The Sister Speech

First of all I would like to say what a beautiful wedding this has been, and on behalf of the Toton's I'd like to thank all of you for joining us here today.

For those of you who don't know me, I'm one of Lily's sisters, Jenny ... and one of the few people here who bore witness to the Jonathan's criminal activity. Yes, I have witnessed at least 3 crimes committed by my sister's newly wed husband.

Let's retrace their history together, and I'll share with you what I know:

June 24, 1999: The date this all started. Both Lily and Jonathan were living in Washington DC. The two went out on their first date, and afterwards go out on a few subsequent dates but are not officially "dating".

August 2000: Lily moves from Washington DC to Santa Rosa, California where our Dad and Linda live. She's planning to attend Santa Clara University's Law School program that fall.

August 2000: Jonathan moves from Washington DC to Santa Rosa, California - just days after Lily's arrival. He claimed he was house-sitting for his brother's in laws.

Now, I am not the lawyer in the family, but Jonathan's behavior looks a lot like what is defined by California Civil Code section 1708.7 - as a person liable for the tort of stalking.

Yes - the first crime Jonathan committed may have innocently looked like house-sitting, but in the eyes of the Santa Rosa police department it looked a lot like stalking. I'm still not clear how Jonathan escaped their investigation.

The 2nd incident: June 15, 2004. Days before Lily's 30th birthday, our Dad calls up to their Palo Alto apartment to invite Jonathan to the A's game on Fathers Day.

Though Jonathan claimed he never encouraged our Dad to invite him instead of Lily to the ball game that Sunday - we all thought something strange was going on. Most certainly he must have been posing as one of John Toton's kids. And given that there are now 7 of us, he probably figured what's one more?

Again, I'm not a lawyer - but Jonathan's behavior looks a lot like what is defined by California Penal Code, Section 529 - as a person who falsely personates another.

And as if two crimes weren't even enough for Lily to see Jonathan as the criminal that we all know him to be, Jonathan committed the 3rd, and perhaps the most egregious crime in August 2005. Kidnapping. How else can you explain anyone leaving California?

3 acts of criminal behavior over the course of their 7 year relationship. And yet, my sister agreed to marry Jonathan just minutes after she finished the BAR! The irony is so sweet.

And now today, on May 28th 2006, I realized that Lily was aware all along of Jonathan's criminal behavior because she too had committed and been found guilt of the same crime: stealing each others' heart. Their sentence? - A minimum of life together; without any possibility of parole.

(Raise glass) Here's to Lily & Jonathan! To a life of crime - together!