Monserrate Is Right, The Truth Will Prevail

Finally after a few months, a grand jury indicted Senator Hiram Monserrate yesterday for five separate counts of assault (three in the second degree, two in the third degree). Monserrate and his girlfriend, after initially confusing their stories has been consistent on pleading his innocence. The Senator is so confident in that innocence, that he is determined to see the truth prevail in court. I for one, cannot wait to see that truth.

From PolitickerNY:

"The reality is that from the very beginning, I said this was an accident. My girlfriend said this was an accident, and we look forward to the dismissal of these charges based on the truth. Thank you very much," he said.

I asked whether he intended, then, to let the truth come out in court, rejecting any potential plea agreements in the matter.

"We are fully prepared to see that the truth prevails and we look forward to the dismissal of these charges based on the truth. I'm here doing the good work of my constituents, I will continue to do so, and I expect to be doing it for many more years."

What works for his constituents is for justice to be served. As an indicted man, Monserrate should have the decency to step down from the Senate, if only temporarily until the trial is over. The truth will prevail in this case Mr. Monserrate, no matter how badly Ms. Giraldo suffers from battered wife syndrome.

Oh and then there was this:

Monserrate had been sitting with colleague and fellow gang-of-four member Ruben Diaz Sr., who jumped in front of the camera to ask why, if both Monserrate and his girlfriend said it was an accident, the incident was being prosecuted. He asked why it was different than the case against Lehman Brothers bankruptcy Judge James Peck.

"Why are we dropping the charges against the white judge, but not the Hispanic politician?" he asked. Robin asked if reported surveillance tapes might have something to do with it.

Oh so now it's a racial issue as well. Monserrate's buddy is ready to pull out all the stops to sow doubt in the judicial process. Planting those racial remarks in the press has nothing to do with his case and everything to do with misleading the public on what this trial is about. I can't speak for the case against Peck, but the law has a responsibility to deal with abusive boyfriends, even if they are state senators.