10-19-2007 New Hampshire:WEARE – The man who beat up his 15-year-old daughter's boyfriend in the high school parking lot last month did so after the daughter reported the boy had raped her, according to court documents.
The girl later admitted lying -- the sex was consensual, she said.
On Tuesday, Gilberto L. Soto, 38, of Weare, was arraigned on a charge of second-degree assault -- a Class B felony -- for attacking 17-year-old Damon Hadley, an attack that sent Hadley to the hospital.
Soto waived his right to court-appointed counsel and was released on $500 personal recognizance.
According to court documents, the girl's mother called police at 1 p.m. on Sept. 10 and said she wanted to file a report that her daughter had been forced to have sex with Hadley in the parking lot of John Stark Regional High School.
Less than two hours later, Soto called police and asked what was going to happen to the boy who allegedly attacked his daughter.
Ten minutes later, he was arrested by the school's resource officer, having allegedly attacked Hadley in the school's parking lot, leaving him with cuts, bruises and two stitches to his face.In a separate police interview, Hadley told police the couple had been friendly since June, but described their relationship as secret because the girl's parents didn't allow her to date.
The beating took place in full view of students and parents just as school was letting out around 3 p.m.
Although the daughter initially told police Hadley forced himself on her, she later admitted lying, saying she made up the false report because she was scared.
Hadley and the 15-year-old girl both told police they had sex at Hadley's house.
Under state law, a person can't consent to sex until the age of 16. The girl is six months shy of her 16th birthday.
Hadley, of Henniker, has been charged with misdemeanor sexual assault. He is free on $5,000 personal recognizance bail.
If convicted, Hadley could face up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine. He will also likely have to report the arrest on college and job applications, according to Weare Police Det. Lou Chatel.
In some circumstances, and if their age difference were three years or more, the boy could have faced a felony charge.
Under bail conditions, Soto is barred from contact with Hadley and Hadley may not have contact with Soto or any of his family members.
Soto is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on Nov. 6 at 11 a.m. in Goffstown District Court.
According to court documents, Soto has a criminal record. He told the court he has a prior conviction for receiving stolen property. ..more.. by GRETA CUYLER, Union Leader Correspondent
Angry dad defended, bashed by readers
9-24-2007 New Hampshire:
The report of a Weare father attacking his daughter's boyfriend on school grounds after discovering the teenagers had sex earlier that day has evoked passion in readers.
The boy is 17 and the girl is 15.
Police say the attack happened Sept. 10 as John Stark High School in Henniker was letting out for the day and was witnessed many students.
The girl's father was charged with simple assault, a class B felony.
A Weare police detective was interviewing the 17-year-old from Henniker yesterday, said Deputy Chief Bill Quigley, but no charges have been filed against him.
Because the girl is not old enough to consent under state law, police are investigating the father's allegation as a sexual assault.
The story drew comments from Myrtle Beach, S.C., to Baghdad, Iraq.
Many people defended the irate father's actions, with one reader suggesting a defense fund be set up and several others saying they would contribute.
"If more parents acted like this father maybe we wouldn't have so many teen pregnancies," wrote Dorie Smith of New Boston. "It's refreshing to see a father stand up for his child and not just say, 'Oh, that's what teenagers do.'"
Others said the man should be prosecuted for violently taking the law into his own hands.
"I am also shocked at the number of people defending the father's actions," wrote Tina Thompson of Sutton. "The father's actions are vigilantism at its worst, and I hope the authorities throw the book at him."
Michelle Howard, of Henniker, said an adult should be expected to have more control over his fist than a teenager has over his hormones.
"As a mother of three boys," she wrote, "I will make sure they get every kiss and so on in writing, to protect us from some testosterone-raging father."
The boy, who police say was dating the girl, was bruised in the attack and required two stitches in his face.
Police said the father discovered the teens had sex during school hours but not on school property.
The New Hampshire Union Leader does not identify sexual assault victims. For that reason, the newspaper is not identifying the father.
Chris, of Nashua, said there's little danger of stigma being attached to anyone involved in the incident.
"The 15-year old girl is not a victim here," he said. "She is a teen engaging in sexual activity - just like 90 percent of her peers. Therefore the father does not deserve to have his name hidden from the public. Publish his name in the paper just like any other adult who is charged with assault."
Meg, of Derry, agreed, saying many teen girls are sexually active.
"People see the word 'rape' in statutory rape and think that the boy forced himself on her like a beast," she wrote. "Let me tell you, that is hardly the case in many instances. ... Assault is assault, Pops. Jail is where you go, and you learn YOUR lesson just like your daughter and her boyfriend learn theirs."
Sue, of Pembroke, said lessons could have been learned, but weren't.
"This would have been the perfect opportunity (for the man) to show his daughter how adults behave themselves when faced with a difficult situation," she wrote. "When she is an adult she will look back and realize the infantile manner in which her father behaved himself."
Tonya Ferrara, of Manchester, said vigilante justice - family style - might play a useful role in crime fighting.
"Maybe if this happened to sex offenders the first time they were caught we wouldn't have repeat offenders," she wrote.
Using violence to solve problems is the real threat to society, wrote Christina, of Henniker.
"Let the father of the boy beat up the father of the girl, and then the older brother beat up the older brother," she wrote. "Why stop there? Why not have his friends beat up her friends? It's views like this that start world wars."
Mark Emerson, of Lancaster, said the man's chief mistake was getting caught.
"Put in that same situation," he said, "I probably would have knocked his lights out also, just without all the witnesses."
Tom Linehan, of Salem, defended the father's actions without qualification.
"There ought to be a fund to help pay the legal fees for people like this father who not only defend their kids but also more broadly defend the rest of us from miscreants," wrote Linehan. "There is no defense for rape." ..more.. by JOHN WHITSON
Teen Beaten By Girlfriend's Dad Faces Sex Charge
9-28-2007 Pennsylvania:
WEARE, N.H. First, a father was charged with beating up his daughter's boyfriend last week after learning the two had sex. Now, police are preparing to charge the boy with sexual assault.
The 17-year-old boy from Henniker, who admitted to having sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend, will "absolutely" be charged, police said.
Weare Detective Lou Chatel said the boy will be charged as an adult and could face up to a year in jail.
Both teens admitted to having sex during school hours on Sept. 10, but off school property, Chatel said. That afternoon, he said, the girl's father went to John Stark Regional High School and attacked the boy.
School had just let out and the parking lot was filled with students and parents.
The boy suffered cuts and bruises and received two stitches to his face. The father was charged with simple assault.
It all began that morning when the girl did not show up for her first class, even though she had been seen at school.
School officials searched the building, then put out a school-wide page. When the girl didn't respond, they called her parents.
Principal Michael Turmelle the parents helped search for their daughter, called her cell phone and coordinated with school officials.
The teens returned to school at the same time, through separate doors.
The principal said he's upset at the number of people who have sided with the father.
"We all work so hard to give our kids a safe place to go to," he said. "Any time we have an act of violence, it's very upsetting because it is completely antithetical to what we're trying to accomplish."
The girl and her siblings have transferred to another school, Turmelle said. ..more.. by WBZTV.com
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