Cleveland 'kidnapper' Ariel Castro on suicide watch in prison as it emerges that prosecutors will seek the death penalty if charges of murder are brought for the unborn babies of his victims

• Ariel Castro pleaded not guilty to four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape
• Bail was set at $2million for each charge
• Stared at the floor throughout hearing
• Prosecutor said he made premeditated decision to abduct the girls
• Brothers appear on unrelated charges
• Police say there is no evidence they were connected to the crimes
• Further charges may be brought against Castro in relation to unborn babies
  

By Rachel Quigley and Paul Thompson

PUBLISHED: 07:45 EST, 9 May 2013 | UPDATED: 01:39 EST, 10 May 2013

Cleveland kidnap suspect Ariel Castro is reportedly on suicide watch in jail after he appeared in court today charged with four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape - and prosecutors will likely seek the death penalty if extra murder charges are filed.

His brothers Pedro, 54, and Anil Castro, 50, also appeared in court in the same blue prison jumpsuits but were later released from prison. The men's whereabouts was not immediately known.

Castro could face aggravated murder charges for allegedly terminating the pregnancies of his victims.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty said today that based on the facts of the case, his office intends to seek charges not only for the sexual assaults endured by the victims, but also 'each act of aggravated murder he committed by terminating pregnancies'.

McGinty said pending further police investigation, the 52-year-old could face charge of murder in the course of kidnapping, which carries a potential death penalty.

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Wearing a navy blue prison jumpsuit and with his head bowed throughout, Castro was arraigned on four counts of kidnapping and three counts of rape this morning. He pleaded not guilty

The three Castro brothers, from left Onil, Pedro and Ariel, appeared in court this morning on separate charges

Ariel Castro looked down at the ground for nearly the entire proceeding, biting his collar and signing documents with his handcuffed hands. He didn't speak

 

Castro could face death penalty

Castro hung his head in shame as he made his first court appearance today, the first time he has been seen in public since he was arrested on Monday.

The 52-year-old stared at the floor throughout the short hearing at Cleveland Municipal court. He didn't once glance up to face the packed courtroom from the moment he entered.

Flanked by five guards and wearing a blue prison jump suit, he shuffled into the courtroom alongside his brothers.

It also emerged today that aggravated murder charges may be brought against Castro in relation to the unborn babies.

Ariel Castro, the Cleveland man police say kidnapped and held captive three women for a decade, could also face aggravated murder charges for allegedly terminating the pregnancies of his captives.

Castro, who is alleged to have kept Michelle Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus captive for over a decade, refused to look up at judge Lauren Moore and face the bank of TV cameras inside courtroom three.

He did not speak or acknowledge the judge when she set bond at $8 million.

Prosecutor Brian Murphy told the court he had kidnapped three women for his 'self gratifying and self serving ways'.

He told the court Castro had made a 'premeditated decision to snatch three young ladies off the street for his self gratifying and self serving ways'.

He said their ordeal lasted for over a decade during which time they were beaten and sexually assaulted by Castro and never allowed to leave the residence where he held them captive.

'Inexplicably as they disappeared they reappeared this week,' Murphy told the hearing.

'Today the situation has turned, your honor. Mr Castro stands before you a captive, in captivity, a prisoner, and the women are free.

'Free to resume their lives with the promise that justice will be served to to protect the victims and the community he manipulated and deceived.'

 

Castro brothers appear in court

The Castro brothers Onil and Pedro are arraigned at Cleveland Municipal Court on unrelated, outstanding warrants

Pedro faced a misdemeanour charge of having an open container from 2011. The public defender pleaded no contest and asked for four days he spent in jail after being arrested after the kidnap girls escaped to be taken into consideration

Castro, a former school bus driver, showed no reaction during the prosecutor's statement, staring intently at the floor

Castro, a former school bus driver, showed no reaction during the prosecutor's statement, staring intently at the floor.

His public defender Kathleen DeMentz leaned towards him and spoke briefly.

Murphy asked the judge to set bond at $5 million and asked that he have no contact with any of the women involved in the case.

Judge Moore set bond at $2 million on each of the charges.

Two guards stood by Castro as he was led out of the small courtroom to the sound of multiple photographer's cameras motor drives whirring.

Earlier the public defender had told the court Castro was 52 years old and had lived in Cleveland for the past 39 years.

She said he had no previous felony or misdemeanor convictions.

Castro had been brought to the courtroom alongside his brothers Pedro and Onil.

They were both facing outstanding misdemeanor charges having been cleared of any involvement in the rape and kidnap of the three women.

Pedro faced a misdemeanor charge of having an open container from 2011.

The public defender pleaded no contest and asked for four days he spent in jail after being arrested after the kidnap girls escaped to be taken into consideration.

Judge Moore fined him $100 and credited him the four days in jail.

His brother Onil's misdemeanor dated from 2001 and was for having an open container and a drug charged.

The judge agreed with the public defender's motion to dismiss the case as it was 12 years old.

Neither brother said anything during the hearing with both having a glazed, stunned looked on their face.

The arraignment of Ariel Castro is the first step in the legal process.

He will next appear at the Cuyahoga County Court where evidence will be presented to a Grand Jury to decide if the case should proceed.

Charging paperwork for Ariel Castro which outlines why his bail should be high and his charges

Castro will next appear at the Cuyahoga County Court where evidence will be presented to a Grand Jury to decide if the case should proceed

Charges related to Michelle Knight

Charges related to Amanda Berry

Locked up: Brothers Ariel, Onil and Pedro Castro (l-r) were all arrested on kidnapping charges after it is believed that they held young women at a Cleveland home for ten years

 

Ariel Castro charged with rape and kidnapping

His bond was set at $2million on each count against him.

It was revealed in a police press conference yesterday that Ariel Castro waived his Miranda rights and provided a detailed statement to police. He claimed there are no more victims.

It also emerged that among the 200 items collected from his home was a letter, in which Castro allegedly confesses to his crimes and writes about his desire to kill himself 'and give all the money I saved to my victims'.

19 Action News reporter Scott Taylor says he received a copy of the letter, which he claims was written in 2004 and found by police inside Castro's house.

Taylor posted excerpts of the letter on his Twitter page late on Wednesday night, including a confession that he was 'a sexual predator' and saying 'I need help.'

In one, Taylor says that Castro didn't know why he kept looking for another victim, because 'I already had 2 in my possession.'

In another, Castro allegedly wrote that he was surprised how young his daughter's best friend Gina DeJesus was - because he 'thought she was much older.'

One other excerpt revealed by Taylor even appears to blame his victims for their predicament, saying: 'They are here against their will because they made a mistake of getting in a car with a total stranger.'

Freed: Amanda Berry (center), Gina DeJesus (left) and Michelle Knight (right) were held captive for ten years after being abducting from the street between 2002 and 2004

The brothers spent their first nights in jail hearing death threats from fellow inmates and cries of 'don't feed the rapist'.

They were kept in separate cells at the Central Prison Unit at the Cleveland Police Headquarters in Ohio. 

They were all accused of holding three women for a decade - Amanda Berry, 27, Gina DeJesus, 23, and 32-year-old Michele Knight - after abducting them between 2002 and 2004.

However the inmates' threats and abuse seemed to have little effect on the three brothers who reportedly slept soundly through the night.

One prison guard told the New York Daily News: 'They seem relaxed. Mostly they’ve just been sleeping with their heads under the pillows like they don’t want to be bothered.'

In the press conference this afternoon, police chief Ed Tomba said the women did not have any opportunity to escape and had only been outside the house twice in the last ten years.

'We were told they left the house and went into the garage in disguise. They never left the property.'

He said the first time they had been outside the house was on Monday when they managed to escape.

'The first time they have been outside the house in ten years was when they escaped from the house' he said.

He said Castro had been cooperating fully with police and had made a detailed statement having read his rights.

His two brothers will also appear in court on Thursday on outstanding misdemeanor warrants.

Tomba did not say what the misdemeanors were but said they could be sentenced to time already served having been in custody for the past 48 hours.

He said they were arrested because they were with Ariel when police swooped to seize him after the women escaped.

Arrested: The three Castro brothers were being taunted by prisoners at the Cleveland prison as sources said the police investigation was focused on Ariel Castro

Tomba told a press conference at the Cleveland Public Hall that they do not believe there are any other victims and were not looking for any other bodies.

He said the three women had made detailed statements to the police and FBI.

Tomba said they were carrying out DNA tests to determine the father of the Amanda's six-year-old daughter Jocelyn.

Asked whose the child was, Tomba said: 'She is Amanda Berry's daughter.'

Tomba said he could not talk about any other babies born at the Seymour Avenue address or if the women were chained up with ropes and chains.

'This is an ongoing investigation,' he said.

Tomba said police recovered over 200 items taken from Castro's home by the FBI evidence response team.

The police chief said Berry was the true hero and the circumstances of the control he had over the women had yet to be determined.

Tomba said the Seymour Avenue address was in 'disarray'.

City prosecutor Victor Perez said like the Castro's he was from Puerto Rico and added: 'I want everyone to know that the acts of the defendant is not a reflection of the Puerto Rican community here and in Puerto Rico.'

Two of the kidnap victims Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry returned home to their families on Wednesday.

Miss Berry was accompanied by her six-year-old daughter Jocelyn who was born in captivity.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Ariel had written a suicide note which was found inside the home where he kept three young women captive for the last ten years.

The note allegedly outlined what he did and why he did it. He talks about having a sex addiction and needing help because of family problems and a poor childhood.

Incredulously, he also puts blame on the victims for getting into the car with him on the day he ruthlessly snatched them off the street, according to WOIO.

Horrible details have begun to emerge about what the girls may have been forced to endure over the last decade at the hands of their captors.

Freedom: Kidnap survivor Gina DeJesus gives the thumbs up today as she arrives home in Cleveland while her alleged captors were behind bars

Emotional return: Two individuals enter the home in Cleveland, Ohio, shielding their identities with hooded sweatshirts. They are believed to kidnap survivor Amanda Berry and her six-year-old daughter Jocelyn, who is being carried

Local police sources revealed that Ariel Castro would use a sick game to 'train' the three girls not to run away by pretending to leave the house, only to beat them if they tried to run free.

This is said to be just one of the manipulative tactics he used to keep the three young women in his house for up to ten years, in addition to frequent beatings and chains hanging from the ceiling.

Reporters from local station WOIO spoke to law enforcement sources who said that he would 'play this little dangerous game that he would tell the women he was about to leave the home, and then he would wait and if one of them tried to open that door, he would go in and attack them'.

'That was one of the ways he was able to keep them there,' reporter Dan Deroos told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

Scene: The women were helped out of this home on Seymour Avenue that belongs to Ariel Castro

Escape route: The front door of a house where the women escaped after a neighbor helped them