"The worst part was seeing her dead and knowing that happened to her," the father said in an interview after the two-hour hearing. "This is all anti-climactic. This is just things playing out in court. But I guess there is a certain finality to this process. I believe him just being able to breathe is a big luxury."
Chuck Poehlman tries to do things in his life that he believes his daughter would have done in hers - swim with dolphins in Hawaii, work with nature, travel and laugh. He takes comfort in her spirit and even the sound of saying her name.
"Shen means immortal," he said. "I named her to illustrate the immortality of our hearts and our love and our souls."
At the end of yesterday's hearing - after Miller was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs and the judge had left the bench - Chuck Poehlman approached the prosecutor, just as he has done countless times after countless other hearings.
"What's next?" he asked.
Coffin smiled as she put a hand on his arm and responded, "You're done."
TIMELINE
July 29, 1998: Shen Dullea Poehlman, a 17-year-old honor student and tennis champion from Eldersburg, is found strangled in her car at a Reisterstown apartment complex, less than 24 hours after she had agreed to baby-sit for a stranger. Arrested and charged in the death is 26-year-old John Albert Miller IV, an unemployed store clerk.
Feb. 3, 2000: Miller is found guilty of first-degree murder, a first-degree sexual offense, robbery and false imprisonment.
Feb. 9. 2000: Miller is sentenced to death.
Feb. 19, 2004: The Maryland Court of Appeals overturns Miller's death sentence and orders a new sentencing hearing.
Aug. 23, 2007: Miller, granted a new trial on the first-degree murder charge under the terms of a plea agreement, pleads guilty to that count. Prosecutors withdraw the notice of their intention to seek a death sentence.
Oct. 17, 2007: Miller's sentencing is postponed after he says that his lawyers coerced him to plead guilty.
March 17, 2008: Miller's sentencing is postponed after he files a motion asking the judge to reverse the decision that granted him a new trial.
Nov. 17, 2008: Miller is sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.
