SNAP Needs a New Poster Boy

UPDATED: Humberto was executed.  Rest in peace.

Unless Gov. Rick Perry of Texas chooses to stop it, tonight Humberto Leal will be executed.  I have written about this in an earlier post below but I learned some new information.

First, what did Humberto do?

In Leal’s first statement he said he was with Adria in his car when she began hitting him and the steering wheel causing him to hit a curb. Leal attempted to calm her down but Adria leaped from Leal’s car and ran away. Leal claimed he sat in his car and waited about ten or fifteen minutes to see if Adria would return and when she did not he went home. After giving this statement, Leal was informed that his brother had also given a statement. Leal then gave another statement. In this statement, Leal claimed he followed Adria when she got out of his car and ran away. Leal claimed Adria attacked him. Leal pushed her and she fell to the ground. When she did not get up Leal attempted to wake her but could not. He then looked at her nose and saw bubbles. Leal stated he got scared, went home, prayed on the side of his mom’s bed and told family members what had happened, claiming it was just an accident. After giving this statement an officer gave Leal a ride home. The police searched Leal’s house. The police seized a blouse which contained several blood stains, hair and fibers. This blouse was later identified as belonging to Adria. The police also seized Leal’s clothing from the night before. Leal was arrested later that afternoon at his home. Leal’s car was also impounded. The police conducted Luminol tests of the passenger door to determine whether any blood was evident. Blood stains were discovered on the passenger door and seat. Detectives testified that the blood stains were streaked in a downward motion, indicating that the blood had been wiped off.  There was insufficient residue to conduct a blood typing of the stains on the vehicle. Other DNA evidence was found on the underwear Leal was wearing that night. That evidence consisted of blood as well as bodily fluid. The DNA test did not preclude Adria’s blood type from the evidence tested. Dr. DiMaio, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy, testified about Adria’s injuries and cause of death. DiMaio testified that even though Adria was intoxicated when she received her injuries, she would have been aware of what was happening to her. In addition to Adria’s massive head injuries, DiMaio testified about injuries Adria received to her chest and shoulder which were consistent with having been inflicted by the stick found in Adria’s vagina. DiMaio also testified about the defensive wounds Adria received to her hands trying to protect herself from some object. DiMaio also testified Adria was alive when the stick was placed in her vagina. Adria’s neck also contained injuries consistent with manual strangulation. DiMaio testified Adria received some of her injuries while standing up. Adria received her head injuries while lying flat. The injuries to Adria’s head were due to blows from the front. These injuries were inconsistent with a fall. Adria’s head injuries were consistent with Adria lying on the ground with somebody standing over her striking her. DiMaio testified the large rock could have delivered the injuries to Adria’s head. Based on the injuries to Adria’s head, DiMaio testified Adria would had to have been struck with the rock two or three times. DiMaio testified Adria died from blunt force trauma injuries to the head. DiMaio could not say for certain that the rock caused the injuries. He testified Adria was beaten about the face with a blunt object or more than one object which could have been the rock or something else. On cross-examination, DiMaio testified that one blow from the rock could have caused Adria’s death. DiMaio also testified about bite marks he found on Adria’s left cheek, the right side of her neck and the left side of her chest. Another witness compared the bite marks on Adria’s chest and neck with dental impressions of Leal’s teeth. They matched.

Okay, someone is going to say, "Oh, but this is what was alleged."  Fine - this is not what Humberto did, this is what was submitted as evidence in a court of law and found to meet the burden of proof (beyond a reasonable doubt) by the trier of fact, which, in this case, was a jury of his peers.  There, happy now?

But what I learned is that in addition to the "the-outcome-might-have-been-different-with-help-from-Mexico" defense, comes SNAP - the Survivor Network of Those Abused by Priests.  Because, you see, at the eleventh hour, we learn that Humberto Leal was abused - allegedly - by one Fr. Francisco Fernandez.  And so it is imperative that we keep Humberto alive so that others can come forward with their tales of abuse.  Because it's all about protecting the children, right?

Okay, maybe not all children - 16-year-old Adria Saucedo, the DEAD child in this case, is still, at this writing, very, very dead.

 Here's the problem I have.  The death of Adria Saucedo occurred in . . . 1994.  Can't find any mention of Fr. Francisco Fernandez's abuse of Leal until . . . 2011.

Really?

Okay, let's say for shits and grins that Fr. Fernandez did, in fact, abuse Humberto Leal back in the 1980's.  How does that mitigate Humberto's crime of raping, torturing, and ultimately murdering Adria Saucedo?

Sister . . . stop smiling.  Or at least have the cojones to hold up a picture of Adria while you're posing.