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Thursday, November 28, 2013

Thanksgiving: San Antonio Four Let Out of Jail in Exoneration Fight



Four women from San Antonio, tried and convicted in the late 1990’s for allegedly abusing the 7 and 9 year-old nieces of one of the women, have been set free on a signature bond (basically freed on their own recognizance), and are awaiting word from the Court of Criminal Appeals (Texas’ highest criminal court) on whether their charges will be overturned or whether they will face a new trial.


Their accusers, now grown, long-ago recanted.  The Houston Chronicle has a lengthy report on the release of Elizabeth Ramirez, 39, Cassandra Rivera, 38, and Kristie Mayhugh, 40.  The fourth woman, Anna Vasquez, had been out on a harsh-termed parole for a year, which has been reduced.  All four are lesbians, and their sexual identity played a central role during the trial, with the prosecution indicating to the juries that the women’s lesbianism predisposed them to the abuse of little girls.


During and after the trial, inconsistencies between the young girls’ accusations were highlighted, as were problems with the State’s pseudo-scientific evidence.  In particular, the State’s expert Nancy Kellogg testified that a mark on the hymen of one of the alleged victims was evidence of scarring and abuse.  That theory has since been completely refuted.  No other physical evidence was brought in the case, nor was evidence that one of the accusers had a history of making unfounded claims of sexual abuse, always in conjunction with a personal dispute.

The Bexar County (San Antonio) prosecutor’s office has been on board with the defense in letting the women go. They have languished in prison for 16 years, but are thankful they are out now.


Further background reading on the case:  http://fourliveslost.com/

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