian (if I can coin a word) in that Chris has to have carried this guilt with him for years and I can't imagine how the knowledge that it would some day come out, as it inevitably would, must have eaten at his soul. I know of his actions only what I read on the Washington Post website. I do think it characteristic of his nature that at this point Chris would acknowledge his actions and express the horror and the remorse that he has to have carried with him all these years. Indeed, it reads as if there were instances in recent years when Chris, · inadequately I realize, tried to make amends for some of his actions. I have tried since learning of Chris's actions to put myself in your shoes. You have the most difficult of jobs. For I don't know how one can determine what is fair and right after all these ·years - fair and right for the young women who were involved; fair and. right for Chris. As the father of daughters, I feel tremendous sympathy for these women. I don't know how you balance justice for them and justice for Chris. I do know that I believe in redemption. When I was hosting Good Morning America we frequently broadcast stories about forgiveness and I was amazed that some people who were victimized had reserves of forgiveness far greater than mine. Any punishment for Chris now, however, strikes me as retributive not rehabilitative, but at the same time I realize there is a need for accountability. I hope you can find a way for Chris to make amends, stay a part of his truly wonderful family, and contribute something productive and useful to society. In the end, I am left grappling with a case that is to me inexplicable. I am left with my love for a friend who is, I truly believe, at his core a good man, a good husband and a good father. I hope you can take all this into consideration when it comes to judgment about Chris. And I wish you only the best in your deliberations. Ma::aM~ Charles Dew~~:~ Dabney and Dick Schmitt McLean, Virginia September 23, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, We have known Chris Kloman since September 1987 when our elder son, Jonathan, entered the seventh grade in the Intermediate School (IS) at Potomac School. Mr. Kloman, in addition to being IS head, was Jonathan's geography teacher and homeroom advisor during seventh grade. The Klomans' son, Trap, was also in the seventh grade with Jonathan. Because we were all parents of children at the School, we saw Chris and Pam at extracurricular events such as sports and birthday parties as well as parent get-togethers through the years. Our relationship with Chris and Pam became social, as well as professional, with reciprocal invitations to our respective homes for dinner parties with mutual friends even though Trap left Potomac to go to boarding school. As Jonathan's advisor, Chris had two progress meetings with us during the seventh grade year. Jonathan was a good student and well-liked so the meetings were easy. As parents we agreed that Jonathan was in a good place and we were fortunate to have such a thoughtful leader and teacher in Chris. Within the first week of the year, the seventh grade went on a 5-day wilderness camping trip to Caroline Furnace in southern Virginia. If you asked any member of the class or their parents today, they would agree that it was a watershed event for the kids. Working on environmental issues, sleeping in tents, cooking food and keeping the camp clean, the kids bonded over the new responsibilities given to them. Their eyes were opened to the fact that they were growing up. They were well-looked after but didn't know it because they really thought they were in charge! They basked in their teachers' approbation. Chris Kloman oversaw this eye-opening program, one that resonates with these adults and our children today. The IS years could be contentious and anxious for kids were it not for a steady hand to guide our son and his peers in academics as well as in character formation. Chris was that calm division head. We felt that the IS under Chris was our partner in teaching Jonathan the values of honesty, integrity and concern for others, especially those less fortunate than we. One has only to look at the Kloman children - Whitney, Trap and Peter - to see Chris's strong influence in the exemplary citizens and parents they have become. From Dick: "I served on the Board of Trustees of the Potomac School from 1989 to 1993. During this period I had many interactions with Chris and held him, as I believe my fellow board members did, in the highest regard for the work he was doing as a teacher and as head of the Intermediate School.,, We know that Chris is a well-regarded member of his church community, having been elected to the church vestry, which aids the pastor in running the church financially and spiritually. Hopefully others with more knowledge will speak to this aspect of Chris's service to his community. Chris has been a steadfast member of the Northern Virginia Habitat for Humanity team, working there three days a week building affordable homes and making home repairs for those less fortunate among us. In 2012 Chris was in conversation with the Alwnni director at Potomacj who reached out to Chris to find a project on which Potomac Alumni, in the spirit of community service learned during their years at the School, could volunteer their time. Because of the police investigation no decision was ever reached although it is still a hope of the Potomac Alumni Association to do something with Habitat for Humanity. Judge Brodie, Chris Kleman has accepted responsibility for his actions and cooperated vvith the Commonwealth's investigation of the charges against him. Tragically he has acted in a manner that is completely abhorrent to himself and those who know him. Chris will spend the rest of his life repenting for the harm he has caused his victims. Knowing what we now know about his past, we believe that Chris began his repentance journey years ago in working tirelessly for his church and for the homeless at Habitat for Humanity. He has acknowledged his guilt/sin and will spend his life making it up to the community he lied to: his wife, his children, his students, their parents, his colleagues and the schools which trusted him with the children in their care. While he cannot mitigate the harm he has caused his victims beyond expressing his sorrow and admitting his guilt, he can atone through continued hard work in the his church, his town and for others. With us and his family, other friends, his church and the medical community to help him maintain a healthy resolve to never harm again, he can continue to be productive instead of being incarcerated. Thank you for your review and consideration of this letter. Sincerely, ~~Jh·~ Dabney arid Dick Schmitt The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 September 12, 2013 Dear Judge Brodie: My name is David Martin. I have a long-time friendship with Christopher Kloman and his family, which first began in the 1980's when our three children started attending the Potomac School with the Kloman's three children. Since then, my friendship has continued through activities at Potomac School, .where our children had Chris as a teacher or supervisor, through mutual friends and through various community, family and social activities together. I am a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and admitted to practice in both Virginia and Washington, DC. For my entire career, I have practiced in the District,.having been a partner in several law firms and also served on two occasions with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Prior to law school and after college, I was an officer in the US Navy. I am writing to you on Chris's behalf in hopes that my views of his character and background will have some relevance in the context of his sentencing. My friendship with Chris has been based on shared experiences and interests, as well as common attitudes about family and community. Chris and I went to the same high school, although did not overlap. When we arrived in the Washington area and our children and his started attending school together, Chris and his wife, Pam, opened their arms to us and welcomed us into their Northern Virginia and school communities, in which they had many friends. At first, this was as simple as having us to their house for pizza, showing us a new hiking trail or sight to see or introducing us to community activities such as the Christmas Revels, a seasonal presentation of musical traditions. Over time, however, Chris and Pam gave us a steady and comfortable friendship, one in which everything from family outings, dinners and movies and reciprocal kindness and support became staples. In the process of growing up together as families, I have admired and appreciated Chris as a devoted husband and father and a strong contributor to his community. His love for his wife Pam and their three children has been infectious and helped stitch strong bonds not orJy between the parents, but also between our children. Than.ks to Chris's enthusiasm and joy in family gatherings, our interactions have been warm, natural anc! happy ones. And, Chris's contributions have extended to many friends and the community at large. Whether as a strong member of his church or· an able worker for Habitat for Humanity, whether leading a student cohort in community service activities or a group of families in annual holiday celebrations, Chris joins, facilitates and empowers communal activities. · Finally, putting aside our shared experiences and interests and common values, I need also to mention the loyalty and generosity that Chris Kloman has shown to me, my wife and our children. No matter the situation, good or bad, up or down, Chris has been someone who was always there, ready to give genuine and unconditional encouragement and support. And, throughout this constancy, he has been generous with both his laughter and his tears, a dear friend in the best sense. I am saddened and confused by the disconnect between my views of Chris and the nature of the charges to which he has pied. I have discussed this with Chris and know him to be deeply remorseful and committed to atoning for this troubling aspect of his past. As someone who owes Chris and his family much for their friendship and support over the years, I intend to pay him back by helping with that difficult process. Chris has always been a strong and productive member of society. I believe that now, more than ever, he will want to redouble his commitment to that proposition, and I would like to see. him succeed in that effort. Thank you for your consideration. ~Ykt0L David B. H. Martin Alexandria, VA 2 Falls Church, VA September 11, 2013 The Honorable J.L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Re: Commonwealth of VA v. Christopher Kloman TO THE HONRABLE COURT, My name is Eldon Hildebrandt. I have known Mr. Kloman for about five years. My association with him has been primarily as a co-worker in building projects in the Northern Virginia Habitat for Humanity Chapter, and occasional social functions of the chapter. We belong to a group known as the "Sandlot Gang", which is composed of dedicated volunteers, who volunteer one to two days a week to work on building projects to help families with low incomes afford . . better places to live. In addition to performing the most difficult tasks, we also supervise and train volunteers who are less skilled . My most recent contact with Mr. Kloman was as a member of a three person team of sandlot members responsible for construction and oversight of three condominium apartments in a twelve unit condominium, known as Perry Hall in Arlington, VA. This was completed in mid-2012. Before that project, I worked with him on another three person team in Fairfax, VA in construction of the Maple Ridge condominium, another 12 unit condominium. As sandlot gang members we are responsible for the safety, training, and supervision of people of all ages and genders to competently use power tools and vari,ous other tools in the construction and renovation of buildings. Mr. Kloman treats people of all ages and genders with patience, respect and courtesy. He is a dedicated and skilled craftsman, a good supervisor, and works well with everyone. He does not use off color or rude language, and treats women as equals. I have never heard or seen any actions by him, which were inappropriate or wrong in any way. Respectfully, D~· ~ l~ ~i~~ Eldon C. Hildebrandt F.alls Church, VA Sept~mber 12, 7013. · The H_ norable Jan L. 'Brodie o Fairfax County Circuit Gourt 4110 Chain Bridge Rd. Fairfax, Virginia 220·30 Dear Ju~ge -Brodie: . I am writii~g on behalf of Christopher.Klaman and his family. My late h~sband and I have kno\.vn ~he Klomans for thirty years as part of a summer community .i n Tena,nts Harbor, Maine. I have sc»cialize9 With them, .gone out on boats with th~mJ · · joiried in Sunday Hyrrin Sings with th~m, and watChed the Kloman children grow·up. In fact, their daughter Whitney' call.ed upon both my husband and me for career advice when ~he graduated from Prin~eton..She was interested in going into jo':lrnalism, and my husband ~mi I worke~ at Time Magazi.ne for many years. .' a As the mother 6f daughter, I was ~hocked when I read the account of Chris's indictment anq subsequen·t hearing a nd felt tremendous sympathy for the girls involved. I had never seen anything in the course of tiie thirty years that would make me suspect that he could be guilty of such actions. What I do know is how devastating this is for his wife and chijdren. When I Sa\V Whitney this summer, she was rail-thin and distraught, no longer the vibrant and confident young woman who wanted to break into journalism. When I met his wife Pam, she ~roke down in .t.ears. and told me.that their lives were ruined. · My hope is that in sente~dng Chris you will_ take into consideration the .many people_ who love and respect.the f~inily and who hope to support him in the future. My pe·rsorial experience is that when I'v.~· needed help in Tenants Harbor1 Chris has been one of the first people at my door. It appears that the criminal acts took place . . many·years ago and are unlikeJy to happen again. Furthermore, at 7 4 he has raised a lo~e1y family a.nd, despite the shame of his crimes; would help his children raise their?. I also have no doubt that he would .contribute to his community in any way that would be acceptable. · Thank yo·u for your consideration. Sincerely, . ~.13.fJ!kfJ~· J. . · Eleanor B. McGrath '. · · New York City . The Honorable Jan L. Brodie September 20, 2013 Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, My name is Frank J. Murphy, Ill. My wife, Teri Gardner Murphy, and I have lived in the Mclean, Virginia area most of our lives. I sold my primary business interests and retired after working for over 45-years in a family owned real estate, construction, development and management business and became involved in the community as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) fo r abused and neglected children in Fairfax County, Virginia. Currently, I am also a member of the Board of Trustees at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia . Teri has been an active Realtor in a family owned business over 30 years. She has been a group leader in Community Bible Study for the past 10 years. Teri and I met Mr. Christopher Kloman {Chris) when we enrolled the first of our 3 children in The Potomac School (Mclean, Virginia) in the late 1980s. (All three of our children attended Potomac from kindergarten through high school). Chris was a teacher and Head of the Intermediate School. We ultimately became good friends with Chris, Pam and their 3 children. We have shared many holidays (Christmas, New Year's Eve, July 4th, etc) and family celebrations (birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc) with the Klomans. We have also spent time with them at their vacation home in Maine. Both Chris and Pam are devoted educators and have spent most of their adult lives teaching and inspiring young people. Our own children, when the need arose, spent time in the Kio man home being tutored by Pam. And, over the years, our family (along with many other friends) has enjoyed the famous "Chris Kloman Field Trips" ... we've hiked the Billy Goat Trail together, we've spent New Year's Day at the Botanical Gardens and together we've handed out meals to the homeless on Thanksgiving Day. Every adventure (usually orchestrated by Chris) has been a wonderful learning experience for all involved. The Chris Kloman we know is a loving husband, an incredible father, a devout Christian involved in his church {St. John's Episcopal in Mclean), a generous and compassionate citizen who has tirelessly worked for charitable causes such as Habitat for Humanity and The Claude Moore Colonial Farm and a kind, supportive friend. Honorable Judge Brodie Page 2 September 20, 2013 Over the years our family has experienced the ups and downs that most families do and some challenges most families will never see. We have a very close knit group of friends ... the kind of friends that you know would be there in the middle of the night ... no questions asked. We consider Chris Kleman one of those friends. And likewise, we will be there for Chris in whatever capacity he or his family may need, now and in the future. Your Honor, given the fact that Mr. Kleman has, from the beginning, accepted full responsibility for his actions, cooperated with the police in every aspect of this case and entered guilty pleas to the offenses, we ask you consider, within your legal judgment and/or judicial confines, sparing Chris Kleman additional incarceration. Based upon the upstanding and honorable way we have seen him lead his life since we first came to know him in the late 1980s, strict supervised probation and a substantial targeted community service program will not only return him to a wife and family who love and need him but will benefit our community. He is a bright, creative, talented man with an invaluable work ethic that will be wasted if he is warehoused in a jail or prison setting rather than being able to pay his debt to society in a community service environment. Respectfully, ~4-11~ Frank J. Murphy, Ill September 14, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie: Re: Christopher Kolman I am retired from the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service. For 30 of my 33 years with the Government, I worked as a Navy officer, and then as a civilian, for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, a joint program of the Departments of Defense and Energy. My last position was Director, Fiscal Division. As such I managed funding ($1.5 billion per year) for the Program's R&D, laboratory operations, nuclear plant operator training and other aspects of work. Upon retirement, I became a volunteer with the National Park Service and Habitat for Humanity for Northern Virginia (HFHNV), and have continued to do so, usually two days per week with each. Other than these activities, I spent six months as a consultant to the space shuttle Columbia Accident Investigation Board in 2003. I came to know Chris Kolman through HFHNV. He began volunteering about six years ago when we were building a 12 unit condo. I was head of a three person team responsible for managing construction of three units. Team members are referred to as "red hats" due to the color of the ball caps we wear. We have three per team to ensure at least one of us is present each work day. As Chris spent more time with us, he came to be respected for his diligence, good humor, and willingness to learn - also because occasionally he brought cookies or pastries, often homemade to share with us. For the next project, construction of a nine unit condo, we again divided the units into groups of three with each group's construction again managed by a three person team. We "red hats" asked Chris to join one of the teams, and he did so. He proved to be a good choice. Being a "red hat" requires construction and people skills. He had shown his carpentry skill, but we were uncertain about his people skills. The volunteer groups that come to do the work are a mixed bag, and most only come once during a project. Some are skilled, but most have little or no experience, and their belief as to their knowledge may not correspond with their actual knowledge. Also, HFHNV requires families that are to get homes put in 500 hours constructing the homes. These families are motivat¢, but mostly unskilled and often have difficulty communicating. To get work done, each day we must meld these folks into construction teams. We usually have a ratio of four to six volunteers to each "red hat". Chris proved to have the right temperament- patience, understanding, and the ability to motivate, train, and manage. For the next project, converting and expanding an old apartment building into a 12 unit condo, we needed five teams, but had only four experienced leaders. I recommended Chris head a team, and he was accepted by the other leaders. Again he proved to be a good choice. Our positive view of him was reinforced as a result of the planning meetings we held prior to start of construction. He obviously put a lot of time into thinking about how to accomplish the project. During actual construction, he needed more help than the rest of us, but this was a difficult project and we expected he would. He melded well with his two team members. Together they made a good management team effectively using volunteers to move their units along at the same pace as the rest of ours. I learned Chris headed the organization that oversaw the Claude Moore Colonial Farm located along the George Washington Parkway. Due to Chris, several of the "red hats" help construct new buildings needed as Farm outreach activities expanded. That they volunteered to do so reflected their opinion of him. My wife and I did go to one of the annual fall "colonial days" exhibitions and by chance met Chris there. In walking around with him, we saw he was well thought of by Farm volunteers and employees, reinforcing what the "red hats" who volunteered to help the Farm told me. Sincerely, n' r771, ( . (/.KA ;....._____ ,. } ~/ '( ~ y~ ; ' --Gary c. {-1lson Herndon, VA The Honorable Jan L Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain B ridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 220030 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie: My name is Gilbert M. Grosvenor, a resident of Fauquier County, Va. For 59 years I have been employed by the National Geographic Society, working in both the editorial and business departments. I have served as the magazine editor, President and CEO, Chairman and presently as Chairman Emeritus: For more than 40 years I have known Christopher K.loman, his wife, Pamela, and their children. For 30 of those years we lived next door, or as near neighbors, in McLean, Va. We became close friends, shared many common interests, even vacationed together. On one occasion, Chris joined me as a crew member to sail my boat to Nova Scotia. Living in cramped quarters for several days aboard a small vessel requires everyone to be sensitive to others, compatible as a group, willing to share chores and, above all, to be reliable. I choose shipmates very carefully. Although seasick, Chris never missed a watch, never complained about his malady; nor did he lose his sense of humor. Responsibility to others is a core value to him. We shared the joys, and sometimes the tears, of watching our families' children born, raised, marry and procreate. He is God Father to my youngest child, whom he follows closely and advises to this day. Indeed, I believe that Graham chose a career in emergency management in addition volunteering with fire and rescue partially because of "Uncle" Chris's dedication to, and fulfillment from, community service. Chris and I share a common interest in woodworking, so I have admired his tireless energy and commitment to Habitat for Humanity. After years of volunteering there, he rose to ·become a crew chief. Such activities are in his DNA. Particularly impressive, was his leadership in raising money and helping to build a mission church for Habitat in the Dominican Republic. Chris always participates in community fund-raising activities such as the Christmas Revels, a singing and dance group; Once he even cheerfully agreed to play the aft end of a horse! Professionally, I had the privilege to serve as co-chair of a Potomac School Board of Trustees committee to determine the feasibility of expanding the school to a full K-12 status. Because Chris was head of the upper school, I worked very closely with him for almost a year. Although I knew well his position on this critical issue, he never lost his objectivity, nor tried to sway the committee when it sought his council. Some forty years ago, my wife and I built our house next to the Klomans. Our driveway circle was on a steep slope, necessitating a retaining wall. Being naive, I decided to build the 60 foot curved stonewall myself. Quickly proclaimed "the great wall of McLean", my neighbors guffawed at the ambitious project. Early on, Chris showed up, heavy work gloves in hand, and asked to help. Thanks to him, we succeeded. This is the Christopher Kloman that I have known and loved for more than four decades. Thank you, Judge Brodi~for reading my letter. Regards, /Jl;;tfat~J?lL Gilbert M. Grosvenor Harry Clayton Cook Mclean, Virginia September 13, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Juage Brodie, I am a practicing attorney, and have been continuously engaged in private law practice or federal government legal service since my having graduated from the Law School at the University of Virginia in 1960. I started as a young Wall Street associate, became a partner in several multi-attorney nationally known law firms, and now practice as senior counsel to such a firm in Washington, D.C. My government time has included service as the chief legal officer of a major agency, and a continuum of service on a variety of federal panels. I am a Life Member of the American Law Institute and a Senior Fellow of the Administrative Conference of the United State. I now reside in the same Mclean residence to which I moved when I came to Washington from Philadelphia in 1971. I have three children, two daughters and a son, all of whom attended Potomac School, the first entering in 1971, the next in 1972 and last in 1974. All having started in kindergarten or "pre-K" classes, all three continued through their Lower and Middle Scholl years and Potomac School ninth grade graduations, the last in 1985, before going on to boarding school and then to college. I dealt with Christopher Kloman on Potomac School matters for my children a regular basis over this 14 year period. My wife and I were pleased with Potomac School, and we were pleased with Mr. Kloman's assistance in resolving our children's' problems as we brought these to him. While we did not always agree with his positions, we found him uniformly reasonable and fair, committed to what he beloved to be best for our children and for Potomac School in reaching sensible conclusions. The respect created by these contacts lead to a friendship with Mr. and Mrs. Klaman that has been continuing. My sense of Mr. Kloman's persona in recent years has been that of a person with faith-based values, an appreciation of life's complexities, and a concern that he should provide what help he can to others. I believe that my assessment is widely held and that, notwithstanding the very seriousness nature of Mr. Kloman's past failings, he would receive substantial support from a wide circle of friends in any efforts that he might make in recompense. I hope that these comments with be of assistance to you. Respectfully yours, H. Clayton Cook, Jr. H. Gregory Platts Bethesda, Maryland September 22, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 411 O Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Ref: Christopher R. Klaman Dear Judge Brodie: I have been a friend of Chris Klaman since 1970. My wife and I worked with him at the Potomac SchooL I was an usher in his wedding. I am godfather to his youngest child, Peter, as is he to my youngest son, Christopher. We have played tennis and socialized and traveled together and with our families for the past 43 years. I have known Mr. Klaman all this time as an honest, straight-forward, altruistic gentleman. He is devoted to his friends and family. He has been an active and constructive parent and grandparent - as witnessed by the accomplishments of his children and their children. He is an inveterate games player, especially word games, and he delights in sharing new finds by delivering them as gifts on special occasions and sometimes just on the spur of the moment, moved by his enthusiasm. He has contributed much time and energy to his church, the Claude Moore Farm, and Habitat for Humanity. He has been a truly willing volunteer to these organizations and to the schools he taught at. If you asked any of these communities who ranks in the top tier of selfless givers, I have no doubt Chris Kloman's name would come up. Within the Potomac School and its extra-curricular contexts, he was an inspiring teacher, one willing to chaperone group and class trips into the most challenging learning environments. Many of his students today recall him, his classes, and these adventures with great fondness. Chris has always been what I would call a help-your-fellow-citizen person . He plows neighbors' driveways, unasked, when it snows. He delivers the fruits of his large garden far and wide to friends. He drives folks to the airport at ungodly early hours because he likes doing so. He searches for solutions to other people's household fix-it problems because he enjoys the challenge and has a facility for such work. Judge Jan L. Brodie September 22, 2013 Page 2 I have little doubt that Ch,ristopher Kloman, upon his release , will resume being the exemplary citizen I have always known and have described above. I have every intention of continuing my friendship and support of Chris and his family as I have during the last very difficult nine months. Sincjf'y, . /1 /li,~tts u;Treasurer Emeritus National Geographic Society The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie: Christopher Kloman will be appearing in your court in the near future for sentencing. The purpose of this letter is to provide information that reflects my personal experience with Mr. Kloman over the past twenty-five years. Simply put, Chris Kloman has been an inspiring individual who has worn the title of "educator" proudly as long as I have known him. My two sons and daughter attended Potomac School after my family moved here because of my election to Congress and subsequent service in the White House. When a bully attacked my son, Mr. Kloman showed true concern and fought for justice. When my daughter needed encouragement, Mr. Kloman knew exactly what to say. When we wanted to get an honest appraisal of how our children were doing, no one was more trustworthy in our minds than Chris Klaman. The Chris Kloman we have known for 25 years is a wonderful man. The adjectives that best describe him are kind, caring, conscientious, professional, honest, and giving. He has tirelessly given to his students, their families, and the broader community. I literally know of no other individual who devotes such a major proportion of his personal time to the needs of others. I know that whatever time you grant to Mr. Kloman to continue as a private citizen, that time will be for the benefit of the most needy and deserving in our community. He has always been a central part of our community and I am sure that his commitment to public service will never end. It is my hope that you will be mindful of all the good, caring, and beneficial things that Chris has done throughout his life and give this kind and generous man the chance he deserves to redeem himself at this crucial time. / JAMES R. STIRN MCLEAN , VA 22101 September 21 , 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Re: Commonwealth of Virginia v. Christopher Klaman Dear Judge Brodie, My wife and I are writing this letter to share with the Court our personal experience with Christopher Klaman in the hope that it will be helpful to the Court in determining an appropriate sentence in this matter. I am an attorney, my wife is a school administrator, and we are parents of two grown daughters born and raised in Northern Virginia, so we appreciate the difficulty of the decision before the Court. We have gotten to know Chris only in the past few years, having known his wife Pam much longer than that, going back to when she was our oldest daughter's tutor in high school. Despite our 13-year age difference, Chris and I have developed a close friendship and spent considerable time together, especially in the months since his arrest. Notwithstanding the pain and feelings of betrayal Chris has caused us and others, we keep being reminded of the many wonderful qualities this man has demonstrated in the time we've known him. Three things stand out in particular. Since retiring, Chris has devoted an enormous amount of time in service to his community and his church. The man knows his tools and has contributed hundreds of hours to Habitat for Humanity in Northern Virginia (as well as doing countless home repairs for friends and neighbors). He served for several years as an energetic member of the Missions Committee at St. John's Episcopal Church in Mclean, during which time he made trips to the Dominican Republic and helped with construction of a trade school there being sponsored by the church. He could always be counted on to take care of the little things that needed fixing at church and helped with oversight of the big repair jobs. His September 22, 2013 Page2 "handyman" reputation and charitable works earneGJ him the respect of his fellow parishioners, who elected him to the Vestry and later made him Warden in 2011 . I was privileged to serve on the Vestry during his term as Warden and witnessed first-hand his dedication to community service and concern for others less fortunate. He brought great creativity and energy to the job. Having more recently followed in his footsteps and begun my own term as Warden of St. John's, I can testify personally to the commitment of time and energy that post requires. A second thing my wife and I discovered about Chris in the relatively brief time we have known him is Chris' deep love for his family, starting with his wife Pam. He and Pam raised three wonderful children and from all accounts had a good time doing it. All three kids have stood by him throughout this ordeal and will likely continue to do so. That devotion has been earned, and it's quite a tribute to him. He has been there for his grandchildren too. On any given day, he would speak early and often about them, and he would drop everything at once if one of them called to talk by phone or Skype. But perhaps the thing we have most admired about Chris is the unflinching way he has accepted responsibility for his misdeeds. I have spent much time with him and spoken with him almost daily since his arrest. He has never once expressed anything but the deepest remorse and shame for what he has done. I speak for my wife, Mimsy, and my eldest daughter, Lucy (who spent many evenings in the Kloman house being tutored during high school) when I say we have complete confidence that Chris' devotion to family and "fixing what is broken" will continue if and when he is allowed to re-enter society. We all hope the Court will consider the good things Chris has done as well as the bad , and arrive at a just decision that lets him be released as soon as possible, so he can continue being a benefit to society, rather than a burden. Sincerely, James R. Stirn September 23, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 411 O Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Re: Christopher Kloman Dear Judge Brodie: We are close neighbors of Mr. Christopher Kloman. We became acquainted with the Klomans sometime after moving into the neighborhood in approximately late 2001 or 2002. At that time, we did not know them well and would only exchange brief pleasantries when we walked past their house or if they walked past ours. Over the past 5-6 years, we have become better acquainted with them, and particularly over the past year. Although we have not been to their home or they to ours, we have enjoyed numerous detailed conversations with the Klomans on subjects of mutual interest such as gardening, pet ownership, hockey, and caring for aging parents. On the latter subject, over the past three years, Ronni's parents have become sick and she has had significant responsibilities and stresses caring for them. Chris and Pam have always shown interest and concern, inquiring about her parents' health and wellbeing and the toll it is taking on us, particularly Ronni. They have brought flowers from their garden to cheer Ronni and they have offered to bring meals or provide other help to us during her parents' many hospitalizations. Our impression of Chris is that he is a kind person and a good neighbor, one upon whom we could call if we needed help. Since Chris' arrest, we have let both Chris and Pam know that if there is anything that we can do for either of them, we would not hesitate to d.o so, and that we hope that they will call on us. We continue to feel this way. That Chris has accepted full responsibility for his actions to us is consistent with our experience and opinion of him as a good person and a very good neighbor. ;:~~~a1--V1'o~athan L. Arden, MD Ronni B. Arden Mclean, VA The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, I write to you in support of my former colleague, Mr. Christopher Kleman. I met Chris in 1996 when I was hired as Director of Admission and Financial Aid at the Washington Episcopal School in Bethesda, :MD. Chris was the Head of the newly formed middle school, grades 7 and 8. During our approximately 10 years on the faculty together, I came in contact with Chris on a daily basis. Part of my job responsibilities included taking parents of prospective students on tours of the school. Chris was not informed of my schedule so he never knew when I would show up in the middle school. He always greeted us in a :friendly, yet professional manner. We attended senior administrator meetings together and occasionally had "duties" at the same time such as supervising school dismissal. We also worked together in developing a Crisis Plan for the school to follow in case of emergency. I feel I knew him quite well.for an extended period oftime. At no time during this tenure did I ever see Mr. Kloman behave in anything less than a professional manner toward any student or adult. He was friendly but appropriate in every interaction. I never saw him in any type of compromising situation. During the years I was in regular contact with him, I knew him to be a man of honor and integrity. He delighted in his family, especially the birth of his grandchildren. He spoke often of his wife, Pam, his children and grandchildren. His retirement was filled with volunteer service to the community such as Habitat for Humanity. I humbly ask that you take these things into consideration as you decide what his future holds. Sincerely yours, < Kathleen Herman Bethesda, .MD I The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court Virginia, U.S.A. I am Margaret Jane Knight of Castle Cary, Somerset, England. I have been married for 44 years to Christopher John Knight (now serving as a Magistrate - Justice of the Peace). I was a Registered Nurse, trained in London, England and subsequently qualified in Virginia after moving to.USA in 1977. I became a colleague of Christopher Kloman in 1980 when I joined Potomac School as the School Nurse where I worked alongside him for 12 years. In addition to overseeing the health needs of the entire school, students and faculty, I taught 'Human Development' in the Intermediate School which was under the headship of Chris Kloman. My office/treatment room was an 'open door' and students were free to come in with their complaints, injuries and illnesses or often just to chat. Mr Kloman was a supportive 'boss' and always listened to concerns that I had about any of his students. He was fun but fair with his students, exercising discipline measures appropriately. He was very generous with his personal time and organised many school outings, ski trips, history excursions, baby sitting and CPR courses etc. In my opinion Chris Kloman was a committed, fun loving, caring teacher and administrator, husband and father. In addition to my professional association with Chris Kloman our families were close friends, our 3 children being of similar ages to his 3 children. Our respective daughters were very 'best friends' and have spent much time in each other's homes over the years. We had 2 family vacations with the Klaman family at their home in Maine and numerous other family activities. Chris was very involved with a voluntary community project at' Turkey Run Farm' and gave his time willing ly, working long and hard there. He was always ready to help any friend or neighbour - pulling cars out of the snow, bailing out a flooded basement etc. He had up to date First Aid and CPR skills and was well prepared for any emergency. We left America in 2000 so have not seen the Klaman family much since then, afthough we stay in touch. I reiterate that I feel Chris was a very professional and trusted colleague with a great sense of humour, a respected head teacher and was and still is a firm, reliable friend and terrific father. '6 S-ep\r. Y. ;Lo ·\ ~ The Honorable Jan Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 411 O Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Dear Judge Brodie, I understand that Christopher Klaman has confessed to the crimes that he committed and that he accepts responsibility for them and I am fully aware of thei r egregious nature. But I am nevertheless compelled to write because I believe that it is important to think of Chris Kloman 's life since these acts have stopped and since he has confessed to and taken responsibility for his acts including those of which the court knew nothing. I think that his life of so many years since these offenses have occurred is not only worthy of consideration, but only fair to take into account in determining his sentence. Please allow me to identify my family and myself before addressing Mr. Klaman. My husb~nd of thirty seven years, who died in 2008, earned three graduate degrees from MIT, worked in the White House during two administrations at the highest levels, had major security clearances, and later became an industry executive and pioneer in his field. I am a recently-minted Ph.D. historian who earlier worked in the White House as well as for a cabinet officer and thus had security clearances too. I mention our security clearances not because we worked in intelligence, because we did not, but because my husband held a position of great trust and though, in contrast, I worked at a lower level, I had a thorough vetting for my clearance by the F. B.I. because from time to time I had proximity to the First Lady. In addition to his government and business careers, my husband was Chairman of an environmental board that has facilitated hundreds of thousands of our citizens exploring the wilderness in a non-political way, served on a prominent and highly remunerative global funds board, and been an activist in the internet freedom movement, or the effort to bring the internet to populations in closed regime societies. In addition to two four year stints of working in government, I have been a stay at home mother and a community activist mainly at my children's schools , at non-profit organizations including one of our children's universities, and a cancer prevention board. I am the parent of two very successful children, one with a doctorate and the other with an MBA, both of whom have successful spouses. One of them is a Ph.D. candidate and the other of is serving our country in a position of leadership. I am a grandmother of two little girls and am expecting two more grandchildren. I have taught Sunday School for three years altogether, one year as a teenager and two years as an adult. I serve on the board of a non-profit that has a national policy role. I and my family have been residents of Mclean since 1985 and have known Mr. Klaman since our children entered the Potomac School that year. At that time, Potomac was still a community school. In other words, everyone there knew each other, worked on behalf of the school together, socialized at many school functions, and , as well, in their homes. We never went to the Kloman's home, but we had frequent social interactions with both of them in the thick of school activities, had interactions with him as the Head of the Middle School at Potomac when our children rose to that part of th·e school , and, notably because it was a close association, I worked side by side with Mrs. Klaman on Fall Frolics, our annual fundraising event for Potomac's scholarship fund. I knew her well and appreciated her talents and those of her children as I came to hear of them and their successes. Our children were in none of the same classes, so I knew them only by reputation and today I know that they hold positions of responsibility, are proceeding productively and creatively, and as when they are younger, are doing very, very well. I cannot say enough about the good feelings about Potomac and between the families there during the years that we were there. Life at Potomac community was very cordial and relationships between families were likewise. I believe that families at Potomac during these decades, or the eighties and early nineties, generally knew each other better than at other schools of similar academic status. That is during this period , Potomac was in transition from being a community school to being on par with the top private schools in the area. The point is that within this web of close-knit relationships the Klomans were liked and a family that people trusted. On occasion, my husband and I attended social functions in the homes of mutual friends where the Klomans were also guests. If Mr. and Mrs. Kleman came to St. John's Episcopal Church in Mclean during the years that our children were at Potomac, I do not remember it. Perhaps that is because we were attending different services. For many years, though, since our children graduated from Potomac my husband and I, and since his death I, have attended church St. John's with the Klomans. There were many aspects to the life of the parish to which both Mr. and Mrs. Kleman completely, that is very time-consumingly, devoted themselves. Mrs. Kleman joined the Altar Guild which is known locally for its artistry, elaborate arrangements, and, interestingly enough, the distinction of its members as pillars of the community. Though the scale of these efforts is entirely different, I believe that the flowers at St. John's are remarkable enough that they find their rivals only at the Washington National Cathedral. Apart from Mrs. Kloman 's service, Mr. Kleman was particularly involved at St. John's. My experiences with him at Potomac and St. John 's are in descriptions below. First, though , please allow me to say that even before this recent serious offense by Mr. Kleman came into the public consciousness, I had said to my husband before his death and to my children that Mr. Kleman "had led the most sacrificial life of anyone that we know." It is with some confidence that I think that I could say that again today. If there were a local Community Service Hall of Fame, he would be the top awardee. He would have achieved this in several ways. Here is his history in this as I recall it. 1.) He was very early and active as an advocate and perhaps one of the initiators of the community service movement at Potomac and he was very successful in encouraging students to engage with it. Other than being known as Head of Middle School, he was an exemplar when it came to the doing of community service. That is he didn't just supervise it, he threw himself into it. It seemed his signature. He could be seen with students picking up trash on the side~ of Route #123 and other roads on Saturday mornings, clearing paths on the Potomac trails, and generally doing care-taking on campus that was instructional from a skill building and environmental point of view. More than any other school official at Potomac during our participation there, he was associated with community service with students and through his own initiation. 2.) Several years ago, Chris ran for the Head of the Mclean Community Center Board. I do not know the results of the election , but it is significant that not another soul known to me in Mclean had agreed to be on the ballot. 3.) He was the Senior Warden at St. John 1s Episcopal Church in Mclean. You might call this predictable since he was the son of the head of the Virginia Theological Seminary, Felix Klaman , whose portrait I found there when I went to communion to celebrate All Soul 's Day last year. I did not know what to expect of Chris in his role as Senior Warden since he had retired from Potomac. If the traditional Senior Warden's "sermon ," that is the annual fundraising sermon that relieves the rector of this duty, is any measure, Chris took on the job with a great deal of vigor and dignity. What he communicated in his remarks was not just an appeal as many Warden 's before him had, or sentimental statements about such things as his children's baptisms, weddings, and such, but a blanket affirmation of faith in a very dignified, forthright manner, He said that faith was the driver of his life and that it had been important in determining his path. I was touched by his investing so much of himself in this sermon, delivering it with great calm, and, in all, sharing the clarity he had achieved about his faith. This sermon as the backdrop to everything else I know about Chris makes sense and has been a major motivator for writing this letter. I might add that the job of Senior Warden is arduous, and the position is inured with great appreciation and respect. In other words, Chris would not have risen to this post without commanding both appreciation and respect from our Rector and our Vestry whose members are leaders in the community and industry. It is important to understand that though St. John's is in Mclean, it membership is very cosmopolitan and consists of numerous national, state, and local leaders and nationally known families. 4.) When Chris was at St. John 1s, his name was constantly in the church bulletin as one who would was poised to organize us to help with any sort of worthy community venture. Particularly significant were his contributions to the workforce at St. John 's in the building of the San Iglesias School in the Dominican Republic, a trade school to which many families, including my own , have contributed . The school is now up and running for the benefit of education-deprived children who, as a result, are not as likely to live in poverty or, at worst, become beggars as many do. In the past, workers with at least some education have been imported from other islands to partake of jobs in the burgeoning new tourist industry on the island, but the emergence of the San Iglesias School intends to help reverse that trend . I was not on the trips to Consuelo, but I am very sure that Chris flew to there to help with this. 5.) Perhaps even more importantly, as I believe he had been at Potomac, he was a major activist at St. John 's on behalf of Habitat for Humanity. It seemed that he was the ambassador, or even at times a team of ambassadors, for Habitat in urging our parishioners to engage in its efforts. (The notices in the bulletin to contact him for this work were probably the most frequent of all except those of one of our parishioners·who represented Share, an organization in Mcl ean that disperses goods to those in need.) When I bought an older home in Mclean that contained furniture I could not use, because of his advocacy at Potomac and also the constant notices in the church bulletin that had him as the organizer of Habitat involvement, I knew whom to call to make a donation to Habitat. Chris came at my request, helped me with what might be donated, and arranged for Habitat to pick up everything . This involved his following up. He was cheerful , helpful, and got the job done. I wondered at the time how he managed to do construction work on a regular basis for Habitat, organize people to join him, and , as well , to take care of requests such as mine. 6.) Lastly, Chris has been involved at St. John's in advocacy for helping with Alternative House, a charitable house for school-age children without parents in Fairfax County. Though I have contributed to it, I have not been there. But he has. After a workday there that he most likely organized himself, that is a day to act as a cleaning staff for the House, I asked him, "How did it go Chris." Emphatically, and with a big smile and great joy, he said, "AWESOME!" I had expected him to say, "We got the job done," or "What a mess we found," or, perhaps smiling, "Cleaning up after teenagers is something!" But he said, "AWESOME." He clearly loved it. I am reluctant to psychoanalyze Chris, but on hearing of his behavior that ceased years ago and thinking of his contributions as I have known them and outlined them here, it occurred to me that he has seemed as someone who has already been to prison, felt deep remorse, and was atoning . I do not know this for a fact and indeed it has never been mentioned to me. Rather this came to mind because his extravagantly energetic community activism has been consistently on a grand scale. Most certainly were he not in prison, he would continue to be deeply engaged in doing these good works . They seem not just an identity, but, apart from his family and at the very least, his primary interest and his reason for being. As the years have passed, he has persisted in having this spirit and, if his activities at St. John's are any measure, his service has only increased. I rush to add that, as in other the case of many others, I do not recognize what he does in these charitable ways as earning him any particular gain in social status. By its very nature, it appears to appeal to him as an important part of life and to be rewarding as a selfless enterprise. Herein, then, though I leave you with feelings of sadness over what has happened, at the same time I also give you what I regard as these wholly extraordinary facts about the long term, consistent, and remarkable record of recent years to consider in regard to Mr. Kloman's .sentence. Sincerely, ~~~~~ Margaret Whitehead The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, Virginia22030 September 20, 2013 Dear Judge Brodie, On behalf of Christopher R. Kloman, I, Pamela Kloman, am writing to offer some additional insight to the character of the man I met over forty-three years ago, and have been married to for almost forty-two years. I have known him as a kind and supportive husband, a loving father to three children, the happiest of grandfathers to five grandchildren, a committed educator, a contributor to the community, and a good friend to many. Many of his attributes and contributions will have been addressed by others, so it is my hope to offer different information as a way for you to better know Chris. The person I know is kind and respectful to all, regardless of back round, position, or age. Chris has made many contributions to his family, friends, and organizations with genuine dedication and no regard for personal accolades or recognition. With the smallest gesture of writing a note of thanks sent with a remittance for a service rendered, to providing that iced cold drink on a hot summers day to the delivery man, to helping the trash collector with a heavy load, to arriving at an event earlier than needed to help with set up, to the thankless clean up chores after a days work, or that out of the way trip to make someone else's trip home easier, Chris has been there. He has also given thoughtful help to neighbors and friends when asked for but also acted quietly behind the scenes: hand plowing a driveway, cutting down broken limbs, home repairs, carpentry projects, trips to the airport, even snake rescue expeditions. Additionally, his time and devotion to extended family have made him the loved and popular brother, uncle, and in-law. Before he retired, I rarely can remember a morning when he did not get an early start, or an evening when he did not do additional work at home to make the day go better for others. Also to help others, he has given blood, up until last November, the maximum number of times a year for the last thirty-five years; he took Red Cross First Aid and CPR courses and instructor courses; he became an EMT and kept up his license for many years to be able to try to secure the safety of his fellow workers and students if needed. His belief in community service and commitment to others was well in place before they were popular and required; he generated active participation from fellow faculty and students in projects with Christmas in April, Adopt a Highway, Potomac River clean up, Chesapeake Bay Foundation projects. These are only a few of the acts of outreach I have known Chris to be associated with over the years. He not only was and is an initiator and organizer of activities, but he was and is an active participator always making it fun and a learning opportunity for everyone involved. At the age of seventy-four, Chris is very fortunate to be in good health, active and willing to give of his time and experience to stay involved with many worthwhile organizations. · As I look forward to the future, I can best express my hopes and beliefs by borrowing with liberal license from Edward R. Murrow's creation of "This I Believe" and the spirit of Elizabeth Edward's advance review of the book of the same name (edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman in association with npr) to relate my thoughts as I believe them to be true. This I believe .... I believe Chris has punished himself privately over the years for his past actions, and in the last year has continued to feel tremendous remorse, shame, and guilt as his conduct of years ago has unfolded. I believe he has been honorable and honest throughout the legal process to cooperate, to take responsibility for his actions, and to make his decisions in the best interest of all involved. I believe that Chris is not a threat to any segment of society for future misconduct, and would be better served continuing to atone for his actions outside of the prison system. Outside of the prison system, I believe he could more easily continue to take advantage of the professional help he has been receiving to continue working on positive rehabilitation strategies and putting the pieces of his life back in order. I believe the interaction w ith family, friends, and church on an ongoing basis could be of tremendous support and benefit to helping him reflect and heal. I also believe, understandably, there will be doors closed to him that will be reminders of his past conduct, which in itself will act as an ongoing punishment. Most of all, I believe Chris to be a good person and very hard working who has much good left to give, and more importantly the overwhelming willingness to give. I believe he will do everything in his power to lead an exemplary life and to lead the remaining years of his life, although with remorse, with respect and dignity doing whatever he can to make the lives of others, the community, and the environment better for all. Thank you most sincerely for your time and consideration for the Christopher Kloman I know. !,}5pectfully, I ~ c.:;rlrr-...__ Pamela Kloman Annandale, VA 22003 September 13, 2013 The Honorable Jan L. Brodie Fairfax County Circuit Court 4110 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030 Your Honor: At the tum of the century, I retired from Arlington County and the Commonwealth of Virginia, after forty years as Psychologist/Director of the Diagnostic and Evaluation Clinic, a program for children with various handicapping conditions. I promptly formed a small business as a handyman and renovator, which I maintained until 2011, when my wife's medical condition forced me into full retirement. I was a founder and long participant in a summer, residential, camp for retarded children. For twenty five years, I was on the board of the Arlington Red Cross as either Vice Chairman or Personnel Chairman. For six years, I was Chairman of Personnel for the Arlington County Temporary Shelter. With long interest in volunteering in the community, I turned my attention to applying my skills in construction to the program of Habitat for Humanity, where I worked twice week for some ten years. It was in the last five years in this capacity that I came to know Chris Kleman. a Because of the high cost of land in Northern Virginia, Habitat began to build apartment buildings, and it was at one of.these sites that Chris walked-on to be a volunteer. He had modest skills in construction, but he quickly stood out as a leader, and he was approached to attend the training program which prepared him to serve as first an assistant and then a full house leader. He was steadfast in those roles, being punctual and rarely absent. I was a trouble-shooter in those days, and I floated to Chris' sites on a regular basis. I worked beside him, teaching by doing, a skill he passed on to his teams of daily volunteers who often knew nothing of construction. I always made it a point to stand by the exits at the end of day, to hear how the day's experience went for the volunteers. I often heard a desire to have Chris as their leader if they ever returned to the job. We had many lunches together, and Chris seemed to fill the typical group profile as a civic minded, man with a desire to give back to the community. It was during one of those lunches, that I learned of another of his volunteer efforts, that of serving on the board of the Claude Moore Farm, a non-profit program working with families (mostly children) in a colonial setting. Young people experience first hand the heritage of America's agrarian past. From that, I volunteered, one day a week, for a year to help in building a gigantic pole barn, a wonderful activity I owe to Chris. I believe Chris to be a man who will continue to serve his community in whatever capacity he is permitted to do so. Thank you for letting me share my relationship with Chris. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21212 El; 5499116 .-7 /2 /9 - 51.14' 4 /1 B-s. Lg73"' /7 . ,2 I "fl" 547/ (U640 - 3 /mi; aywcafl "fl - . Zr 54* 23;rx4 -L 3 if . .5 774(K17 - -jfyfifl 4' at /zzwomfiufad mu .7: ./Dori - 7: an . rifr-we 7; Eng; (mm? 5&2 1 dig rfp?gu pj 4:45 wi'/3: '5 . 4 . ?7203/_5__ BL {ii :5 I /<19 ll. 19% 5/ 77 MJ ?1)2x,G. Cdfigo?mfii gig549(1., 6) I 45' 32:27.: /4 Kean, 779 Gacgf l. I 52 EUR72 . <