US kidnap suspect is competent to stand trial
Source: Agencies |
July 4, 2013, Thursday
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A US man charged with holding three women captive in his Cleveland home for about a decade and raping them is competent to stand trial in August, a judge has ruled.
Judge Michael Russo said yesterday that the results of an examination of Ariel Castro last week showed he is mentally able to understand the charges and assist attorneys in his defense.
Prosecutor Tim McGinty said a meeting is planned on July 11 to discuss the possibility of seeking the death penalty for the 52-year-old Castro, who faces aggravated murder charges stemming from allegations that he caused the deliberate termination of one of the women's pregnancies.
Castro's attorneys have previously hinted that he might plead guilty if talk of capital punishment was taken off the table.
At the end of the hearing yesterday, Castro, bearded with his chin tucked to his chest for most of time, asked for permission to visit with the 6-year-old girl he fathered with one of the women he is accused of kidnapping and raping. The judge denied the request.
"I just think that would be inappropriate," Russo said.
Castro has pleaded not guilty to a 329-count indictment alleging he kidnapped three women off the streets between 2002 and 2004 when they were 14, 16 and 20 years old and held them for a decade in his two-story home in a rough Cleveland neighborhood.
He fathered a 6-year-old daughter with one woman and is accused of starving and punching a second to cause her to miscarry.
He was arrested on May 6, after one of the women broke through a door at the home and yelled to neighbors for help.
Judge Michael Russo said yesterday that the results of an examination of Ariel Castro last week showed he is mentally able to understand the charges and assist attorneys in his defense.
Prosecutor Tim McGinty said a meeting is planned on July 11 to discuss the possibility of seeking the death penalty for the 52-year-old Castro, who faces aggravated murder charges stemming from allegations that he caused the deliberate termination of one of the women's pregnancies.
Castro's attorneys have previously hinted that he might plead guilty if talk of capital punishment was taken off the table.
At the end of the hearing yesterday, Castro, bearded with his chin tucked to his chest for most of time, asked for permission to visit with the 6-year-old girl he fathered with one of the women he is accused of kidnapping and raping. The judge denied the request.
"I just think that would be inappropriate," Russo said.
Castro has pleaded not guilty to a 329-count indictment alleging he kidnapped three women off the streets between 2002 and 2004 when they were 14, 16 and 20 years old and held them for a decade in his two-story home in a rough Cleveland neighborhood.
He fathered a 6-year-old daughter with one woman and is accused of starving and punching a second to cause her to miscarry.
He was arrested on May 6, after one of the women broke through a door at the home and yelled to neighbors for help.
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