Brame’s family still mourns – Rosemary Brame is still demanding action and answers, and hopes Kevin’s homicide will, one day, be solved. A cold-case squad of Dayton detectives have been unable to solve the murder of one of their own. As this grim anniversary nears, the mother sent me a letter full of emotion and memories. Her words are pointed and poignant: “Five long and very difficult years have passed, yet the horror of that night is so vivid, so painful. Like so many other families whose lives have been marred by the violence that pervades our society, we find comfort in the support and prayers of family, friends and strangers. “Kevin was a happy young man with a bright future. But life is so fragile. My beautiful son died alone, and my heart aches when I think of the terror and helplessness he went through as his life slipped away. No one comforted him, no one prayed with him. I know his last fleeting thoughts were of his family and I pray he was able to call upon the mercy of God. Dale Huffman COMMENTARY The first day of November falls on a Monday this year. It was also on a Monday in 1999 when Rosemary Peters Brame lost her son who was ambushed in the dark, shot in the back and killed. * Kevin Brame was 31 and a six-year veteran of the Dayton Police Department when he was killed on Cherry Drive outside the home where his estranged wife, Carla, and two sons, ages 5 and 8, lived. .: “Every parent who has lost a child to violence goes through a pain unlike any other. Our family’s pain is heightened because Kevin’s murderer remains free to live his or her worthless life and also because there has been a distinction made that Kevin was not killed in the line of duty. Had he been attacked in the line of duty, Kevin would have been prepared to defend himself and might be with us still. “The distinction was driven home to us at a (2003) police memorial service. I was personally invited by the Dayton Police Department to attend and told we would be seated with the other families. However, when my family arrived, we saw only two available seats. There were four of us, my son Kerry, my sister Margaret Peters and my cousin Betty Green. As we stood at the curb awaiting more seats, we were informed there were ‘objections’ to our being seated, but seats would be brought for us to sit at the curb, pointedly away from the other families. • “We declined the offer. Sitting at the curb would have been disruptive, and tantamount to saying my son’s death somehow mattered less than the death of the other officers. We chose to stand. No one who spoke at the service mentioned Kevin’s name, except you, Mr. Huffman.” Carol Johnson, Dayton police spokeswoman, said although the Brame family was invited to sit in a different place than the families of those who died in the line of duty all family members of all former officers, no matter the cause of death, are welcome at the memorial service in May. She said there are ongoing talks to try to make everyone feel welcome. · Brame’s letter continued, **Victims are not the only ones hurt by violent acts. The recent homicides here have served to Yocus attention on the need for citizen involvement in solving crimes within the community. “I believe there are good people here in the city of Dayton with information about my son’s heinous murder, but have remained silent. I wish I had the words to convince them to come forward. If they could walk — just one day — in our shoes, they would understand the anguish we live with each day. “The people who planned and carried out this barbaric murder do not deserve protection, but Kevin deserves justice.” Dale Huffman wants your story Ideas. Send e-mall to dhuffman @Dayton DailyNews.com or write to him at 45 S. Ludlow St., Dayton, OH 45402. Fax: 225-2489. Phone: 225-2272.