Puerto Rico: the murder of Keishla Rodríguez.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

This may be angry or disjointed, but here it goes.

Puerto Rican boxer Félix Verdejo turned himself in to federal agents Sunday night to face federal charges just hours after authorities identified the body of a dead woman as his 27-year-old pregnant lover, officials said. The U.S. Attorney's Office said late Sunday that Verdejo was being charged with kidnapping and carjacking resulting in death and with intentionally killing an unborn child.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/felix-verd ... death/#app

Here are links to the FBI indictment against Félix Verdejo and for seeking the death penalty: https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/f-li ... kidnapping
https://www.scribd.com/document/5058933 ... rte-Caso-1

This case was particularly heinous, also coming on the heels of several crimes- case of Andrea Ruíz, who was burned to death by ex partner after a judge denied her a restraining order against him- involving women being either brutally murdered or attacked by their ex or current partners. Puerto Rico’s domestic abuse cases remain high and it’s highlighted that authorities often refuse to grant restraining orders to the victims. Restraining order denials range between municipalities but can be as high as 68%, and often, prosecutors are no shows in court.

What are your thoughts on FBI involvements, the death penalty for this case and violence against women in PR and Latin America in general because we have this pattern repeating in places like Mexico, Venezuela and Honduras?

As a woman who is a survivor of domestic violence, I’m seething reading about this. I know my case happened in another country with different laws and resources but I’m so angry reading what happened to Keishla… the sheer inhumanity of it all. A kind of violence women continue to be subjected to in Latin America. With little to no justice.

I have always sat on the fence regarding the death penalty, but in this case, I think it’s deserved. However, dying is too good for Verdejo and accomplices. Including his fiancée (who is suspected of helping orchestrate this crime too). I feel that being put behind bars, without the possibility of parole, and in solitary confinement to be more fitting for these creatures.

Something has to change, for fucks sake. Comment away.

Note: if mods prefer this in the Feminist thread, move away.

[Engadine Mcdonalds 1997]

Death penalty might be a little extreme but I can see your point. Instead there should be forced labour camps for these folks to work their way out. Some might call it slavery, I call it justice

[Nantoraka]

I love my island but the problems it has make me cry. This isn't a single incident, either; domestic abuse is serious there, along with all other kinds of problems.

[The Rich Port]

Macho bullshit. I know it well. I grew up in a gang. We were "brothers". Eramos compas. I started out hating them, because, well, they were violent nutjobs and they made fun of me for not being as violent as they were. They were bullies, and they're all in prison or dead today. I miss them. I somehow grew to love them because they turned me into one of them, and it's only until I stopped fighting back that they accepted me. Nowadays I pity them, because someone did the same thing they did to me.

It leaves you wondering about the root of all evil. Having power over someone else? Hate? Fear? Family? I don't know anymore.

All I know is, I'm sorry you had to go through that, Nana. I'm sorry anyone has to go through anything like this. Just know that you're not alone and that just because your family doesn't love you it doesn't mean you're not capable of being loved or worthy of it. Family is what doesn't hurt you.

I don't know if the death penalty is ever feasible, unless this guy is going to put someone else's life in danger if he is left alive.

Pero el pueblo de Puerto Rico tiene que dejar el machismo y el abuso, de las mujeres y de la gente que no se pueden defender, y dejar de darle privilegios a la gente en poder.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I love my island but the problems it has make me cry. This isn't a single incident, either; domestic abuse is serious there, along with all other kinds of problems.

Yes, this and Andrea’s case are just the two most recent events. In PR, according to 2019-2020 statistics show that a woman is murdered by a partner or ex partner every 7 days. (Sorry guys, info is in Spanish)

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Macho bullshit. I know it well. I grew up in a gang. We were "brothers". Eramos compas. I started out hating them, because, well, they were violent nutjobs and they made fun of me for not being as violent as they were. They were bullies, and they're all in prison or dead today. I miss them. I somehow grew to love them because they turned me into one of them, and it's only until I stopped fighting back that they accepted me. Nowadays I pity them, because someone did the same thing they did to me.

It leaves you wondering about the root of all evil. Having power over someone else? Hate? Fear? Family? I don't know anymore.

All I know is, I'm sorry you had to go through that, Nana. I'm sorry anyone has to go through anything like this. Just know that you're not alone and that just because your family doesn't love you it doesn't mean you're not capable of being loved or worthy of it. Family is what doesn't hurt you.

I don't know if the death penalty is ever feasible, unless this guy is going to put someone else's life in danger if he is left alive.

Pero el pueblo de Puerto Rico tiene que dejar el machismo y el abuso, de las mujeres y de la gente que no se pueden defender, y dejar de darle privilegios a la gente en poder.

I was lucky, lucky to have my mother’s support, lucky to be alive and that my case was heard by Spanish authorities. I was lucky. And I’m lucky because I was able to find stability, and a good, decent man. But many others aren’t as lucky as I am, and I can’t stop thinking about Keishla being dropped into that lagoon, still alive and drugged. Drowning. I can’t stop thinking about her mom, and my mom. That pain of losing your daughter. Of having to go identify her at the morgue. Jesus Fucking Christ.

Me cago en la ostia. Verdejo es un hijo de puta.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

As a boricua myself, it pains me to see this violence. There's violence in the streets everyday in PR and in Puerto Rican diaspora communities throughout the mainland. We see it against women, against kids, against young men, against the elderly, against everyone. It has to stop.

[The Rich Port]

Macho bullshit. I know it well. I grew up in a gang. We were "brothers". Eramos compas. I started out hating them, because, well, they were violent nutjobs and they made fun of me for not being as violent as they were. They were bullies, and they're all in prison or dead today. I miss them. I somehow grew to love them because they turned me into one of them, and it's only until I stopped fighting back that they accepted me. Nowadays I pity them, because someone did the same thing they did to me.

It leaves you wondering about the root of all evil. Having power over someone else? Hate? Fear? Family? I don't know anymore.

All I know is, I'm sorry you had to go through that, Nana. I'm sorry anyone has to go through anything like this. Just know that you're not alone and that just because your family doesn't love you it doesn't mean you're not capable of being loved or worthy of it. Family is what doesn't hurt you.

I don't know if the death penalty is ever feasible, unless this guy is going to put someone else's life in danger if he is left alive.

Pero el pueblo de Puerto Rico tiene que dejar el machismo y el abuso, de las mujeres y de la gente que no se pueden defender, y dejar de darle privilegios a la gente en poder.

I was lucky, lucky to have my mother’s support, lucky to be alive and that my case was heard by Spanish authorities. I was lucky. And I’m lucky because I was able to find stability, and a good, decent man. But many others aren’t as lucky as I am, and I can’t stop thinking about Keishla being dropped into that lagoon, still alive and drugged. Drowning. I can’t stop thinking about her mom, and my mom. That pain of losing your daughter. Of having to go identify her at the morgue. Jesus Fucking Christ.

Me cago en la ostia. Verdejo es un hijo de puta.

At least it wasn't Felix Tito Trinidad, that would have been really heartbreaking.

Verdejo sounds like he's some wannabe garbage boxer, I've never heard of him.

[Tsaivao]

The situation with the Puerto-Rican government is insane. I dated someone once who was from Puerto Rico, and he told me many times about the crumbling infrastructure, poverty, and general apathy from the local officials. But I never really heard about the domestic abuse, and how bad it's gotten there. I seriously hope that something is done in the very near future to bring Puerto Rico into line with the rest of the United States at the very least so that people have the voice and the rights to defend themselves from stuff like this.

Or, perhaps a more direct solution, if the government and justice system did their jobs better, then this could be taken care of much more effectively. I hate to see so many people hurt.

[Adamede]

Death penalty might be a little extreme but I can see your point. Instead there should be forced labour camps for these folks to work their way out. Some might call it slavery, I call it justice

How about neither?

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Keishla is mourned while Verdejo and accomplice prepare for a hearing next Tuesday

Since January of this year, 21 women in PR have died at the hands of a partner or ex partner.

I’m sorry again, most of this info is only available atm in Spanish.

[Borderlands of Rojava]

You run and scream to God, and there's violence in the streets. It's full on carnage in places like San Juan and it's like our old people can't even walk the city alone.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

Update on some info I posted yesterday:

The source for this data^ comes from the Office for the Administration of Courts (Tribunals), also known as OAT, in PR.

Translation of second image: "38% of restraining order applications for gendered violence, from a total of 7,019, have been denied in the first nine months of the fiscal year."