A woman and her boyfriend who tortured and murdered her 8-year-old son because they thought he was gay have been spared the death penalty thanks to a plea deal.
Pearl Fernandez, who over an eight-month period assaulted Gabriel Hernandez with pepper spray, forced him to eat vomit, denied him use of the bathroom, beat him with a belt buckle and a metal bat, and shot him with a BB gun (among other unimaginable horrors) because he liked to play with dolls, initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, along with her boyfriend Isauro Aguirre.
But according to reports, in exchange for changing their plea to guilty of first degree murder and torture, the pair will spend life in prison without parole. They have also waived their right to an appeal.
Contributors to a Facebook page called Gabriel’s Justice are calling the development “a great thing,” citing the fact that California has not executed a prisoner in almost a decade and that a death-penalty trial would likely drag on for several years, providing “no closure for anyone.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
If there’s any justice for 8-year-old Gabriel, it’s that the plea will keep the killers out of solitary confinement and put them in the general prison population, where child abusers are said to be the most hated. And tortured.
moonman157
As someone who opposes the death penalty, I am happy that they have avoided it. As someone who has a soul, I am glad that they will spend the rest of their lives in prison for the unimaginable pain and suffering they have caused. It’s sickening to even imagine that people like this exist in this world.
aliengod
It infuriates me that scum like this will live the rest of their lives in a prison funded by my tax dollars. I say we should tattoo a cross on their forehead and send them on a one way flight to Syria or Afghanistan.
Blackceo
I am generally against the death penalty and I’ve been called a hypocrite when I say “there’s always an exception to the rule” Well fuck it and fuck anyone who will call me one because those motherfuckers deserve as torturous a death. Children, the elderly, and disabled. When you brutalize those 3 defenseless populations, I put my ideology aside. They need to die.
We’ve all heard about abuse stories where a child has died at the hands of their parent or caregiver, but this one broke my heart in a way that I never felt before. I remember first reading about this story and being in tears for awhile after reading it. So sad.
rickhfx
I am sure the Bible says gays need to be put to death because we are an abomination, you know the part about a man laying with a man thing? So if they got the death penalty that could make them gay too.
Marc
@moonman157: That is FCKNG stupid. The parents obviously practiced the death penalty on a child, and you are happy with that? It is sickening your responceis so lame. Hope it never hits home.
Captain Obvious
The death penalty while stressful at first would be an easy release for them. Now they have to suffer for the rest of their lives paying for it before their final resting place in hell.
The death penalty is too good for murderers and our taxes come out regardless so it’s really not a good argument to make.
Tommy
Because giving away the kid for adoption or a foster home was not an option?
Stupid.
iltman
I am an opponent of the death penalty, and this case stretches my opposition almost to breaking point, but al least these pus filled excuses for human beings will spend the rest of their hopefully long lives amongst a community which will treat them as they deserve to be treated.
Harley
But he had a mother AND a father. NOM should be happy. If this had happened with two mommies or two daddies NOM would be all over that trying to prove this is what gay families are all about. HEY! AMF. Where are you on this. I thought you were all about the protecting kids. Haven’t heard a peep out of them over this incident. Of course now the NRA would say if that kid had had a gun he would still be alive today. That’s the sick mental ward opinion of the NRA.
restoretherainbow
This poor little child was not just killed, he was tortured for nothing other than exhibiting Gay behavior. These people have no redeeming qualities as humans. That they would prey on someone who is Gay but also a defenseless child whose protraction they were entrusted with warrants the death penalty. This was premeditated and it was despicable on so many levels. It’s unconscionable that the prosecution would plea this out, sending the message that it’s OK to torture a defenseless child. I’m so upset by reading this, it’s just an epic failure of the justice system.
JerseyMike
I hope they live a long painful life..
Billysees
@restoretherainbow:
“I’m so upset by reading this…”
So are many others. This article is so very very sad.
That old saying applies here — what is the world coming to?
jd2222248
Is it April 1……April fools day!
Kieran
They say the price of keeping someone behind bars averages about $55,000 per year.
moonman157
@Marc: How could you in any way construe my comment that these monsters caused “unimaginable pain and suffering” to me being happy that they tortured and killed their child? Just because I don’t support the government (or anyone, for that matter) killing them doesn’t mean I am any less disgusted with their crime than you are. As others have mentioned, putting them to death quickly would only shorten their suffering. Plus, there are institutional and inherent flaws in the death penalty and the way it is administered in the United States, not to mention ethical arguments against the government killing people who are not a direct and immediate threat to someone else. These people will and should spend the rest of their lives in prison, where they will hopefully be miserable for every minute of every day.
Kieran
She’s a young woman. Chances are she’ll be let out in twenty years on “compassionate” and “cost effective” grounds after everybody forgets about this case. I don’t believe these monsters will die in prison for one moment.
princedeligne
Someone should rape her violently.
Tackle
@restoretherainbow: Actually an
8-yr-old boy playing with dolls is not exhibiting gay behavior. Playing with dolls has nothing to do with sexual orentation, anymore than a male fashion desingner who prefer to make cloths for women. Or a male hairdresser, or make-up artist whose clientele is mainly, or majority women…
rickhfx
Homophobia, trace the only cause back to the source, religion. No one is born with innate homophobia, it is learned. Just look at what the most recent Catholic hate message is, we are not to be excused or excepted. The sooner we stop giving religion that free pass on hate the better off we all will be.
AtticusBennett
and yet, many of the guys commenting in here are not that different from these lousy parents. in fact, it sounds like many of you were raised by people very similar to them, what with your pathetic and constant railing against “fems” and “stereotypes” – you are their hate. their kid played with dolls. they killed him. you cowards mock and belittle a proud openly-gay, flamboyant-and-owning-it 15 year old. congrats – you’re a part of the culture of stupid that caused this little boy to die.
Billysees
@rickhfx:
“Homophobia, trace the only cause back to the source, religion.”
Not completely true. Religion has its dark side, all of it is a mixed bag.
rickhfx
@Billysees: What is the main cause for homophobia then, if its not religion? Can’t wait to hear it ! Do we have to forget the bible’s “abomination” and “to put to death, the blood is on their own hands” or the latest from the catholic synod, While the earlier draft had said that homosexuals had “gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community”, the revised document only said that discrimination against gay people “is to be avoided”. How sweet of them. We are still unexceptable not equal, it could not be any clearer to honest people.
rickhfx
This sad story speaks loudly about str8 people and the ongoing homophobia that is still expectable and spread consciously or unconsciously in our society. I hear anti gay messages regularly , some from “good” people that aren’t even aware that they said them, sadly enough. Until we call it what it is “terrorism” and stop giving religion the “free pass on hate” it will never change.
Billysees
@rickhfx:
I don’t know where to start or what to say about your serious comments because a good answer would require much comment that space won’t allow. So here’s a few points that have merit —
“What is the main cause for homophobia then, if its not religion?”
I don’t think it could be accurately said that religion is the ‘main’ cause for homophobia. So also is the ‘lack of religion’, which is very very responsible for homophobia.
Religion is an effort by people to recognize the existence of a creator-god and describe what that God is like. I’m best familiar with Christianity so I can say some intelligent things about it. The Christian god is described as ‘God is love’ by liberal minds and a god of anger and wrath by conservatives, when it comes to LGBT issues. Those observations are based on the Christian holy book or Bible.
I think it’s reasonable to say that Christianity, the Bible, churches, preachers and believers are a ‘mixed bag’. Mixed bag simply means that very ‘opposing attitudes’ exist within those things that comprise a religious expression.
Here’s what a fellow commenter once very accurately said about the Bible — “the bible is not why anyone is anti-gay. the bible is what people fall back on when they don’t want to give up their anti-gay prejudices, which they learn from society…”
“Do we have to forget the bible’s “abomination” and “to put to death, the blood is on their own hands”…?”
YES…definitely, those ancient writings were ‘not’ created with the ‘newness of the spirit’ which is the New Testament, NT.
“We are still unexceptable not equal, it could not be any clearer to honest people.”
I would more accurately say that ‘we are still unacceptable and not equal’ by many but certainly not by all, and thank God that is changing for the better every day.
From your second post —
“Until we call it [homophobia] what it is “terrorism” and stop giving religion the “free pass on hate” it [attitudes] will never change.”
I think what you really mean to say is that we should not be giving ‘fundamentalist or conservative religiousity’ a free pass. Agree, and I think that whenever fundamentalist or conservative Christianity starts making dumb and asinine comments, they are posted for all to see —
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/anti-gay
Finally, I think it would be helpful to you to take a closer look at Christianity and see how so many of its people are our friends and helpers —
http://www.believeoutloud.com/
Cheer…
rickhfx
@Billysees: That sure is putting a spin on the truth of the bible and cult that follows the book. It is clear no other “thing” is as responsible for homophobia, as your answer conveniently skirted the question in your long winded non answer. It is also clear gay believers are caught between a rock and a hard place. they have three choices, 1. ignore the very words in their bible, that they should be stoned to death, and spin what the bible clearly says and what people have used for thousands of years, to justify the savage bigotry they so enjoy to plac. 2, believe that they are on a path to better themselves thus “god” will excuse their abomination when they stand at the “pearly gates” 3. believe they are evil and deserve the abuse of religious invented anti gay bigotry and except they are defective.
rickhfx
@Billysees: 3. believe they are evil and deserve the abuse, of religious invented anti gay bigotry and except they are defective, reform their gayness and become str8.
It is well documented in many studies that religion is the cause of homophobia, it is well documented that people that “have” religion have a difficult time distinguishing between fact and fantasy, like believing in talking mules, walking on water “not frozen water” magic larger then life humanoids floating in the sky, immaculate conception, humans having sex with angles. and on and on and on.
Billysees
@rickhfx:
“That sure is putting a spin on the truth of the bible…”
I gave the best explanations I could come up with. They work OK for me. I’m not a preacher, ecclesiastic, academic or theology buff and I don’t have much interest in either of those things. I’m just a rank-and-file person who just happened to become interested in religion, namely and preferably Christianity. What seems like ‘skirting’ is simply my inability to adequately give a good answer.
This comment section is not some kind of Bible study exercise and so I sought to keep my comments short. You should read comments about religious issues posted by others, depending on the article, and then you’ll really know what ‘long-winded’ means.
“…gay believers are caught between a rock and a hard place.”
Maybe some are. I’m not one of them. I guess that’s the way the ‘spirit’ works in me. I know about myself the best. I can’t accurately speak for others.
Your points 1 thru 4 sound like options for some, but I just can’t be moved by either of them.
I think that what I’ve done here is to do something that perhaps many believers have not done yet. I’ve ‘worked out my own salvation’ as Paul, the major contributor of writings in the NT, suggested we do. I’m sure the ‘Spirit of God’, as the Book would say, has helped me do this. In fact, I’m sure of it.
I’ve also discovered, by my own Bible reading, not to trust in the scriptures so much. They are not as reliable or applicable as one might think. Here’s why —
The following self assessment of Paul’s own writings is the evidence needed to show that in his narratives, there is no infallibility or accuracy and there is no divine stamp of approval.
1. …our knowledge is partial and incomplete…
2. …we see things imperfectly…
3. All that I know now is partial and incomplete…
(1 Corinthians 13:9,12)
It’s possible that those three important points could apply to ‘all’ of scripture.
Therefore, it is necessary to judge and evaluate a matter based on all reasonable, ‘current’ attitudes, experiences and knowledge.
Here’s another important point to make. It is written that Jesus said that divorced folks should not remarry, unless one of the spouses has died, or else they’d be sinning as a fornicator (sex outside of marriage). To me, that’s unrealistic. If somebody should get divorced for whatever reason, they should remarry if they want to without restriction.
Finally, here’s something, about LGBT’s, that makes much sense to me —
They “must” be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided…….Catechism of the Catholic Church (quotes mine)
I always wonder why the Catholic Church doesn’t ‘hype’ that up publicly. That single and simple statement would be so very helpful to the LGBT community.
If I had the money, I’d plaster that across every bill-board around the world. The Catholic Church is very influential and so it should use its power to help all LGBT’s the world over.