Speaking of illegal immigrants...

[moosmom]

Man acquitted of molesting girl wins right to identify parents

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) -- A man acquitted of molesting a girl at a Bridgeport synagogue has won the right to identify her parents in a lawsuit accusing them of making false sexual abuse allegations against him, his attorney said Monday.

Alfredo Vargas, a 69-year-old handyman, spent about five years in prison before he was acquitted in January in a second trial.

Weeks before he was acquitted, the parents of the girl won a settlement that gave them the synagogue that Vargas had built by hand, temple leaders say. Vargas, an illegal immigrant from Nicaragua, was deported.

When Vargas sued the parents, they sought to have the entire court record sealed to protect the girl. A Superior Court judge in Bridgeport agreed to replace the parents' names with pseudonyms.

The Connecticut Appellate Court last week turned down a bid by the parents to reconsider its decision in June rejecting the use of pseudonyms, Max Rosenberg, an attorney for Vargas, said Monday.

Attorneys for Vargas say the parents have accused others of sexual abuse as well, but the court order sealing their names might prevent additional people from coming forward.

"I'm very, very happy," Rosenberg said. "I think the court understands the situation here and realizes the threat to the general public that these people present."

Rosenberg identified the parents as Andrew LaBella and Cheryl Hoppenstein.

A telephone message was left Monday with Max Brunswick, their attorney.

The case is establishing standards for when court cases can proceed with pseudonyms, Rosenberg said.

"We're really defining what elements need to occur in order to have the benefit of anonymity or pseudonyms," Rosenberg said.

Brunswick has said the court order was appropriate to protect the girl's privacy and called the lawsuit a retaliation for the settlement.

In his lawsuit, Vargas cites affidavits from a rabbi and another family who say the same parents made sexual abuse accusations against their children, though no one else was prosecuted.

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My question is, "Gee, I wonder who paid for this ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT'S legal defense?????

[jackie]

My question is, "Gee, I wonder who paid for this ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT'S legal defense?????

Ok, let me get this straight, A man was wrongly accused of molesting a girl and spent five years in prison for it, and you are angry that the government may have paid for his legal defense?

I don't know if I am missing something, but the only thing that outrages me about this story is an innocent man spent five years in prison.

[moosmom]

you are angry that the government may have paid for his legal defense?

Yup. He was in this country ILLEGALLY. That's only MY opinion though.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Well, if he hadn't snuck into this country illegally, he wouldn't have gotten himself into this mess, eh?

[Cataholic]

And, the vote goes to JACKIE! MOFF- I don't know if your comment was tongue in cheek, or not, and, of course, it isn't my business to know. But, if one's thought process after reading that article centers on the illegal v. legal arrgument, I have an issue or two with that.


I gotta say after reading this article, I only thought, wow, poor man. 5 years is a long time to waste away in anyone's jail. Your own country's jail, a foreign country's jail, doesn't seem to make much difference.

[sparks19]

Well I'm pretty sure being an illegal immigrant is a crime so really he wasn't in jail for nothing

[CathyBogart]

When did illegal immigrants suddenly become sub-human?! "Oh, well, he shouldn't have been here anyways, so who cares if we tore five years of his life away and shredded whatever good reputation he may have had for the rest of his life?"

Really now....I'm not a fan of illegal immigration, but I'm also not against ALL PEOPLE being treated fairly. I do think he deserves a big fat settlement out of this, and I hope the horrible people who ruined his life burn, and that their daughter is a strong enough person to handle all of the drama she must be surrounded with right now.

[RICHARD]

my faather was an illegal alien once.


He got his green card and then became an American citizen.

He came home from the ceremony with that little American flag that they give you when they swear you in .

You would have thought he won the lottery- a gazilllion bucks as the prize.

And all it was was a piece of paper saying that he was an American citizen.

For every chump that breaks the law, there is one person that made it through the system after breaking the law.

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I am sorry....
The only time it becomes news is when a cop or the dog catcher gets a cap busted at them.

Two kids in El Lay were shotk by a jerk who had been sent back to Mexico -
only to come back, illegally.....

If the Government starts to look at credentials closely, what crimes will the media report?

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Flying lessons anyone?

[momoffuzzyfaces]

If the Government starts to look at credentials closely, what crimes will the media report?

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Flying lessons anyone?

Have you noticed the media often mentions someone's religion, race, or legal status when they are : (a) trying to make fun of someone's religion, race, or legal status or (b) trying to sway people to their way of thinking about someone's religion, race, or legal status, or (c) trying to stir people up and cause trouble about someone's religion, race, or legal status.

Just my observation!!! I'm sure there are some who will disagree. That's ok! They are entitled to their opinions too.

[RICHARD]

trying to stir people up and cause trouble about someone's religion, race, or legal status.

That guy on the FBI list with the multiple wives has me running scared.

Sometimes Mormons freak me out!

[RICHARD]

ESPN is currently promoting the Little League World Series.

Teams from all over the planet come to the US to play baseball.

the commercial I saw has a van load of kids singing "take me out to the ball game" in spanish. The kids representing the team from Mexico.

I thought about the car being chased by the Border Patrol that flipped and killed 9 out the 21 people on board.

I am waiting for the cries of racial insensitivity.

[wolf_Q]

That guy on the FBI list with the multiple wives has me running scared.

Sometimes Mormons freak me out!

FYI the mormon religion does NOT allow polygamy. If this person has multiple wives, he is not a member of the mormon church.

[Vio&Juni]

You guys are amazing me! Are you really serious?!?!?! A nation of IMMIGRANTS is calling a poor Nicaraguan worker (who was not killing people on the streets, but WORKING) a criminal. I would think a little more before I would even think that for myself, let alone type it on a public website.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED! He was wrongfully sent to jail for something he didn't do and if he were anyone else you would have shouted loud from the same hill against the injustice done.

Aren't you, Americans, the ones who are so proud of their legal system? So, justice is just for some?

[jackie]

You guys are amazing me! Are you really serious?!?!?! A nation of IMMIGRANTS is calling a poor Nicaraguan worker (who was not killing people on the streets, but WORKING) a criminal. I would think a little more before I would even think that for myself, let alone type it on a public website.

YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED! He was wrongfully sent to jail for something he didn't do and if he were anyone else you would have shouted loud from the same hill against the injustice done.

Aren't you, Americans, the ones who are so proud of their legal system? So, justice is just for some?

BRAVO.

[lbaker]

Some of us ARE ashamed V&J, of this action.. not necessarily the system as a whole. That's why we are posting, and "venting". We are still allowed to have different opinions, and the opportunity to change some of it when we vote.