Well it is strange that someone like myself from a different country can find a document but a relative cannot. They should, though, defiinitely have a victim's advocate or liaison provided by LE who can help them.
They have an attorney I believe don't they? They likely or the attorney could have found it just as you did but what they were saying was that they weren't told of it ahead of time.
I remember in Stauch, I believe it was, there was actually too someone at JT who got a doc or info ahead of the family and public (with an inside source or paying I'm sure) and he blasted it on JT/WS and trouble resulted. He got in trouble or seemed to and JT should have been and damage control kicked in fast.
But yes, once filed and if available publicly because of it, the family or their atty should be able to get such too. In this case, it's just that he wasn't aware before it hit. I'm more talking of how the DA and P and LE need to be ahead as much as they can keeping the families informed. And how it isn't the main part of their job or what they consider most important at times, they have their jobs to do. Families also need more imo than a victim advocate. I talked to a deputy for months right up until he was arrested and charged and then that deputy informed me that's when it would be handed off to the vic advocate and I'd not have contact with him any longer and I should call her. That's how our system works anyhow, here. She was very nice but it isn't the same. And I had to go looking to talk to the detective in the first place. And I first contacted the sheriff who put me to the deputy, who I can't complain about at all. Man that guy was smart. However, hurting families shouldn't have a to go looking for contact and most want or need to hear from someone if not daily, weekly, and ideally they should know when something is filed before the public and internet does OR at least they should be apprised not to panic when they see a bunch of defense filings etc. for instance. I can't put it all into words right now very well.
It just needs to change a bit I guess is what I'd say. I believe in open and public records big time but in this fast age, the family if possible should still get a head's up. And they can't do it all, they are reeling. And yes, their atty should have been on the ball but being on the ball might be just hours and I'm sure it isn't their only job/client.
I'm probably making no sense but am trying. I guess as I said I checked constantly like for filings in ours online and then I'd send my sister to go get copies of anything filed before sometimes the P or detectives even had been able to look at such themselves probably. I knew one could do that, many don't. My sister worked for attys most of her lifetime but they were big time corporate attys and she knew nothing about our home state or the criminal process. I knew a little from working for attorneys in my 20s (a long, long, long time ago) and two of them did criminal law and yet I don't think I ever saw a murder in our area with them lol, we just didn't have much. But I knew how you get records in our state and that they were all publicly accessible and this was long before the filings would show online.
Sorry. Let me try to gather my thoughts and make more sense. I guess what I mean is the families shouldn't have to figure out how to do all this on top of the grief, loss, and there's a need and a gap. My family has an entire book of all filed, etc. and once my sister knew from me one could get these things, she was on it all of the time. I couldn't have done it for a couple of reasons but I knew one could and told her and she was able to and she did so above and beyond.
I guess in a nutshell is that victim families NEED someone explaining, doing and keeping them informed but LE and detectives and DA's NEED to be doing their jobs and shouldn't need to babysit either as part of them when we really do want them on the main thing of justice and charging and trying, etc.
I'm well aware this wanders and probably isn't very put together. I'm just meaning there's a gap and a need. I was very happy with our detectives and the prosecutor and yet I saw such clearly at times. Victim advocates are to fill that void but they don't have the same access and that's another story.
I don't think I answered very well...
SOMEONE should be on this for the families. It certainly isn't the judge's job either BUT victim families and victims really do get the shaft and there are needs that should be filled.
And yes, their attorney should have been on it too. I'm almost positive the Gonzales have an attorney and most families can't do that either. I asked early on if our family should find someone to like take care of things for us, I was told no...
And I don't know how it's going for them and there are FOUR different families but again I can't complain as to ONCE in touch (and we had to do that), who I talked to was very good and he was stuck with at least an hour a week with me for months, answering every various question I or my family has.
ANDDDD I am wandering... They just should have known before the public. Even if a split second.
Early morning. Hope all excuse the long wandering post. Just a big believer in a lot of things in the system need some fixing and they need to realize too things are rapid fire as to information but the system and people in it are busy or sometimes very slow as is the legal process....
