SwampMama
Insomniac Extraordinaire
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Mods, I hope this is in the right place. Move it if it isn't please. Thanks!
Mark Berrios was a 15 year old when he ran away from home. It was a chance meeting on the Boardwalk in Daytona Beach. Mark was a 15-year old troubled runaway when he met the 47-year old pedophile. That chance meeting led to Mark being taken in by Hepler who had a history of befriending young boys, giving them alcohol or drugs and paring them. Hepler ended up trying to rape Mark who killed him and escaped.
Hepler was even under investigation by the by from FDLE, the Volusia County State's Attorney's Office and Daytona Police. The state's attorney investigator says she'd been watching Hepler for more than five years. According to the court records, there were numerous boys who said they had been molested by Hepler. It seems Hepler had been doing this for about 25 years. In Hepler's home, police found counterfeit documents that were forged to get legal guardianship of children that he was keeping and abusing. It seems the authorities even knew he was involved in child prostitution.
So you would think that Mark Berrios would not be charged or would have a minimal sentence for killing the Hepler. After all, Mark did what the state had failed to do which was prevent Hepler from hurting one more child. But the jury in the case was NOT allowed to hear any of that evidence about Hepler. The state fought to suppress all information on Hepler's past because the law said you couldn't use character evidence to solely prove bad character.
In 2001, Florida legislators changed the law to allow character evidence to prosecute child sex offenders but that was too late to help Mark.
Mark was given a life sentence and has been in prison for the past 18 years. His mother has been valiantly fighting to get a new trial for him or to find a way to get his sentence reduced, or to get clemency to no avail.
Here are some links about the case:
Mark Berrios hoping a Supreme Court decision could get him out of prison.
" A recent Supreme Court decision may change that.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/...me-Court-decision-could-get-him-out-of-prison" ........
"In June, the panel ruled sentencing minors to mandatory life without parole was inhumane, and ordered that the practice stop immediately."
"A lawyer who represented Hepler before he was killed has come forward with a sworn statement that his client had sexually molested other young boys."
Seriously, what is WRONG with Florida?!?
Mark Berrios was a 15 year old when he ran away from home. It was a chance meeting on the Boardwalk in Daytona Beach. Mark was a 15-year old troubled runaway when he met the 47-year old pedophile. That chance meeting led to Mark being taken in by Hepler who had a history of befriending young boys, giving them alcohol or drugs and paring them. Hepler ended up trying to rape Mark who killed him and escaped.
Hepler was even under investigation by the by from FDLE, the Volusia County State's Attorney's Office and Daytona Police. The state's attorney investigator says she'd been watching Hepler for more than five years. According to the court records, there were numerous boys who said they had been molested by Hepler. It seems Hepler had been doing this for about 25 years. In Hepler's home, police found counterfeit documents that were forged to get legal guardianship of children that he was keeping and abusing. It seems the authorities even knew he was involved in child prostitution.
So you would think that Mark Berrios would not be charged or would have a minimal sentence for killing the Hepler. After all, Mark did what the state had failed to do which was prevent Hepler from hurting one more child. But the jury in the case was NOT allowed to hear any of that evidence about Hepler. The state fought to suppress all information on Hepler's past because the law said you couldn't use character evidence to solely prove bad character.
In 2001, Florida legislators changed the law to allow character evidence to prosecute child sex offenders but that was too late to help Mark.
Mark was given a life sentence and has been in prison for the past 18 years. His mother has been valiantly fighting to get a new trial for him or to find a way to get his sentence reduced, or to get clemency to no avail.
Here are some links about the case:
Mark Berrios hoping a Supreme Court decision could get him out of prison.
" A recent Supreme Court decision may change that.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/...me-Court-decision-could-get-him-out-of-prison" ........
"In June, the panel ruled sentencing minors to mandatory life without parole was inhumane, and ordered that the practice stop immediately."
"A lawyer who represented Hepler before he was killed has come forward with a sworn statement that his client had sexually molested other young boys."
Seriously, what is WRONG with Florida?!?
