Trained dog joins teenage sex assault victim on witness stand

[question everything]

Nova, a golden retriever trained as a facility dog, accompanied the 15-year-old girl as she testified in a Stearns County district courtroom that Jairo Missael Fernandez Sorto sexually assaulted her over what prosecutors contended was a lengthy period of time. The case against the 39-year-old St. Cloud man culminated Thursday when he was sentenced to a 30-year term that will keep him in prison for nearly two-thirds of that time.

Without Nova at her feet for her testimony with only a break for lunch, the victim "would not have had the emotional stamina to focus on the questions as thoughtfully and as clearly as she was able to," said Assistant County Attorney Jamie Reinschmidt, who prosecuted Fernandez Sorto. "Nova just gave her a calming effect, which obviously was the desired effect." Reinschmidt said that if Nova hadn't been allowed to be with the victim and give her the strength to take the witness stand, "we would have had to dismiss the case."

Nova was trained by Helping Paws in Hopkins for 2 ½ years before her placement in October 2019 with handler Keli Trautman, a paralegal and victim witness coordinator with the county attorney's office.

(snip)

Judge Laura Moehrle required that the girl and Nova be on the witness stand before the jury came into the courtroom and to remain there whenever the jury left. Reinschmidt said Nova also was under the judge's order to be at the girl's feet and kept out of the jury's view. Trautman, as Nova's handler, also was seated on the floor next to the girl the entire time.

(snip)

Nova saw the case through to its conclusion and was with the girl during Thursday's sentencing — and afterward. "The victim broke down during sentencing," Reinschmidt said, Moments later, "in a separate room, Nova comforted her after the hearing."

https://www.startribune.com/hailed-as-a-first-in-minnesota-trained-dog-joins-teenage-sex-assault-victim-on-witness-stand/600291370/

[LetMyPeopleVote]

1. This dog is amazing and the way this puppy helped that witness makes me smile

Dogs are amazing and can do so much

[MOMFUDSKI]

2. Put the muzzle thingy

on the perp.

[colorado_ufo]

5. I don't think that's actually a muzzle.

I think it's just a reminder not to bark or perhaps to assist in leading her. And yes, the perk really requires a true muzzle!

[IL Dem]

16. It's a "Gentle Leader".

I used one of these to be able to walk my pit bull without being jerked around by her if she saw a squirrel or have my shoulder strained because she was in a hurry. I really liked it.

&ab_channel=PetSafe%C2%AE

[radical noodle]

20. Yes...

I use one for my dog.

[sheshe2]

3. Nova is a beautiful girl.

These dogs are saviors to the traumatized victims. I think they have hearts of gold.

[AndyS]

4. Humans don't deserve dogs

but we have them anyway. It's one of the dilemmas we atheists struggle with.

[twodogsbarking]

7. Take care of your dogs and you will not regret it. Time for second walk of the day.

[Maru Kitteh]

25. And I was here to say exactly that. nt

[GeoWilliam750]

6. Such a very good dog

[DENVERPOPS]

8. Golden's are the perfect choice..........

They are giant love sponges, yet really protective........

I gotta be honest, if any Perv did that to my girl, (or boy), his biggest worry wouldn't be serving the time...........enough said.......

[Duppers]

10. Indeed! 👍

Feel the same.

[DENVERPOPS]

14. My Vet

told me last year, or the year before, that there is/was, a near tsunami of Cancer in Golden Retriever's going on due to the massive in-breeding of them in the U.S.

[LakeArenal]

22. Geez. Thanks for the buzz kill.

Maybe make your own thread about your concern.

[Duppers]

24. That's so sad.

Should the AKC release an announcement/ make a statement?
Vets warn patients?

I hope that doesn't also happen to the popular Labrador Retrievers who tend to be larger & more active than their sweet Goldie cousins. (Third time Lab mom here.)

[thatcrowwoman]

9. What a wonderful dog. What an excellent program.

What a powerful story.
Many thanks for sharing, question everything.
🕊thatcrowwoman

[liberalla]

11. Beautiful, wondrous Nova Angel... Thank you Nova!

It calms and soothes me just looking at her.

[mcar]

12. This is a very good dog

[pazzyanne]

13. Good dog, Nova!

Good dog!

[Danascot]

15. On a related topic, the WP recently had a piece on the origen of the Golden Retreiver

A Scottish lord wanted cuddly hunting dogs, so he bred golden retrievers
https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/07/22/guisachan-estate-golden-retriever-scotland-birthplace/

Sorry about the pay-wall link. If anyone has a paywall free link it would be appreciated.

[question everything]

18. Here. And thank you

https://wapo.st/3Dr8JVe

[Danascot]

21. https://wapo.st/3Dr8JVe

Paywall free link courtesy of Question Everything, #18.

[shanti]

28. I saw that video last weekend and it made my day!

Something about Goldens...

[lpbk2713]

17. They were father and daughter.

And the rapes had been a continuing occurrence since she was eight years old.

Throw away the key.

[Maru Kitteh]

26. Weld the lock shut. If the rapist believes in hell, cover the window

with depictions of the same. Let that be the only view he has.

[MissMillie]

19. Good girl, Nova! thank you for your service

Nova makes me feel calm just looking at her.

[Blue Owl]

23. Let's give her a treat while we put the bad man in jail...

[mackdaddy]

27. I was a juror on a sexual assault trial. I really needed therapy after it was over.

I remember listening to the 19 year old victim who may have been slightly autistic. There was a mixture of wanting to cry and pride and amazement in her that she could be strong enough to sit in court before the Judge, jury, and the person who had assaulted her and tell the story of her attack.

We found him guilty by the way, but even with DNA and multiple witnesses there were some holdouts because the defendant had not testified. Probably MAGA. Amazing how many people have no idea how courts or a trial work.

I was very emotionally upset after it was over and was able to reach out to a friend who had been a juror on a similar trial years before. I would still have a difficult time ever being on another similar jury even though I know how important it is to have reasonable people serve.

This bothers me now typing this out, four years later. I can only imagine what the victim goes through in the testimony and cross examination process from their side of all this.

[DENVERPOPS]

29. Also

try being an EMT, Paramedic or ER Doc..........they are all on the front line taking care of these sexually attacked, and abused, out in the field.

I have many Paramedic friends, who were/are paramedics in Denver, particularly at Denver General, who have quit and are still having mucho therapy for PTSD for all they have seen and had, had to care for........DG has the nickname of "Knife and Gun Club", but the criminal ones don't bother them as much as some of the truly horrific sexual and child abuse stuff they constantly see......
One friend from DG quit after a couple of decades.....He said: "My snapshot album is full" what an interesting way of describing it....

Like I said somewhere else, the perv psychopath that does anything to my girls or grand girls would need to worry more about me than the judicial system or the prison pop.......(same with a son or grandson, niece, nephew, wife etc)

ANY creep who is a confirmed Pedophile or sexual crime felon should be locked up for life, for there is NO cure for those types of mental disorders......