Got up super early to get the kids ready to head to Naomi's for the day as Luke took me and a truck full of the girls' family down the mountain to La Vega for Mama's hearing.
They had a trial months ago, but I was never officially notified of the trial so we didn't go. They didnt even have me listed as legal guardian. Dad wants out because legally he has the right to be set free because they have taken over a year to investigate and come to a decision in a trial.
As we arrived at the courthouse, we walked through the doors with no pat-downs or scanners. As we waited for my lawyer, we saw someone hand over their hand gun to the security guard. She put it into a box with other firearms that were not securely closed. Luke joked, we know where to go if there is an emergency. Next, inmates were walking in cuffed to each other in street clothes with each person having a hand free, not cuffed at all. Mind blown! The security was just someone in front and someone to the back of these large groups of men walking in. I went upstairs with the girls to use the bathroom. Although it is very common to not have toilet paper in bathrooms here, they did not even have a dispenser for toilet paper. I was so in awe of that.
We went upstairs with my lawyer and the family. As we waited, inmates passed by us again.
We entered the courtroom. It had twelve benches, six on each side. It was very clean, free of mold. It had the common Dominican tile floors and fans were fastened to the walls to circulate air. We sat in the back and they turned on an air conditioner.
Soon after two inmates walk in and passed by our legs without a security guard behind them. They went and took a seat. THEN, Aunt Ramona said that is him, in the purple. WHAT! Like, he just walked in front of us with out both hands cuffed and without a guard??
He looked so different than the photo I had seen of him. He was cleaned up, hair recently cut, new dress clothes, and new shoes. He has a lot of gray hair coming in.
There was a security guard by the wall. You couldn't see his gun. As the room filled up, another security guy came in and he had a visible gun. My lawyer said that the important officials in the room have black robes on and hats. Each is identified by their colored tassel and sleeves.
Public defense is green. The judge always wears purple. I think our side had on white. Thankfully, we were the first case to be called! As they had Wilson move to the front, the bailiff realized he didn't have keys. It was laughable, to say the least. Then they uncuffed him to freely sit in the courtroom. Next they called Aunt Ramona and we had no idea where she went. Water or the bathroom? I was mortified. Judge wasn't too happy.
There was no microphone, so we couldn't hear anything in the back. My lawyer asked me to come up closer to the front and sit as she stood next to me. A heavy set lady with her shirt unbuttoned halfway down but in one of these black garments standing off to the side, grabbed me by the arm and literally pushed me to the next row, up front with Aunt Ramona. Although, I felt her to be extremely rude pushing me, I also felt it to be divine intervention. I wasn't the only guardian standing in for the witnesses, but I was definitely the American in the case that hired my own lawyer to come. I incessantly prayed Your will be done, be with this judge, let justice be served, fill this room with your Presence, lay Your hands on this judge and on the attorneys, Your will be done, Your will be done.
Wilson wanted to be set free and do a probation of checking in every 15 days. Judge said no. She set another trial for next month and all the minors will meet with a psychologist to be interviewed soon. PRAISE God.
Although, I am super excited for this, I am also very appalled at the justice system. The reports are all poorly written and missing valuable information as to what happened and who was present. My kids and the other minors will be interviewed for WHAT HAPPENED... almost 2 years after the murder. Ay Ay Ay. They should have been interviewed a long time ago for this. So much time has passed and I worry that their memory isn't going to be fresh.
Thanks for your prayers today! Next update will be about the trial.
(Next week marks one year since the monkeys moved in!)
They had a trial months ago, but I was never officially notified of the trial so we didn't go. They didnt even have me listed as legal guardian. Dad wants out because legally he has the right to be set free because they have taken over a year to investigate and come to a decision in a trial.
As we arrived at the courthouse, we walked through the doors with no pat-downs or scanners. As we waited for my lawyer, we saw someone hand over their hand gun to the security guard. She put it into a box with other firearms that were not securely closed. Luke joked, we know where to go if there is an emergency. Next, inmates were walking in cuffed to each other in street clothes with each person having a hand free, not cuffed at all. Mind blown! The security was just someone in front and someone to the back of these large groups of men walking in. I went upstairs with the girls to use the bathroom. Although it is very common to not have toilet paper in bathrooms here, they did not even have a dispenser for toilet paper. I was so in awe of that.
We went upstairs with my lawyer and the family. As we waited, inmates passed by us again.
We entered the courtroom. It had twelve benches, six on each side. It was very clean, free of mold. It had the common Dominican tile floors and fans were fastened to the walls to circulate air. We sat in the back and they turned on an air conditioner.
 |
| Blurry! I wasn't sure if I could snap pics! |
Soon after two inmates walk in and passed by our legs without a security guard behind them. They went and took a seat. THEN, Aunt Ramona said that is him, in the purple. WHAT! Like, he just walked in front of us with out both hands cuffed and without a guard??
He looked so different than the photo I had seen of him. He was cleaned up, hair recently cut, new dress clothes, and new shoes. He has a lot of gray hair coming in.
 | ||||
| Public Defense in Black (with the green tassel on head), Dad (Wilson) in Purple |
There was no microphone, so we couldn't hear anything in the back. My lawyer asked me to come up closer to the front and sit as she stood next to me. A heavy set lady with her shirt unbuttoned halfway down but in one of these black garments standing off to the side, grabbed me by the arm and literally pushed me to the next row, up front with Aunt Ramona. Although, I felt her to be extremely rude pushing me, I also felt it to be divine intervention. I wasn't the only guardian standing in for the witnesses, but I was definitely the American in the case that hired my own lawyer to come. I incessantly prayed Your will be done, be with this judge, let justice be served, fill this room with your Presence, lay Your hands on this judge and on the attorneys, Your will be done, Your will be done.
Wilson wanted to be set free and do a probation of checking in every 15 days. Judge said no. She set another trial for next month and all the minors will meet with a psychologist to be interviewed soon. PRAISE God.
Although, I am super excited for this, I am also very appalled at the justice system. The reports are all poorly written and missing valuable information as to what happened and who was present. My kids and the other minors will be interviewed for WHAT HAPPENED... almost 2 years after the murder. Ay Ay Ay. They should have been interviewed a long time ago for this. So much time has passed and I worry that their memory isn't going to be fresh.
Thanks for your prayers today! Next update will be about the trial.
(Next week marks one year since the monkeys moved in!)
