Donastorg To Plead In Domestic Violence Case March 11
Judge upholds probable cause despite accuser's request to recant, reports of $150,000 bribe
Sen. Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg
New details in the domestic violence allegations against Sen. Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg emerged in a hearing Friday before St. Thomas Magistrate Judge Alan Smith, who advised the Senator of his rights and set an arraignment date of March 11 for the Senator to enter a plea on the formal charges.
Donastorg, who turned himself into authorities on St. Croix on Thursday, is charged with aggravated assault, third degree assault, brandishing a deadly weapon and using a dangerous weapon in the commission of a crime of violence. The charges stem from an alleged incident on January 28 between Donastorg and an unidentified 19-year-old woman.
Defense attorney Gordon Rhea said the accuser, who Rhea and the police agree has attempted to recant her story about the incident, was bribed with $150,000 to make the allegations and that the Senator’s defense rests on that claim. On Thursday, St. Croix Attorney Lee Rohn, who accompanied Donastorg when he turned himself in to authorities, stated that tapes and text messages exist in which the accuser admits the charges are false and reveals she was offered money to make them.
The incident has generated intense public debate on whether there is any merit to the allegations or whether this incident is politically motivated by those who were opposed to Donastorg’s burgeoning campaign for governor in the upcoming election.
Details were read from the Virgin Island Police Department’s Probable Cause sheet by VIPD Sergeant Deborah Jack, Lead Investigator. It summarized the alleged incident on January 28 as reported by the accuser, who stated that she had been in a relationship with the senator since last summer; that she arrived at his home on Jan. 28 intending to stay with him and was ordered at gunpoint to leave Donastorg’s property; and that he threatened to shoot her and a woman who accompanied her if they did not leave.
The woman further stated, according to the report, that Donastorg later offered to drive her to her mother’s home; that during the ride she questioned him about his treatment of her knowing that he had recently aborted his child; and that upon arrival at her destination, when she refused to get out of his car, he began “strangling” her and forcibly removed her from the vehicle, resulting in injuries.
Jack said that the accuser notified police that she wanted to withdraw the complaint and change her original statements, but that the accuser never followed through by formally withdrawing the complaint through the Attorney General’s office.
After he was notified of the complaint on March 1, Jack said, Donastorg contacted police twice, once stating that the woman had refused to leave his St. Croix residence and later calling to report that the woman had revealed to him the Facebook identity of the individual who offered the $150,000 bribe. Facebook is an internet social networking site.
Rhea asked the court to reconsider the probable cause finding because the accuser has changed her story several times since filing the complaint. Smith said questions of the accuser’s credibility will be addressed during court proceedings, and let the finding stand.
If convicted on all charges, Donastorg faces a minimum sentence of eight years.
Wasn’t Judge Smith appointed by John deJongh? NO wonder Smith found “probable cause”. This whole situation STINKS! CORRUPTION at its highest.
Im not going to lie…this story is all over the place. I mean WTH is going on? Why is the accuser changing her story? I mean come on!! This is going to affect a lot of people’s judgment. They need to come up with the truth! Is she telling the truth or is she lying??
Since when Donastorg had a STX residence? This story is more jacked up than the last one!
Donastorg is INNOCENT. this story nakes no sense. Donastorg 2010
(Man I never saw before): Do you think the support base is still the same? What about the Smiths, James, Sibilys, Josephs?
(John D): Ha,ha. I own the Smiths.
(Louis P): Ha, ha, ha. That whole lot has already been bought an paid for in full.
(John D): What? You didn’t know that? ha, ha, ha
Once they drag Foncie through the mud, they will be satisfied that they’ve accomplished their goal. With the media on their side, it will be harder for Foncie to recover from this one. When you have people like http://www.newgrangegroup.com/ on your side, along with the media, and you tarnish the image of your opponents, you sail to victory.
THE ONLY SAILING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DOING, IS SAILING OUT OF OFFICE. AFTER THEY PAY US OUR MONEY BACK.
i cant wait for the feds to start closing. if they really wanted to do us a favor they would not wait until after election to start rounding them up and carting thier asses off to jail
PREDATORS! THATS WHAT DEWOLF AND HIS PEOPLE ARE! NONE OF THEM SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK FOR THIS GOVERNMENT EVER,ANY ONE OF THEM THAT IS STILL WORKING FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION AFTER THIS, IS JUST AS BAD AS DEWOLF, HIS WIFE AND FRANCIS AND HIS WIFE. ALL OF THEM NEED TO GO, NONE IS BETTER THAN THE OTHER.
@ Wake Up on March 6, 2010 at 8:22 pm
Aren’t the developing issues bribery, false report, and abuse of enforcement power?
And who did you say was sailing to victory?
Surely not the governor. His vessel will become shipwrecked;it can not withstand the storms and winds of Puerto Rico, the Federal Inspector General, and Donastorg.
The Daily News says that the story was retracted at least three times, but the Goverment pushed for prosecution anyway. I have never heard of this happening.
Makes you wonder why ‘other’ cases don’t move so quickly through the system. This one stinks to high heaven.
WE, the people, need to vote on the AG position, not a governor appointee who is in the tank.
EWO2010, I can only hope that the US Attorney steps in before election, however I’m preparing myself for disappointment should that not happen. I’m sure they would do more investigating which unfortunately takes time. What’s also unfortunate is that the almighty deJongh has sunk us to a level where we are hoping and praying that the Feds will come in and take out our government. This is far worst than the Turnbull days!
We need an over site on the election/voting machines as well. Can they still be rigged to the highest bidder to Abrahamson et el?
I just don’t trust Abrahamson since he and Frazer failed to enforce the #1105 rule where ALL officials at a certain level (commissioners, directors, managers) and elected senators, governor etc have to disclose their finances.
Frazer kept extending the dates out for compliance………we need full PUBLIC purview of who we vote for and appoint BEFORE we vote this year. A lot of bodies buried in those disclosures…….
Donastorg was the only candidate last time around that disclosed his tax returns.
The Inspector General should be the one given the power to enforce the auditing of the senate to the begining of their term and end,so that we the people of these V. I. can know who are the crooks when they are voted in and when they are voted out, so goes for the Attorney General and anyone that has to see with enforcing the law that way we would live happily ever after.
Mapp for governor will be the only one who can get us out of this misery.
Those vultures will never take office again.
First, let’s all take a step back and listen. A female has gotten up the courage to speak out about someone who has hurt her. How is it possible that we could misunderstand this? If this young woman has any visable signs of trauma, a crime has been committed! And if true, a disgusting crime! Who ever you are young lady know that I feel for you and please keep your head up. To the person that hurt this woman, please be ashamed of yourself. Remember everyone, it doesn’t take much to inflict pain on each other. But pain is pain and a crime is a crime.
@ OMG! on March 7, 2010 at 12:47 pm
You suggested the following: “let’s all take a step back and listen.”
In response, I think we have and THE PROCESS needs to”take a step forward with the evidence.”
The evidence of Bribery, False Report, and Abuse of Enforcement Power.
I really hope that Donastorg’s attorney(s) follow through with their comments to have the FBI look into this matter.
My friend, the “Scale of Justice” is BALANCED by two sides !