...She has said she didn't seek to file a police report or go to the department's internal affairs division because she feared that would ruin her husband's career or harm his reputation. She said she also feared his influence within the Police Department...
JUDGE ORDERS DALLAS OFFICER TO STAY AWAY FROM WIFE, KIDS
The Dallas Morning News
By Tanya Eiserer teiserer@dallasnews.com
Saturday, April 4, 2009
A judge issued a protective order Friday against a Dallas police spokesman whose estranged wife alleges that he's abused her son and threatened to kill her and himself.
Judge P. Oswin Chrisman ordered that the protective order be in effect against Sgt. Gil Cerda for one year. He also ordered that he stay at least 500 feet away from his wife and her children, not communicate threats to her in any way, and that Cerda attend a batterer's prevention and intervention class.
"I'm going to find that family violence has occurred and that family violence is likely to occur in the future," Chrisman said in granting the order to Maria "Carmen" Cerda.
Gil Cerda, who testified for several hours on Friday in Chrisman's Dallas courtroom, adamantly denied that he had ever been violent, threatened violence or been suicidal.
"Since we've been married, I've never lifted a finger towards her, nor she towards me," he said.
The judge also did not buy the arguments of Gil Cerda's attorneys that the request for the protective order was simply an effort by Carmen Cerda to gain an advantage in any pending divorce proceedings.
During testimony March 23, Gil Cerda's first wife also testified that he physically abused her and was extremely controlling.
On Thursday, Cerda's 12-year-old stepson testified that Cerda kicked him, hit him and slapped him. He said that in mid-August 2008, Gil Cerda attacked him and pinned him to the floor with his foot on his chest after he tried to go upstairs with a glass of water in violation of house rules. He said he grabbed a fork from the kitchen to protect himself.
Gil Cerda testified that he restrained the boy because he considered the fork a weapon. He said the boy fell during the struggle and they "just ended up on the floor." He denied kicking the boy or putting his foot on his chest.
The judge indicated that he didn't believe Gil Cerda's account. "You threw him down," the judge told him.
Carmen Cerda, his wife of seven years, has previously testified that she moved out of the couple's home last summer after the incident. She said that she recently moved to an undisclosed location because she feared for her safety after Gil Cerda kept showing up at her apartment complex and workplace.
She has said she didn't seek to file a police report or go to the department's internal affairs division because she feared that would ruin her husband's career or harm his reputation. She said she also feared his influence within the Police Department.
Gil Cerda, the former longtime head of the Latino Peace Officers Association and a one-time sheriff's hopeful, denied having any special influence.
"I'm just a sergeant," he said.
Because of the protective order, Cerda will no longer be able to carry his firearm except when on duty. [LINK]
[police officer involved domestic violence law enforcement official terroristic threat threatening repeat offender texas dpd]
I find it very interesting that they did not include the second wife's opinion. (Carmen is the third). If the husband is so controlling how did the second wife manage to get away from him? I hear she is living and breathing in the same city. I never heard from her that he was abusive. I've heard abuse never skips wives. I have a funny feeling this a vendetta against him. Who would be feeling bad if it came out that most of this isn't true and she was just trying to ruin his reputation. Does it repair his reputation if we find out that it isn't true. Probably not. I don't know much about carmen but I do about the first wife and she has had it out for him for years. I would like to hear what the second wife has to say. By the way I know all of them.
ReplyDeleteFear and freedom can keep people silent. By the way... "knowing " and or “working together” with someone is very different than living with someone in an intimate way for years. There is a pattern of behavior that cannot be explained away as scorn or vendetta. Criminals have patterns, burglar’s robbers and yes batters.
ReplyDeleteThe criminal will deny, the pattern does not lie.
I AM ANONYMOUS, I WAS THE SECOND WIFE..
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome to email me.
ReplyDeleteHe recently attacked kids on motorcycles threw tree branches at them talking about anger problems scared he might run over us with his navigator
ReplyDeleteI knew of his abuse before this allegation broke out. A neighbor of Cerda would say there was constant fighting at his home.
ReplyDeleteFor more information, call Sgt. Gil Cerda at 214-671-4162.
ReplyDeleteWhat is even more amazing is that Behind the Wall did not conclude these allegations with the conclusion or even the statement that here in a America those accused of wrong doing are innocent until proven guilty. Even more important that this proved to be nothing more than a very nasty divorce and that Sgt. Gil Cerda went through three different intense investigations by three very professional agencies. CPS, Texas Rangers and Dallas Police department IAD. Both CPS and Texas Rangers completely cleared Sgt. Cerda, Dallas IAD rescinded the investigation. What is also very interesting is that he has never owned a Navigator. I also knew about the constant fighting before this allegation except it did not include the Sgt, it was the wife with her own two sons. It came from from her own mouth. I knew the wife before she married him.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great site that brings to light some of the bad behavior of officers, however what happens when an officers reputation is ruined by false allegations brought about by vindictive wives. Why aren't the findings also written about to clear the officers such as in this case. I knew the wife before I met her husband. She happened to tell me in private during one of her drinking outings. She also mentioned he was cleared of everything by three different professional agencies. We are no longer friends and she wonders why. Had any of this had been true he would have been fired. Why is that not mentioned in the headlines of this article? Also for the anonymous person that wrote about him throwing branches at kids, that also never happened. He's never owned a Navigator. And last but not least, I am so sure Mr anonymous who stated you knew of the abuse before the allegations, I'm just so sure neighbors just talk to strangers who stop to ask. Please!!!Get real. Had that been happening I would hope they would have called the police.
ReplyDeleteIf this is not Gil writing as anonymous how could you say that Gil never threw branches unless you are his siamese twin?
DeleteAnd you said, "Had any of this had been true he would have been fired." Anyone and everyone knows that isn't necessarily so with officers. Too many have gotten away with murder and less.
I have just read this. I'm still upset that this post and the fact that behind the blue wall still lists this on his Google search. Unbelievable. He was cleared of the charges and yet you allow continued harassment through this web site in the comments. If you cannot set the record straight then this is not a very credible site. IS IT?
ReplyDelete