Sandra Cantu #3 4/15/09 -4/27/09

[cece]

I hope I'm not being rude by just jumping in here, but since I'm new, maybe you forgive me.

I was looking for any information on the replacement Judge Linda Lofthus & found an interesting article from a death penalty case of last year that she presided over.  It gave me some insight into what we may expect from her in this case.  I will just post the link for those that are interested.  (That is if I can this right  )

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080524/A_NEWS/805240318

Thank-you and WELCOME 

I've been lurking here, following this case, but I finally made it as a member!

Welcome to the Monkey Cage, Cece!

Thank you Tams & good morning sweet monkeys.  I'm just catching up on the posts I've missed.

[JessStar]

Some information on Judge Lofthus:

CEREMONY SET for NEW SAN JOAQUIN JUDGE
When: Thursday, November 6, 2003 4:00 p.m.
Where: Superior Court Department # 31, Stockton

Dignitaries, friends and family have been invited to the swearing- in ceremony for Linda
L. Lofthus, who has been appointed to the California Superior Court bench by Governor Gray
Davis. The public is also cordially invited to attend.

Governor Gray Davis appointed Lofthus to the bench October 6, 2003.
Speakers at the ceremony will include 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Consuelo
Callahan. Judge John B. Cechini, retired from the San Joaquin court, will administer the oath of
office. Immediately following, there will be a reception.

Lofthus has a wide range of experience in both civil and criminal law. After graduating
from California State University, Chico in Political Science, Lofthus received a JD from New
College of California School of Law in San Francisco, a public interest law school. She began
her legal career in 1980 as a Deputy Public Defender in San Joaquin County. In 1986 she joined
the law firm of Rishwain, Hakeem, Ellis, LeBeouf & Ganzer. Lofthus started her own firm in
1990, and became a State Bar Certified Family Law Specialist in 2001. She has been an adjunct
professor of community property for Humphrey’s College School of Law for the past 10 years.

Lofthus will be assigned to the Manteca branch of the court. This appointment fills the
vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Rolleen McIlwrath. There are now 26 judges and 4
commissioners serving the people of San Joaquin County.

[k9ohana]

why did I post Sandra's photo right now ?
Because this Cage is for Her ..We all Have to Remember We are Talking about a Innocent Precious Child ..  I say this for One Reason
We can all get caught up in the " data and the who and what and they"

Have to though REMEMBER the Baby that we ARE talking about .. She is SANDRA and not a Statistic .. or just a newspaper article .. 
My post was not meant for anyone in particular, no one - Just to See her Face is enough to keep the energy going .. for Justice .. For Her.
Sandra Cantu 

You are so right Deenie. Beautiful, Thank You.

[JessStar]

Here's a link to an article about a recent capital case Judge Lofthus heard.  She affirmed the jury's recommendation to impose the death penalty.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081216/A_NEWS02/812160312/-1/RSS02

It was her first capital case (12/2008).  Testa prosecuted it.   For those who are interested. . .

[k9ohana]

Here's a link to an article about a recent capital case Judge Lofthus heard.  She affirmed the jury's recommendation to impose the death penalty.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081216/A_NEWS02/812160312/-1/RSS02

It was her first capital case (12/2008).  Testa prosecuted it.   For those who are interested. . .

Thank You JessStar.

[cece]

Here's a link to an article about a recent capital case Judge Lofthus heard.  She affirmed the jury's recommendation to impose the death penalty.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081216/A_NEWS02/812160312/-1/RSS02

It was her first capital case (12/2008).  Testa prosecuted it.   For those who are interested. . .

Thank you JessStar.  I've been trying to find some info on the public defender, Sam Behar, but not much luck.  I did find something from 2005:

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050913/NEWS01/509130336

September 13, 2005 7:25 AM
STOCKTON -- Attorney Sam Behar successfully argued to have every judge seated on the San Joaquin County bench removed from the new trial of convicted killer Blufford Hayes Jr.

He even threatened to show that the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office should be disqualified from prosecuting the 25-year-old case.

On Monday, Behar himself was eliminated from the trial at Hayes' request.

Visiting Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Thomas Hastings disqualified Behar and the entire San Joaquin County public defenders office, citing possible conflicts of interest. Several witnesses who were expected to be called at Hayes' retrial -- including Hayes' brother, Robert -- have been represented by the county's public defenders. Hayes asked Hastings for a new attorney.

"I won't address if a personal conflict existed," Behar said outside of court. "That is confidential."

Hayes was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1980 slaying of Vinod "Pete" Patel, manager of the Rice Motel in Stockton. Hayes allegedly stole $23 worth of cigarettes, bound Patel by the hands and feet with a wire coat hanger and stabbed him 22 times.
(continued)

If anyone finds anything more current, I would appreciate it.

[Wyks]

JazzTune, thank you for your kindness and for your carefully thought out post.  I appreciate the sharing of what you've learned and experienced, and am sorry for the hardships that you've faced.  One thing is for sure, what we experience in life that doesn't do us in, serves to make us stronger. 

I have worked half my 55 years in the mental health field, as an LCSW, and do understand and agree with much of what you post.  I find what you post to be of value, and helpful to everyone, and I appreciate that. 

I did not find your other post to be harsh, nor did it sear me to my core.  I will admit that it did strike a nerve with me because of my own life experiences, as well as working with several clients with MPD/DID. (Multiple Personality Disorder now referred to as Dissociative Identity Disorder). The reason I said what I did, in the way I said it, was because I have gotten into a rather heated debate on this topic before, in another case on this forum, and do not want to repeat that debate in here. 

In your other post, you presented your viewpoint and that of your chief psychiatrist, and it just seemed one-sided to me, IMO.  Of course folks have their own opinions on things and are entitled to those, just as others are entitled to agree or disagree. 

MPD/DID is a complex diagnosis, controversial at best.  It does exist, it is real, and folks do need to have a better understanding of it, not just the negatives that some have experienced.  Yes it's true that some try to 'fake' that diagnosis, and yet it cannot be faked successfully over a length of time. 

Had someone read what you posted that day, and thought to themselves, 'so that's what MPD/DID is all about', they'd come away with a complete misunderstanding about it all.  The positives about MPD/DID is that it is a very creative, innate coping ability, one that allowed the surviving child of extreme abuse to physically live thru the horror and not die because of it.     

That's why I said what I did in reply to your other post and offered the link, for anyone who wants to have a more complete understanding of MPD/DID, including the positive aspects.  And here it is again, for those who may have missed it:      http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder

To bring this back on topic, MPD/DID was mentioned by someone as a possibility in this case.  We don't know whether that's the direction Melissa's defense is going in, or not.  Just as with Casey Anthony, we don't know what her defense is going to try for either.  I don't think that this kind of defense will work for either case, but it will be interesting to watch them try.   
 

[cece]

Not much news today.  I only found a couple of items in the Tracy Press:

http://www.tracypress.com/pages/full_story?article-Events%20and%20activities%20in%20Tracy%20and%20beyond%20=&page_label=home&id=2423624-Events+and+activities+in+Tracy+and+beyond&widget=push&instance=home_news_bullets&open=&

Cantu car wash fundraiser

The Enchanted Creation car wash and detail center will have a car wash fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 17 at 124 E. 11th St.

All money raised will go to the family of Sandra Cantu.

For information: Rolando or Malina DeSouza, 221-0659.


Missing Children’s Day

A meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Sutter Tracy Connections Resource Center, 35 E. 10th St., Ste. A, to plan for an event in a local park to commemorate the May 25 “National Missing Children’s Day.”

For information:

Maryann Kalina, kalinam@mindspring.com.

[Tracygirl]

Sandra Cantu

I know her fave color is pink .. cant make it so here  - it does not show so well

She had such a beautiful little face. I hope she is in heaven playing with the other  little angels lost too soon and for reasons we will never be able to understand.

[Tracygirl]

I wish we had a better "interim" message for those of you in this town right now. The best advice I can offer is (sorry if your direly ill of hearing me say this and your eyes are rolling back in your head) Run your SO registry list and set the email alerts. If you know someone there that you know does not do this or have access and they have kids, offer to run it for them.  If you live in a MHP community (like it or not they are a hotbed for so's for a variety of reasons) call your local PD and find out how to get their asisstance in setting up a neighborhood watch program.  See if there are any grants available to get security cameras etc.

As Jess and anyone on here with experience will tell you, these investigations (child porn) take time. The dragnet can be very far reaching. As I think I said earlier it takes a minimum of about 30 days to get certain warrants that would be needed. They are not that easy to get, the burden is pretty high to clandestinely cloak a person's computer or ISP, and in most cases a task force is formed and again that takes time. The good news is, the FBI is HIGHLY successful in these efforts, and if we are serious about a major crackdown on these freaks, this is the only way to protect our children in the long term.

What happened to Sandra, Melissa Huckaby and the explanation so far, is such an extreme rarity in criminal history. I have been "schooled" in the possibility of a lone female predator, but I do not believe she acted alone in the motives of her deeds to the first child, or to Sandra, and I believe she will talk. Much will be learned from the post arrest behavior of the peripherals in this case, including the Lawless family dynamic.

JMHO
Blink  

You're right, Blink.  Just to add my 2 cents, FWIW, the word of the day, week, month, needs to be "patience."  We all want this solved NOW!!  But it takes time to dot all the "I"s and cross all the "T"s.  But they will eventually be dotted and crossed, and JUSTICE will be served.  I agree that MH will talk.  In fact, I strongly believe she's talked already. Maybe not everything, but she's talked.  And while we're all upset to some extent about the gag order, it's a good thing in this case.

While we are all sitting around patiently awaiting JUSTICE, you must remain vigilant.  For those of you with children, watch them.  Please.  Don't take anything for granted.  It takes a mere second for the unthinkable to happen.  Never think "It can't happen to me."  I'm sure many parents of missing children have thought that in the past only to have been proven wrong.  If your child is walking across the street to a friend's house, watch out the front door until you see them enter the home.  Or better yet, walk with them.  Watch them as they walk to the school bus.  Or better yet, walk with them.  Talk to them.  Ask them questions.  Don't let the passage of time erode your resolve.  If you feel that happening, log onto this site and read Stacy's "hear no evil" post, or look at Deenie's recent reminder of why we are here.  Think about the commercial Martina McBride made a while back.  I haven't seen it for a while, but the commercial consisted solely of a camera shot of Martina's face as she carried on a "silly" after-school conversation with her little girl. The message of the commercial was to listen to your children--talk to them--know them.  Know where they are going.  Know who they will be with.  Check in on them.  Show interest in their lives.

Children have remarkable intuitions.  They know when bad things happen.  They learn modesty at a very young age.  But they can't always communicate well.  If your child sends you ANY signals whatsoever that appear to be out of the norm, follow up on them.  Don't be afraid of what the answer might be.  Remember, cancer doesn't heal itself.  To give you an "off the charts" example, I'm aware of a matter in the not so distant past where an 8 year old girl was being molested by her father.  On the outside, she was a typical 8 year old child.  You would have never guessed she was a victim.  You know what triggered her mother to inquire?  The little girl refused to wipe herself and, after some time, refused to change her underwear.  After finally getting the child to talk to her, she learned that this was her daughter's way of trying to solve the problem.

For those of you without children of your own, keep an eye out for others.  I know it's hard to intervene when you see something amiss.  But remember the Kitty Genovese case.  In that case, a young woman was violently attacked and killed outside an apartment complex in New York.  As many as 30 residents witnessed the crime being committed, yet no one called to report it.  The woman could have been saved.  Unfortunately, that happens a lot.  But if you see or hear something suspicious, alert someone.  You could save a child's life.

I know a lot of this is common sense, but it amazes me how often it's not followed.  I was on my way to work the other day and was running a little later than usual.  The road that leads to my office is a 2 lane, well traveled highway with businesses on one side and homes on the other.  As I was driving down the road, I looked to my left and saw a little girl, all of 7 years old, standing on the side of the highway waiting for her school bus.  No parent with her.  You couldn't see her home from the road.  I couldn't believe it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Please send this to the Tracy Press, letters to the editor. Such wise words

[Tracygirl]

why did I post Sandra's photo right now ?
Because this Cage is for Her ..We all Have to Remember We are Talking about a Innocent Precious Child ..  I say this for One Reason
We can all get caught up in the " data and the who and what and they"

Have to though REMEMBER the Baby that we ARE talking about .. She is SANDRA and not a Statistic .. or just a newspaper article .. 
My post was not meant for anyone in particular, no one - Just to See her Face is enough to keep the energy going .. for Justice .. For Her.
Sandra Cantu 

Thank you! This is about Sandra, the sweet little girl who was lost too soon. 

[Anna]

For new posters and all of us,

Red does articles on the Front Page whenever there is new news in these investigations.  There is a comments section.  More people see the front page than anywhere else here so adding your comment to the Front Page is yet another way to get out a message to others.

Link to Front Page:

http://scaredmonkeys.com/

Or scroll to the top of the page and click on "Blog" to read.  The update on Sandra is still on the Front Page from yesterday but thought some might want to add a comment or two.

[Blink34]

For new posters and all of us,

Red does articles on the Front Page whenever there is new news in these investigations.  There is a comments section.  More people see the front page than anywhere else here so adding your comment to the Front Page is yet another way to get out a message to others.

Link to Front Page:

http://scaredmonkeys.com/

Or scroll to the top of the page and click on "Blog" to read.  The update on Sandra is still on the Front Page from yesterday but thought some might want to add a comment or two.

Anna- thanks for mentioning that. Just an FYI to anyone that may not realize, Sandra's coverage (and almost all True Crime) posted on the FP links to blinkoncrime.com and is written by me. We are sister sites and we promote the political work and truecrime across both, but pretty much true crime needed it's own "house". When your on the article there scroll down and there are thousands of comments and posters across the articles in only our second month live. I encourage anyone to post comments wherever you like, I just wanted to make sure everyone knew that the reason the comments are low on Sandra's case on SM, is because the bulk of them are right on the blinkoncrime site.

Alot of locals, family members, and people connected to the cases have left some pretty intelligent and provoking info..
B 

[Glad2BinKY]

I'm not a big fan of Dr. Phil but he has "why was Sandra Cantu murdered on..right now 3 Est. Not sure if he'll have anything new or interesting but I'm gonna watch it.

Denise

[Edward]

Not the dreaded front page..  That is where This ALL began.. 

[cece]

Thank you Anna & Blink.  I'm still finding my way around & stumbling some, so I appreciate any & all guidance.   

[cookie]

watching Dr. Phil now...Sandra's mother and aunt were on at the beginning...

[Blink34]

Not the dreaded front page..  That is where This ALL began.. 

Uhoh what'd I miss? Lol
B

[Blink34]

Sandra Cantu Case: Mom of Drugged Child- “CPS Did Nothing to Huckaby”

New Blink on Crime Post:

 http://blinkoncrime.com/2009/04/22/sandra-cantu-c…ing-to-huckabysandra-cantu-case-mom-of-drugged-child-cps-did-nothing-to-huckaby/

Sorry Guys, this one will UBER pizz You Off

[Edward]

Not the dreaded front page..  That is where This ALL began.. 

Uhoh what'd I miss? Lol
B

I started reading and commenting on news reports on the front page like 5 years ago and I have been here ever since..
This site and a few others are more addicting then Crack.. lol
In all actual, I like doing the research and the searches I have done and always have hopes that is somehow it helps others..
So the five years have not been a waste.