Another thought,I really hope that all those witnesses who saw what really happened to Free that night will come forward at the trial.It seems that Cancun is not such a paradise when it comes to telling the truth.
It's hard to get witnesses to come forward, anywhere: here, I'm sure, it's just that much harder. Good luck with everything.
One other of our posters here has now taken the opportunity to visit the Cancun Jail, and befriend one or more of those who must spend months or years of their lives in the confines of that place. Any one of good will can make a positive difference there, by taking an interest in these most easily forgotten of our fellow man.
How do you know who you are visiting though? Is there a way to find out? Like obviously I wouldn't want to make the day of a rapist any better or a child molester, however someone who has been wrongly accused or like in Free's case, a person who's been out on a blinder, smacked a fella and is now banged up, I could visit them. So how do you know?
In most prisons, there would be few who would make it onto your visitation list, Matkirk! For the most part, prisoners are people who've offended, and may very well offend again, holding the rights of others and the laws of man in insufficient regard, as they do. ____________________ There's nothing to stop you from visiting those who fit your criteria: you will be asked to name whom you wish to visit when getting permission to enter the common area of the prison, where visitation occurs, an outdoor area in which prisoners mingle with visitors. Many of those you will bump into there, unintended, will have commited drug related offenses which may/may not, depending on one's point of view, put them among the less guilty of those behind bars. ____________________ I tend not to ask too many questions, never knowing what subjects may be a source of unhappiness for a prisoner: letting them bring things up is safer. Most of them can appreciate a light chat and a chance to brighten their day, just a little. Anita has said that she has played cards with some of them, at times, something I'm sure was a welcome event. ____________________ For those with a Desire to go a little deeper, I could imagine cultivating a relationship with the prison authorities. Those responsible for developing programs will always be interested in suggestions for offers of training for the inmates that might either help them get jobs, later, or offer them a diversion, at present. There are a number of programs on going, some of them provided by the city through the Instituto para la Cultura y las Artes, and others by the prisoners, themselves. (For example, one of the prisoners who knows English best offers English classes for the inmates, for a fee. The city sponsored activities are free.) The people you may meet there will be released, one day. Keeping the relationship at the proper distance, and making it clear you're there for everyone, can help prevent a prisoner from getting too emotionally dependent on you.
Matkirk - If you wait a bit you may be able to go visit Cancun's most famous pedophile, Jean Succar Kuri. They are talking about moving him from the high security prison he's in now to the Cancun jail. Some politicians are trying to block the move, I hope they do.
Another one that may not make onto Matkirk's visitation list! I suppose where he is there would be no children in the environment; but, unless he's kept in lockdown in the Cancun Jail/Prison he'd be able to mingle with the children that are there, in the common areas of the prison, on visitation days. Somehow I suspect the other prisoners, especially those whose children are visiting, would keep a wary eye on him. He may be in less danger, himself, where he is, now.
I understand that he's a very powerful man. And I think the that general consensus is that if he's allowed to move somewhere with lower security, that he will begin to use his influence. There is a local reporter who will probably have to go into hiding, again, if he ends up being able to use any of his influence. He has other victims besides the children.
Apparently not powerful enough- to avoid having criminal charges filed against him, by the Mexican authorities; to avoid those charges being transmitted to the U.S., where he was arrested; to avoid being extradicted back to Mexico, to face those charges; to avoid trial, in Mexican courts, on the charges; to avoid being found guilty by Mexican judges; and, to avoid being held in custody, now, for a total of six years (from the time of his arrest) There may be more to come.
