Category Archives: crime

Victim’s Impact Statement

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In the winter of 2009 I wrote out victim’s impact statements for my children.

Pages never read, found or included in the record.

I flinch every time the weight of these statements is mentioned in other cases.

What happened to ours and why?

So I decided to write them again:

Short Form

Victim’s Impact Statement

no words.

Long Form

Victim’s Impact Statement

Look me in the eye
And tell me
Why my grief is so insubstantial to you
Oh judge
Just bits of paper in the wind

Gone
Just missing…
All our intimate
words for sorrow and loss

Who Killed Antonio Santiago?

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I remember being shocked and outraged by the original story–an unsuspecting mama is accosted by a couple of African American teens and her baby is murdered .

Appalling, right?

When the story re-surfaced meme-style as a defense for racism and murder I left it alone. I thought–tragic, but the assailants were charged.

Then my fellow child advocate, Miranda Yonts posted very quiet updates on the story.

It seems that there are other suspects in the case–the baby’s parents. Both tested positive for gunshot residue.

When you go back to the original story something stands out–the original suspects were tagged based on truancy records. Mama says–two black teens and the system finds two black teens. They might be guilty of nothing more serious than skipping school.

Four suspects. A terrible story. Who do you believe?

May 14th Attack in Port Lavaca

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It is a quiet little neighborhood– close to the bay, an elementary school, a fire station. People felt safe there until the events of May 14th, 2013.

A local resident was brutally attacked sustaining significant injuries. Her assailant was wearing the mask pictured below.

When I first saw the mask I was afraid it was a dark and inappropriate joke. We are so accustomed to seeing the pixilated composite drawings of suspects–not the garish color of a menacing demon mask.

Do not be deceived. The mask is no joke. It is a powerful clue. Whoever attacked our friend and neighbor had been watching her, had planned his attack carefully, put a great deal of evil thinking into what he did.

I assume he is a man based on the strength and severity of the attack. I also assume that:

This mask is traceable.

He bought it somewhere.

Someone in our community can help solve this crime by providing
assistance into the origin of the mask.

Find the mask, find the man, stop the evil…before he can strike again.

Please.

Corey Haim

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Who, my age, did not want to be in movies like Goonies or ET?  There was a group of child actors who appeared in movies like these who elicited at least a mild level of envy.  These movies looked like fun to be in!

But something was wrong somewhere.  A number of child actors from my generation have spoken out about sexual abuse in tandem with their acting career.

Corey Feldman has spoken out about his belief that his friend’s life was marred by sexual abuse and that it is a problem in Hollywood.

My heart goes out to Corey Haim and the way a predator’s actions may have ultimately contributed to years of pain and a premature death.

Victims have the right to speak out, pursue legal action, warn others, and get help.  They need to know they are not alone.

I like to use abuse survivor as much as possible, but I think that in this case, Corey Haim was a victim.  His story is a tragedy.