Quick Take
Adrian Gonzalez wrapped up questions from his attorney on Friday, and said that while he does not believe he is a danger to the community anymore, it is not up to him to decide. The trial to decide if Gonzalez, convicted of the 2015 rape and murder of Santa Cruz 8-year-old Madyson Middleton, can go free returns to court on Monday.
Adrian Gonzalez told a Santa Cruz jury Friday that he did not believe that he was a danger to the community anymore after extensive behavioral therapy and years of incarceration, as his attorney, Charlie Stevens, finished his direct examination of the 25-year-old after two full days of testimony.
Gonzalez, who was 15 when he raped and murdered 8-year-old Madyson Middleton, is in the midst of a trial that will determine whether he should be released from custody or remain incarcerated for another two years.
Gonzalez said he feels that he has changed over the 10 years since he lured Middleton, his neighbor, into his Tannery Arts Center apartment with the promise of ice cream, where he assaulted her, choked and stabbed her and then put her body in a dumpster. Seeing the video of his interview with police in 2015 confirmed that he is different today, he said. Gonzalez said he believes he has developed skills to better handle stressful situations and his depression symptoms — but added that he is well aware difficult times are still ahead.
“I know that I have a lot of adversity in front of me,” he said. “I believe that whatever comes next, I’m prepared to make decisions that won’t be harmful to myself or anyone else.”
Prosecutors initially wanted to try Gonzalez as an adult, but a new California law at the time — Senate Bill 1391, which passed in 2016 — prohibited prosecuting people under the age of 16 as adults. The bill faced numerous challenges in the following years, stalling Gonzalez’s case. The California Supreme Court ultimately upheld the bill in 2021, officially barring the prosecution of people under 16 as adults, finally moving Gonzalez’s case forward. He was convicted in 2021 as a juvenile, even though he was in his 20s by then, as he committed the crime when he was 15.
Gonzalez was set to be released last October, when he turned 25 and aged out of the juvenile justice system. The Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office challenged his release, prompting the probable-cause hearing that took place last summer. In that hearing, prosecutor and Chief Deputy District Attorney Tara George had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Gonzalez is not fit to be released. Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Denine Guy ruled that she did, pushing the question to the ongoing jury trial.
Gonzalez said that if he is released, finding employment will be difficult, and even if he does, people might find out about the crime that he committed. He said he would try to deescalate the situation either personally or through his employer, but if coworkers continue to be upset about working with him, “I’ll have to consider quitting that job and finding work in a different area.” Gonzalez added that he eventually would like to have romantic relationships, and he would tell the person about the crime he committed.
Gonzalez said that receiving an autism diagnosis helped him understand certain feelings he had had throughout his life and to identify areas he needs to work on, such as social skills, emotions and communication skills.
As Stevens’ direct examination reached its conclusion, he asked Gonzalez if he still believed that he was dangerous, to which Gonzalez said no. When Stevens asked him why the jury should release him, Gonzalez took a lengthy pause before responding.
“That’s really difficult to answer. My whole goal is to show all the work that I’ve been doing over the whole last nine years. I believe that all the experiences I’ve had have really helped give that motivation to change and do what is necessary,” he said, adding that he feels that he now has the skills to understand the root reasons for why he committed “these tragic, horrendous, permanent choices on that day.”
“My goal is to put in that work, and whether or not it’s enough, it’s not for me to decide.”
The case will return to court Monday morning.
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