Monday, June 29, 2009

Men Need to Speak Out Against Sexual Violence

State v. Edwin Antonio-Rafael Cintron Bond Motion (held Friday, 6/26/09)

Initially the defense was asking for a bond of $5000 and for Mr. Cintron to stay at his grandmother’s house.

Assistant State Attorney Natalie Stratis asked for “a bond of more substance” (when asked for a specific amount, she left that up to Judge Wallis to determine), electronic monitoring and/or home confinement, and relinquishing of his passport.

What the judge granted
  • Bond in the amount of $15,000.
  • Electronic monitoring - he may not leave Orange County.
  • Must relinquish his passport to the court.
  • No direct or indirect contact order with any/all of the victims and there families.

CourtWatch's observations

  • None of the child victims were in court today.
  • Unlike the news reported on Channel 9, Ms. Stratis made it clear that the State understood that Mr. Cintron's charges were eligible for bond, she was not debating that, it was the amount of bond that was in question.
  • The mothers of the victims felt confident that money wasn’t as scarce as it was being made out to be.
  • The mothers of the victims believed that he was a flight risk.
  • The mothers of the victims expressed that the victims fear retaliation.
  • The mothers of the victims were concerned about the close proximity of where he lives verses some of the victims.

CourtWatch believes that Judge Wallis heard their concerns and met their needs for this particular case at this particular time. It was clear that this case was just for one person, one victim, there are still more cases to come, more bond hearings to be held, this is just the beginning.

It was powerful to see the mothers bonding together, wanting to protect their children, to keep them safe from harm.

What was painful was to watch the mother and grandmother of Mr. Cintron. Before the hearing started, they sat behind the cameraman, then they literally hid crouched down on the floor behind the benches to hide from the camera, the deputy quickly confronted them and they said they didn’t want to be on camera because they own a business and they didn’t want to be filmed. The officer informed them that the courtroom is a public area, and they can’t be hiding on the floor behind the bench. So, her concern is her business? She is concerned about what he son does and how it affects her business? She hides he face in shame? Mr. Cintron has thus far admitted to what he has been accused of doing. He told the truth… that is a good thing. There is so much pain and suffering that the victims will not have to endure because he is telling the truth. The victims do not have to convince anyone. The truth is being told. Healing can begin for the victims and justice can be reached. Yet she hides her face because she is ashamed. Her son did something bad, but he has told the truth.

Still one must wonder who is most important, is it the 18 year old son who has admitted to the truth (note - he has previously been arrested two times before, one time being domestic violence), or his mother who covered her face because she was ashamed and didn’t want her business associates to see her on the news, or a grandmother who hid on the floor because she was ashamed, yet has volunteered to take in her grandson, or the 13 year old sister who is being, well, who knows…?

I think what concerns me the most (at least as it relates to the defendant's family) is the thirteen year old sister of Mr. Cintron. Does she feel responsible or guilty for allowing this to happen to her friends? Are others blaming her for her brother's actions, or does she seem to think this in her mind? Has she been a victim of incest? And if so, does she understand that the effects of incest are different for her from what her brother has done to her friends? If her mother is so ashamed of the entire situation, she might not understand that her daughter did nothing wrong. She should be able talk about it if she wants too. The Victim Service Center in Orange County offers counseling support to victims of sexual assualt. CourtWatch hopes that all the victims seek assistance as a step in their healing process.

Finally, I wonder, where are the fathers of these girls? There were two men there, but they stayed away from the women, they remained quiet. Sexual assault is a big deal. If these men were the victims' fathers, they missed an opportunity to speak to other men about stopping this type of crime. The TV camera was there. I hope next time the opportunity presents itself one or more of the men affected by this crime will step forward to speak.

For WFTV's report on this case, go to http://tinyurl.com/qhqhr5

8 comments:

  1. I like how a deputy tells them it's a public area yet people cannot sometimes get into their own hearing because the doors are locked!

    ReplyDelete
  2. On the hand, sometimes the doors are locked because a child is testifying in a sexual assualt case, and then the court room is emptied and locked. Each case is different, the officer did the right thing. If one can not get into their own hearing, their is reason for it, and it is probably not the fault of the deputy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. In this particular instance, there was a bond hearing scheduled for 1:30pm and another for 2:00pm. The case at 1:30 was for the defendant (Abraham) who couldn't get in. His hearing had been cancelled and had not been notified. In CourtWatch's opinion, it was his attorney's responsibility to do so.

    If a hearing has been cancelled, and if the courtroom is not unlocked at the time for which the hearing was scheduled (in this case, it was first on the docket after the lunch break), a note could be posted as a courtesy to indicate that it was cancelled.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The door was not locked for the Cintron case. It appears as though the first comment relates to the case I blogged about on 6/27.

    ReplyDelete
  5. honetsly i cant believe so many people are on the 13 year old girl side.. ok yes i know rape is something big.. but really.?. how do you think he got into the house in the first place to even mess with those girls? i think the girls mothers are being over dramatic. i mean do they even know if they daughter has had sex before{i highly dought} i do think he should be punished but i dont think everyone should be taking it like this. i bet hes not the only 18 year old boy out there having sex with underage girls and your more worried about him? because the girls invited him in the house when everyone was sleep and when they got caught they claimed it rape.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Let me set you all right on the info here !! The Sister of Edwin invited girls to spend the night with her on seperate dates. They were sleeping and woke to him on top of them doing very wrong things to them in his Sisters bed. Where his own sister also was sleeping at the time. Edwin and his sister didn't even have doors on their bedrooms only 4 feet away from each other. His Sisters door was removed by her Mothers Boyfriend as punishment. He walked in on her undressed and she slamed the door shut in his face. So her door was removed by him for several months. Edwins Bedroom had holes in every wall and his door was gone because he himself broke it. There has never been any window covers in their home the intire time they have lived there the sister had a sheet for a cover for years. The Mother invited them to stay there . She was to care for the girls while in her home. Failer to protect charges should be put on her. She who sleep with earplugs so she would not here anything. She the Mother also was told what her Son did to some of the girls and left her Daughter, sister to Edwin home alone with him for years while she worked 3 jobs. Pleanty of time alone to do what ever her wanted to her. I feel sorry for her who knows what she may have went through at home alone with her Brother Edwin.So there you have a small bit to go on here. All the rest will come out in court. Good Day !!

    ReplyDelete
  7. HE'S GONE NOW FOR 12 YEARS AND 10 PROBATION TO FOLLOW !! NOW THE STREETS OF CONWAY HAVE ONE LESS SCUM BAG ON ARE STREETS !!

    ReplyDelete
  8. P>S The Dads you refer to all have Jobs and Must work to take care of their familys. That is why they were not in court. All Moms in this case are married but one. So now ya know.

    ReplyDelete