Kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard
Encyclopedia
The kidnapping of Jaycee Lee Dugard occurred on June 10, 1991 in South Lake Tahoe, California
. Dugard was 11 years old at the time and was abducted
from a street while she was walking from home to a school bus stop. Searches began immediately after the kidnapping, but no reliable leads were generated. She remained missing for more than 18 years.
On August 25, 2009, convicted sex offender Phillip Craig Garrido visited the campus of UC Berkeley accompanied by two young girls. Their unusual behavior there sparked an investigation that led to his bringing the two girls to a parole office on August 26, accompanied by a young woman who was then identified as Dugard.
Garrido, 58, and his wife Nancy Garrido, 54, of Antioch, California
, were arrested for kidnapping and other charges; they pleaded guilty on April 28, 2011 to Dugard's kidnapping and sexual assault. Law enforcement officers believe Dugard was kept in a concealed area behind Garrido's house in Antioch for 18 years. During this time Dugard bore two daughters who were aged 11 and 15 at the time of her reappearance.
On June 2, 2011, Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years imprisonment; his wife received 36 years to life.
, on April 5, 1951. He grew up in Brentwood
, where he graduated from Liberty High School
in 1969. His father, Manuel Garrido, who continues to reside in Brentwood, said his son was a "good boy" as a child, but radically changed after a serious motorcycle accident as a teenager, and later turned to drug use (primarily crystal meth
). The Sacramento Bee and the Associated Press
have reported that the elder Garrido has begun demanding money in exchange for speaking with reporters; both organizations have refused.
In 1972, Garrido was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting
a 14-year-old girl, but the case did not go to trial after the girl declined to testify. In 1973, Garrido married high-school classmate Christine Murphy, who said Garrido was abusive
. Murphy alleges that Garrido kidnapped her when she tried to leave him.
In 1976, Garrido kidnapped Katherine Callaway in South Lake Tahoe, California
. He took her to a Reno, Nevada
warehouse, where he sexually assaulted her. When a police officer noticed a suspicious car parked outside at unusually late hours, he came up to investigate. Callaway then emerged and asked for help. Garrido was promptly arrested. He was charged and convicted of crimes in both federal and state courts. In a 1976 court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, Garrido was diagnosed as a "sexual deviant and chronic drug abuser." The psychiatrist recommended that a neurological
examination be conducted because Garrido's chronic drug use could be "responsible in part" for his "mixed" or "multiple" sexual deviation. Garrido was then evaluated by a neurologist. The diagnostic impression was: "normal neurological examination." In court, Garrido testified that he masturbated in his car by the side of grammar schools and high schools while watching young girls. Garrido was convicted on March 9, 1977 and began serving a 50-year federal sentence on June 30, 1977, at Leavenworth Penitentiary
in Kansas.
At Leavenworth, Garrido met Nancy Bocanegra, who was visiting another prisoner, her uncle. On October 5, 1981, Garrido and Bocanegra were married at Leavenworth. On January 22, 1988, Garrido was released from Leavenworth to Nevada State Prison, where he had served seven months of a five-years-to-life Nevada sentence. He was transferred to federal parole authorities in Antioch on August 26, 1988. In Antioch, the Garridos lived in the home of his elderly mother, who suffered from dementia
. As a parolee, he was monitored, later wore a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet, and was regularly visited by police.
city of Garden Grove
to South Lake Tahoe. At the time of the abduction, Dugard was in fifth grade attending Meyers Elementary School near South Lake Tahoe.
On June 10, 1991 Dugard's stepfather, Carl Probyn, witnessed the abduction from within sight of their home. He saw two people in a gray sedan (possibly a Mercury Monarch
or Mercury Zephyr
) make a U-turn at the school bus stop where Dugard was waiting, and a woman forced Dugard into the car. (In a Primetime
interview on July 10, 2011, Dugard stated a stun-gun was used to incapacitate her). Probyn then gave chase on a bicycle, but he was unable to overtake the vehicle. Some of Dugard's classmates were also witnesses to the abduction. Initial suspects included Probyn and Ken Slayton, Dugard's biological father. Probyn took and passed several polygraph
tests, and Slayton was also quickly cleared of suspicion.
Within hours of Dugard's disappearance, local and national media converged upon South Lake Tahoe to cover the story. Within days, dozens of local volunteers assisted in the search effort, which involved nearly every resource within the community. Within weeks, tens of thousands of fliers and posters were mailed to businesses throughout the United States. Since Dugard's favorite color was pink, the entire town was blanketed in pink ribbons as a constant reminder of her disappearance and a demonstrated support for the family throughout the community.
Dugard's mother, Terry Probyn, founded a group called Jaycee's Hope, which directed the volunteer and fundraising effort. Cassette tapes of the song Jaycee Lee along with T-shirts, sweatshirts and buttons were sold to raise money for poster materials, postage, printing and related expenses. Child Quest International and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were also involved in the effort. A reward was offered, which was displayed on the posters and fliers. The kidnapping case also attracted nationwide attention and was featured many times on the television show America's Most Wanted
.
The ensuing months and years were a continuous effort of child safety awareness, fundraising events and candlelight vigils marking Dugard's disappearance and keeping her story before the public.
in northeast Antioch
. A neighbor of the Garridos said he recalls, as a child, meeting Dugard through a fence in the Garridos' yard soon after the kidnapping. He said that she had identified herself by the name "Jaycee" and that's when he asked her if she lived there or was just visiting, she answered that she lived there. At that point Phillip Garrido came out and took her back indoors. The Garridos later built a privacy fence around the property, which already had several large trees in the yard.
From April to August 1993, Phillip Garrido was returned to federal prison
for parole violation.
Jaycee Lee Dugard bore two daughters by Phillip Garrido, born in August 1994 and in November 1997. During their time together as a family, Dugard presented herself to everyone as the daughter of the Garridos and described the younger girls as her little sisters. Her two daughters also told others she was their older sister. Most U.S. media sources have declined to name the children, although names have been given in foreign media coverage of the case.
Garrido operated a print shop, where Dugard acted as the graphics artist. Ben Daughdrill, a customer of Garrido's printing business, claimed he met and spoke by telephone with Dugard and that she did excellent work. During this time, Dugard had access to the business phone and an email account. One customer of the printing business indicated she never hinted to him about her childhood abduction or true identity.
While in Antioch, Garrido also kept a blog
associated with what he called "Gods Desire Church." In the blog Garrido said he had the power to control sound with his mind. Garrido asked several people, including customers, to sign testimonials confirming that they witnessed his ability to "control sound with my mind" and a device he developed "for others to witness this phenomena."
Law enforcement officers believe that at the time they became involved in 2009, Dugard's living quarters were in a secondary backyard behind Phillip Garrido's house. The private area of the yard included sheds (one of which was soundproofed and used as a recording studio in which Garrido recorded himself singing religious-themed and romantic country songs), two tents, and what has been described as a camping-style shower and toilet. The area was surrounded by tall trees and a 6 feet (1.8 m) high fence. An entrance to the secondary backyard was covered by a tarpaulin
. Privacy in the yard was enhanced by tents and outbuildings, as well as an old car similar to the one used in the abduction. Law enforcement officers visited the residence at least twice in recent years, but did not give the backyard more than a quick inspection. When police investigated, they found the backyard to be crowded with typical childhood possessions, including books and toys, among the tents and sheds. Electricity was supplied by extension cords. Jaycee Dugard was seen in the house and sometimes answered the front door. While the family kept to themselves, the girls were sometimes seen playing in the backyard or as passengers in Garrido's car. Garrido claims to have home-schooled the two girls.
Dugard's aunt, Tina Dugard, and a former business associate of the Garridos, Cheyvonne Molino, have commented that Dugard's children looked healthy. Tina Dugard said that upon her meeting them after their reappearance, they "always appeared and behaved like normal kids". Molino said of the times she met them while they were captive "that in her presence the girls never acted robotically" and didn't wear unusual clothing.
(FBI) and left a four-page essay containing his ideas about religion and sexuality, suggesting he had discovered a solution to problem behaviors like his own past crimes. The essay described how he had cured his own criminal sexual behaviors and how that information could be used to assist in curing other sexual predator
s by "controlling human impulses that drive humans to commit dysfunctional acts." On the same day, Phillip Garrido went to a University of California, Berkeley
police office
seeking permission to hold a special Christian event on campus as a part of his "God's Desire" program. He spoke with U.C. Berkeley special events manager Lisa Campbell. She perceived his behavior as odd and asked him to make an appointment for the next day, which he did, leaving his name in the process. The next morning, August 25, Campbell notified campus police officer Ally Jacobs about the meeting later that morning with Garrido, and her concerns. Jacobs ran a background check, learned that Garrido was on parole for rape
, and decided to sit in on the meeting. Garrido arrived with two girls, whom he introduced as his daughters. At the meeting, Jacobs felt that the girls' behavior was unusual, and phoned the parole office to relay her concerns. As no one was in, she left a report of the meeting on voicemail.
After hearing Jacobs' recorded message, two parole agents drove to Garrido's house later that day. Upon arrival, they handcuffed him and searched the house, only finding his wife Nancy and his elderly mother at home. Then the parole agents drove Garrido back to the parole office.
En route, Garrido said that the two girls who had accompanied him to UC Berkeley "were the daughters of a relative, and he had permission from their parents to take them to the university." Although the parole office had barred Garrido from being around minors a month before, the agents overlooked this violation. After reviewing his file with a supervisor, they drove him home and ordered him to report back to the office again the next day to further discuss his visit to UC Berkeley and follow up on their concerns about the two girls.
Garrido arrived at the parole office in Concord
on August 26 with his wife, Nancy, the two girls and Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was introduced as "Allissa". When they arrived, his parole officer was on the phone with Jacobs to obtain a more detailed description of her interaction with Garrido and the two girls. Jacobs informed the officer that the girls were calling Garrido "Daddy," but the parole officer believed that Garrido had no children. The parole officer then decided to separate Garrido from the women and girls to obtain an identification.
Dugard, maintaining her false identity as "Allissa", stated that she was the girls' mother. When the parole officer said that she looked too young to be the mother and asked her age, "Alyssa (sic) said that she was 29 years old, laughingly explaining that she often gets that comment and that people believe she is the girls' sister," the report states. As the questioning continued, Dugard and Nancy Garrido became agitated and wanted to know why they were being questioned. When the parole officer explained that he was investigating Garrido's visit to the UC campus with the two girls, Dugard said that she knew Garrido had taken the girls to the campus and that she also knew he was a paroled sex offender who had kidnapped and raped a woman. "She added that Garrido was a changed man and a great person who was good to her kids. Allissa subsequently stated that she didn't want to provide any additional information and that she might need a lawyer."
It was later suggested that Dugard was beginning to show signature signs of Stockholm syndrome
during her questioning.
The parole agent then asked Garrido in another room to explain the relationship between him and "Allissa" and the two girls. Garrido said that all three were his nieces, the daughters of his brother in Oakley
. "Garrido stated that the parents were divorced, the girls were living with them and other people, and he did not know his brother's address or phone number," the report states. The parole officer returned to the women and insisted on seeing identification from "Allissa," but Dugard replied that she "had learned a long time ago not to carry or give any personal information to anyone." She also said she needed a lawyer. At this point, the parole officer called in Concord
police.
The report continues: "As they waited for the officer to arrive, Alyssa (sic) said she was sorry that she had lied. She explained that she was from Minnesota and had been hiding for five years from an abusive husband. She was terrified of being found, she said, and that was the reason she could not give the parole agent any information." Two Concord police officers continued the questioning of Dugard, who maintained her false identity and the story she had told to the parole agent. In the other room, a Concord police sergeant questioned Garrido, who finally admitted that he was the father of the two girls. When the parole agent resumed his questioning of Garrido, the latter admitted to kidnapping and raping "Allissa". Under further questioning, Dugard revealed her true identity and confirmed that she had been kidnapped and raped by Garrido.
Garrido and his wife were then placed under arrest. An FBI Special agent
put Dugard on the telephone with her mother, Terry Probyn. Dugard retained custody of her children and was soon reunited with her mother.
, said Dugard's reappearance is an important event for families of other long-term missing children, because it shows that there is hope even in long-term cases. Elizabeth Smart has stressed the importance of focusing on the future with a positive attitude as an effective approach to accepting what has happened. Shawn Hornbeck also commented on the case.
Three weeks after her release, Jaycee Dugard made a request to gain control of the pets that were raised in the home where she was held captive. On October 14, 2009, People
published on its cover the first verified photo of Jaycee Dugard as an adult. Her mother, Terry Probyn, was reported in 2009 to have planned with Broadway Books
to publish a book, originally set for release in 2010, detailing the girls' decades-long absence and return. Dugard's memoir, A Stolen Life, was published on July 12, 2011 by Simon & Schuster
.
, and Dublin, California
, conducted searches of the Garridos' property investigating missing girls from those communities. The results of the search turned up no clues to the disappearances of the girls. In July 2011 Hayward police announced that Garrido has not been eliminated as a suspect and is still a person of interest in the case of Michaela Garecht
.
, interviewed Garrido in his jail cell by telephone. During the interview Garrido said, "In the end, this is going to be a powerful, heartwarming story", because, in his version of events:
Garrido repeatedly told the reporter how he "filed documents" with the FBI on August 24, 2009, which, when they were published, would cause people to "fall over backwards" and that he could not reveal more because he "had to protect law enforcement" and "what happened" [...] was "something that humans have not understood well." In the interview Garrido denied he had ever harmed Dugard's two daughters. He said their births changed his life and "they slept in my arms every single night since birth. I never touched them." On August 28, 2009, FBI spokesman Joseph Schadler confirmed that Garrido had indeed left the documents with the agency, as he had claimed, but declined to discuss further details. The document, titled 'Origin of Schizophrenia Revealed', was eventually released by the FBI. The document is about stopping schizophrenics
from turning violent and controlling sounds with the human mind.
. A bail review/pre-preliminary hearing was held September 14, 2009, at the El Dorado County Superior Court in Placerville, California
. At the hearing, Superior Court Judge Douglas Phimister set bail for Phillip Garrido at $30 million. However, there is a no-bail parole hold on Garrido. The judge kept Nancy Garrido in custody on a no-bail hold. Nancy Garrido could request bail at a later date. At the September 14 hearing, Phimister also granted a request from Phillip Garrido's attorney to have a psychologist or psychiatrist appointed to conduct a confidential evaluation of Garrido. This examination is to be used by the defense to assist in case preparation. Additional mental health examinations could be ordered at subsequent phases in the proceedings. On October 29, 2009, a short hearing was held to set a date for the next pre-preliminary hearing when issues such as discovery
were to be discussed. This hearing occurred on December 11, 2009. Katie Callaway Hall, whom Phillip Garrido raped in 1976, appeared in the courtroom in both the October and December hearings. She did not speak in either proceeding.
On November 5, 2009, Phimister ordered Nancy Garrido's defense attorney, Gilbert Maines, to be removed from the case. According to a posting on the court's website, the decision occurred in review of "confidential evidence" that has not been disclosed to the public, and details of the proceedings were kept sealed. The decision was immediately stayed until November 30, 2009. On November 12, 2009, Phimister appointed Stephen A. Tapson as interim counsel for Nancy Garrido.
Gilbert Maines appealed the decision and was given a favorable ruling by the California Third District Court of Appeal on December 15, 2009.
On December 22, 2009, the same court gave the Eldorado Superior Court until January 2010 to respond to the ruling. Both Gilbert Maines and Stephen Tapson appeared at the discovery hearing on December 11, 2009. A hearing was held on January 21, 2010. At that hearing, Maines was removed from the case and Tapson was appointed defense counsel for Nancy Garrido. In addition, bail in the amount of $20 million was set for Nancy Garrido.
Mr. and Mrs. Garrido both made a 'full confession' in the case, said Tapson at a press conference on February 28, 2011. The development came as lawyers for both sides have re-opened discussions on a possible plea deal that may obviate the need for a trial. Mrs. Garrido's attorney acknowledged that she was facing "241 years, eight months to life" and that he was working for a reduced sentence in the 30 year range. He stated that the prosecutor had acknowledged that Mr. Garrido was a master-manipulator and that Mrs. Garrido was under both his influence and that of substances during the period of Dugard's kidnapping so should receive some consideration while alluding to parallels with Patty Hearst
and Stockholm Syndrome
.
On Thursday, April 7, 2011, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, instead of pleading guilty (as had been expected based on their previous statements) pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and raping Dugard, as well as other charges, in an amended indictment. Phillip Garrido's attorney, public defender Susan Gellman, alleged that the grand jury might have been improperly selected and might have acted improperly. Gellman did not elaborate on her claim in the courtroom but said outside that she had questions about the racial and geographic makeup of the grand jury that originally indicted the Garridos in September 2010. Judge Phimister noted that there were issues about the process itself before the grand jury, and also stated that the court would consider whether the grand jury acted appropriately. The developments were largely unforeseen by attorney Stephen Tapson, who represents Nancy Garrido; Tapson had said earlier that week that Phillip Garrido had made a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison. Gellman was upset with Tapson for telling reporters that her client had planned to plead guilty, saying that Tapson should only speak about his own client, Nancy Garrido. Tapson said he only found out about Gellman's plans late on Wednesday. Neither attorney would elaborate further on the specific concerns about the grand jury. El Dorado County, California District Attorney Vern Pierson did not think the complaints about the grand jury would ultimately derail his case against the Garridos.
On April 28, 2011, the Garridos pleaded guilty to kidnapping and rape. The District Attorney also stated Nancy Garrido seemed to feel genuinely guilty, while it was said that Dugard was relieved that she and her children would not have to testify.
On June 2, 2011, Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years; his wife received 36 years to life. Phillip Garrido is serving his sentence at California State Prison, Corcoran
while Nancy Garrido is incarcerated at Valley State Prison for Women
.
Dugard, who did not attend the sentencing, had sent a written statement that was read aloud in court :
by a 70 to 2 vote, and by the California State Senate
by a 30 to 1 vote. San Francisco County Superior Court
Judge Daniel Weinstein, who mediated the settlement, stated that the settlement was reached to avoid a lawsuit which would be a "greater invasion of privacy and greater publicity for the state."
The bill was signed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
on July 9.
accusing the United States of failing to monitor Garrido when he was a federal parolee.
Cases of kidnapped American children
South Lake Tahoe, California
South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The population was 21,403 at the 2010 census, down from 23,609 at the 2000 census...
. Dugard was 11 years old at the time and was abducted
Child abduction
Child abduction or Child theft is the unauthorized removal of a minor from the custody of the child's natural or legally appointed guardians....
from a street while she was walking from home to a school bus stop. Searches began immediately after the kidnapping, but no reliable leads were generated. She remained missing for more than 18 years.
On August 25, 2009, convicted sex offender Phillip Craig Garrido visited the campus of UC Berkeley accompanied by two young girls. Their unusual behavior there sparked an investigation that led to his bringing the two girls to a parole office on August 26, accompanied by a young woman who was then identified as Dugard.
Garrido, 58, and his wife Nancy Garrido, 54, of Antioch, California
Antioch, California
Antioch is a city in Contra Costa County, California. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, it is a suburb of San Francisco and Oakland. The city's population was 102,372 at the U.S...
, were arrested for kidnapping and other charges; they pleaded guilty on April 28, 2011 to Dugard's kidnapping and sexual assault. Law enforcement officers believe Dugard was kept in a concealed area behind Garrido's house in Antioch for 18 years. During this time Dugard bore two daughters who were aged 11 and 15 at the time of her reappearance.
On June 2, 2011, Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years imprisonment; his wife received 36 years to life.
Background of kidnappers
Phillip Craig Garrido was born in Contra Costa County, CaliforniaContra Costa County, California
Contra Costa County is a primarily suburban county in the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 1,049,025...
, on April 5, 1951. He grew up in Brentwood
Brentwood, California
Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 51,481 as of 2010....
, where he graduated from Liberty High School
Liberty High School (Brentwood, California)
For schools with similar names, see Liberty High School.Liberty High School is located in Brentwood, California, United States. Liberty High School is a comprehensive 9-12 grade high school serving approximately 2700 students.-Overview:...
in 1969. His father, Manuel Garrido, who continues to reside in Brentwood, said his son was a "good boy" as a child, but radically changed after a serious motorcycle accident as a teenager, and later turned to drug use (primarily crystal meth
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
). The Sacramento Bee and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
have reported that the elder Garrido has begun demanding money in exchange for speaking with reporters; both organizations have refused.
In 1972, Garrido was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
a 14-year-old girl, but the case did not go to trial after the girl declined to testify. In 1973, Garrido married high-school classmate Christine Murphy, who said Garrido was abusive
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
. Murphy alleges that Garrido kidnapped her when she tried to leave him.
In 1976, Garrido kidnapped Katherine Callaway in South Lake Tahoe, California
South Lake Tahoe, California
South Lake Tahoe is the most populous city in El Dorado County, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The population was 21,403 at the 2010 census, down from 23,609 at the 2000 census...
. He took her to a Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
warehouse, where he sexually assaulted her. When a police officer noticed a suspicious car parked outside at unusually late hours, he came up to investigate. Callaway then emerged and asked for help. Garrido was promptly arrested. He was charged and convicted of crimes in both federal and state courts. In a 1976 court-ordered psychiatric evaluation, Garrido was diagnosed as a "sexual deviant and chronic drug abuser." The psychiatrist recommended that a neurological
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
examination be conducted because Garrido's chronic drug use could be "responsible in part" for his "mixed" or "multiple" sexual deviation. Garrido was then evaluated by a neurologist. The diagnostic impression was: "normal neurological examination." In court, Garrido testified that he masturbated in his car by the side of grammar schools and high schools while watching young girls. Garrido was convicted on March 9, 1977 and began serving a 50-year federal sentence on June 30, 1977, at Leavenworth Penitentiary
United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth
The United States Penitentiary , Leavenworth was the largest maximum security federal prison in the United States from 1903 until 2005. It became a medium security prison in 2005.It is located in Leavenworth, Kansas...
in Kansas.
At Leavenworth, Garrido met Nancy Bocanegra, who was visiting another prisoner, her uncle. On October 5, 1981, Garrido and Bocanegra were married at Leavenworth. On January 22, 1988, Garrido was released from Leavenworth to Nevada State Prison, where he had served seven months of a five-years-to-life Nevada sentence. He was transferred to federal parole authorities in Antioch on August 26, 1988. In Antioch, the Garridos lived in the home of his elderly mother, who suffered from dementia
Dementia
Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...
. As a parolee, he was monitored, later wore a GPS-enabled ankle bracelet, and was regularly visited by police.
Abduction and search effort
In September 1990, Jaycee Dugard and her family moved from the Orange CountyOrange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
city of Garden Grove
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
to South Lake Tahoe. At the time of the abduction, Dugard was in fifth grade attending Meyers Elementary School near South Lake Tahoe.
On June 10, 1991 Dugard's stepfather, Carl Probyn, witnessed the abduction from within sight of their home. He saw two people in a gray sedan (possibly a Mercury Monarch
Mercury Monarch
The Mercury Monarch is a compact sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company; it was sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division from 1975 to 1980....
or Mercury Zephyr
Mercury Zephyr
The Mercury Zephyr is a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company for the North American market. Introduced as a replacement for the Mercury Comet, it was produced from 1978 to 1983...
) make a U-turn at the school bus stop where Dugard was waiting, and a woman forced Dugard into the car. (In a Primetime
Primetime (TV series)
Primetime is an American news magazine show which debuted on ABC in 1989 with co-hosts Sam Donaldson and Diane Sawyer and originally had the title Primetime Live.-Early history:...
interview on July 10, 2011, Dugard stated a stun-gun was used to incapacitate her). Probyn then gave chase on a bicycle, but he was unable to overtake the vehicle. Some of Dugard's classmates were also witnesses to the abduction. Initial suspects included Probyn and Ken Slayton, Dugard's biological father. Probyn took and passed several polygraph
Polygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
tests, and Slayton was also quickly cleared of suspicion.
Within hours of Dugard's disappearance, local and national media converged upon South Lake Tahoe to cover the story. Within days, dozens of local volunteers assisted in the search effort, which involved nearly every resource within the community. Within weeks, tens of thousands of fliers and posters were mailed to businesses throughout the United States. Since Dugard's favorite color was pink, the entire town was blanketed in pink ribbons as a constant reminder of her disappearance and a demonstrated support for the family throughout the community.
Dugard's mother, Terry Probyn, founded a group called Jaycee's Hope, which directed the volunteer and fundraising effort. Cassette tapes of the song Jaycee Lee along with T-shirts, sweatshirts and buttons were sold to raise money for poster materials, postage, printing and related expenses. Child Quest International and The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were also involved in the effort. A reward was offered, which was displayed on the posters and fliers. The kidnapping case also attracted nationwide attention and was featured many times on the television show America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted is an American television program produced by 20th Television, and was the longest-running program of any kind in the history of the Fox Television Network until it was announced on May 16, 2011 that the series was canceled after twenty-three years, with the final episode...
.
The ensuing months and years were a continuous effort of child safety awareness, fundraising events and candlelight vigils marking Dugard's disappearance and keeping her story before the public.
Captivity
The Garridos' home on Walnut Avenue is in an unincorporated areaUnincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in northeast Antioch
Antioch, California
Antioch is a city in Contra Costa County, California. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area along the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta, it is a suburb of San Francisco and Oakland. The city's population was 102,372 at the U.S...
. A neighbor of the Garridos said he recalls, as a child, meeting Dugard through a fence in the Garridos' yard soon after the kidnapping. He said that she had identified herself by the name "Jaycee" and that's when he asked her if she lived there or was just visiting, she answered that she lived there. At that point Phillip Garrido came out and took her back indoors. The Garridos later built a privacy fence around the property, which already had several large trees in the yard.
From April to August 1993, Phillip Garrido was returned to federal prison
Federal prison
Federal prisons are run by national governments in countries where subdivisions of the country also operate prisons.In the United States federal prisons are operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In Canada the Correctional Service of Canada operates federal prisons. Prison sentences in these...
for parole violation.
Jaycee Lee Dugard bore two daughters by Phillip Garrido, born in August 1994 and in November 1997. During their time together as a family, Dugard presented herself to everyone as the daughter of the Garridos and described the younger girls as her little sisters. Her two daughters also told others she was their older sister. Most U.S. media sources have declined to name the children, although names have been given in foreign media coverage of the case.
Garrido operated a print shop, where Dugard acted as the graphics artist. Ben Daughdrill, a customer of Garrido's printing business, claimed he met and spoke by telephone with Dugard and that she did excellent work. During this time, Dugard had access to the business phone and an email account. One customer of the printing business indicated she never hinted to him about her childhood abduction or true identity.
While in Antioch, Garrido also kept a blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
associated with what he called "Gods Desire Church." In the blog Garrido said he had the power to control sound with his mind. Garrido asked several people, including customers, to sign testimonials confirming that they witnessed his ability to "control sound with my mind" and a device he developed "for others to witness this phenomena."
Law enforcement officers believe that at the time they became involved in 2009, Dugard's living quarters were in a secondary backyard behind Phillip Garrido's house. The private area of the yard included sheds (one of which was soundproofed and used as a recording studio in which Garrido recorded himself singing religious-themed and romantic country songs), two tents, and what has been described as a camping-style shower and toilet. The area was surrounded by tall trees and a 6 feet (1.8 m) high fence. An entrance to the secondary backyard was covered by a tarpaulin
Tarpaulin
A tarpaulin, colloquially tarp, is a large sheet of strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, often cloth such as canvas or polyester coated with urethane, or made of plastics such as polyethylene. In some places such as Australia, and in military slang, a tarp may be known as a...
. Privacy in the yard was enhanced by tents and outbuildings, as well as an old car similar to the one used in the abduction. Law enforcement officers visited the residence at least twice in recent years, but did not give the backyard more than a quick inspection. When police investigated, they found the backyard to be crowded with typical childhood possessions, including books and toys, among the tents and sheds. Electricity was supplied by extension cords. Jaycee Dugard was seen in the house and sometimes answered the front door. While the family kept to themselves, the girls were sometimes seen playing in the backyard or as passengers in Garrido's car. Garrido claims to have home-schooled the two girls.
Dugard's aunt, Tina Dugard, and a former business associate of the Garridos, Cheyvonne Molino, have commented that Dugard's children looked healthy. Tina Dugard said that upon her meeting them after their reappearance, they "always appeared and behaved like normal kids". Molino said of the times she met them while they were captive "that in her presence the girls never acted robotically" and didn't wear unusual clothing.
Missed opportunities to rescue Dugard
- Police failed to make the connection that Jaycee Lee Dugard was kidnapped in South Lake Tahoe, the same location as Garrido's 1976 kidnapping of Katherine Callaway Hall.
- On April 22, 1992, less than a year after her kidnapping, a male caller contacted the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department from a gas station in Oakley, CaliforniaOakley, CaliforniaOakley is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 35,432 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Oakley is part of the East Contra Costa Bicycle Plan, which has existing facilities in Oakley as well as plans for further expansion....
, less than two miles from the Garridos' home in Antioch. The caller reported that he saw Dugard in the gas station staring intently at a missing child poster of herself. The caller then reported seeing her leave in a large yellow van, possibly a Dodge. In 2009, after Dugard's release, an old yellow Dodge van was recovered from the Garrido property, one that matched the description of the van given in the call. The license plate was not reported in the 1992 call and the caller, the girl, and the van were gone by the time police arrived. The caller never identified himself, and the police did not pursue the matter any further. Jaycee Dugard reported that she never left the Garrido property from the day she was kidnapped until shortly before her first child was born in August 1994.
- In June 2002, the fire department responded to a report of a juvenile with a shoulder injury that occurred in a swimming pool at Garrido's home. This information was not relayed to the parole office, which had no record of either a juvenile or a swimming pool at Garrido's address.
- In 2006, one of Garrido's neighbors called 9-1-19-1-19-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
to inform them there were tents in the backyard with children living there and that Garrido was "psychoticPsychosisPsychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
" with sexual addictionSexual addictionSexual addiction is a popular model to explain hypersexuality—sexual urges, behaviors, or thoughts that appear extreme in frequency or feel out of one's control...
s. A deputy sheriff spoke with Garrido at the front of the house for about 30 minutes and left after telling him there would be a code violation if people were living outside on the property. After Dugard was found in August 2009, the local police issued an apology.
- On November 4, 2009, the California Office of the Inspector General issued a report which enumerated various lapses by the California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationCalifornia Department of Corrections and RehabilitationThe California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately...
that contributed to Dugard's continued captivity. The central finding was that Garrido was incorrectly classified as needing only low-level supervision and all other lapses were derived from it. In his report, the inspector general detailed an instance in which a parole agent encountered a 12-year-old girl at the home of Phillip Garrido, but accepted Garrido's "explanation that she was his brother's daughter and [the agent] did nothing to verify it."
Reappearance
On August 24, 2009, Garrido visited the San Francisco office of the Federal Bureau of InvestigationFederal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI) and left a four-page essay containing his ideas about religion and sexuality, suggesting he had discovered a solution to problem behaviors like his own past crimes. The essay described how he had cured his own criminal sexual behaviors and how that information could be used to assist in curing other sexual predator
Sexual predator
The term sexual predator is used pejoratively to describe a person seen as obtaining or trying to obtain sexual contact with another person in a metaphorically "predatory" manner. Analogous to how a predator hunts down its prey, so the sexual predator is thought to "hunt" for his or her sex partners...
s by "controlling human impulses that drive humans to commit dysfunctional acts." On the same day, Phillip Garrido went to a University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
police office
University of California Police Department
The University of California Police Department is the police agency charged with providing law enforcement to the campuses of the University of California system.-History:...
seeking permission to hold a special Christian event on campus as a part of his "God's Desire" program. He spoke with U.C. Berkeley special events manager Lisa Campbell. She perceived his behavior as odd and asked him to make an appointment for the next day, which he did, leaving his name in the process. The next morning, August 25, Campbell notified campus police officer Ally Jacobs about the meeting later that morning with Garrido, and her concerns. Jacobs ran a background check, learned that Garrido was on parole for rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, and decided to sit in on the meeting. Garrido arrived with two girls, whom he introduced as his daughters. At the meeting, Jacobs felt that the girls' behavior was unusual, and phoned the parole office to relay her concerns. As no one was in, she left a report of the meeting on voicemail.
After hearing Jacobs' recorded message, two parole agents drove to Garrido's house later that day. Upon arrival, they handcuffed him and searched the house, only finding his wife Nancy and his elderly mother at home. Then the parole agents drove Garrido back to the parole office.
En route, Garrido said that the two girls who had accompanied him to UC Berkeley "were the daughters of a relative, and he had permission from their parents to take them to the university." Although the parole office had barred Garrido from being around minors a month before, the agents overlooked this violation. After reviewing his file with a supervisor, they drove him home and ordered him to report back to the office again the next day to further discuss his visit to UC Berkeley and follow up on their concerns about the two girls.
Garrido arrived at the parole office in Concord
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
on August 26 with his wife, Nancy, the two girls and Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was introduced as "Allissa". When they arrived, his parole officer was on the phone with Jacobs to obtain a more detailed description of her interaction with Garrido and the two girls. Jacobs informed the officer that the girls were calling Garrido "Daddy," but the parole officer believed that Garrido had no children. The parole officer then decided to separate Garrido from the women and girls to obtain an identification.
Dugard, maintaining her false identity as "Allissa", stated that she was the girls' mother. When the parole officer said that she looked too young to be the mother and asked her age, "Alyssa (sic) said that she was 29 years old, laughingly explaining that she often gets that comment and that people believe she is the girls' sister," the report states. As the questioning continued, Dugard and Nancy Garrido became agitated and wanted to know why they were being questioned. When the parole officer explained that he was investigating Garrido's visit to the UC campus with the two girls, Dugard said that she knew Garrido had taken the girls to the campus and that she also knew he was a paroled sex offender who had kidnapped and raped a woman. "She added that Garrido was a changed man and a great person who was good to her kids. Allissa subsequently stated that she didn't want to provide any additional information and that she might need a lawyer."
It was later suggested that Dugard was beginning to show signature signs of Stockholm syndrome
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
during her questioning.
The parole agent then asked Garrido in another room to explain the relationship between him and "Allissa" and the two girls. Garrido said that all three were his nieces, the daughters of his brother in Oakley
Oakley, California
Oakley is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 35,432 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Oakley is part of the East Contra Costa Bicycle Plan, which has existing facilities in Oakley as well as plans for further expansion....
. "Garrido stated that the parents were divorced, the girls were living with them and other people, and he did not know his brother's address or phone number," the report states. The parole officer returned to the women and insisted on seeing identification from "Allissa," but Dugard replied that she "had learned a long time ago not to carry or give any personal information to anyone." She also said she needed a lawyer. At this point, the parole officer called in Concord
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
police.
The report continues: "As they waited for the officer to arrive, Alyssa (sic) said she was sorry that she had lied. She explained that she was from Minnesota and had been hiding for five years from an abusive husband. She was terrified of being found, she said, and that was the reason she could not give the parole agent any information." Two Concord police officers continued the questioning of Dugard, who maintained her false identity and the story she had told to the parole agent. In the other room, a Concord police sergeant questioned Garrido, who finally admitted that he was the father of the two girls. When the parole agent resumed his questioning of Garrido, the latter admitted to kidnapping and raping "Allissa". Under further questioning, Dugard revealed her true identity and confirmed that she had been kidnapped and raped by Garrido.
Garrido and his wife were then placed under arrest. An FBI Special agent
Special agent
Special agent is usually the title for a detective or investigator for a state, county, municipal, federal or tribal government. An agent is a worker for any federal agency, and a secret agent is one who works for an intelligence agency....
put Dugard on the telephone with her mother, Terry Probyn. Dugard retained custody of her children and was soon reunited with her mother.
Reunion and afterward
In the days following Dugard's return, Carl Probyn, her stepfather, confirmed that she and her daughters were in good health and intelligent, their reunion was going well, and they were proceeding slowly. He said his stepdaughter had developed a significant emotional bond with Phillip Garrido, and the girls cried when they learned of their father's arrest. According to Jaycee Dugard's aunt, Tina Dugard, about the two girls: "They are clever, articulate, curious girls who have a bright future ahead of them." Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited ChildrenNational Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a private, non-profit organization established in 1984 by the United States Congress.-Establishment and overview:...
, said Dugard's reappearance is an important event for families of other long-term missing children, because it shows that there is hope even in long-term cases. Elizabeth Smart has stressed the importance of focusing on the future with a positive attitude as an effective approach to accepting what has happened. Shawn Hornbeck also commented on the case.
Three weeks after her release, Jaycee Dugard made a request to gain control of the pets that were raised in the home where she was held captive. On October 14, 2009, People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
published on its cover the first verified photo of Jaycee Dugard as an adult. Her mother, Terry Probyn, was reported in 2009 to have planned with Broadway Books
Broadway Books
Broadway Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a Division of Random House, Inc., released its first list in Fall, 1996. Broadway Books has since published many New York Times bestsellers in hardcover and paperback, including Elizabeth Edwards’ memoir Resilience, Bill O’Reilly’s memoir A...
to publish a book, originally set for release in 2010, detailing the girls' decades-long absence and return. Dugard's memoir, A Stolen Life, was published on July 12, 2011 by Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
.
Police investigations
Following the arrest, police extensively searched the Garrido house for evidence of other crimes. Because Phillip Garrido had access to his neighbor's house, it was also searched for evidence. Police also searched the homes and business of one of Phillip Garrido's printing business clients. Between September 15, 2009, and September 22, 2009, police agencies from Hayward, CaliforniaHayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
, and Dublin, California
Dublin, California
Dublin is a suburban city of the East Bay region of Alameda County, California, United States. Located along the north side of Interstate 580 at the intersection with Interstate 680, roughly east of Hayward, west of Livermore and north of San Jose, it was named after the city of Dublin in...
, conducted searches of the Garridos' property investigating missing girls from those communities. The results of the search turned up no clues to the disappearances of the girls. In July 2011 Hayward police announced that Garrido has not been eliminated as a suspect and is still a person of interest in the case of Michaela Garecht
Michaela Garecht
Michaela Joy Garecht was abducted on November 19, 1988 in Hayward, California, San Francisco Bay Area. Garecht was nine years old and was abducted outside a grocery store which was known as Rainbow Market at the time but is now called Mexico Super. The location of the market is at the corner of...
.
Garrido's statements
On August 27, 2009, KCRA-TV in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, interviewed Garrido in his jail cell by telephone. During the interview Garrido said, "In the end, this is going to be a powerful, heartwarming story", because, in his version of events:
Garrido repeatedly told the reporter how he "filed documents" with the FBI on August 24, 2009, which, when they were published, would cause people to "fall over backwards" and that he could not reveal more because he "had to protect law enforcement" and "what happened" [...] was "something that humans have not understood well." In the interview Garrido denied he had ever harmed Dugard's two daughters. He said their births changed his life and "they slept in my arms every single night since birth. I never touched them." On August 28, 2009, FBI spokesman Joseph Schadler confirmed that Garrido had indeed left the documents with the agency, as he had claimed, but declined to discuss further details. The document, titled 'Origin of Schizophrenia Revealed', was eventually released by the FBI. The document is about stopping schizophrenics
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
from turning violent and controlling sounds with the human mind.
Legal proceedings
On August 28, 2009, Garrido and his wife pleaded not guilty to charges including kidnapping, rape and false imprisonmentFalse imprisonment
False imprisonment is a restraint of a person in a bounded area without justification or consent. False imprisonment is a common-law felony and a tort. It applies to private as well as governmental detention...
. A bail review/pre-preliminary hearing was held September 14, 2009, at the El Dorado County Superior Court in Placerville, California
Placerville, California
Placerville is the county seat of El Dorado County, California. The population was 10,389 at the 2010 census, up from 9,610 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. At the hearing, Superior Court Judge Douglas Phimister set bail for Phillip Garrido at $30 million. However, there is a no-bail parole hold on Garrido. The judge kept Nancy Garrido in custody on a no-bail hold. Nancy Garrido could request bail at a later date. At the September 14 hearing, Phimister also granted a request from Phillip Garrido's attorney to have a psychologist or psychiatrist appointed to conduct a confidential evaluation of Garrido. This examination is to be used by the defense to assist in case preparation. Additional mental health examinations could be ordered at subsequent phases in the proceedings. On October 29, 2009, a short hearing was held to set a date for the next pre-preliminary hearing when issues such as discovery
Discovery (law)
In U.S.law, discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party, through the law of civil procedure, can obtain evidence from the opposing party by means of discovery devices including requests for answers to interrogatories, requests for production of documents, requests for...
were to be discussed. This hearing occurred on December 11, 2009. Katie Callaway Hall, whom Phillip Garrido raped in 1976, appeared in the courtroom in both the October and December hearings. She did not speak in either proceeding.
On November 5, 2009, Phimister ordered Nancy Garrido's defense attorney, Gilbert Maines, to be removed from the case. According to a posting on the court's website, the decision occurred in review of "confidential evidence" that has not been disclosed to the public, and details of the proceedings were kept sealed. The decision was immediately stayed until November 30, 2009. On November 12, 2009, Phimister appointed Stephen A. Tapson as interim counsel for Nancy Garrido.
Gilbert Maines appealed the decision and was given a favorable ruling by the California Third District Court of Appeal on December 15, 2009.
On December 22, 2009, the same court gave the Eldorado Superior Court until January 2010 to respond to the ruling. Both Gilbert Maines and Stephen Tapson appeared at the discovery hearing on December 11, 2009. A hearing was held on January 21, 2010. At that hearing, Maines was removed from the case and Tapson was appointed defense counsel for Nancy Garrido. In addition, bail in the amount of $20 million was set for Nancy Garrido.
Mr. and Mrs. Garrido both made a 'full confession' in the case, said Tapson at a press conference on February 28, 2011. The development came as lawyers for both sides have re-opened discussions on a possible plea deal that may obviate the need for a trial. Mrs. Garrido's attorney acknowledged that she was facing "241 years, eight months to life" and that he was working for a reduced sentence in the 30 year range. He stated that the prosecutor had acknowledged that Mr. Garrido was a master-manipulator and that Mrs. Garrido was under both his influence and that of substances during the period of Dugard's kidnapping so should receive some consideration while alluding to parallels with Patty Hearst
Patty Hearst
Patricia Campbell Hearst , now known as Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw, is an American newspaper heiress, socialite, actress, kidnap victim, and convicted bank robber....
and Stockholm Syndrome
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
.
On Thursday, April 7, 2011, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, instead of pleading guilty (as had been expected based on their previous statements) pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping and raping Dugard, as well as other charges, in an amended indictment. Phillip Garrido's attorney, public defender Susan Gellman, alleged that the grand jury might have been improperly selected and might have acted improperly. Gellman did not elaborate on her claim in the courtroom but said outside that she had questions about the racial and geographic makeup of the grand jury that originally indicted the Garridos in September 2010. Judge Phimister noted that there were issues about the process itself before the grand jury, and also stated that the court would consider whether the grand jury acted appropriately. The developments were largely unforeseen by attorney Stephen Tapson, who represents Nancy Garrido; Tapson had said earlier that week that Phillip Garrido had made a deal with prosecutors to plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison. Gellman was upset with Tapson for telling reporters that her client had planned to plead guilty, saying that Tapson should only speak about his own client, Nancy Garrido. Tapson said he only found out about Gellman's plans late on Wednesday. Neither attorney would elaborate further on the specific concerns about the grand jury. El Dorado County, California District Attorney Vern Pierson did not think the complaints about the grand jury would ultimately derail his case against the Garridos.
On April 28, 2011, the Garridos pleaded guilty to kidnapping and rape. The District Attorney also stated Nancy Garrido seemed to feel genuinely guilty, while it was said that Dugard was relieved that she and her children would not have to testify.
On June 2, 2011, Phillip Garrido was sentenced to 431 years; his wife received 36 years to life. Phillip Garrido is serving his sentence at California State Prison, Corcoran
California State Prison, Corcoran
California State Prison, Corcoran is a male-only state prison located in the city of Corcoran, in Kings County, California. Also known as Corcoran State Prison, CSP-C, CSP-COR, CSP-Corcoran, and Corcoran I, it should not be confused with the newer California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and...
while Nancy Garrido is incarcerated at Valley State Prison for Women
Valley State Prison for Women
Valley State Prison for Women is a state prison for women in Chowchilla, California. It is across the road from Central California Women's Facility.-Facilities:...
.
Dugard, who did not attend the sentencing, had sent a written statement that was read aloud in court :
Settlement with the State of California
In July 2010, the State of California approved a $20 million dollar settlement with Jaycee Dugard, to compensate her for "various lapses by the Corrections Department [which contributed to] Dugard's continued captivity, ongoing sexual assault and mental and/or physical abuse." The settlement, part of AB1714, was approved by the California State AssemblyCalifornia State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...
by a 70 to 2 vote, and by the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
by a 30 to 1 vote. San Francisco County Superior Court
San Francisco County Superior Court
The San Francisco County Superior Court is one of the Superior Courts of California....
Judge Daniel Weinstein, who mediated the settlement, stated that the settlement was reached to avoid a lawsuit which would be a "greater invasion of privacy and greater publicity for the state."
The bill was signed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
on July 9.
Lawsuit against the United States
On September 22, 2011, Dugard filed suit in United States District Court for the Northern District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Northern District of California
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California is the federal United States district court whose jurisdiction comprises following counties of California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San...
accusing the United States of failing to monitor Garrido when he was a federal parolee.
Television Shows
- An American crime show titled "Wicked Attraction" aired an episode about Phillip Garrido and Nancy Garrido. The episode also went into details of the events leading up to Jaycee Dugard's kidnapping and recovery.
- A British channel 4 documentary titled "Captive for 18 years: Jaycee Lee" focused on the story of Jaycee Lee's kidnap, recovery and the beginnings of trial including interviews with Jaycee's step-father. (http://www.channel4.com/programmes/captive-for-18-years-jaycee-lee/4od)
See also
Cases of children kept in captivityCases of kidnapped American children
External links
- Jaycee Dugard Case ongoing coverage by the Contra Costa TimesContra Costa TimesThe Contra Costa Times is a daily newspaper based in Walnut Creek, California, U.S.. The paper serves Contra Costa and eastern Alameda counties, in the eastern part of the San Francisco Bay Area...
- Photo slide show of Dugard case
- The JAYC Foundation Inc.
- "The Origin of Schizophrenia Revealed", the "manifesto" that Phillip Garrido sent to the FBI.