Posted on 02/26/2002 4:38:22 PM PST by NYCVirago
Attorney for Tottenville mom charged in case says she wants children spared legal proceedings
The Tottenville mother accused of taking pornographic photos of eight children, including her two daughters, remains in jail, as her lawyer pushes to keep her case out of the courtroom and to avoid putting the kids "through the wringer."
Sandra Delgrosso waived her rights to a speedy indictment during a grand jury action yesterday in Stapleton Criminal Court, according to her St. George attorney, John Murphy Jr.
Such maneuvers are often a prelude to a plea bargain, which in this case would pre-empt the need to haul young witnesses into court to testify before a grand jury.
While Murphy said his client "remains mute" on the allegations, she has explicitly requested that everything be done to protect the children from legal proceedings.
"We consented to a continuation of the current bail -- which she cannot make -- so that we can review with the district attorney's office the relevant facts and the existing evidence, with a view toward resolving the case in a fashion that spares all of the children the ordeal of appearing, being interviewed and testifying," Murphy said.
Bail for the Sandy Lane resident was set at $20,000 with $5,000 to be paid in cash during her arraignment on Saturday. Ms. Delgrosso, who is being held on Rikers Island, pleaded not guilty.
The next court date is scheduled for March 6, when Murphy expects to adjourn the case "to permit a full evaluation of the case and of her."
"She's distraught -- that is the only way to describe her," Murphy said.
The 37-year-old school bus driver was arrested Thursday night and charged with taking photos of eight children between the ages of 6 and 14 in various stages of undress and engaging in sexual acts on Jan. 26, police said. Police were alerted to the graphic material when the film was left for developing at a local store. An employee at a New Jersey photo processing center spotted the pictures when the developing machine broke down.
The film was dropped off for developing at Waldbaum's in Pleasant Plains, according to Monica Brown, a spokeswoman for District Attorney William Murphy. The supermarket sent the photos to a processing center in Fair Lawn., N.J., she said.
Waldbaum's stores send film to Qualex Photoprocessing Inc. in Fair Lawn, a manager in the Eltingville store said. Representatives from Qualex could not be reached last night.
Murphy, the lawyer, would not comment on the nature of the photos, which he examined yesterday.
"If her wishes are what I believe them to be, she will do whatever is required to subject every one of these children to the least amount of discomfort in these legal proceedings," Murphy said. "I am under strict instructions from my client that no child should be subjected to the indignity of criminal proceedings."
According to the complaint filed in Stapleton Criminal Court, Ms. Delgrosso allegedly gave the children alcohol and induced them to take off their clothes and perform sexual acts.
There were two 14-year-olds, two 11-year-olds, two 10-year-olds, a 9-year-old and a 6-year-old, the complaint said. The two youngest children are believed to be her daughters. Investigators said she is also the mother of two toddler boys.
Two 11-year-olds and a 10-year-old exposed their genitals and masturbated, according to the complaint. A 6-year-old was subjected to simulated sexual intercourse by a 14-year-old, the complaint said.
Ms. Delgrosso was charged with use of a child in a sexual performance, a class C felony that carries up to 15 years in prison; possessing an obscene performance by a child; possessing a sexual performance by a child, and endangering the welfare of a child.
She was suspended from her job with the Port Richmond-based Atlantic Express Coachways. During her arraignment, she told the court that she transported children who use wheelchairs to and from elementary, intermediate and high schools.
Her yellow school bus was towed from the front of her home by the company on Friday.
Ms. Delgrosso lives in a quiet townhouse development, where neighbors described her as a caring mother and friendly neighbor.
A man who identified himself as Ms. Delgrosso's ex-husband went to the house on Friday and picked up some children's blankets and other goods. Saying they divorced six years ago, he said he was given custody of the girls following the arrest. He said he had nothing to do with the alleged incidents.
Neighbors said an ex-boyfriend is the father of the boys and he apparently is caring for them while their mother is in jail. They said Ms. Delgrosso has resided at her current address for at least two years. She was said to be close to her children, often taking them to the beach and on bicycle rides.
Yeah, and and getting them drunk and taking kiddie porn pictures of them! Sick, sick, sick.
Anyone ever notice that whenever some thug comes out of the closet, the response from the neighbors is almost INVARIABLY: "But they seemed so nice and normal!"
Mercy. This reporter really traces stuff down. Good.
Anyway, Qualex is a subsidiary of Eastman Kodak.
The lab there probably does about 20,000 rolls of
film a night. You'd be surprised how many people
see prints going through a facility, even a big one,
and can spot nude stuff in a minute. Never, ever,
send anything you want to keep to yourself out
for processing. That's what digital cameras are
for today, and why Polaroid used to be call
the bedroom camera.
The only recent case I can think of where that *didn't* happen was that hit-and-run driver/one man crime wave in NYC a few weeks ago. When reporters talked to his mother about him, she basically admitted that he was a thug!
It's very sad that there was no one to protect the children from her.
It is entirely possible. At major wholesale labs, most
prints are made on automatic printing equipment in rolls
1800 ft long and longer. These rolls are the processed
on paper processing equipment in which transport clips can
come off of leader belts; paper is occasionally damaged
in loading and tears in the middle of the process, ruining
the work behind it. They have to shut down the processors,
pull off the damaged paper, and restart. So, yes, it is possible.
Prints can also be seen as the work is going through packaging.
Within the past year (in a case cited by the Nat. Writers Union in its letter to
B&H), a Cambridge, MA woman was roughed up by the police after pictures
she'd taken of her child for a photography workshop were mistaken as
pornography by Zona Photographic Labs.
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