Brooke Bennett, 12 years old Randolph VT #20

[Medea]

Has she said anything else to you about what is going on besides the fact that Denise isn't supporting MJ? Do they have ALL the facts that we have??

I am glad to hear atleast NOW she is on her daughter's side,.. I guess its better late than never.

Too little, too late as far as I am concerned.

Assuming that AR was truthful about the length of abuse, which I believe she was, and taking her emails about the abduction at face value...she wished to see her cousin suffer and she willingly agreed to help with her abduction, and we know for an absolute fact that she did not confess any of this until confronted with her emails, I believe the damage done to her mind is beyond repair. I won't speculate on how I suspect her life will go, but I don't see that she can fully recover to be a whole and healthy person.

 

[Hailiejade77]

No she's a very tight lipped person, and if she did know anything else, I know she wouldn't tell me. However, I do know this came as a complete shock to this person, she had no idea of MJ's background, and said it seemed like they were a "normal" family. I say, no one ever knows what goes on behind closed doors. I'm under the impression that no one would have ALL of the facts that we have unless they read all of the affidavits, all of the news articles, this forum, etc. I doubt LE gives out copies of all of this info, but maybe I'm wrong. Again, just my opinion, nothing more.

I would think they would give the affidavits to the parents of Brooke and AR but I could be entirely wrong. All I have to say is if this was MY daughter I would want to know EVERYTHING I was allowed to know about the case!!!! And since the affidavits are public record they could have them if they wanted them right?? Or they couldn't because they are apart of the ongoing investigation?? I wish I knew more about the law,...

 

[Hailiejade77]

Too little, too late as far as I am concerned.

Assuming that AR was truthful about the length of abuse, which I believe she was, and taking her emails about the abduction at face value...she wished to see her cousin suffer and she willingly agreed to help with her abduction, and we know for an absolute fact that she did not confess any of this until confronted with her emails, I believe the damage done to her mind is beyond repair. I won't speculate on how I suspect her life will go, but I don't see that she can fully recover to be a whole and healthy person.

I am just hoping and praying that MJ didn't have such a hold on AR that she actually believes what happened to her is wrong. I know I have read other place about the Stockholm syndrome,.. where they love and want to be with their abuser. I am just hoping good therapy and being away from MJ shows her how wrong he actually was.

 

[lightinthedark]

Too little, too late as far as I am concerned.

Assuming that AR was truthful about the length of abuse, which I believe she was, and taking her emails about the abduction at face value...she wished to see her cousin suffer and she willingly agreed to help with her abduction, and we know for an absolute fact that she did not confess any of this until confronted with her emails, I believe the damage done to her mind is beyond repair. I won't speculate on how I suspect her life will go, but I don't see that she can fully recover to be a whole and healthy person.

I disagree about AR. She's 14 years old, a victim, her brain isn't even fully developed yet. Granted, she will carry this with her for the rest of her life, yet I feel she has a chance of recovery provided she goes to therapy, councelling, support groups, possibly even take medication, etc. There are plenty of victims that turn out to be OK. I don't think anyone should throw in the towel on the poor girl. IMO.

 

[Medea]

I am just hoping and praying that MJ didn't have such a hold on AR that she actually believes what happened to her is wrong. I know I have read other place about the Stockholm syndrome,.. where they love and want to be with their abuser. I am just hoping good therapy and being away from MJ shows her how wrong he actually was.

There is still a lot that is unknown and its premature to make any final judgements about AR's responsibility..

But, being afraid/brainwashed/young can only go so far in explaining and excusing her part--whatever it was--in Brooke's death, though I realize there are different opinions as to when the line is crossed between being a victim and being an enabler.

I can only equate it to that if a 14 year old who had been severely abused had murdered their abuser, most would feel sympathy and see a lot of diminished responsibility and even justification. If a 14 year old who had been severely abused killed someone else, who had never abused them, and was in fact, a vulnerable person...I don't think nearly as many would be willing to fully excuse their behavior.

 

[nanandjim]

I am just hoping and praying that MJ didn't have such a hold on AR that she actually believes what happened to her is wrong. I know I have read other place about the Stockholm syndrome,.. where they love and want to be with their abuser. I am just hoping good therapy and being away from MJ shows her how wrong he actually was.

I think that AR does have a strong bond with MJ. Remember, he positioned himself as a "victim" of Breckenridge. AR and MJ were in it together, doing what they were told, in order to save their lives as well as the lives of their family.

I can only imagine how confused, suspicious and scared AR must be. Who do you believe? What if the police really aren't police and are Breckenridge in disguise? What if they try to put her in a mental health facililty only to be murdered by Breckenridge people? Who is telling the truth? Who can you trust?

I also believe that AR will come to despise her mother for not protecting her and for being an active or passive participant in ruining her life. She may even blame her mother more than she blames MJ. She may come to believe, but for the inaction of her mother, all of these things would not have happened, to include the death of Brooke.

It is going to be a long, hard road for AR. She will need intensive counseling and constant supervision. I believe, at best, she will be very troubled for the rest of her life. Remember, Stephen Stayner, who was kidnapped by the pedophile and escaped many years (seven?) later. The only reason that he left was to prevent the little boy that had been recently kidnapped from being sexually abused. He was very troubled. I don't think that he received the counseling that he needed, though.

One difference between Stephen and AR is that Stephen actually wanted to save the little boy. AR helped with the lure and take down of her cousin. That's one of the things that scares me at AR. She had no empathy for her cousin and what she was about to go through.

 

[Vegas Bride]

I'm not sure of how telling it would be if she jumped on it right away or not. She has children to take care of right now, and no doubt she could be taking AR to counselling, trying to be supportive of her, then trying to help the little one with the loss of her father (MJ) and cousin. I hope the little girl is going to counselling as well. That's a lot for one parent to handle. So, if she's not jumping on divorce right away, IMO, people shouldn't really look into that. The dust needs to settle, her children should be her first priority. Just my opinion.

It's exactly because of the children that I'd think she would see divorce as a priority. Get his parental rights terminated asap!!! What if he were to tell his lawyer that he wanted his children to come visit him in jail or sending them letters? I would be moving heaven and earth to make sure he could never set eyes on my child again!

VB

 

[marly56]

i disagree about ar. She's 14 years old, a victim, her brain isn't even fully developed yet. Granted, she will carry this with her for the rest of her life, yet i feel she has a chance of recovery provided she goes to therapy, councelling, support groups, possibly even take medication, etc. There are plenty of victims that turn out to be ok. I don't think anyone should throw in the towel on the poor girl. Imo.

you truly are a light in the dark.

 

[Vegas Bride]

I also believe that AR will come to despise her mother for not protecting her and for being an active or passive participant in ruining her life. She may even blame her mother more than she blames MJ. She may come to believe, but for the inaction of her mother, all of these things would not have happened, to include the death of Brooke.

It is going to be a long, hard road for AR. She will need intensive counseling and constant supervision. I believe, at best, she will be very troubled for the rest of her life. Remember, Stephen Stayner, who was kidnapped by the pedophile and escaped many years (seven?) later. The only reason that he left was to prevent the little boy that had been recently kidnapped from being sexually abused. He was very troubled. I don't think that he received the counseling that he needed, though.

One difference between Stephen and AR is that Stephen actually wanted to save the little boy. AR helped with the lure and take down of her cousin. That's one of the things that scares me at AR. She had no empathy for her cousin and what she was about to go through.

I agree about her feelings for her mother, it's so easy for us to understand how what MJ did was smoke and mirrors, but all that was false was the truth in AR's mind. The people MJ made up were real people to her and it will be a long road for her to come to understand it was not reality.
Can you imagine finding out 1 day that people you had emotional ties to never existed?

Yes the Stephen Stayner case was very sad and tragic, he later was killed in a motorcycle accident if I recall correctly and his brother ended up becoming a serial killer.

VB

 

[philamena]

I am not going to accept it. It is public record. We should have access to those mug shots.

Daggone right,SS.

 

[miss lisa]

I disagree about AR. She's 14 years old, a victim, her brain isn't even fully developed yet. Granted, she will carry this with her for the rest of her life, yet I feel she has a chance of recovery provided she goes to therapy, councelling, support groups, possibly even take medication, etc. There are plenty of victims that turn out to be OK. I don't think anyone should throw in the towel on the poor girl. IMO.

lightinthedark,
do you know if Cassandra has seen/talked to AR?

 

[dark_shadows]

Not trying to confuse anyone, as these are probably not related to this case but ....

I found a Raymond Gagnon when I searched the Federal Bureau of Prisons but it doesn't seem like the RG from this case because he's 48 yrs old:

http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFind...FirstName=raymond&Race=W&Sex=M&Age=&x=26&y=26

Also found 2 Michael Jacques in the Federal BOP site.

A Michael Gerard Jacques, 50, was released in 2005.
A Michael Jacques, 46, has an "unknown" projected release date and it says he is not in BOP custody (Does that mean he's in state custody?).

http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFind...FirstName=michael&Race=W&Sex=M&Age=&x=19&y=11


Dark_shadows .... Can you straighten me out here, please?! (About the incarcerated Jacques that is not in BOP custody above? Would that mean he's being held in a state facility?)

My very dearest Liz,:blowkiss:
Hello my friend!

Jacques and Gagnon are in state facilities, being held as Federal detainees.
You will not find either one in the BOP listings due to the fact that they are secured in the 2 state facilities until they are sentenced and transported to a Federal Holding Facility. Once there, it will be determined what their main facility will be. If they are sententenced to death, they would most likely end up in the Indiana Federal Facility. I say again, most likely.

Due to the fact that the Feds pay the state of Vermont for a certain amount of beds for detainee holding and detainee release, they are on the headcount of the State of Vermont.
Jacques is in the Northwest Correctional Facility in St. Albans. There is a unit that is a lockdown unit. When a detainee enters that facility, they automatically go to that secure unit. These are 1 man cells. They are assigned a caseworker. They are allowed out of their cell for 1 hour recreation in a secured hallway and to use the phone (collect calls). If their behavior has been found acceptable, or if they are not on PC status, after a period of time, they can exercise in a bullpen or watch tv in a secured room.

As far as Gagnon goes, he is being held in the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington. He is held in the segragation unit and is only allowed out for 1 hour a day. He would do the 1 hour excercise in the hallway where his cell is. They are 2 man cells, but I believe that Gagnon is being held with no cellmate. That is how it was when Brian Rooney was housed in the same unit.

I hope this helps.


Love and Respect,
dark_shadows

 

[miss lisa]

My very dearest Liz,:blowkiss:
Hello my friend!

Jacques and Gagnon are in state facilities, being held as Federal detainees.
You will not find either one in the BOP listings due to the fact that they are secured in the 2 state facilities until they are sentenced and transported to a Federal Holding Facility. Once there, it will be determined what their main facility will be. If they are sententenced to death, they would most likely end up in the Indiana Federal Facility. I say again, most likely.

Due to the fact that the Feds pay the state of Vermont for a certain amount of beds for detainee holding and detainee release, they are on the headcount of the State of Vermont.
Jacques is in the Northwest Correctional Facility in St. Albans. There is a unit that is a lockdown unit. When a detainee enters that facility, they automatically go to that secure unit. These are 1 man cells. They are assigned a caseworker. They are allowed out of their cell for 1 hour recreation in a secured hallway and to use the phone (collect calls). If their behavior has been found acceptable, or if they are not on PC status, after a period of time, they can exercise in a bullpen or watch tv in a secured room.

As far as Gagnon goes, he is being held in the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility in South Burlington. He is held in the segragation unit and is only allowed out for 1 hour a day. He would do the 1 hour excercise in the hallway where his cell is. They are 2 man cells, but I believe that Gagnon is being held with no cellmate. That is how it was when Brian Rooney was housed in the same unit.

I hope this helps.


Love and Respect,
dark_shadows

Wow it's sad that such great CARE is being given to these two . I wish someone had taken that much CARE of Brooke and her safety.

d_s, your knowledge of the prison system is utterly amazing!

 

[Starr58]

Montpelier, Vermont - July 14, 2008

Two weeks after 12-year-old Brooke Bennett was found murdered, Lieutenant Governor Brian Dubie, R-Vermont, continues to call for tougher laws against sexual offenders.

Monday, he held a press conference highlighting some of the changes he would like the state to make which include chemical castration for repeat offenders, mandatory life sentences for some violent assaults, and the adoption of Jessica's law. Dubie says the state's legal status quo is unacceptable when it comes to sexual assaults on a child. He's asking the governor and the legislature to convene a special session 30 days from now to overhaul the system.

http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=8669461

 

[christine2448]

Please continue GENERAL discussions here.