Even if it's accurate it seems counter-productive to the objective, which is to get the maximum possible sentence.

FWIW for normal slights, I believe in forgiveness too. Deadly violence over a road-rage incident isn't one of them.

In any case this whole thing is a tragedy.

You mean: the family members personally wanted the maximum sentence, but they wanted the (dead) victim to be able to express that the victim wants leniency?