(These are my notes for Cesar Rodriguez's trial on the day that the prison snitch testified. An inmate testified that Nixzaliz Santiago confessed to her that she was the one who dealt the fatal blow to Nixzmary in the bathtub. That after Cesar left the bathroom, she remained and bashed Nixzmary's head into the faucet.)
By: Dovesblood
On Tuesday, Judge Hall ordered everyone out of the courtroom so that a jailhouse snitch could testify that Nixzaliz Santiago told her that she killed Nixzmary Brown.
The day started like any other day. They opened the courtroom doors at 9:30 and everyone came in. People chatted with each other until court started. It was the subject of one of those chats that upset me. A spectator was talking to someone about the prosecution team. (Lead D.A., Ama Dwimoh (ja-mo), Asst. D.A.,Linda Weinman, and Asst. D.A. Anthea Bruffee) The spectator said "Dwimoh and the other two nobodies. I call them nobodies because they're nobodies." Her and the other person laughed. Then if reference to Ms. Bruffee, the spectator said, "and the other one, I could never say her name. Ruffy or Gruffy or Scruffy" she said with disdain in her voice. Linda Weinman and Ms. Bruffee are certainly not "nobodies". Weinman was there from day one, the day Cesar got arrested. She's the D.A. who interviewed Cesar on the video where he admits to beating on Nixzmary. Linda Weinman and Ms. Bruffee are working hard everyday to ensure that little Nixzmary get justice and that her killer doesn't get away with it. They are certainly not "nobodies".
Once the judge came to the bench, she ordered the courtroom cleared. No one was allowed to leave any of their belongings like coats or books behind.
After the press and public filed out of the room, an officer was placed in front of the courtroom door to guard it lest anyone sneak a peak at the snitch. The male officer stood there like he was guarding Fort Knox and not a Rikers snitch.
The press as well as spectators were all seated in the waiting room. People were talking, reading etc.
At lunchtime, rather than doing the usual interviews with the press, the prosecutors walked away. Cesar's attorney, Jeffrey Schwartz, ever the publicity hound, walked over to say "no comment" to everything. Satisfied that he'd gotten enough of the limelight, he left.
After lunch they let everyone back into the courtroom. When the judge got back to the bench, it was deja vu all over again. Apparently, the snitch hadn't finished, so it was out in the hallway again. Courtroom cleared.
This time a female officer was put to guard the door. She did what most females do: chatted it up with another female. They switched and a male officer came. It was Fort Knox time again.
Some of the reporters ran down the hall to cover the acquittal of someone who shot a cop.
At 4pm, the day ended as everyone came out. The prosecution walked away but Mr. Personality, Jeff Schwartz, came back over to say "no comment" to everything. He did reveal that Maria Gonzalez would be testifying tomorrow. When asked by a latina reporter "what do you think she'll say"?, Schwartz answered with a smile "that her daughter is crazy".
I have mixed feelings about this snitch. If she's lying just to get her 15 minutes of fame, doesn't she realize she's planting doubt into the mind of the jury possibly helping to get Nixzmary's killer off? If she's telling the truth, then Nixzaliz is a bigger monster than we all thought.
Back to Index
WWW.CHILDABUSEHEADLINES.COM
