400-plus years for rape of targeted lesbian

[Liberal_in_LA]

The ringleader of a 2008 gang rape of a Richmond woman who was allegedly targeted because she is a lesbian and then taunted during the attack was sentenced to more than 411 years to life in prison, a prosecutor said Monday.

Humberto Salvador, 36, of Richmond was found guilty in December by a Contra Costa County Superior Court jury in Martinez of rape in concert, forcible oral copulation in concert, kidnapping for sexual purposes and kidnapping for the purpose of carjacking.

At a hearing Friday, Judge Susanne Fenstermacher sentenced Salvador to 411 years and four months to life in prison for the attack on the victim, who was referred to as Jane Doe. She wasn't present in court, but prosecutor Melissa Smith read a statement from Jane Doe's partner.

"She has lost the will to live," the statement read. "Although she is alive, they killed her inside. Every day is a battle for her to live without fear, and her life is not the same as it was. She is permanently scarred. My family is damaged as well. We now live in the dark because the curtains are always drawn to shut the world out. She is now afraid to go outside the house because she thinks they will be waiting for her."

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/400-plus-years-for-rape-of-targeted-lesbian-5489586.php

[Skidmore]

1. Some crimes defy ever having enough justice

delivered. My heart goes out to this woman, her partner, and and her family. Such a horrible vicious crime.

[Louisiana1976]

31. +1 million

[OregonBlue]

32. Like Forrest Gump said, "sometimes there just aren't enough rocks".

[seveneyes]

2. The other three rapists

In January, Ortiz pleaded guilty to forcible oral copulation in concert for the benefit of a gang and carjacking in exchange for a 31-year prison sentence.

Hodges pleaded guilty in December to forced oral copulation and was sentenced to 24 years in prison.

A fourth defendant, Josue Gonzalez, who testified against Salvador in his trial, pleaded guilty in February to carjacking and robbery and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
---------------

Why are these other rapists not locked up for the rest of their lives? They should never see the light of day for this kind of abuse against another human.

[bettyellen]

17. I wonder if those sentences will be cut in half. Aren't they usually?

I remember someone hear complaining how unfair it was to add kidnapping charges if they didn't take the victim far away. It;s not enough they are dragging em off?
Jeeze.

[freshwest]

19. They won't do much of that time, I'm sure of it. Unless things have changed, and I doubt it.

The woman's life was, for all intents and purposes, ended. They enjoyed her humiliation and suffering as much as a pack of dogs tearing their prey into pieces, which I have witnessed myself. They saw no crime there.

If she commits suicide to escape what they did to her for their own pleasure they will not be tried for murder. In fact, it'll likely help them to get out. She and her family is right to not leave home, as these men have supporters that may mean her harm.

[bettyellen]

20. Ugh, I wish we had better victims compensation. She needs a new start and some good long term

therapy. I hope to god she is not still in that neighborhood.

[freshwest]

23. I posted below a reply to Nolabear:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024973516#post22

So I am not optimistic.

[Louisiana1976]

30. Well said. They should be locked up and the key thrown away.

[sheshe2]

3. My heart goes out to "Jane Doe".

Tears...

[AverageJoe90]

14. Seconded. Times infinity. ='(

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Good on the judge!

I hope the survivor gets the help she deserves paid for by the rapists.

[NuclearDem]

5. Well, he can still get out for good behavior after 205 years.

[merrily]

33. 0 for 2, man.

[theHandpuppet]

6. There are still places in the world where rape is considered a cure for lesbianism

It's called "corrective rape".

Yes, that will do it. Rape a woman and she's sure to go straight.

[jeff47]

7. Well, they just don't understand

how wonderful a penis is!!

[freshwest]

21. The USA is one of them:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014109184#op

And I've heard this from troglodytes, when they think I'm not listening.

[Egnever]

8. It's shit like this

That keeps my belief in the death penalty alive.

[merrily]

34. Because violence by the state in our name sets a good example for individuals?

No thanks. One wrong does not undo another.

[arely staircase]

9. don't believe that. he will be out and walking the streets in 120 years.

[valerief]

10. The result of fundamentalist religion in an oligarchy. nt

[Solly Mack]

11. K&R

[AverageJoe90]

12. Good! Good. Rot in prison, you POS douchebag.

Well, at least he won't be victimizing any more women, that's for sure.

[William769]

13. kick & recommended.

[nolabear]

15. Six years and she is still unable to function.

What a tragic thing. She needs intensive therapy. I hope having these people locked away helps advance her toward getting what she needs to take up life again.

[freshwest]

22. The person I know of who suffered something similiar... has not recovered with intensive for over

twenty years and it will never be over until death.

The ringleader may be released at any time. The victim and family know his comrades still walk free and the danger was not ended at the trial.

Everyone in the family and the victim has lost their health by the derangement their child suffered and continues to suffer.

[nolabear]

26. I'm sorry. Sometimes people just don't recover. What a loss.

Hard to fathom what it takes to make people able to be so cruel.

[freshwest]

28. All it takes is an opportunity to abuse and a lack of respect for others. Predators exist.

And they believe in their right to do exactly what they do. I know this is a subject you, too, care very deeply about and have a great deal of knowledge. But after years of trying to clean up the walking wounded from their acts, I'm no longer puzzled at predators and have no interest in their reasoning, only how to prevent them from continuing.

[nolabear]

36. When I'm in my professional mind I can be curious but I am boggled by it.

I understand that an individual can be so incredibly broken as to be something unfathomable to those of us who have empathy and think of fellow humans as deserving of care and respect. But a group, planning and carrying out an attack like that is beyond anything I can comprehend. There are horrors out there, and we're not going to fix them. The best we can do is try to provide a world that is caring enough and gives enough to its children so that the fewest number possible grow up to be that way.

And not despair. And that's hard, but I know that media flashes the extremes in front of us every day, and the vast majority of kind, ordinary human beings are never known.

[AtheistCrusader]

16. Good verdict.

Sit and reflect, shithead. He can never give back what he took from her.

[AAO]

18. I abhor the death penalty, but 400 years to life sounds appropriate for this monster. n/t

[47of74]

24. 400 years is not enough.

I was thinking more in the range of 10,000 to 250,000 years in prison with no possibility of reprieve or parole.

[AAO]

25. Or death which ever comes first

We don't want to pay for a corpse occupying a cell for 400 years, do we?

[47of74]

29. Yeah, guess not.

[derby378]

27. Someone PLEASE give "Jane Doe" a medicinal dose of MDMA

PTSD is a hell of a thing to endure. There have been some promising results from therapeutic uses of MDMA, but our Federal government needs to get off its ass and reclassify it as Schedule II so that you don't need an act of Congress just to run a clinical trial.

My heart goes out to her, and I hope she finally finds peace and strength at last.

[Enthusiast]

35. I see this as an appropriate sentence.