Being raised in San Clemente is a blessing. The families here care about their kids and raising them in a wholesome safe environment. It was shocking to me as a parent during the 80's and 90's, that there actually was what could be called a "gang" in San Clemente. I later found out that not only was there a mexican gang, but also a few skin head gangs. When my own son (Dean) started hanging around what seemed like mexican gang members, I did more investigating. I found that this gang was not a gang for criminal reasons, but for macho image and party reasons. This made me feel a tad better, but still, we made Dean go away to a private school. That school did not work out, so he returned. He reconnected with some of his former friends and got a girlfriend. After his girl moved back to Mexico, he fell into a depression, and everything went down hill from there. For about 5 years, he was not in his right mind and it was very trying as a parent. We even had to tell him to leave and go out on his own. It was at that time that Dean fell apart , which lead to jail on stupid petty things. He realized that he did not want to end up living in jail and so started his uphill climb to sobriety and sanity. It was at this time that the murder in San Juan took place for which he is being blamed.
Being raised in San Clemente was never forgotten by Dean, and he is back to what he should have been, a man who loves and appreciates family, nature, honesty, and the law. We only hope that this trial turns out right and he can live the dream of raising his own family in San Clemente.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Inmates during trial
Have you ever wondered why many inmates during their trials look haggard and have glazed faces? Many have even fallen asleep during trials. I wanted to share with you the unfair grueling schedule that these defendants who are locked up during their trial go through.
Their day starts at 4am when they are woken up to get ready for transport. Then they are all taken to a huge cement holding cell which has no chairs, and you are not allowed to have a book or magazine to pass the time. It is cold and loud as the noise bounces off the cement walls and floors. He doesn't enter the court until around 9am. He is allowed to dress out of his jail clothes before entering the court. (That is if someone has brought him a change of clothes from the outside and the judge has written an order for the jailers to let him do so.] For lunch, he goes back to the cement room with a sack lunch that is not very edible. Then around 1pm, he is back in court until around 4pm. Then it is back to the cement room until around 6pm when he is finally transported back to the jail. Of course the whole time, he is shackled on his legs and at times hands too. He has to wait at the jail to be checked back in, and is given another sack meal, and then around 9pm gets to shower. By the time they are back in their cell, it is almost midnight. That gives them four hours sleep before it all starts again. Its no wonder defendants find it hard to think or speak during their trials. These conditions are inhumane in my opinion, and it is very hard on Dean. Because he is such a worrier, it is hard for him to get any sleep, much less four hours. I just hope he can hang in there for his trial.
Their day starts at 4am when they are woken up to get ready for transport. Then they are all taken to a huge cement holding cell which has no chairs, and you are not allowed to have a book or magazine to pass the time. It is cold and loud as the noise bounces off the cement walls and floors. He doesn't enter the court until around 9am. He is allowed to dress out of his jail clothes before entering the court. (That is if someone has brought him a change of clothes from the outside and the judge has written an order for the jailers to let him do so.] For lunch, he goes back to the cement room with a sack lunch that is not very edible. Then around 1pm, he is back in court until around 4pm. Then it is back to the cement room until around 6pm when he is finally transported back to the jail. Of course the whole time, he is shackled on his legs and at times hands too. He has to wait at the jail to be checked back in, and is given another sack meal, and then around 9pm gets to shower. By the time they are back in their cell, it is almost midnight. That gives them four hours sleep before it all starts again. Its no wonder defendants find it hard to think or speak during their trials. These conditions are inhumane in my opinion, and it is very hard on Dean. Because he is such a worrier, it is hard for him to get any sleep, much less four hours. I just hope he can hang in there for his trial.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Trial update
Okay everyone, I know you are getting frustrated at all the delays but it must all be happening for a reason. We are all praying to God for help, so maybe this is a part of it.
The new trial date is July 8th. That is when we will probably start picking a jury. So everyone say prayers on that day and the rest of that week to get the right jury members. It will be so important.
Dean hates all these delays. He is sick of being in jail and his life just being wasted. He says that even prison is better than county jail. Lets hope it doesn't come to that.
The new trial date is July 8th. That is when we will probably start picking a jury. So everyone say prayers on that day and the rest of that week to get the right jury members. It will be so important.
Dean hates all these delays. He is sick of being in jail and his life just being wasted. He says that even prison is better than county jail. Lets hope it doesn't come to that.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Dean has always noticed the underdog, the
different, and the isolated ones, and tried to
befriend them.
My earliest memory of his sensitive nature was when
he was 2 and 1/2 years old. I used to take him weekly
to the beach to feed the gulls. He enjoyed throwing
the bread to them and then seeing how close they would
come to him to get bread out of his hand.
One day when were at the shoreline, we noticed a young
man in a wheelchair at the edge of the sand in the
parking lot. Suddenly, he pushed out of the wheelchair
and dropped to the sand. He started to slowly drag
himself across the sand towards the water. I thought
about how rocky this beach was as one got closer to
the water. Dean must have had the same thought, but he
sprung into action. He ran towards the man and started
clearing rocks out of his path. Dean was so
concentrated and working hard at it, throwing rocks to
the right and to the left. The man stopped and looked
up at Dean and then continued on realizing what was
happening. They were now a team. When he reached the
waterline, he sat upright, and Dean plopped down next
to him, and they sat silently together looking at the
ocean. I realized that I had been so mesmerized, that
I had not moved from my spot on the beach. I was so
warmed by what he had done at only 2 and 1/2 years
old. I thought he was an amazing little guy. After a
few minutes, i called to Dean to go. He got up patted
the man on the back and said something. He leaned down
as if listening to a reply, and then ran to me. As we
walked back up, I asked him what he had said. He
replied that he had asked the man if he needed Dean's
help to get back. The man responded that that he would
take the same path back and would be fine. I did not
tell dean that he was special for doing this, because
I wanted him to always keep his helpful nature and not
think that he was doing something out of the norm. I
told him instead that he had done a great job clearing
the rocks out.
Through out Dean's life he has brought home the
strangest people. I had to tell him as he got older
not to bring home the homeless that he met and felt
sorry for. He continually befriended the outcasts in
school and those who were different. He respected all
life, including lives of insects. There were many
times that I had to go get a spider out of his room
because he refused to smash it. He was gentle with
children and animals. Both flocked to him. Whenever
I was mad or irritated with Dean, I would bring up the
memory on the beach, and my anger dissipated. Dean is
still exactly like that little boy.
I know that no matter how lost he became as a
teenager, he would never take another life. He
thought being macho was being tough with your fists.
Weapons were for sissies. Killing is not in his
nature.
Dean is emotional, intense and goofy funny.
I believe him that he is innocent, and I am grateful
that he had 4 years of freedom after his appeal. He
worked, traveled and got to know all his relatives,
and show them who he now is. He was lost as a
teenager, but now is not. Dean has paid for his
mistakes and I now pray that God will get us the right
jury that will see his innocence.
Love, Mom
different, and the isolated ones, and tried to
befriend them.
My earliest memory of his sensitive nature was when
he was 2 and 1/2 years old. I used to take him weekly
to the beach to feed the gulls. He enjoyed throwing
the bread to them and then seeing how close they would
come to him to get bread out of his hand.
One day when were at the shoreline, we noticed a young
man in a wheelchair at the edge of the sand in the
parking lot. Suddenly, he pushed out of the wheelchair
and dropped to the sand. He started to slowly drag
himself across the sand towards the water. I thought
about how rocky this beach was as one got closer to
the water. Dean must have had the same thought, but he
sprung into action. He ran towards the man and started
clearing rocks out of his path. Dean was so
concentrated and working hard at it, throwing rocks to
the right and to the left. The man stopped and looked
up at Dean and then continued on realizing what was
happening. They were now a team. When he reached the
waterline, he sat upright, and Dean plopped down next
to him, and they sat silently together looking at the
ocean. I realized that I had been so mesmerized, that
I had not moved from my spot on the beach. I was so
warmed by what he had done at only 2 and 1/2 years
old. I thought he was an amazing little guy. After a
few minutes, i called to Dean to go. He got up patted
the man on the back and said something. He leaned down
as if listening to a reply, and then ran to me. As we
walked back up, I asked him what he had said. He
replied that he had asked the man if he needed Dean's
help to get back. The man responded that that he would
take the same path back and would be fine. I did not
tell dean that he was special for doing this, because
I wanted him to always keep his helpful nature and not
think that he was doing something out of the norm. I
told him instead that he had done a great job clearing
the rocks out.
Through out Dean's life he has brought home the
strangest people. I had to tell him as he got older
not to bring home the homeless that he met and felt
sorry for. He continually befriended the outcasts in
school and those who were different. He respected all
life, including lives of insects. There were many
times that I had to go get a spider out of his room
because he refused to smash it. He was gentle with
children and animals. Both flocked to him. Whenever
I was mad or irritated with Dean, I would bring up the
memory on the beach, and my anger dissipated. Dean is
still exactly like that little boy.
I know that no matter how lost he became as a
teenager, he would never take another life. He
thought being macho was being tough with your fists.
Weapons were for sissies. Killing is not in his
nature.
Dean is emotional, intense and goofy funny.
I believe him that he is innocent, and I am grateful
that he had 4 years of freedom after his appeal. He
worked, traveled and got to know all his relatives,
and show them who he now is. He was lost as a
teenager, but now is not. Dean has paid for his
mistakes and I now pray that God will get us the right
jury that will see his innocence.
Love, Mom
Thursday, May 15, 2008
“It’s of more importance to community, that innocence should be protected, than it is, that guilt should be punished.” – John Adams
Dean,
I hope and pray that the jury in your case agrees with John Adams. Even though you associated with the wrong crowd in your youth, you have never wavered from your love of all living beings. I can tell countless stories of you when we were kids refusing to smash spiders in my room, sticking up for the unpopular, giving your last dollar to the unfortunate.
Your character never changed. It always makes me smile to think of you now, giving what little money you have to whatever stranger comes to the front door with their special cause in hand. And I love to tell people the story of you rushing across the street to the dog park to break up a fight between a large and small dog. Everyone else froze, but you jumped in the middle and saved the little dog's life. Her owner was so thankful, and to you it was natural because you never want to see anything suffer.
Your family and friends know the genuine and kind hearted person you are. I love you and have the utmost faith in your innocence. I just pray that the jury can see past the false accusations and be strong enough to speak out for the truth.
Love, your sister, Andrea
Dean,
I hope and pray that the jury in your case agrees with John Adams. Even though you associated with the wrong crowd in your youth, you have never wavered from your love of all living beings. I can tell countless stories of you when we were kids refusing to smash spiders in my room, sticking up for the unpopular, giving your last dollar to the unfortunate.
Your character never changed. It always makes me smile to think of you now, giving what little money you have to whatever stranger comes to the front door with their special cause in hand. And I love to tell people the story of you rushing across the street to the dog park to break up a fight between a large and small dog. Everyone else froze, but you jumped in the middle and saved the little dog's life. Her owner was so thankful, and to you it was natural because you never want to see anything suffer.
Your family and friends know the genuine and kind hearted person you are. I love you and have the utmost faith in your innocence. I just pray that the jury can see past the false accusations and be strong enough to speak out for the truth.
Love, your sister, Andrea
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
