HLLN letter to the Judge on the Douglas Perlitz case

Ezili Dantò's Note: Hello folks, Here is the letter HLLN sent to the Judge on the Douglas Perlitz case. Please consider using it as a sample letter and sending it to the judge. As you all know by now, arguments pro and con the release on bond pending trial of accused US pedophile Douglas Perlitz will be heard on Oct. 19 at 10 am in New Haven CT. (Help Haiti's children - Demand that accused US pedophile, Doug Perlitz, not be set free on bond) Ezili HLLN is extremely concerned for the safety of the Haitian victims should Douglas Perlitz be allowed free on bond to continue his campaign of blocking their testimony at his trial. Help the victims by sending a letter to the judge now. The children victims have already suffered the unspeakable, now powerful forces and collaborators connected with this case with money and influence may be hunting them down to prevent their testifying. Remember, these are street children, with no home, mostly without parents and no means whatsoever. Opportunists abound everywhere to influence these small victims. Some action must be taken to assure these children shall be safe and available to testify. Sending a letter to the judge making this decision now, is a small action, but it may help Judge Margolis understand that in this case it is not just a question of allowing bond to secure the appearance of the defendant in Court. The victims in this case will be put in greater fear, in greater danger and this release on bond may even embolden other predators on the scene in Haiti right now, while also allowing further access to Douglas Perlitz and his co-horts to perhaps even disappear these witnesses altogether. Write now. Be in court on the 19th to stand in solidarity with the poorest and most vulnerable of souls on the planet. Ensure that they are not victimized or made into further targets, once again. Thank you for your help on this. Men anpil chay pa lou - Many Hands Make Light a Heavy Load. Ezili Dantò Oct. 12, 2009 **** LETTER FROM HLLN TO JUDGE MARGOLIS Chamber Fax: (203) 773-2304 Clerk Fax: (203) 773-2334 The Honorable Joan G. Margolis, United States Magistrate Judge Richard C. Lee UNITED STATES COURT HOUSE 141 Church Street New Haven, Connecticut 06510 October 12, 2009 Dear Honorable Joan G. Margolis, I am writing to request that you do not release accused pedophile Douglas Perlitz pending trial because of the gravity of the charges - sexually abusing nine of the children he was suppose to be helping in Haiti. The sexual abuse took place for close to ten years. Douglas Perlitz is a danger to children everywhere and there is no guarantee this compulsion that he is accused of is limited to just Haitian children in Haiti. If Douglas Perlitz is released on bond, despite the gravity of these charges, all children in the US communities he is released into may be in imminent danger, including Haitian children living in these US communities. Court papers disclose that during a conversation with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, Douglas Perlitz denied sexually abusing any of the children. He allegedly admitted that "molestation would be tough" and that the Haitian children who were molested "should just get over it ... He said he got over his father's death and even though it was tough he moved on ..." It would be a dereliction of duty to release Douglas Perlitz on bond based on this depraved indifference alone. What is "tough" right now for the (local, national and international) community affected by this case is that Douglas Perlitz's release is even being contemplated. The Court ought to clearly tell Perlitz to "get over it" and detain him pending trial because he is a danger to the community, a flight risk, and based on the indictment, he has virtually admitted to the molestations. Moreover, if Douglas Perlitz is released on bond, this will cause greater fear among the victims who were abused as well as allow Perlitz more opportunity to continue his campaigns to stop the victims from testifying. Perlitz will have unlimited access via prepaid cell phones to continue to intimidate the victims and the other children, most of whom are already vulnerable orphans with no parents, no shelter and little or no State protection in Haiti. If released, Perlitz may use his mobility, access and connections to disappear his victims and witnesses, put them in greater danger or otherwise prevent them from testifying. Please do not release Douglas Perlitz on bond. Sincerely, Ezili Dantò/Marguerite Laurent, Esq. President, Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network ("HLLN") Phone: (203) 829-7210 P. O. Box 3573 Stamford, CT 06905 e-mail: ezilidanto@yahoo.com www.ezilidanto.com ************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ******** Forwarded by Ezili's Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network ************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********