Miss-Delectable
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Man who attacked blind, deaf Tampa woman free to leave jail - St. Petersburg Times
As the deaf, legally blind woman waited for a bus, the man touched her arm. She thought he was her friend, so she got into his car. But as they took off, the sun shone through the windshield and onto his face.
The woman who sees the world through pinholes realized she was in danger. She tried to get out, but he kept grabbing her. Eventually, she got away.
She did everything she could to see the man get justice, including making a police identification by lowering her face to his and putting her hands on his hands.
But on Tuesday, her attacker was free to walk out of jail.
Luis Mendez, 51, took a plea deal in which he was sentenced to 364 days — time he's already served. He's been locked up for more than a year. He also will have to serve two years' probation and undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation. If doctors find he needs sex offender therapy, he'll get it. But he won't be labeled one.
His charges were reduced to battery and false imprisonment. He originally was charged with kidnapping, battery and attempted lewd and lascivious battery on a disabled person. He told police the woman wanted a ride and wouldn't get out of his car. But prosecutors believed the woman.
"It truly is a case where the circumstances are so frightening because of what you think probably was going to happen with her," said assistant state attorney Kimberly Hindman. "But it didn't get very far."
In a sense, the woman's strength made the case difficult, the prosecutor said. Because she got away so soon, he didn't get far enough to leave the kind of evidence they would need to prove a lewd attempt. And kidnapping requires intent.
The woman did not attend the Tuesday hearing. According to Hindman, the victim wished Mendez had received a harsher penalty. Though the attack has not stolen her independence, she feels less safe.
Prosecutors sometimes work with victims unwilling to go through the painstaking lengths it takes to build a case. This woman answered Hindman's questions by e-mail and through a telecommunications service. At hearings, she held out her hand so an interpreter could sign into it.
She brought her face close to the prosecutor's and told her to smile, that she looked too serious.
Hindman told her she was one of the strongest victims she'd ever met.
As the deaf, legally blind woman waited for a bus, the man touched her arm. She thought he was her friend, so she got into his car. But as they took off, the sun shone through the windshield and onto his face.
The woman who sees the world through pinholes realized she was in danger. She tried to get out, but he kept grabbing her. Eventually, she got away.
She did everything she could to see the man get justice, including making a police identification by lowering her face to his and putting her hands on his hands.
But on Tuesday, her attacker was free to walk out of jail.
Luis Mendez, 51, took a plea deal in which he was sentenced to 364 days — time he's already served. He's been locked up for more than a year. He also will have to serve two years' probation and undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation. If doctors find he needs sex offender therapy, he'll get it. But he won't be labeled one.
His charges were reduced to battery and false imprisonment. He originally was charged with kidnapping, battery and attempted lewd and lascivious battery on a disabled person. He told police the woman wanted a ride and wouldn't get out of his car. But prosecutors believed the woman.
"It truly is a case where the circumstances are so frightening because of what you think probably was going to happen with her," said assistant state attorney Kimberly Hindman. "But it didn't get very far."
In a sense, the woman's strength made the case difficult, the prosecutor said. Because she got away so soon, he didn't get far enough to leave the kind of evidence they would need to prove a lewd attempt. And kidnapping requires intent.
The woman did not attend the Tuesday hearing. According to Hindman, the victim wished Mendez had received a harsher penalty. Though the attack has not stolen her independence, she feels less safe.
Prosecutors sometimes work with victims unwilling to go through the painstaking lengths it takes to build a case. This woman answered Hindman's questions by e-mail and through a telecommunications service. At hearings, she held out her hand so an interpreter could sign into it.
She brought her face close to the prosecutor's and told her to smile, that she looked too serious.
Hindman told her she was one of the strongest victims she'd ever met.