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American Morning
Child Molester Freed
Aired July 28, 2003 - 09:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling is opening prison doors for hundreds of child molesters in California. Some are already back on the streets. The state enacted a law ending the crime's statute of limitations. Now years later, the nation's highest court ruled it to be unconstitutional. As a result, convicted pedophiles are being released.
Tracey Salaices was molested by her uncle when she was 7 years old. The uncle was convicted, sentenced last winter to 27 years behind bars, but just last week, after serving only seven months, he was free again.
Tracey's our guest, very courageous to join this morning us from Los Angeles.
Good morning, Tracey.
HEMMER: I understand the reason you're talking with us today is because you're angry. Tell me about that feeling.
TRACEY SALAICES, SEX ABUSE VICTIM: I'm very angry. I'm actually really devastated by this whole thing. So that the one time that I actually needed, you know, the law to work in my favor, it's, you know, it's not. And it's not just me. There's other victims out there as well, and they're out walking the streets. They have no record. They don't have to register as sex offenders or anything. They're just out there walking the streets, and given a chance.
HEMMER: You feel betrayed?
SALAICES: Hello?
HEMMER: You feel betrayed by the law?
SALAICES: Oh, very, very betrayed, very betrayed. It's like saying that, it's OK for these people to commit these crimes and walk out. That's not right.
HEMMER: I mention you had been abused at the age of 7. How long did that abuse continue, Tracy?
SALAICES: From the age of 7 to about 17 years old.
HEMMER: So about 10 years?
SALAICES: Yes.
HEMMER: How has that affected your life as you've grown into an adult now?
SALAICES: It really messed up my life, to tell you the truth. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror. I tried to commit suicide several times, just having that secret stored all these years, it just breaks you down and you're afraid to say anything. These people have control over you. And it's hard. It's hard.
And this guy is walking the streets. He's living a life again with his family. He's sitting there, and he's living in his house with his wife and his teenaged son, which should be taken out of the house, but CPS doesn't want to do anything about it, because he has no record. That's wrong. And here I am...
HEMMER: CPS is...
SALAICES: Child Protective Services.
HEMMER: There are two things I think are very unique about your case I think we should share with viewers. One is the fact your father passed away about a year ago. But it was your father who really convinced you to take your story to police. Is that right?
SALAICES: Yes. If it wasn't for my dad, I don't know what I would have done. He is the one that actually took me to the police department and said, come on, Trace, you've got to do this, you've got to get it out, and he said it's just like throwing up. You have to throw up all the bad stuff in order for you to feel better. And I felt better at first, but now he's out, I feel -- I don't even know. It's hard. These people shouldn't be walking the street. They're animals.
HEMMER: Well, Tracey, I want to thank you for joining us today and sharing your story with us. I know it's extremely hard, but I want to wish you the best of luck, too, in your recovery effort and going forward. Tracey Salaices, live in L.A., a sex abuse victim, some say a victim again as a result of the change in law.
Thanks, Tracey.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 28, 2003 - 09:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling is opening prison doors for hundreds of child molesters in California. Some are already back on the streets. The state enacted a law ending the crime's statute of limitations. Now years later, the nation's highest court ruled it to be unconstitutional. As a result, convicted pedophiles are being released.
Tracey Salaices was molested by her uncle when she was 7 years old. The uncle was convicted, sentenced last winter to 27 years behind bars, but just last week, after serving only seven months, he was free again.
Tracey's our guest, very courageous to join this morning us from Los Angeles.
Good morning, Tracey.
HEMMER: I understand the reason you're talking with us today is because you're angry. Tell me about that feeling.
TRACEY SALAICES, SEX ABUSE VICTIM: I'm very angry. I'm actually really devastated by this whole thing. So that the one time that I actually needed, you know, the law to work in my favor, it's, you know, it's not. And it's not just me. There's other victims out there as well, and they're out walking the streets. They have no record. They don't have to register as sex offenders or anything. They're just out there walking the streets, and given a chance.
HEMMER: You feel betrayed?
SALAICES: Hello?
HEMMER: You feel betrayed by the law?
SALAICES: Oh, very, very betrayed, very betrayed. It's like saying that, it's OK for these people to commit these crimes and walk out. That's not right.
HEMMER: I mention you had been abused at the age of 7. How long did that abuse continue, Tracy?
SALAICES: From the age of 7 to about 17 years old.
HEMMER: So about 10 years?
SALAICES: Yes.
HEMMER: How has that affected your life as you've grown into an adult now?
SALAICES: It really messed up my life, to tell you the truth. I couldn't even look at myself in the mirror. I tried to commit suicide several times, just having that secret stored all these years, it just breaks you down and you're afraid to say anything. These people have control over you. And it's hard. It's hard.
And this guy is walking the streets. He's living a life again with his family. He's sitting there, and he's living in his house with his wife and his teenaged son, which should be taken out of the house, but CPS doesn't want to do anything about it, because he has no record. That's wrong. And here I am...
HEMMER: CPS is...
SALAICES: Child Protective Services.
HEMMER: There are two things I think are very unique about your case I think we should share with viewers. One is the fact your father passed away about a year ago. But it was your father who really convinced you to take your story to police. Is that right?
SALAICES: Yes. If it wasn't for my dad, I don't know what I would have done. He is the one that actually took me to the police department and said, come on, Trace, you've got to do this, you've got to get it out, and he said it's just like throwing up. You have to throw up all the bad stuff in order for you to feel better. And I felt better at first, but now he's out, I feel -- I don't even know. It's hard. These people shouldn't be walking the street. They're animals.
HEMMER: Well, Tracey, I want to thank you for joining us today and sharing your story with us. I know it's extremely hard, but I want to wish you the best of luck, too, in your recovery effort and going forward. Tracey Salaices, live in L.A., a sex abuse victim, some say a victim again as a result of the change in law.
Thanks, Tracey.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
