Ariel Castro has pleaded not guilty to the charge of kidnapping three Ohio women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight. Castro is accused of holding the three women in the basement of his home and brutalizing them for over a decade.
Appearing in court chained and wearing an orange jumpsuit Castro, 52, did not look up at the judge or speak during the hearing. His lawyer entered the not guilty plea for him. Castro's defense team waived the reading of the arraignment, they waived the reading of the indictment and waived the 24-hour waiting period and entered the plea of not guilty.
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Had the judge read out the indictment it would have listed all of the crimes Castro is accused of committing against the women he held hostage. Charges include "aggravated murder of a fetus" which could carry a death sentence.
Michelle Knight was 21-years-old when she was kidnapped by Ariel Castro. Knight says she was impregnated by Castro five times. Each time Knight became pregnant, Castro starved her and repeatedly punched her in the stomach causing Knight to miscarry.
The indictment also includes 139 counts of rape, 177 charges of kidnapping, seven counts of gross sexual imposition, three counts of felony assault and one count of possession of criminal tools, USA Today reports.
Amanda Berry was another one of Castro's victims who also became pregnant by her captor. Berry delivered her now 6-year-old daughter in a backyard children's pool. Michelle Knight, the woman who lost five pregnancies was forced to deliver Berry's daughter.
CNN says a source spoke with them about the child's delivery. The source said the child stopped breathing after she was born and Castro threatened to kill Knight if the baby died. Knight was able to revive the child.
The three women were often tested by Castro who would leave the house and reappear suddenly to make sure the women did not try and escape. If it looked like DeJesus, Knight or Berry moved in that direction Castro would punish them.
To the outside world Ariel Castro was a nice, friendly guy and a good musician. He would hold BBQ's and spend time with his brothers, children and grandchildren. None of whom knew about the dark secret Castro was hiding and the women he was torturing.
On May 6, 2013 Amanda Berry worked up the courage to break free of Castro's house and with the help of neighbors Charles Ramsey and Angel Cordero, was able to call the police and end the women's ten-year captivity.
The audio recording of Amanda Berry's dramatic 911 call has gone viral. The 27-year-old told the 911 operator who she was and that she needed the police immediately, before Castro got back.
"Help me I'm Amanda Berry," the girl said when she called 911. "I've been kidnapped and I've been missing for 10-years and I'm, I'm here, I'm free now."
Berry had a difficult time getting the dispatcher to understand what was happening. There has been debate about whether or not the 911 operator should have been reprimanded for her treatment of Berry and for not staying on the phone with the frightened woman until the police arrived.
Ariel Castro is currently being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $8 million bail. Yahoo News says Castro was recently taken off suicide watch and spends most of his jail time watching TV and drawing.
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