HE'S BAAACCCCCK, EVERYONE! JUDGE BARRY PINKUS, WHO FAMOUSLY DENIED ADRIANNE OYOLA A PROTECTIVE ORDER, HAS RETURNED TO THE BENCH!

By now we are all familiar with the story. Last July 2015, Tony Moreno tossed his 7 month old little boy, Aaden Moreno off the Arrigoni Bridge, and then jumped himself. Although Moreno survived the jump, his little boy, Aaden did not.  

Later, we learned that the baby's mother, Adrianne Oyola, had applied for a restraining order against Tony Moreno on June 17, 2015 because she feared for her life and that of her baby.  However, despite her pleas and her powerful descriptions of the ways in which Tony Moreno had held her hostage with violence and threats of violence, Judge Barry Pinkus refused to grant the restraining order.  

We also learned that this was not Judge Barry Pinkus' first example of using poor judgment.  It turns out that Judge Pinkus was the very same judge who ordered that killer Joshua Komisarjevsky, the man who raped and murdered the Petit family women, be granted full custody of his then five year old daughter.  

After Baby Aaden's tragic death, "The Hartford Courant" reported State Sen. Dante Bartolomeo of Meriden as stating, "It looks to me as though we need to better understand what the judicial system knew and why there wasn't a permanent restraining ordered issued,"  And further, "(Oyola) appears to have provided enough information for the judge to grant a permanent protective order.  The fact that didn't happen appears to me to be a horrendous failure of the system."  

In a letter to the editor published at the time on the website "My Record Journal.Com", Kathy Castello of Meriden wrote of Judge Barry Pinkus, "The father has mental issues and the judge knew this, yet he denied the right to the mother to be free from his threats and as a result the judge caused this baby's death.  Even though he wasn't on that bridge, he is still responsible because he could have prevented this horrible tragedy from happening.  He needs to resign his position as judge."  

Three months have gone by since then and we have heard very little news regarding this case since the tragedy occurred.  However, "Divorce in Connecticut" would now like to report that, far from resigning from his position, it looks as though Judge Barry Pinkus is right back on the bench happily adjudicating high conflict and complex domestic violence cases as usual.  In fact, it looks as though he has hardly missed a beat!  

I heard this through a friend who contacted me to ask whether a Judge Barry Pinkus would be a good judge to handle her complex domestic violence case in Middletown.  Apparently, family relations officers in the region she was located had recommended to her that she agree to have her case transferred to Middletown with Judge Barry Pinkus appointed to the case as judge. They said Judge Pinkus is really good at handling domestic violence cases.

I responded with incredulity--what in the world is Judge Pinkus doing, let alone our court system.  Here is a man whose insensitivity to the needs of at risk women and children is now more notorious throughout the state than any other judge.  Now he is apparently back on the bench with a chorus line of family court personnel recommending him to unknowing litigants as an expert on domestic violence?  

Since I am a thorough individual, I had one of my assistants contact the Connecticut Judicial Branch for verification of Judge Pinkus' return.  Thus, this blog sent out an email to Ms. Melissa Farley of External Affairs for the CT Judicial Branch, Attorney Martin Libbin, the attorney representing the interests of the CT Judicial Branch, and Judge Chase T. Rogers, the Chief Justice of the CT Judicial Branch asking them to clarify Judge Pinkus' status.  None of these individuals chose to respond to this email, which leads me to conclude that the information regarding the fact that Judge Barry Pinkus has resumed his duties is indeed correct.  

But imagine that the CT Judicial Branch feels that it is impervious to the requests for information that citizens extend to them.  They believe they are simply above such mundane matters as being required to be responsive to any inquiries.  This is not the first time that citizens have asked questions of the CT Judicial Branch and the Branch simply ignores them.  As you can see, this is a group of court personnel whose arrogance rises to extraordinary levels.  

I would also like to add that while I was formulating this particular blog, a woman contacted me with a copy of a Memorandum of Decision that Judge Pinkus wrote this year structured closely around false accusations of Parental Alienation Syndrome and setting this particular woman up for the loss of custody of her children within the near future.  Clearly, Judge Barry Pinkus is incalcitrant--he is a misogynist who has clearly demonstrated his dislike of women for a lengthy period of time and continues to do so in one Memorandum of Decision after another.  

Nonetheless, the CT Judicial Branch has seen fit to return him to the bench really quietly so that there wouldn't be any outcry.  

The news is:  we've noticed!  

I also think it is worth noting the Media silence on this topic.  

I am sure readers would like to know if Judge Barry Pinkus received any supplemental training in domestic violence with an emphasis on the coercive and controlling behaviors perpetrators demonstrate in these abusive relationships.  

I am sure readers would like to know what progress the Task Force is making that was recently established to address the impact of domestic violence on children.  

I am sure readers would like to know how Adrianne Oyola is managing after this terrible tragedy darkened her life.  

I am sure readers would like to know what steps are being taken to hold Mr. Tony Moreno accountable for his crimes.  

I am sure readers would like to know what steps the CT Judicial Branch is taking to eliminate bad judges whose ignorance regarding domestic violence, and whose fatherhood rights stance is wreaking havoc on protective mothers and their children throughout the State.  

If we don't have this information, and there is a news blackout on this information, what more can we say other than "Judicial - Media Committee" to reflect the complete lack of ethics the CT Media have demonstrated in their dealings with the corruption of the CT Judicial Branch whose interests they cannot seem to separate from their own.

COULD THE SAFE CHILD ACT PREVENT DEATHS LIKE THAT OF AADEN MORENO?

Safe Child Act

by Barry Goldstein

"Purpose: Improve the Safety of Children involved in Child Custody Cases 

Provisions: 

1. The paramount concern of all child custody decisions must be to provide complete safety when determining the best interests of the children. 

2. Whenever domestic violence or child abuse is raised as an issue either during or before a child custody matter is litigated any professional who provides advice or recommendations to the court must have substantial training and experience about Domestic violence and child abuse to fully understand safety issues including behaviors that are associated with higher lethality or injury risks; domestic violence dynamics; effects of domestic violence on children; ability to recognize domestic violence and research about batterer narratives. Any professional without this necessary expertise must consult with someone who has this knowledge prior to giving any recommendation to the court. 

3 A post graduate degree in mental health such as psychology, psychiatry or social work absent specialized and approved training shall not be considered proof of domestic violence expertise. A court shall not refuse to qualify an individual as a domestic violence expert because the witness does not possess a post graduate degree if the witness can demonstrate expertise based upon training and experience. 

4. In any custody case where either domestic violence or child abuse is raised during the litigation process and even where a court may have already heard and determined there is not significant enough domestic violence to warrant a restraining order and in which there is no substantial basis to believe the parties or children have a significant mental health impairment likely to interfere with parenting ability, courts should not order a mental health evaluation. The court may appoint a domestic violence expert to help the court understand the significance of evidence related to domestic violence and must permit parties to present evidence from a qualified domestic violence expert..."

READ MORE:

http://www.barrygoldstein.net/important-articles/safe-child-act

CT NEWS JUNKIE REPORTS ON THE UPCOMING TASK FORCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!

Madeline Stocker of CT NEWS JUNKIE reports as follows:

"The death of 7-month-old Aaden Moreno of Middletown was a painful reminder to lawmakers about why they created a new task force to look at family violence cases. 

Moreno was allegedly thrown off the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown by his father after a judge rejected a request for a no-contact order against him, citing a lack of “imminent harm,” court documents show. 

Moreno’s death and the events leading up to it are just one of the many cases the new task force on family violence will tackle when it convenes for its first meeting later this month.

Though the task force has not yet been fully appointed, Senate President Martin M. Looney and House Speaker Brendan Sharkey announced their appointments Wednesday at a Capitol press conference.

Looney named Karen Jarmoc, president and CEO of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, as co-chair."

READ MORE:

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/lawmakers_announce_appointments_task_force_created_to_tackle_family_violenc/

CONNECTICUT'S STANDARD OF PROOF FOR DV PROTECTIVE ORDERS PRACTICALLY THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY!

SO WHY DID JUDGE BARRY PINKUS PUT A PROTECTIVE ORDER BEYOND ADRIANNE OYOLA'S REACH IN VIOLATION OF OUR OWN CONNECTICUT LAW?  THE BOTTOM LINE IS JUDGE PINKUS DID NOT OBEY THE CT GENERAL STATUTES AND USED A BURDEN OF PROOF THAT WAS WELL BEYOND WHAT THE LAW REQUIRED.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS POINT, SEE THE LINK BELOW:

http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/migrated/domviol/pdfs/Standards_of_Proof_by_State.authcheckdam.pdf

CT LAW TRIBUNE OP-ED: MICHELLE CRUZ, FORMER CT VICTIM'S ADVOCATE ALSO QUESTIONS JUDGE PINKUS HANDLING OF RESTRAINING ORDER!

Attorney Michelle Cruz states as follows:

"Obtaining a restraining order is not easy for a victim of abuse. Many times it takes weeks, months or even years for the victim to muster the courage and strength to ask the courts to protect her from an abusive partner. The victim often struggles with fears of trusting the courts and the terror of the offender's reaction when he finds out that a restraining order has been sought. Sadly, for Adrianna Oyola, when she applied for protection, she was let down by the court.

Oyola is only 19 years old. She filled out an affidavit for a restraining order on June 17. She alleged that Tony Moreno, the father of 7-month-old Aaden, threatened to take the boy and make him disappear. She said she was afraid Moreno would hurt the child, who was ultimately killed when Moreno threw him off a bridge. Oyola said Moreno threatened to kill her and she was afraid to sleep.

During a June 29 hearing on the request for the restraining order, Superior Court Judge Barry Pinkus never asked Oyola for details of her allegations related to the father's threats or concerns for the child's safety. Rather, the judge glossed over the specifics, instead inquiring about the time frame of encounters between Moreno and Oyola. Had the judge asked specifically why Oyola was afraid for the baby's safety, perhaps he would have better understood the victim's concerns and not dismissed them as a "custody dispute."..."

Read more: 

http://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202732500715/Michelle-Cruz-Judge-Asked-Wrong-Questions-to-Babys-Abused-Mother#ixzz3gBmc1vhP

JUDGE BARRY PINKUS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF BABY AADEN!

KATHY CASTELLO OF MERIDEN WRITES TO MY RECORD JOURNAL.COM AND SPEAKS HER MIND ABOUT JUDGE PINKUS!

Kathy's words are eloquent and strike to the heart of the matter.  Thank you, Kathy, for speaking up as a lone citizen for the rights of this little boy and his mother when big money newspapers like "The Hartford Courant" and "The Waterbury Republican American" won't. Shame on these two newspapers for courting privilege and abandoning the rights of two vulnerable CT citizens, one an innocent child.

Editor:

Superior court Judge Barry Pinkus denied the request for a restraining order for the mother of baby Moreno. He stated the couple had a chaotic relationship but he was not convinced that there was a continuous threat of physical injury to the child. I would ask Judge Pinkus if the death of this poor innocent infant is proof enough for him? He could have saved this child’s life but he failed to do the right thing and protect this child. I would ask him if he’s happy now. Was the death of this baby enough proof? What right did he have to deny this request? His incompetence cost this baby his life! The father has mental issues and the judge knew this, yet he denied the right to the mother to be free from his threats and as a result the judge caused this baby’s death. Even though he wasn’t on that bridge, he is still responsible because he could have prevented this horrible tragedy from happening. He needs to resign his position as judge. I don’t blame the father, he is a sick man, I blame the judge; he had the power to stop it yet he didn’t, how is he going to live with himself now? This poor baby never had a chance at life, never saw it coming, this sickens me to death, just to even think about this tragedy. I hope the mother sues the judge and the State of Connecticut for damages in her baby’s death. Pinkus had a duty to protect the life of this baby and he failed this mother, this infant and this family all because he didn’t think the father was a threat. Hope he’s satisfied.

Kathy Castello, Meriden

For the link to this comment, see below:

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/news/latestnews/7510728-129/readers-sound-off-judge-barry-pinkus-flag-stolen-from-vfw.html

HELP LAY BABY AADEN TO REST AND ASSIST MOM ADRIANNE IN GETTING THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME!

There is a "Go Fund Me" account available to assist in paying for Aaden's funeral expenses and helping Adrianne rebuild her life.  See postings below:

"Just before midnight on July 5th, 2015, 7-month-old Aaden Moreno was thrown from the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown, CT, into the Connecticut River by his father. An exhaustive search ensued, with valiant efforts from police, firefighters, divers, K9s, and helicopter teams to find baby Aaden. However, despite enormous hope and prayers from family, friends, and complete strangers from across the country, Aaden's body was found the evening of July 7th. Aaden's young mother and her family are now facing the indescribable pain of losing baby Aaden. They are also now suddenly faced with having to pay for funeral expenses for this sweet boy before he could even have his 1st birthday party. On behalf of Aaden's grieving mother, we are raising money to give baby Aaden the funeral service and final resting place he deserves. Please consider donating any amount, and say a prayer for baby Aaden."

Recent update:

"Our goal has been raised by request of donors; any funds after Aaden's arrangements have been paid in full will go to Adrianne to help her in any way she needs to start rebuilding her future after he's laid to rest. She has said time again she's shocked and overcome by people's generosity, and is grateful for every prayer and dollar. Blessings to each of you."

http://www.gofundme.com/ytn2jv4

MIDDLETOWN PRESS REPORTS ON PETITIONS, FACEBOOK PAGE, GO FUND ME REQUESTS FOR BABY AADEN!

Cassandra Day of "The Middletown Press" reports as follows:

MIDDLETOWN >> People from throughout the nation deeply affected by the tragic death of a 7-month-old who perished when his father threw him into a river have rallied to raise funds and change the laws regarding no-contact orders.

The father, Tony Moreno, 21, of Middletown was charged with felony murder and murder with special conditions in connection with Aaden’s death this week after police said he jumped off the Arrigoni Bridge into the murky Connecticut River late Sunday evening.

According to court documents, he texted the baby’s mother, Adrianne Oyola, multiple times after he said Aaden was dead — and before he leapt over the railing.

The baby’s body was found in the river Tuesday night near the East Haddam Swing Bridge — eight-tenths of a miles away — after a massive two-day search.

READ MORE:

http://www.middletownpress.com/general-news/20150710/shine-light-for-baby-aaden-supporters-create-petitions-gofundme-for-infant

THE HARTFORD COURANT'S TOTALLY INACCURATE EDITORIAL ON THE DEATH OF BABY AADEN! THE LAW DID SUPPORT A RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST KILLER TONY MORENO ON THE DAY HE THREW AADEN OFF THE BRIDGE!

See below:

Another helpless victim of domestic violence has slipped through the cracks of an imperfect system for protecting the helpless.

The victim was 7-month-old Aaden Moreno, whose body was found in the Connecticut River Tuesday night after a three-day search.

The infant boy may* have been thrown from the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown by his father, Tony, 21, who jumped from the bridge Sunday but survived.

Judge Unfairly Condemned In Baby's Death

On the surface, the baby's death is even more tragic and poignant in light of the fact that Superior Court Judge Barry C. Pinkus decided not to grant a restraining order to the child's mother, Adrianne Oyola, 19, because he was not convinced that Mr. Moreno posed a continuous physical threat to his girlfriend and their child as required by statute.

Ms. Oyola told the court that she feared for her and her child's safety. The judge observed that she and Mr. Moreno had a chaotic relationship and should not live together.

But, he said in refusing to grant the restraining order to Ms. Oyola, "I'm just not convinced that there's a continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury."

It should also be noted that later on the day the restraining order was denied, Ms. Oyala and Mr. Moreno followed Judge Pinkus' advice and worked out a custody agreement. They agreed to joint custody of Aaden.

Would little Aaden be alive today if Judge Pinkus had issued the restraining order? Perhaps. But judges can't predict the future with certainty, as Chief Court Administrator Patrick L. Carroll III observed Wednesday.

It would be too easy to blame Judge Pinkus, an experienced family jurist, for Aaden's death. He followed the law. More than nine times out of 10 such a decision would not have produced such a ghastly result.

State Sen. Dante Bartolomeo of Meriden said the judge's failure to issue a restraining order represents a "horrendous failure of the system."

Well, it was a horrendous result. Does the statute need to be loosened to make it easier for judges to grant such orders?

*IS THERE SOME DOUBT WHO THREW THE CHILD OFF THE BRIDGE? [divorce in connection question]

Copyright © 2015, Hartford Courant

LINK:  http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-middletown-tragedy-20150708-story.html

Here is the response of the CCADV on this particular question of whether Judge Pinkus considered the law in the Aaden Moreno case:

“I’m just not convinced that there’s a continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury,” Judge Pinkus said, according to a transcript of the hearing. “I think the two of you don’t have a good relationship.”

Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence Director of Public Policy Liza Andrews says the classic warning signs of domestic violence were present in this case.

“There were very clear indications of both present physical violence as well as threats of physical violence,” she said.

Oyola claimed Moreno “has shoved me, pushed me, forcefully poked my chest and forehead.”

See the link below for the full story and transcript of the hearing:

http://wtnh.com/2015/07/07/application-denied-middletown-moms-plea-for-protection/

Sponsored Links

THE HARTFORD COURANT EXAMINES CONNECTICUT FAMILY COURT'S FAILURE TO HANDLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES PROPERLY!

Alaine Griffin and Shawn R. Beals of "The Hartford Courant" report as follows:

"Nineteen-year-old Adrianne Oyola walked in to Judge Barry C. Pinkus's courtroom in late June with no legal representation and a daunting task: to convince a judge that she and her infant son needed protection from the child's father.

A civil court judge had previously granted her a temporary restraining order against ex-boyfriend Tony Moreno, now charged with murder in 7-month-old Aaden Moreno's death, after she alleged in an application that Moreno had pushed her around and threatened her life and the child's.

In front of Pinkus, 12 days after the temporary order was granted, and with Moreno also in the courtroom, Oyola said there was some physical violence and that Moreno violated the temporary order. But she said Moreno's abuse was more psychological than physical.

Pinkus denied Oyola's request for a permanent restraining order. On July 5, six days after the restraining order was denied, police said Moreno threw the baby off the Arrigoni Bridge into the Connecticut River. Moreno jumped over the railing and survived, despite suffering serious injuries..."

READ MORE:

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-restraining-order-domestic-violence-moreno-0712-20150712-story.html#page=1

HARTFORD COURANT PUBLISHES OP-ED DEFENDING JUDGE BARRY PINKUS WHO FAILED TO PROTECT BABY AADEN!

BERLIN ATTORNEY RICH ROCHLIN ACTS AS APOLOGIST FOR JUDGE PINKUS STATING AS FOLLOWS:

"The tragic death of an infant, apparently thrown by his father, Tony Moreno, from the Arrigoni Bridge in Middletown on Sunday put new focus on the family court system — particularly Judge Barry C. Pinkus' June 29 ruling to deny the permanent restraining order application of Adrianne Oyola, the mother of 7-month-old Aaden Moreno, who was found in the Connecticut River in East Haddam on Tuesday.

As a lawyer who regularly practices in the family system, I have appeared before Judge Pinkus many times. He is fair, professional and thoughtful. He "tells it like it is" and the system would benefit from more jurists like him. Each day, Judge Pinkus (and other family court jurists) must make some of the most difficult decisions required of any judge. People's lives can be and are often changed forever based on their decisions regarding a restraining order, custody and financial support.

Although the public has been quick to condemn Judge Pinkus for his ruling both on social media and in comments to articles in this paper's online editions, people should resist the urge to blame him and do a more thorough analysis of the exceedingly difficult job these jurists have when they are forced to make these decisions..."

READ MORE:

http://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed/hc-op-rochlin-baby-arrogoni-bridge-domestic-court-0711-20150710-story.html

ARTICLES ON ATTORNEY RICH ROCHLIN:

http://articles.courant.com/2011-12-15/news/hc-onceobscure-lawyer-now-in-spotlight-rich-rochlin-clashes-with-malloy-mcdonald-20111215_1_dannel-p-malloy-food-stamp-fraud-andrew-mcdonald

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/op-ed_why_would_malloy_administration_give_lawyer_center_stage/

CT FOX NEWS STATES JUDGES POORLY TRAINED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CT SENATOR MAE FLEXOR CALLS FOR MORE VICTIM'S ADVOCATES IN FAMILY COURT!

CT FOX NEWS reports as follows:

"MIDDLETOWN- The judge who denied a permanent restraining order against the father accused of fatally throwing his 7-month-old off a bridge ignored several red flags, the director of Connecticut’s Coalition Against Domestic Violence said Thursday.

According to Karen Jarmoc, the mother of baby Aaden Moreno presented plenty of evidence to Judge Barry Pinkus to show there was a continuous threat of violence from the baby’s father, Tony Moreno, 21.

“It’s the physical violence and it’s also the threat of physical violence and the risk factors associated with that that merit a restraining order. And, clearly, all of those were very evident,” Jarmoc said..."

READ MORE:

http://foxct.com/2015/07/09/domestic-violence-advocate-judge-ignored-red-flags-in-baby-aaden-case/

FURTHER DETAILS ON AADEN MORENO'S DEATH AND THE ARRAIGNMENT OF KILLER DAD TONY MORENO!

Shawn R. Beals and Alaine Griffin of "The Hartford Courant", along with David Owens and Nicholas Rondinone report as follows:

MIDDLETOWN — Denise Moreno was awakened Sunday night by a frightening phone call from her son Tony, who asked her to come to the Arrigoni Bridge.

She could hear her 7-month-old grandson, Aaden, crying. Tony told her to come collect a phone with pictures of the baby, and to "just tell everyone I'm sorry."

Denise Moreno got in the car with her other son, Aaron, and raced desperately to the bridge as she called 911. Once on the bridge, they saw Tony standing alone near the railing, and within seconds two police officers arrived, according to a police affidavit.

One of the officers shouted to Tony, telling him to stop, but he kept walking. He put both hands onto the bridge railing and hurled himself into the Connecticut River below.

READ MORE

http://www.courant.com/community/middletown/hc-middletown-baby-murder-arrest-0709-20150708-story.html#page=1

CT FOX NEWS PUBLISHES TEXTS EXCHANGED BETWEEN TONY MORENO AND ADRIANNE OYOLA MINUTES BEFORE AADEN'S DEATH BUT STILL FAILS TO GET THE POINT!

CT FOX NEWS REPORTS AS FOLLOWS:

"MIDDLETOWN–The arrest warrant charging Tony Moreno with murder in the death of his son, Aaden, shows a turbulent* relationship between him and the 7-month-old’s mother in the minutes, days, weeks and months leading up to Tony’s suicide attempt and Aaden’s death.

Adrianne Oyola, Aaden’s mother, told officers when they interviewed her following the incident that she had lived with Tony, his mother and his brother from February 2013 to June 17, 2015, and that in the months leading up to her moving out the couple was not getting along..."

READ MORE:

http://foxct.com/2015/07/08/text-messages-reveal-final-moments-before-baby-aadens-death/

*In fact, CT FOX news statements are incorrect.  This was not a "turbulent" relationship which implies mutuality.  In using this term and implying mutuality, CT FOX news is attempting to cover up for Judge Barry Pinkus who could have saved Aaden Moreno's life, but decided not to.  Judge Pinkus' excuse was that the antagonism between Tony Moreno and Adrianne Oyola was mutual when, in fact, it was not, i.e. "The problem is just that you two don't get along."  

The reality is that what Adrianne Oyola described and what the texts between the two of them reveal is a situation where Tony Moreno was incredibly abusive, and that abuse escalated predictably when Adrianne attempted to free herself from that abuse.  CT FOX news should be ashamed of its bold faced attempt to cast blame on Adrianne and imply a mutuality which simply did not and does not exist.  

Adrianne did not do anything wrong.  

In fact, she did everything right by reporting the abuse, by seeking a restraining order against the abuse, and by doing what she could to work with the father, Tony Moreno, when everything else failed.  Adrianne Oyola is a courageous woman who deserves every bit of sympathy and respect that we can give her.

TWO MURDERS, A MOTHER, A FATHER, AND TWO SEPARATE STORIES!

Take a look at this June 16, 2015 Hartford Courant report on an East Haven mother who killed her children (See below).  Clearly, there is no problem about stating mother killed the children.

"A pastor cited "evilness" in the world as nearly 200 people gathered Tuesday for the funeral of two young siblings who authorities say were killed by their mother and found dead in a home filled with natural gas."

http://www.courant.com/community/east-haven/hc-east-haven-children-funeral-0617-20150616-story.html

In contrast, take a look at the June 8, 2015 Hartford Courant report of the Middletown father who killed his child (See below).  We have Tony Moreno on the bridge.  Moreno was with the baby--nobody else in sight!  The 7 month old baby dropped to his death from the bridge.  Who did it?  Kasper the Friendly Ghost? 

"The father who was with his baby when the 7-month-old dropped to his death into the Connecticut River was arraigned Wednesday on murder and capital felony charges at Hartford Hospital."

Note: The Hartford Courant article I took the quotation from immediately above has now been removed and replaced with another article at the identical link.  So I no longer have a copy of the article with the above quotation available. Glad to see The Courant has corrected its mistake.  

HARTFORD COURANT REPORTS TONY MORENO CHARGED WITH CAPITOL MURDER!

Shawn R. Beals and Alaine Griffin of The Hartford Courant, with help from Christine Dempsey, report as follows:

"MIDDLETOWN — The father who was with his baby when the 7-month-old dropped to his death into the Connecticut River was arraigned Wednesday on murder and capital felony charges at Hartford Hospital.

[Sloper observation:  Yup, Moreno just happened to BE WITH the baby when it DROPPED--The Hartford Courant has no idea how, I guess.]

State judicial officials say Tony Moreno was arraigned, but Middletown police declined to say what he's been charged with. Police said they would be holding a press conference later Wednesday.

A source familiar with the investigation said Moreno was arraigned on the charges of murder and capital felony with bail set at $2.1 million. He was also charged with two counts of violation of a restraining order, apparently related to a temporary restraining order that was issued in June. Capital felony can be charged for a murder of a victim under 16.

Moreno, 22, was rescued from the river after jumping Sunday night. He was airlifted to Hartford Hospital..."

Read More:

http://www.courant.com/community/middletown/hc-middletown-search-for-missing-baby-0708-20150707-story.html#page=1

*This article has some interesting information regarding the CT Judicial Branch response to this case.

BARRY GOLDSTEIN (NJ) TO SPEAK REGARDING AADEN MORENO ON CHANNEL 8 AT 11:00P.M.!

FACE BOOK COMMENTS BY ELIZABETH RICHTER.


For those who are interested, Barry Goldstein will be on Channel 8, WTNH news this evening at 11:00pm to talk about the murder of Aaden Moreno. I hope everyone will take a moment to switch on their TVs and listen to Barry's remarks. The State of CT needs to learn from this completely unnecessary death and not sweep it under the rug. We must hold our representatives responsible for this terrible tragedy. We testified in droves last year about judges behaving exactly with this kind of indifference and disrespect in response to our pleas on behalf of our children and in return Senators and Representatives laughed at us and ridiculed us as "angry" and "disgruntled" and attempted to slander our spokesperson, Rep. Minnie Gonzalez. This is the end result of that kind of irresponsible and disrespectful behavior at a time when concerned citizens of CT sounded the alarm and warned Representatives that this day was coming.

HARTFORD COURANT REPORTS AADEN MORENO'S BODY HAS BEEN FOUND.

Shawn R. Beals and Alaine Griffin of "The Hartford Courant", with help from Christine Dempsey report as follows:

"MIDDLETOWN — A Superior Court judge said he was not convinced the father of a Middletown, Conn. infant missing since Sunday posed a physical threat to his family when he rejected the mother's request for a restraining order last month.

Late Tuesday, state police said an infant's body was found in the Connecticut River near the Salmon River boat launch in East Haddam. But police said they could not confirm it was the body of the missing child.

Judge Barry C. Pinkus told Adrianne Oyola, 19, and her 21-year-old boyfriend, Tony Moreno, that their testimony at a June 29 hearing showed there was "chaos" in their relationship but that Moreno was not an "imminent" threat, transcripts obtained by The Courant indicate.

"I'm just not convinced that there's a continuous threat of present physical pain of physical injury," Pinkus said at the hearing. "I think the two of you don't have a good relationship."..."

Read More:

http://www.courant.com/community/middletown/hc-middletown-search-for-missing-baby-0708-20150707-story.html#page=1

IN BABY AADEN CASE, THE HARTFORD COURANT WOULD RATHER MANGLE THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE THAN TELL THE TRUTH!

"The baby did not plunge; he was thrown!"

We now all know the story.  Last Sunday night, Tony Moreno, 22, made a suicide jump from the Arrigoni Bridge taking his 7 month old little boy--Aaden Moreno--along with him.  

As it turned out, Moreno survived the jump, but not his little boy, Aaden.

While rescue teams search the river for Aaden's body, news reports from "The Hartford Courant", indicate that weeks before this incident the little boy's mother, Adrianne Oyola,  asked a Connecticut Family Court judge, Judge Barry Pinkus, for a restraining order against the child's father because she feared for the safety of the boy and herself.

More specifically, "The Hartford Courant" stated: "Court records indicate there is an open child custody case involving Aaden's parents. The records show the baby's mother, Adrianne Oyola, applied for a restraining order against Moreno on June 17 because she feared for her child's and her own safety. Oyola wrote in the application that she and Moreno were happy until she became pregnant, but he began to verbally abuse, threaten and push her.

"He has told me he could make my son disappear any time of the day," she wrote. "He told me how he could make me disappear told me how he could kill me. I sometimes am scared to sleep. He told me he would put me in the ground and put something on me to make me disintegrate faster."

"I can't bring [the baby] around my family without [Moreno's] approval, but he could do anything he wants without letting me know," she wrote. "I feel that he is a danger to my child and me and would like to leave with my child and get full custody."

Unfortunately, Judge Pinkus refused to grant her a restraining order and now the child is dead.

In the aftermath of this incident, I have been indignant about the coverage that "The Hartford Courant" has provided.  Specifically, in its earlier reports, the Courant failed to indicate the name of the judge who had denied Ms. Oyola a restraining order.  

When I asked Christine Dempsey, one of the lead reporters on this story, what was the name of the Judge, she responded that she did not know.  This is hardly credible granted that it is clear that "Hartford Courant" reporters reviewed the files in the case and quoted from the Motion For a Restraining Order which the judge was required to sign in order to deny it.  

Why would "The Hartford Courant" seek to suppress this information?  Perhaps a little thing called the Judicial - Media Committee, about which this blog has previously reported, played a role?  Who knows! 

It was only upon the report of Mr. Jason Newton of Channel 8 WTNH news that we were finally able to obtain the judge's name.

As it turned out, the name of the judge--Judge Barry Pinkus--was of great interest to the general public because this was the very same judge who ordered that killer Joshua Komisarjevsky, the man who raped and murdered the Petit family women, be granted full custody of his young daughter.  Thus, here is a judge whose decisions have already been called into question, and this should be duly noted.

Not only did "The Hartford Courant" attempt to protect the identity of the notorious judge involved, it also used language in its headlines and elsewhere that appeared to shift responsibility from the perpetrator to the victim, or at the very least imply a neutrality that had no appropriate place in reports of this incident.  

For instance, here is one:  "Mother of Baby Who Plunged Into River Feared For Child's Safety, Records Show!"  If you were casually scanning the newspaper and read that headline, you'd never think that a father was involved in this situation at all!  From the way it is written, it would appear that the mother plunged into the river and now the records show she feared for her baby.  So?

Next, if you look at how the headline is written, it seems as though the baby simply tossed himself into the river -- no father involved.  To understand what I mean, just see the structure of the headline itself: [The] baby...plunged into [the] river.  Right.  Isn't that what the sentence says?  The baby plunged, i.e. subject and verb, the baby took action by plunging; that is fundamental to the meaning of the infinitive "to plunge".  In other words the baby jumped off the bridge of his own volition.  But no, no, no.  This is not an accurate report.  The truth is the baby should have been presented as what he was in any headline and in any report, as the helpless object of his father's wrath.  

This baby did not plunge--subject/verb.

The father threw the baby--subject/verb/object.

Ahhhhh!  Have I said this right?  Do you get what I am saying?  

Again, this baby did not plunge.  On the contrary, he was thrown!  Let me try to say this in the passive voice (which I've been told many times not to use, but in this circumstance is incredibly enlightening)  "The baby was thrown off the bridge by his father."  In other words, the baby was the innocent object of the Father's evil actions.

That is more accurate grammatically and in so many other ways. It puts the blame and the responsibility where it belongs, in the actions of a criminal Father.

Someone please explain to me how any writer or editor at "The Hartford Courant" could mistake who is the victim here?  Who could fail to use the right kind of language to do justice for this little boy.

Now, I did not by any means wish to give folks a grammar lesson.  In fact, even though I've taught writing for many years, grammar was never my strong point as my students can attest.  But even I can see what happens when you massacre the English language to misrepresent the facts of a case while pretending to report on a story.  

My question is, here you have an entire newspaper with highly trained editors whose sole job it is to see that  their employees report on the news truthfully in a way the public can understand. 

How come when it comes to CT Family Court and its abuse of protective mothers and their children, "The Hartford Courant" seems to keep on getting it wrong.