AMIT'S GONE, 8-LINERS TRITE, NEXT P.R.: ABUSED WOMEN

By Juan Montoya
No sooner did the cell doors clank shut on Amit Livingston and the photo ops of 8-Liner raids go down in the ratings, than the Spin Factory at the Cameron County District Attorney's Office pull out Luis V. Saenz's next reelection cause celebre: abused women.
Yeah, we know. We've heard this song and seen the blazing billboards warning would-be physical offenders of their mates that there would be no mercy or tolerance for them at the DA's Office. But now, with a Sunday newspaper story featuring Saenz trying to explain his Sisyphean task of prosecuting domestic violence offenders, it's beginning to smell like a preemptive action to blunt challenges to his promises to stamp out the domestic violence in the county.
In Greek legend, Sisyphus was the cruel king of Corinth condemned forever to roll a huge stone up a hill in Hades only to have it roll down again on nearing the top.
If one reads the article published in today's Brownsville Herald, one can imagine Luis struggling against his office prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and just about everyone in defense of the victims, to no avail.
"I have been struggling, fighting to change the courthouse culture as to how these cases are looked at."
"Believe me, even within the office and defense attorneys and also judges. I've gotten pushed back on what I want to do on these cases."
Saenz says that the problem is that often the victims themselves refuse to testify against the defendants, often their husbands or boyfriends. Many times they claim that it was a heated argument that escalated into a situation where someone called the police. Take, for example, the case of the Harlingen city manager who is accused of slapping is wife.
Of course, Saenz knows that legislation was passed for this very reason that allows him to prosecute with or without the victims' cooperation.
"The ultimate decision on whether to prosecute is the prosecutor's, but we try to honor the request of the victims," he said.
So, if a challenger to the DA's office such as Carlos Masso brings out documentation showing that the Saenz administration has failed in the prosecution in the majority of domestic abuse cases, Saenz can point the finger at the victims for not allowing him to deliver on his promise.
Saenz is, in effect, blaming the victim for not allowing him to do his job. When they say they do not want to prosecute, he makes them stand before a judge and tell them they don't want to proceed.
I know that makes it cumbersome for them, but that's my way of kind of slowing down the culture," he told the newspaper.
After all, the domestic abuse plank was one of two on his election platform. The other was the 8-Liner crusade that has fizzled as the finicky public's attention span declined for the sight of old men and ladies being led away to jail for playing la maquinitas. Anyway, it's a vote loser because old people are like elephants, they never forget.
But until then, county residents will see the billboards, the banners and the nifty Ford Flex sedan sporting a photo of a bruised up woman and a half dozen DA office seals bearing Saenz's name to remind them he is a champion of domestic abuse victims, prosecutions or not.
The car was seized in a forfeiture case and given to the DA's Office. It bears four DA's Office seals with Saenz's name on it. Additionally, Saenz's name is emblazoned on both sides in large letters. It is, in effect, a rolling billboard compliments of the county taxpayers.