For release immediately:

More Scandal in the Durham, North Carolina Legal System

Durham, North Carolina -- August 16, 2007 -- Following on the heels of the recent scandal involving Durham Prosecutor Mike Nifong’s handling of the Duke Rape Case, a Durham family court judge acted today to imperil the life of an innocent eleven year old boy.

After hearing testimony in a trial last week from a former FBI agent and a retired colonel from the Colombian DAS (FBI) that travel to Colombia would be life-threatening for Alejandro Ramirez, age eleven, Judge Craig B. Brown nonetheless ordered the boy to visit his estranged, abusive and non-supportive biological father in Colombia.  The judge announced his decision mid-way through the trial via a newspaper interview with reporter John Stevenson of the Durham Herald-Sun Newspaper.  The newspaper article was published today.

The former FBI agent, Mr. Michael Youngs of Miami, Florida, and Colonel Homero Rodriquez-Garcia of the Colombian DAS gave graphic testimony about the many dangers prevalent in Colombia. They testified that travel to Colombia would put Alejandro at grave risk of kidnapping by guerillas or others because he is from a well-known, wealthy U.S. family. Reputable witnesses also testified that the biological father has threatened to kidnap the boy if he is forced to return to Colombia.

There is an official U.S. State Department travel advisory warning in effect for Colombia.  Colombia is rife with kidnapping, narco-terrorism, guerilla warfare and general lawlessness.  Malaria and other deadly tropical diseases are prevalent in much of the country.

Alejandro is a legal unconditional permanent U.S. resident who has lived with his mother, stepfather and grandmother in Durham for several years.  He is an honors student in the Durham public schools.   Alejandro’s stepfather, Allan L. Krehbiel, is a U.S. citizen by birth and a Durham area businessman.  Mr. Krehbiel said “It’s clear to me that Alejandro’s biological father intends to keep him in Colombia against his will if he gets the chance.  He may attempt to ransom him back to us in that case.”

A spokesman for the family said “We are shocked and amazed at Judge Brown’s callous decision in this case.  We are particularly outraged because the judge made his decision midway through the trial and rendered it without warning via a newspaper article. In our opinion Judge Brown’s decision constitutes a reckless endangerment of Alejandro and is child abuse, pure and simple, which is a felony in North Carolina.  Judge Brown has two daughters himself and you can bet that he would never order them to a dangerous place like Colombia.  Certainly, no jury would have endangered Alejandro like Judge Brown has.  There seems to be no end to the moral depravity in the Durham legal system.  We had a rogue prosecutor and now we have a rogue judge, who, like Mike Nifong, is a publicity hound.”

Even in life-threatening cases, children in North Carolina are not allowed to have their cases heard by juries.  Alejandro’s mother, Claudia P. Krehbiel, was emotionally devastated to learn that Judge Brown had deliberately and knowingly put her son’s life in danger.  She was surprised and hurt to learn of the judge’s decision by the newspaper article published today.

Mrs. Krehbiel said “I really can’t understand how Judge Brown could render a decision before hearing all of the evidence.  And, it is really unprofessional and hurtful for him to announce his decision via a newspaper article.  The bottom line in this case is that neither Judge Brown nor anyone else has the right to recklessly endanger my son by forcing him to travel to a dangerous country like Colombia.  It is very arrogant for the judge to ignore the official U.S. State Department travel advisory warning and the testimony of a former FBI agent and a Colombian army colonel.”

Judge Brown was formally censured by the North Carolina Supreme Court in 1999 for improprieties in his handling of two drunk driving cases.  Alejandro’s family will appeal Judge Brown’s decision and will seek to have federal and state law enforcement authorities investigate the judge for his reckless, unprofessional behavior in this case. A formal complaint will be made against him to the North Carolina Judicial Standards Commission.

Alejandro and his mother are represented by Mr. Kevin P. Hopper of Raleigh and Mr. Jeremy D. Morley of New York City.  Mrs. Krehbiel expressed her great appreciation for the outstanding work of these two attorneys in defending Alejandro’s life.  The biological father is represented on a pro bono (for free) basis by Nelson Mullins, a large multi-state law firm with an office in Raleigh.  Alejandro and his mother are considering filing a reckless endangerment and malicious prosecution lawsuit against Nelson Mullins and its client.
 
The Concerned Mothers of Durham, an organization formed to protect children, has established a legal defense fund for Alejandro.  The address for donations is Alejandro Ramirez Defense, P.O. Box 51183, Durham, NC 27717-1183.

Contacts:

Mrs. Claudia P. Krehbiel                
706 Southshore Parkway                
Durham, NC 27703                    
919-302-3479                        
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Mr. Kevin P. Hopper
The Hopper Law Firm
4700 Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27609
919-829-5600   Fax: 919-510-5152
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