Domestic abuse – A manifesto for Carrie Tripodi too

By Lisa Shoman: On the night of April 1, 2018, Carrie Tripodi was savageIy beaten while she was at home alone, north of San Pedro Town getting ready for bed. It had all the hallmarks of a vicious home invasion. It is every woman ‘s nightmare. But the horrendous assault was not caused by any stranger.

Carrie’s ex-boyfriend Russel Casimiro – after being refused entry – broke into her home by climbing up to the second floor and unto the balcony, gaining entry by the balcony door.

Casimiro repeatedly punched Carrie in the face, causing serious facial injuries to her, and severely damaging one of her eyes.

Staff at the nearby Bar heard her screams and rushed over to find her broken and bleeding. She was rushed to the San Pedro Police Station for a medico -legal form, and there after to the San Pedro Polyclinic at about 1:25, where she was given very cursory attention and her eye was taped.

At 3 am on April 2, 2018, after obtaining the completed medico-legal form, Carrie filed the necessary police report with PC James Young of the San Pedro Police Department.

Carrie’s compliant to the Police was not only to the harm to her person, but she also insisted that he be arrested for Burglary. She also requested a Restraining Order against Casimiro.

Casimiro was not arrested until 4 pm the following day after persistent and repeated calls from her friends in San Pedro by a visibly reluctant police force who claimed to have no report or arrest warrant pending for him.

Yesterday, on April 3, 2018, Casimiro appeared at the San Pedro Magistrate Court before Magistrate Villanueva where he was permitted to plead guilty to wounding and was fined $1000 to be paid by July. Casimiro was then released on probation.

Casimiro was not charged for burglary.

It lasted what seemed to be a mere 2 minutes and was over in the blink of a eye.

Although Carrie were seated outside the Courtroom the entire time, waiting to give evidence, she was never called on to give evidence and Ms. Tripodi was not permitted to say anything to the Court about the case. This is actually not unusual for a case in which there is a guilty plea.

In fact, the Magistrate did not even see Carrie Tripodi until after sentencing had occurred and seemed not to know the true extent of Ms. Tripodi’s injuries.

Apparently Police did not present the medico-Legal form to the Court, and the Magistrate was not given the opportunity to assess the extent of the damage caused by Casimiro to Carri’e’s face and eye.

Casimiro was not charged for burglary at all.

Russel Casimiro is reportedly a 4-time offender and previously served 18 months in Hattiville for domestic abuse.

His prior conviction or arrests may not have been brought by the attention of the Court by the Police; and if so, why not?

it is difficult to understand how Casimiro was sentenced to probation and a $1000 fine with time to pay in July if as the Criminal Code states “every person who intentionally and unlawfully causes a wound to a person shall be liable to imprisonment for two years”.

Casimiro was not charged for burglary.

On April 4, 2018, at a hearing of the application by Carrie for a restraining order, Casimiro admitted to scaling the wall of Ms. Tripodi’s home and breaking into her house.

Casimiro was not charged burglary even though it was specifically requested of the Police by the victim.

It is alleged that Casimiro is a relative of the reporting officer, PC Young, that a brother of Casimiro is a Police officer and that he boasts that his uncle is Minister Anthony Martinez.

Carrie faces very long and painful road to recovery. After swelling subsides in her eye and the infection clears she will need to see specialists. She also has a contusion on her cheek making it difficult to eat or talk. She will require many months of treatment to heal. And that does not include the trauma of the vicious beating or the burglary.

The punishment of Russel Casimiro does NOT fit the crime and it sends a message to ALL men that if they have $1,000 they can repeatedly abuse any woman they want and get away.

Although on April 4, 2018, Ms. Tripodi was granted a two-year Restraining Order, Casimiro is a present and frightening threat to her safety. She can no longer feel safe to return to her home and will be obliged to live constantly in fear of her safety.

Tonight, on the Love TV news, there was a report that the home of an Orange Walk Businessman was burgled. It was not alleged that he was harmed. But yet Casimiro was not charged with burglary.

I didn’t write the first draft of the Manifesto for Linda only for justice for deceased victims of domestic violence.

I wrote it for justice for all who face Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Human Trafficking, Sexual Harassment and all forms of gender based violence.

I wrote it for Carrie too.

She is taking her own steps to deal with this travesty and she will prevail.

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