I was checking the status of the recent acid attacks and stumbled upon this case which I did not recognize. I checked the archives and don't see it. This is the tragic story of two women bent on destroying another woman's life. Ms. Medina is a former social worker with a loving family. She was attacked in July 2008 and almost died. Yes, she is horribly disfigured. But I can still see the lovely, strong woman she is. I love the second article which describes the way the jury responded to her. I also love the photo of the gentle way her daughter fusses over her. Women always want to look their best for a photo. We never change!! Bless you Ms. Medina.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...27_1_acid-attack-esperanza-medina-linda-dirzo
Acid attack victim's daughter: 'This is my mother's face'
Photos bring grim close to first day of trial testimony
"Shirley Medina's voice shook slightly as she guided the double jury through the horrific aftermath of an attack that left her mother's face burned beyond recognition by a bottle of acid.
"This is my mother's face," she said, fidgeting with her hands as a photo of the damage to Esperanza Medina flashed onto a large projection screen in the courtroom.
The impact was evident in the jury box. One man reflexively put his hand to his mouth, his face flushing. A woman swallowed hard and blinked, while down the row, a young man rubbed his hands together and stared at the floor...."
and
Her mother was hospitalized for four months, much of it spent in a medically induced coma while doctors performed painful skin graft operations, prosecutors said.
Earlier Monday, three teenagers two girls and a boy who pleaded guilty to juvenile charges testified that the two women recruited them to carry out the assault.
"....the case boiled down to jealousy and revenge over lost love..."
more at link (2 pages)
and
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/09/jury-begins-deliberating-in-acid-attack-trial.html
Cicero women convicted in acid attack
"One jury took just more than an hour to convict [Maria] Olvera-Garcia, while the second jury returned a guilty verdict against [Ofelia] Garcia in two hours. Separate juries were picked because the two women pointed the finger at each other.
Garcia, 60, plotted revenge with her ex-daughter-in-law after Garcia's longtime boyfriend, Gustavo Alvarez, ended his romantic relationship with both women in 2007 in order to live with [Esperanza] Medina. The two tracked Medina to her Chicago home and then staked out her apartment three times in the weeks before the attack to learn when she left for work.
They recruited three teenagers to douse Medina with a bottle of acid, then hit her with a baseball bat and steal her purse to make it appear as though robbery was the motive....."
and
"During the three-day trial, members of both juries were visibly moved, particularly by the testimony of Medina, who suffered severe burns to a quarter of her body and endured 17 skin graft operations to repair the damage to her face, arms, back and chest...."
more at link
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/...27_1_acid-attack-esperanza-medina-linda-dirzo
Acid attack victim's daughter: 'This is my mother's face'
Photos bring grim close to first day of trial testimony
"Shirley Medina's voice shook slightly as she guided the double jury through the horrific aftermath of an attack that left her mother's face burned beyond recognition by a bottle of acid.
"This is my mother's face," she said, fidgeting with her hands as a photo of the damage to Esperanza Medina flashed onto a large projection screen in the courtroom.
The impact was evident in the jury box. One man reflexively put his hand to his mouth, his face flushing. A woman swallowed hard and blinked, while down the row, a young man rubbed his hands together and stared at the floor...."
and
Her mother was hospitalized for four months, much of it spent in a medically induced coma while doctors performed painful skin graft operations, prosecutors said.
Earlier Monday, three teenagers two girls and a boy who pleaded guilty to juvenile charges testified that the two women recruited them to carry out the assault.
"....the case boiled down to jealousy and revenge over lost love..."
more at link (2 pages)
and
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/09/jury-begins-deliberating-in-acid-attack-trial.html
Cicero women convicted in acid attack
"One jury took just more than an hour to convict [Maria] Olvera-Garcia, while the second jury returned a guilty verdict against [Ofelia] Garcia in two hours. Separate juries were picked because the two women pointed the finger at each other.
Garcia, 60, plotted revenge with her ex-daughter-in-law after Garcia's longtime boyfriend, Gustavo Alvarez, ended his romantic relationship with both women in 2007 in order to live with [Esperanza] Medina. The two tracked Medina to her Chicago home and then staked out her apartment three times in the weeks before the attack to learn when she left for work.
They recruited three teenagers to douse Medina with a bottle of acid, then hit her with a baseball bat and steal her purse to make it appear as though robbery was the motive....."
and
"During the three-day trial, members of both juries were visibly moved, particularly by the testimony of Medina, who suffered severe burns to a quarter of her body and endured 17 skin graft operations to repair the damage to her face, arms, back and chest...."
more at link
