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Letters from Rebecca May 30, 2008 I would like to write MY POINT OF VIEW of Mexican News for people going to my website: If this is possible, please use the following information for my first installment. Thank you, Rebecca Roth May 17, 2008 On Wednesday the 14th of May 2008, I was again hopeful that the US Consulate was finally going to get in gear and do something for me. Especially since Brenda Martin also convicted on the same day – April 22, 2008 and on the same Case #63/2001- had been taken by the Canadian government just 8 days after sentencing to Canada. (On a private jet no less!) Then just 8 days later she was released, May 8th, Friday, so that she could be reunited with her mother before Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, my 85-year-old mother celebrated her birthday, May 13th alone with a daughter in jail, and checked herself into a nursing home as she’s finding it harder and harder to take care of herself. We had discussed my return to help her after my release, but it seems she has rightfully so given up on that happening anytime soon. The day I was sentenced, my Mexican attorney advised me to Appeal the decision. The Canadian and I did not share the same attorneys and for whatever reason, I believe because she started out with a Private Defender and I with the Public Defender, her private defender got the charge of Organized Crime ART 13 dropped. So she faced only the money laundering charge. When I finally got a Private Defender, 4.5 months after I was arrested, there were many movements that he could no longer do because of the legal system. Our communications have been difficult as he only speaks Spanish and I had next to no Spanish, so I stumbled through communicating with him and failed to ask why he didn’t try to eliminate the Organize Crime charge. Anyway, the final sentence dictated for Brenda Martin was 5 years, the minimum for the one charge, and for the two charges the minimum sentence was 4 years Organized Crime and 5 years for the money laundering charge. A total of 9 years for a minimum sentence. I cannot request the Prisoner Transfer unless there are no pending legal actions such as an Appeal pending. Yet, my only hope of reducing the sentence or having the sentence completely overturned is the Appeal here in Mexico and I only had 5 days to make the decision to appeal or I would have lost the opportunity forever. The first thing that Ravi Candadai; the Consul here in Guadalajara told me is that I must forget about what the Canadians did for Brenda, because that is not going to happen for me. In all seriousness, I asked him how I go about resigning as an American and becoming a Canadian citizen. He said I didn’t want to do that and he wouldn’t help me with it anyway. Ironically enough, the Appeal papers show me as Canadian and I will have to prove to the Mexicans that I am an American to have that changed. Ravi told me that they could do nothing more until I dropped the Appeal. I told him that I could not drop the Appeal until I knew what the U.S. Courts, Administrative office of the Defense Services – Prisoner Transfer treaty matters in Washington D.C. were going to do. I don’t know whether my attorney in the U.S. – Andy Millar (a long time friend of my mother’s through their mutual activity in the American Legion organization) has gathered the 12 items he needs including the Sentencing Order, which was to be sent by the Consulate but had not been sent as late as May 15th. We were told it would not be sent Fed. Ex but would go to the US by currier and it could take another week for it to be delivered to Andy Millar who then would have to send the Sentencing Orders to Wash. D. C. But, according to the paperwork I was given, they only take into consideration the sentence and the charges and run them through the US equivalent sentencing guidelines. So, I’m no expert, but I believe Organized Crime and Money laundering are considered serious crimes in the US. According to the paperwork – after I wait 6-8 weeks for this “process” I will be given their best estimate of how much time I will serve as a convicted felon in the U.S. I asked Ravi, “Can’t someone make a phone call and find out what they are going to do? “Not the Consulate’s job,” was the answer. None of the 12 items requested for the PTP ask about the lack of evidence, witnesses, victims, etc. To that Ravi Candadai said, “This is no longer about the case, this is about the sentence. They refused to do anything about the case earlier and they don’t want to talk about the case now, even though they were present at the trial as witnesses and heard me speak for over one hour and saw me give 5 different charts to the judge (who ignored and disregarded all of it). My additional proof was taken from the Prosecution’s Conclusions against me and used to prove my innocence of the charges, all to no avail. Ravi Candadai said that I must pay the fine of just under $5,000 USD. When I informed him that the Canadian Government paid B. Martin’s fine, his response, “It’s not going to happen.” Meaning the U.S. would not even consider doing this. He also informed me that the International Treaty between Mexico and the U.S. is number One – It must be upheld – even thought the Mexicans violated it in 17 ways against us (according to B. Martin’s attorneys). “The citizen is a lower priority (he said “is secondary.”) to the treaty. I thought treaties were made to protect the citizens in both countries. So, the Mexicans can trod all over the treaty while the Americans must uphold it to the letter. (What about Canada – Does Canada follow the ‘rule of law’? I think so!) To me the U.S. Consulate’s help is the equivalent of their being accomplices in my victimization by a government that pretends to follow the ‘rule of law’ while publicly operating in a corrupt and abusive manner. What’s more, the Consulate is fully aware of this and allows it to continue. I tried to get the U.S. Consulate to give me a phone number for the 2+ years of my incarceration so that I could reach them without having to go through their prerecorded messages from our public telephones. This was not given to me, yet this past week; quite by accident I overheard Ravi giving out his cell phone number to the Prison Director. I asked him if I could have that number and he said, “Sure, it is your right to have it.” Why was it never offered to me in the past? Now they say they are “sorry about what has happened to me.” But, I don’t want their sympathy; I want action and real help. Please note: THE MERIDA INITIATIVE The U.S. Congress has approved 400 million dollars for 2008. The 1st step is to give it to Mexico for them to use to battle drug organizations. Ana Maria Salazar, a radio commentator in Guadalajara, commented on 5/15/08, “How long will it take them (?) to spend it?” Whose pockets will this money end up in? Yet, the U.S. Government can’t interfere with Mexico’s corrupt legal system. So we just hand them a check and let them spend the money as they want and they continue their corruption right in front of witnesses and without any recourse. Is there any accountability from the Mexican Government to the U.S? Why would we give them hard earned taxpayer’s money at all? This too is a travesty of justice. Feb. 12, 2008 Rebecca and Rebecca's sister Barbara Moodhe's letter to the U.S. Consulate: Ravi and or Anna Kling:
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