Letters of support written for Hoskins

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Dozens of letters of support were written for former GRPS student advocate for Kenneth Hoskins Jr.

Hoskins was sentenced to three to 15 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct with a student.

Those letters were written by students, Hoskins' family, community members and leaders in the religious community and were given to the Judge Dennis Leiber.

24 Hour News 8 contacted some of the writers to find out why they wrote the letters of support for Hoskins.

Some said they wrote the letters on his behalf when he was first arrested, while others wouldn't comment.

In one letter, assistant principal at Riverside Middle School Mary Barnes said Hoskins was professional, caring, nurturing and an effective mentor.

In another, City Commissioner Elias Lumpkins said Hoskins deserved a fair trial, but if found guilty should pay the penalty for the crime.

Hoskins wrote a letter on Dec. 11, 2009 saying he needs help. He blamed sexual abuse in his childhood and his mother's cocaine addiction as factors for his behavior. Hoskins also wrote he had a "dependence to alcohol/liquor which he was using heavily during his time at Central High School".