by Patrick H. Moore
Ariel Castro pleaded guilty today to 937 counts including aggravated murder on suspicion of ending the pregnancy of one of his alleged captives. Under the deal, there is no possibility of him receiving the death penalty, which would have been possible if he had chosen to go to trial. More importantly, Castro’s plea deal will spare the three victims — Amamda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight — the horrible experience of having to testify at what would been one of the most closely-watched trials in recent memory.
Ashley Fantz of CNN has the story:
Ariel Castro agreed Friday in an Ohio courtroom to a plea deal in one of the most sensational kidnapping cases in recent memory. The deal, reached with prosecutors, would let him avoid the possibility of a death sentence and spare his alleged victims from having to testify at a trial.
The plea deal recommends that he be sentenced to life in prison without parole — that he never get a parole hearing. It would also mean that a trial Castro was facing on August 5 would not happen and he would not face the possibility of being sentenced to death. Judge Michael J. Russo went over the deal with Castro, and told him that he would be labeled as a sexual predator.
Castro assured the Court that he understood what he was pleading to. He did interject — at one point — that he was “also a victim as a child.” Both Castro and the three female victims will have ample opportunity to address the court at Castro’s sentencing hearing which is scheduled for August 1st.
Judge Russo took pains to make sure that Castro grasped what he was pleading to, at one point asking the former school bus driver how good his English was.
Castro — who suddenly seems eager to communicate — replied that he can read and spell adequately but his comprehension is bad because “my addiction to pornography and my sexual problem has really taken a toll on my mind.”
Unsurprisingly, an attorney for the three victims had told CNN that they were hoping for a plea deal because the young women did not want to take the stand at Castro’s trial.
Based on the term of the plea deal, Castro — in addition to being sentenced to life with no possibility of parole — will also receive at least another 1,000 years.
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What is quite amazing is the fact that Castro will be sentenced so quickly. August 1st is next Thursday. Clearly, all of the involved parties want to get this over with as quickly as possible. I am hoping that the three victims choose not to make a statement at trial. There is no need for them to be dragged to the sentencing — unless, of course, one or more of them believes making a statement would be therapeutic and would help them to gain some kind of closure, in which case they should by all means address the Court.
Click here to read earlier posts on the Cleveland 3 kidnapping victims:
Ariel Castro Chained, Starved and Beat Michelle Knight and Gina DeJesus
New Emily Castro Shocker: Ariel Castro Used His Daughters to Find Him Victims in Their Neighborhood
Ariel Castro’s Daughter Emily Is Serving 25 Years in Prison for Slashing Her Baby’s Throat