Don't let a North Carolina judge use Alaina Giordano's breast cancer as reason to take away her kids.

Alaina is urgently looking for a lawyer who can help with her appeal, pro bono. If you're qualified to practice law in North Carolina and can help, shoot me an email at Shelby.Knox@Change.org.

From: "Shelby Knox, Change.org" <mail@change.org>

Don't let a North Carolina judge use Alaina Giordano's breast cancer as reason to take away her kids.

Dear Joan,

Alaina Giordano was diagnosed with breast cancer three and half years ago. That was bad.

This is worse: On April 25th, a judge in North Carolina used Alaina's cancer as a key reason to transfer custody of her 5-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter to her ex-husband (a man Alaina describes as "abusive" and who lives more than 700 miles away).

This is happening even though Alaina says her kids "know that I have cancer, they know that I go for treatment once a month now, they know that it's stable. They know me as mom, and it doesn't affect our daily life."

She has just two weeks to appeal, and her hope is that a huge outcry from the public and local elected officials can help reverse the decision.

Thankfully, that outcry is growing quickly. A petition started by Alaina's sister Lauren has more than 7,000 signatures, Alaina was interviewed on Good Morning America and the Today Show, and media throughout North Carolina and the U.S. are now covering the injustice.

But time is short, and the wrong outcome here sets a dangerous precedent for mothers and fathers with cancer or other serious diseases. Please sign Lauren's petition asking that Alaina Giordano's breast cancer not be used as a reason to take away her kids:

http://www.change.org/petitions/do-not-allow-nc-judge-to-take-alaina-giordanos-children-just-because-she-has-cancer

Thanks for taking action,

- Shelby and the Change.org team

P.S. Alaina is urgently looking for a lawyer who can help with her appeal, pro bono. If you're qualified to practice law in North Carolina and can help, shoot me an email at Shelby.Knox@Change.org.

U.S. Supreme Court Sacks v Sacks- Linda Marie Sacks

A Copy of her Mothers day Petition. Lets keep it in the News—we will not let it go silent!

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/79416651/US-Supreme-Court-Sacks-v-Sacks_May-6th-2011

you can get the embed codes at the link above.

 

 

US Supreme Court Sacks v. Sacks_May 6th, 2011

URGENT JUDGE DALE Wells

 

Hello Everyone,

Here are some past comments about Judge Wells the Judge who made the latest decision in my case. Basically he will go against the mother and the children in any situation even the most sever abuse and will act as the attoreny for the father.

It is against the judicial cannons to act as an attorney specially Judicial cannon 4G. A Judge cannot act as an attorney.

There is an emergency hearing tomorrow where the father wants to destroy all contact that I have with the children currently as he wants to ensure that I don't see them.

The judge in his tentative decision specifically referred to my South African immigrant status as an issue of concern with regard to keeping Josh and Gabrial from me.

I need people to take action.

Please phone the court and protest what is going on.

It is urgent.

I am asking for publicity and assistance as this type of situation needs to be exposed. Thank you for the past support and any current assistance or protest would be appreciated and please feel free to forward. A picture of us has been attached.

Thank you in advance

Elena Gross

(76) 625 0518

Comments made about Commissioner Dale Wells

All comments are opinions of the survey respondents.

Censor Level:

Dale Wells is sexist, pro-father and anti-child. Wells takes it upon himself

to act as attorney on behalf of the father, interrogating the mother, even

in the prsence of the farher's attorney, so it's as if the father has two

attorneys acting on his behalf, but one of them is the judge. He

consistently gives the father everything he asks for, and holds the mother t

obe suspect of anything the father may say. If the mother says anything, or

tires to, he interupts her and makes a ruling against her. Basically, if you

are a mother in Wells' courtroom you have no right to speak and you will be

ruled against regardless of any facts you present, whether in writing or if

you dare to try to speak. Dale Wells is even worse than Lawrence Best; while

they both share the habit of not allowing the mother to speak and

interrupting her and cutting her off if she tries to speak. Mothers have no

rights in the courtroom of Dale Wells, and his reckless decisions damage the

lives of our children. 2011-01-11

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.00)

HOW A JUDGE OF THIS LOW A CALIBRE GETS TO BE A JUDGE TO BEGIN WITH IS A

DISGRACE, HE HAS NO BUSINESS BEING A JUDGE, HE LACKS INTELLIGENCE, LACKS

KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAW, AND LACKS ANY SENSE OF FAIRNESS IMPARTIALITY OR

REQUISITE JUDICIAL TEMPERMENT. 2010-07-18

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.16)

Well, after reading these comments, i feel a bit more confident in knowing I

got royally and financially screwed by Dale Wells. He cost me my home, and

all my financial assets that I ever accumulated and can never get back.

Thanks Dale! 2009-02-06

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.01)

I have always had the greatest respect for the judicial system, until

appearing before Dale Wells. I will not put the word "honorable" in front of

his name because he is far from it. He is biased, in cahoots with most of

the attorneys that appear in front of him and literally tears families AND

children apart. I have heard he is no longer hearing family law cases...if

so, that would be the best move that Riverside County could ever make. If he

is, then more children will be hurt by him. This is one man who has no

business being on the bench and I hope that someday, his actions catch up to

him. 2008-12-15

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.00)

Dale Wells is an EVIL, saddistic man who is 100% AGAINST mothers. He will

instantly take custody away from the mothers with a simple statement from

the father's attorney that the mother is not "sharing" the children, it

doesn't matter that there is a RESTRAINING order against the abusive father!

He has been divorced three times himself and took EVERYTHING from the

mothers of his children and NEVER paid them one dime!! He also tricked his

wives into signing INTERSPOUSAL GRANT DEEDS to their properties. He is NOT

an objective Commissioner to be on ANY bench EXCEPT for a PARK BENCH!!!

2008-12-12

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.00)

This is not just my opinion but my personal experience. Dale Wells has had

No respect or concern for the lives or outcome in the countless, faceless

children involved in these many custody cases. Removing them from their

mothers in too many cases to name here(in the 100's), without proof - all on

the word of just one attorney & her grown daughter adult attorney)and

usually without notice - In an emergency exparte hearing, the other party

not present or even represented, where illegally and with civil rights

violated, (no proof of service available in many cases, others just the

claim of a phone call left on an unmanned answering machine that was untrue)

& custody illegally switched immediately on the spot from having primary

physical custody to possibilities of future supervised visitation. Very

Prejudicial and obvious that time after time he favored attorney's Carol

Adams & Jennifer Clark. Most always without asking them to prove or back up

their outrageous accusations & claims of outrageous behavior & character

accusations. So outrageous that time after time, the same story for every

mother (very few fathers)accusations identical or similar and Mr. Wells,

seems not to notice. Why is he favoring this "Mother-Daughter" Law team as

they lied and perpetrate fraud upon the court, claiming to be a Christian

law firm to add insult to injury, Using God as a Representative for their

aggregating behavior. Yes, there are transcripts and videos and a river of

tears. $100,000's of dollars paid to attorneys who all but two or three in

the Valley, fell prey to this judge and these two attorneys who's conduct

was so out of control and obvious, yet nobody would listen to the women who

cried out for their children missing them and having gone from full custody

to not even visitation in many cases(or not for months while these Attorneys

avoid returning phone calls to prevent timely visitation) and for justice,

many still scrounging for money to return again to the court, to fight in

hopes of disproving these allegations and get their babies back. It would

have been better to be accused of a crime in a criminal court because We'd

have had an advocate to speak on our behalf. Instead, we're accused of

criminal type behavior, with no proof to base it on and not asked for any

proof by the other sides attorney. Their children are given to the other

parent who is either delinquent with child support or actively protesting

having to pay the primary custodial parent support. What goes on between

these two women attorneys and this one time Baptist Minister - gone

commissioner- (now Rogue Judge)! Will anybody ever care or look into the

years of parents and children from 2003 to 2008, separated basically because

these attorneys had so much control, power and authority in the Riverside

County Family Law Court Room 3M, in Indio California. These Childrens' lives

have been permanently scared and the parents have lost faith in our Justice

System and in what it is to be an American. To have your children taken from

your arms and not be able to afford to get them back or taking years in

court hearings to be told by court order Physchologist that I must agree to

50/50 custody or keep returning the hour drive to his office, missing work,

until i do agree to his requirement. It seems these attornies and this

commissioner, own everybody and have control over some of the other

therapist as well, conducting evaluations. Nobody can do anything to help

for fear of their own children or divorces having repercussions. We have

tried and are still trying to get help. Is there any Justice? People would

be horrified around the World to read the transcripts of these cases and

hear the untold sorrow and pain of the mothers (at least more than 100 and

some of the parents still have not yet been contacted or were too fearful to

become involved for possible repercussions in ongoing (YEARS!) court cases.

A Mother who loves her child will fight til the end to save her child and

never give up. Even in Nature, Mother Animals will kill for their young to

protect them. So much greater is the love of a human for there offspring!

Here, we are forced to hand over or worse, have our babies forcefully pulled

from our arms, kicking and screaming time after time and living in shameful,

pitiful situations with usually somewhat abusive parents in an unloving

home, and who don't care let alone love, and only wanted relief from paying

child support. 2008-12-12

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.00)

Dale Wells will grant whatever attorney law firm Adams,Clark and Clark ask

for. He requires no evidence to base his deceision, When Adams, Clark &

Clark are involved. He has complete Disregard for the best interest of the

child and puts children in harms way. He has been heard to state "Unless

there is Blood on the floor there is no emergency" I have compiled hundreds

of cases where Dale Wells has taken the children from a safe home and placed

them with the abusive parent at the request of Adams, Clark & Clark.

2008-12-12

Negative/Critical

Report to Administrator View Survey

F(0.34)

> http://ratethecourts.com/comments.php?id=965566

Elena Gross

47822 Belvedere Way

Indio CA 92201

(760) 625 0518

In Pro Per

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE

Timothy Gross ) CASE NO.: IND098669

Plaintiff )

) Objections to Inaccuracies, Omissions and

) Ambiguities in the Tentative Statement of

) Decision 5/5/2011

vs )

)

)

Elena Gross )

Respondent

----------------------------------------------------------------

MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES

CA Rules of Court 3.1590 (b) states that a tentative decision is not binding and does not constitute a judgment and is not binding on the court.

Respondent objects to the proposed statement of decision as it does not resolve a controverted issue either by ambiguity or omission (Code of Civil Code Procedure Section 634). The court addressed the issues that relate to the statement of decision as significant in making a tentative decision and addressed alleged deficiencies in the case and placed significance on the items that were belabored in the case. The court has colored the evidence with it's own opinion, speculation, conjecture and beliefs that does not match the evidence presented and has failed to interpret evidence that was presented in the correct manner and has not allowed presentation of appropriate evidence in an evidentiary trial to the detriment of the children. The legal standard used was “least willing to share”.

The Court refers to Plaintiff's children as “his” children, whereas they refer to Respondent's children as “the children”.

I. CONTROVERTED ISSUES ON STATEMENT OF DECISION

The court inferred that respondent did not present evidence of the kinds of activities she engages in with the children during their time with her, nor any evidence why it would be in

10 Worst States To Be a Woman

 

There really needs to be a more comprehensive study of the worst places to be a woman that includes domestic violence, custody laws and reproductive choice. Anything that affects a woman's autonomy should be considered harmful.

http://www.alternet.org/news/150878/10_worst_states_to_be_a_woman/

10 Worst States To Be a Woman

By Amanda Marcotte, AlterNet
Posted on May 9, 2011, Printed on May 11, 2011
http://www.alternet.org/story/150878/10_worst_states_to_be_a_woman

In a time of war and record unemployment, the GOP is sending a message: fertile women are the country’s number one enemy, and their freedoms must be quashed at all costs. State Republican (and some Democratic) legislators have introduced nearly 1,000 laws restricting women’s reproductive health access on the state level, and this is on top of decades of reproductive health policies that have made women second-class citizens in many states.

Here are 10 of the worst states to be a woman between puberty and menopause:

1. Mississippi. Mississippi has been such a bad state for women for so long it rarely even gets noticed in the news anymore. Legal and cultural harassment has reduced the number of abortion providers in the state to two, making the abortion rate in the state four times lower than the rest of the country. This doesn’t mean that women in Mississippi don’t need abortions; just that they go out of the state to get the services, making the actual abortion rate much closer to the national average. The demand is surely higher and not being met, as Mississippi is far from the place to go for decent sex education and birth control. Mississippi has the third highest teen birth rate in the country, the fifth highest maternal mortality rate, and fifth highest rate in STD transmissions. Because women can’t say no to childbearing easily, one in three Mississippi children live in poverty.

2. Texas. Thirty-five percent of women in their childbearing years are uninsured in Texas, making the need for subsidized family planning services especially strong in the state. Republican lawmakers responded to this need by slashing family planning funding, while leaving untouched the money the state spends on crisis pregnancy centers, even though these centers offer no real services women need. But even this isn’t enough for the Texas GOP. Republicans are currently concocting a scheme that would dismantle the entire state program dedicated to reproductive health care for low-income women. Just in case there was any doubt left in women’s minds that Texas Republicans hate them, Rick Perry will be signing an ultrasound requirement to get an abortion.

3. South Dakota. Anti-choicers in South Dakota tried to ban abortion in 2006, but the non-misogynist population turned up at the polls and beat the ban back. But searing hatred for ovulating women will not be thwarted so easily! The state then passed a law requiring women to wait 72 hours and subject themselves to a hectoring lecture at a crisis pregnancy center before they can get an abortion. Surprise! It turns out that no crisis pregnancy centers have applied to be official counseling centers. It makes sense, since by agreeing to do so, they’re allowing women to fulfill their paperwork requirements to get an abortion. Letting crisis pregnancy centers become an impassable obstacle to abortion has given misogynist legislators a way to deprive women of any ability to get an abortion while leaving abortion technically legal.

4. Indiana. Not to be outdone by South Dakota, Indiana has gone a step further and moved toward attacking both contraception and abortion access. Gov. Mitch Daniels recently signed a law banning abortions after 20 weeks, and cutting off all federal funding for family planning. Lawmakers claimed they only wanted to attack clinics that also provide abortions, but because of federal non-discrimination policy, the law basically means an end to all federal funding of contraception, as well as STD testing and treatment. Now women in Indiana who rely on Medicaid and Title X subsidies to afford contraception will have to come up with hundreds of dollars they don’t have for contraception, or go without and run the high risk of unwanted pregnancy. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that without these clinics, teen pregnancy would be 21 percent higher and there would be about 3,500 more abortions in the state a year.

5. Oklahoma. Oklahoma legislators looked at how Indiana Republicans are using the specter of abortion to cut off contraception and thinking of ways they can expand on that for brand-new ways to punish women for having working uteruses. Why stop at attacking women not giving birth, when you have women who have babies to punish, as well? With this in mind, the Oklahoma House passed a bill that would eliminate independent contractors from administering Women, Infants and Children (WIC), a federal program that distributes nutrition vouchers to low-income women with children. As usual, Planned Parenthood was cited as the reason, with the GOP claiming the organization is so evil that it’s better to starve babies than allow Planned Parenthood to receive government funding. In practice, the result is one more punishment inflicted on women, this time for having the nerve to have babies who need to eat.

6. Kansas. Kansas went from being a pretty bad place to be a woman to a hellhole rapidly, between the murder of Dr. George Tiller in 2009 and the recent election of devout misogynist Sam Brownback as governor. The murder emboldened the radical anti-choice movement, as it resulted in the closure of Tiller’s clinic and proved to them that terrorism does work. Because of this, anti-choicers in the area moved to terrorizing Dr. Mila Means, a Kansas family doctor who was discovered receiving training to provide abortion. So far, Dr. Means has been unable to find relief from the harassment campaign at her office and her home, and a federal judge refused to issue a restraining order against Angel Dilliard, an anti-choice fanatic who has been threatening Dr. Means’ life.

Despite the atmosphere of fear and violence, Gov. Brownback is giving the terrorists what they want by signing more abortion restrictions into law, and pushing to strip family planning funding from women who depend on it.

7. Minnesota. So much for “Minnesota nice.” The much-ballyooed unwillingness to be confrontational was shoved aside by Minnesota legislators who are all too willing to simply ignore court rulings that restrain misogynist legislation. Legislators sent a big F-you last week both to the supreme courts of the nation and their own state by passing two laws that have already been deemed illegal by the courts. One, a ban on abortions after 20 weeks, violates the Supreme Court’s ruling that abortions can only be banned after viability. The other, a law banning public funding of abortion, violates the Minnesota supreme court ruling that found that such a ban violates women’s right to equal treatment under the law. Minnesota Republicans may not confront you on most things, but they’re willing to take it to the mat to deprive women of basic equality.

8. Georgia. Last year, reproductive justice advocates beat back a bill that would require doctors to “screen” women of color having abortions for some kind of pressure to abort because of race. By inventing a non-existent problem (women of color aborting because of racism) legislators would have put doctors in a position where providing abortion to any woman of color could result in jail time, which could make the service only available to white women. The bill didn’t pass, but it did end up kicking off a nationwide frenzy of anti-choicers attacking the reproductive rights of women of color specifically while pretending to be concerned about racism.

In reality, Georgia is a terrible place for women of childbearing age, especially women of color. The state has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country, and maternal mortality disproportionately affects women of color. Real concern for the well-being of women of color would start with doing something about the maternal mortality rate, not feigning concern about their reasons for abortion.

9. Arizona. Race-based abortion restrictions may have failed in Georgia, but unfortunately, such a law recently passed in Arizona, a state that can’t even pretend that it’s not run by a bunch of wild-eyed racists. The “concern” for women of color aborting because of racism is laughable in a state where the legislature basically accused President Obama of not being a real citizen on no real evidence besides his appearance and in which it’s now the law for the police to harass Hispanic citizens for their papers. Of course, Arizona ignores the real problems facing women of its state -- 23 percent of women of child-bearing age are going without insurance coverage; the state has the third highest teenage pregnancy rate in the country; and 23 percent of Arizona children live in poverty. In light of all this, the safe assumption is race-based abortion laws are about making it that much harder for women of color to get abortions, which makes these laws not anti-racist, but just plain racist.

10. Louisiana. Louisiana has a ban on abortion on the books in case Roe v. Wade is overturned, as well as a host of other restrictions on abortion that have reduced the number of providers to seven in the state. Despite this, a Louisiana legislator has introduced a bill to ban abortion, apparently on the theory that if you pass the same illegal law over and over, it might just take. In addition, Gov. Jindal has indicated support for laws that would put additional restrictions in place for women of color seeking abortion, modeled on the abortion law in Arizona. As in Georgia, the concern for women of color is a centimeter deep; the state ranks 46th in maternal mortality and there’s no evidence that Republican legislators are lifting a finger to save the lives of women who do have their babies.

Amanda Marcotte co-writes the blog Pandagon. She is the author of It's a Jungle Out There: The Feminist Survival Guide to Politically Inhospitable Environments.

© 2011 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/150878/

[w1]

Maui Mothers Day Rally a Success!!

Courtesy AngelGroup

Maui Rally a Success

To bring attention to the fact that fit mother's are having ALL contact with their children removed, Hawaii supporters got together on Mother's Day on Maui to get the message out.

What did these mother's do wrong?  They fled relationships of Domestic and Family Violence.

Maui's Family Court Judge Keith E. Tanaka is a notorious renegade judge who disregards statutory law in favor of abusers, placing children in harm's way.

Please come out and support the next rally...for the children.

Much Thanks to Maui's Kmart for supporting Domestic Violence Awareness.

Please Sign the Care2 Petition, calling for an investigation and audit into the abuses in Family Court in Hawaii.

CALA NY Participates in Million Mom March Mother’s Day 2011 in Washington DC

CALA NY Thank you!! And GREAT JOB!!! UNITY in full force!! ONE Cause, ONE voice - UNITED!!!

Now that’s what we are talking about!!

 

EXCELLENT POST AND UPDATE from CALA NY (Coalition Against Legal Abuse, NY)

SEE VIDEO HERE:

Sunday, May 8, Mothers Day 2011, the Million Mom March has gathered participants and supporters for mothers who lost custody of their children in Family Courts across America.  Mothers of Lost Children included Linda Marie Sacks representing the American Mothers Political Party.

Representative, and other valuable organizers have been present in this historic march, including NOW Foundation Family Law Ad Hoc Committee, Leadership Council, Justice For Children, Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment & Appeals Project, Stop Family Violence, Battered Mothers Custody Conference, Randi James, Protective Parents for Children’s Rights, California Protective Parent Association, Center for Judicial Excellence,Family Court in America, Talia Carner, and The Coalition Against Legal Abuse.

Tourists and visitors on Capital Hill read the banners with great interest, and displayed absolute shock at the horrors that they were exposed to. People still cannot believe that courts will rip babies away from their mothers, and court order them to live with their abusive or pedophile fathers.

One mother had a poster exclaiming, “792 since I have seen my son”, while other posters had political messages to the President and First Lady, Michelle Obama.

This year saw the participation of Linda Marie Sacks, a mother who has filed a landmark case in the US Supreme Court on the eve of mother’s day. Our prayers are directed to Linda Marie in her pursuit of a favorable decision. This case will pave the road for mothers across America who have the strength and resolve to fight. “Mommy, please do not ever stop fighting for us”. We won’t. We love you too much!

 

CALA NY Thank you!!and GREAT JOB!!! UNITY in full force!! ONE Cause ONE voice UNITED!!!

 

CA: 2 kids, 2 adults die in LA murder-suicide

 

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hy7ixNKwKjozN8LgOPlF-1fcLAdw?docId=16070cbd833f4a2ba168cd1ed2498d74

2 kids, 2 adults die in LA murder-suicide

 

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stunned residents filled the sidewalk of a modest East Los Angeles neighborhood with candles, flowers and other tributes at the site where a man parked the SUV in which he had killed his girlfriend, their 5-year-old twins and then himself.

The deadly outburst began late Saturday when Salvador Acevedo and his girlfriend, Iris Oseguera, got into an argument as they rode in the car with their fraternal twins and three other children. The three, described only as adolescents, were spared.

Police say Acevedo, 45, was driving when he and his 33-year-old girlfriend got into an argument and he pulled out a handgun and began shooting.

After the killings he drove the three surviving children to a relative's home and dropped them off. After he drove away, police said, the children told an adult what had happened and authorities were called.

Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Thomas said deputies found Acevedo's vehicle parked nearby.

He and Oseguera were pronounced dead at the scene. The boy and girl were rushed to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.

A handgun was recovered at the scene, and Thomas said it appeared Acevedo shot himself after the others were killed.

Acevedo and Oseguera were the parents of the twins, but their relationship to the other three children was not immediately known.

Real Good Guy Kills Girlfriend & Children

 

Disgusting that they say this crap how he's a good guy.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-murder-suicide-20110509,0,4455324.story

East L.A. man kills girlfriend and their children, then himself

Sheriffs say Salvador Acevedo Deleon was driving with his girlfriend, their 5-year-old twins and three adolescents when the couple got in an argument and he began shooting. The adolescents were not hurt.

A 45-year-old man fatally shot his girlfriend and their 5-year-old twins in front of three other children in East Los Angeles before turning the gun on himself, authorities said Sunday.

Salvador Acevedo Deleon was driving a Toyota sport utility vehicle with his girlfriend, Iris Oseguera, 33, their twins and three adolescents about 9 p.m. Saturday when the couple got into an argument, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and a coroner's official.

Acevedo Deleon pulled out a handgun and shot Oseguera and the twins, striking each in the upper torso. He then drove the three unharmed children to a relative's home in the area. The adolescents, who are believed to be from one of the adults' previous relationships, told the relative about the shooting and authorities were notified.

Sheriff's deputies located Acevedo Deleon's vehicle in the 1100 block of South Hicks Avenue. He had a gunshot wound that appeared to be self-inflicted and was pronounced dead at the scene, along with Oseguera.

The twins, a boy and a girl, were taken to a hospital, where they died. A handgun was recovered at the scene.

Acevedo Deleon, who was known as "Chava," owned two used-car dealerships, one of which was around the corner from where his body was found, said his co-worker Luis Castro. Castro said he lived in the neighborhood while Oseguera and the twins resided in La Puente.

On Sunday, friends and family members lay flowers and candles at the site where blood stains and shattered glass remained. Spray-painted on a piece of plywood were the words "RIP Chava & familia."

Neighbors described Acevedo Deleon as a friendly man who looked out for those in need, including a homeless man he paid to do odd jobs.

"He was a real good guy," said Fabian Aguillar, "he helped out a lot of immigrants, giving them jobs."

One man who asked not to be named added, "He always had a joy on his face. This is a sick tragedy."

corina.knoll@latimes.com

allen.schaben@latimes.com

Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

Man rams car into wife's in Mother's Day domestic incident

http://www.independentmail.com/news/2011/may/08/man-rams-car-wifes-mothers-day-domestic-incident/

 

BELTON — Mother's Day turned dangerous for one Anderson woman as she fled her home at the height of a domestic dispute about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The woman tried to drive away from her Belton mobile home at 349 Mize Road, but her husband's van slammed into the passenger side of her black Dodge Durango.

Her husband, Christopher Ray Alewine, 32, of Anderson was charged with three counts of attempted murder Sunday, said Anderson County Sheriff's Office spokesman Chad McBride.

 

The woman, her 12-year-old son and 2-year-old child went to AnMed Health Medical Center.

"None of them sustained any serious injuries," McBride said.

 

Alewine drove away from the crash, and deputies caught him at the corner of U.S. 29 North and Allie Campbell Road, about four miles from the mobile home.

He shouted "Happy Mother's Day," to news media filming deputies putting him into the police car.

There were two calls about the dispute, McBride said. The first one came in at 3:03 p.m., and the second one followed the wreck at 3:30 p.m.

The impact from the collision caused many bricks to fall from the front of the mobile home's foundation.

Alewine was moved to the Anderson County Detention Center Sunday evening. He awaits a Monday bond hearing.

Christopher Ray Alewine

Blair Hill, a forensics investigator for the Anderson County Sheriff Office looks at evidence from a domestic dispute in front of 349 Mize Road in Belton Sunday afternoon. Two children and their mother were taken to AnMed Health after a man driving a van rammed the black vehicle into the side of the home.

Sgt. Greg Williamson of the Anderson County Sheriff Office walks around a vehicle in front of 349 Mize Road in Belton Sunday afternoon. Two children and their mother were taken to AnMed Health after a man driving a van rammed the black vehicle into the side of the home, which Sgt. Williamson said was a domestic matter at the time.

Trial Court Modifies Child Custody Because of Custodial Parent’s Undocumented Status, and Is Reversed by Highest State Court on Appeal

 

http://www.fladivorcelawblog.com/2011/05/08/trial-court-modifies-child-custody-because-of-custodial-parents-undocumented-status-and-is-reversed-by-highest-state-court-on-appeal/

Palm Beach County divorce lawyer and domestic violence attorney Janet Langjahr

May 8, 2011

Trial Court Modifies Child Custody Because of Custodial Parent’s Undocumented Status, and Is Reversed by Highest State Court on Appeal

Posted by Janet Langjahr. Filed under Child Custody or Parental Responsibility, Immigrants, Miscellaneous.

Mother and Father both enter the US illegally and remain in Arkansas.

Mother remains undocumented for years. Father secures legal status on a temporary but renewing basis.

The government pursues increased child support from Father for their Daughter.

And then Father looks to get custody of Daughter.

To modify custody, Arkansas requires a material change of circumstances since entry of the previous child custody order.

At trial, the family court modifies child custody and awards custody of Daughter to Father. It appears that the trial judge bases his ruling upon his personal political and policy views, rather than Arkansas child custody law.

On appeal, Arkansas’ highest court reverses and restores custody of Daughter to Mother.

It turns out that the circumstances Father complains of, Mother’s undocumented status and lack of a valid driver’s license, are exactly the same as they were at the time of Mother’s and Father’s divorce. They were apparently acceptable to Father then, and the marital settlement agreement was approved by the family court and adopted in its final judgment.

Further, the evidence at trial showed that Father had had little or no contact with Daughter for about two years.

Read more in this Arkansas Times piece: Illegal Immigrant.

http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2011/04/14/court-overturns-jennings-osborne-award?

* ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT: The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice Karen Baker, reversed Circuit Judge Philip Shirron's decision to take child custody away from a Grant County mother because she was an undocumented immigrant.

The father, who had temporary status to be in the country, sought custody of the child, now 9, after a request was made for an increase in child support. He contended circumstances had changed since the couple's divorce, particularly dangers he alleged from the mother's immigration status (driving without a driver's license, possible deportation.)

Shirron found for the father, lashing out at illegal immigrants in general in the process.

Neither of these are showing the concern and dedication to comply with this Country’s laws, this Country’s policies and procedure. It’s a great place to live, but you have no obligation to it. I believe that public opinion lashes out at these type conditions, and I believe it’s not appropriate for a Court to condone them. When at least there’s at hand a legally qualified custodial parent, or a person that could be a custodial parent.

In reversing, the court noted the mother's status hadn't changed since the father agreed to the custody arrangement and the father knew the mother's status at that time. The court dismissed other arguments, such as the father's claim of better economic circumstances and the mother's having additional children by different fathers. Custody decisions aren't made to punish or reward parents and the mere fact of greater income is not sufficient to change custody, the court said. I believe, by quoting Shirron's incendiary commentary, the court sent a signal about the tenor of his remarks.

IL: Mental patient who slit his daughter’s throat wants more freedom

 

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/news/5274745-418/mental-patient-who-slit-daughters-throat-wants-more-freedom.html

Mental patient who slit daughter’s throat wants more freedom

By Brian Stanley bstanley@stmedianetwork.com May 9, 2011 07:56PM

 

JOLIET — A man who was judged to be insane when he killed his 3-year-old daughter in 1996 may be allowed to walk around the grounds of the mental health facility where he has been held for more than a decade.

In December, John Blank, 46, and his caretakers asked Judge Sarah Jones to allow the staff to provide Blank with passes to move unsupervised between buildings and outside at the Elgin Mental Health Center.

In July 1996, Blank was alone with his daughter, Cari, when he cut her throat at their Bolingbrook home. His wife returned home to find him covered in blood and pleading for forgiveness. Blank had been prescribed anti-psychotic medication and believed demons were after his daughter and that his house and lawn had been bugged. Originally found “guilty but mentally ill,” an appellate court later ruled Blank was not guilty by reason of insanity.

Since 2000, Blank has spent most of his time in a locked building at the mental health facility. In 2008, he began receiving passes to leave the grounds for supervised visits to a substance abuse program and patient outings to local shopping centers.

On Thursday, Dr. Syed Hussain, a psychiatrist who has treated Blank for eight years, said his patient is not currently suffering from delusions and has not caused problems at the clinic or during supervised trips.

“We are asking for these passes to test him out … (for) the next step in his treatment — to be in a less-restrictive environment,” Hussain said.

The psychiatrist testified Blank will require psychiatric care for the rest of his life and should remain committed to the facility, which can legally hold him until 2026.

Blank takes anti-psychotic, anti-depressant and mood stabilizing medication, which cause side effects similar to the effects of Parkinson’s disease, including lethargy, body stiffness and tremors.

“I think he’s (responded) exceptionally well,” Hussain said. “He has shown mental stability, cooperation, an ability to comprehend his illness (and) the nature of his crime. There’s no cure, but control of the symptoms.”

Hussain said passes are issued at the staff’s discretion. If Jones allows Blank to receive them, he’ll be able to leave the locked building for up to an hour, but must check in with security after 30 minutes.

“What is the therapeutic goal of Mr. Blank walking around the grounds unsupervised?” Jones asked after Hussain had testified and been cross-examined.

Blank could walk on a path at the facility, sit on a bench and talk with other patients, but the staff hopes he would participate in therapy classes available in the other buildings.

“We don’t have the number of staff to take him every day,” Hussain said. “(The purpose is) to test the patient out in a less-secure setting and check their responsibility. He has to go on time and check back on time. He has to interact with others.”

Jones is scheduled Thursday to hear closing arguments for and against the motion to grant unsupervised passes.