Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Rapist is Guilty

I didn't know if I would ever be able to write "The Rapist is Guilty" but I can write that he was found guilty and sentenced to 60 years. The legal process took more than three years but the good part was while the judge was deciding whether he was guilty or not, he was locked up in jail because Mexico considers that you are guilty unless proven otherwise. It was the maximum penalty for the rape of five expat women between October 2005 and June 2006.

If you are new to my blog and want to read the history on this crime, click here, scroll to the end and read to the front.

7 comments:

billow said...

I remember reading about the horrific threat of the San Miguel rapist who would break into ex-pat women's bedrooms at night. He kept the whole ex-pat community on edge. It's good that there is some justice and some closure.

The Pliers said...

I am glad for your community that this one specific rapist who targeted a particular group of women in SMdA has been caught, prosecuted, found guilty, and sentenced to some punishment for this crime.

I took the time to go back and read through the posts that you had done on the matter from the beginning and I think that it was a public service in more ways than one that you decided to chronicle the events as they unfolded.

I hope that the unpleasant attention that was directed toward SMdA throughout this ordeal will have contributed to a heightened awareness on the part of the local law enforcement representatives and have promoted a commitment to better, clearer, more compassionate investigation techniques for the rape of anyone in your greater geographical area.

Thank you for stopping by ...Spit and Baling Wire... I was surprised and touched to find you there this morning!

Calypso said...

I hadn't forgot the worry there at that time that you wrote about. Interesting as I seldom hear of an outcome after the arrest here - Good to know that fellow will spend the rest of his days in a Mexican jail.

Billie Mercer said...

The only reason that I think we heard of the sentence is because people, especially women, were still asking if he was still in jail and when he would be sentenced. The outcome might have been the same but it would not have been published. Mexican justice is very slow and behind a wall of what we in the USA would call secrecy.

Gary Denness said...

Glad to hear the story has a proper and just ending. But I'm curious....do you really believe that a law system that proscribes a person as guilty until proven innocent as 'good'?

Billie Mercer said...

No, Gary, I don't really think the current Mexican system is good. But under the current circumstances if he had been given bail he would either have disappeared or he would have raped other women here in town. I know that in the USA people skip bail, disappear during probation, etc., but law inforcement shares information and if the criminal is stopped for a traffic light he might very well be caught again.

I'm very hopeful that the Mexican system of justice will change but the change will be long and painful.

Gary Denness said...

I know what you mean. But he can be denied bail without there being the 'guilty till proven innocent' bit inserted into the law.

But anyway, glad to hear he is where he belongs.