By Cathy Kelly
Posted: 09/20/2011 06:29:17 PM PDT
Click photo to enlarge
Maribel Rivas
SANTA CRUZ - A 41-year-old Watsonville woman charged with a misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor and a felony gang allegation after her cheers at a fight between her daughter and another teen was posted in an online video has pleaded not guilty.
Maribel Ibarra Rivas was arrested Sept. 14, after she was allegedly seen on a YouTube video shouting at least one gang slogan while watching her 16-year-old daughter fight another 16-year-old Pajaro Valley High student, police said. The fight was in the Harkins Slough area off campus Sept. 13, police said.
Rivas declined to waive her right to a speedy trial at her arraignment late last week, prosecutor Alex Byers said. She is scheduled for a trial readiness conference set for Oct. 5, per the county District Attorney's Office.
She remains in County Jail with bail set at $25,000, jail records show.
Rivas has a felony conviction from more than 10 years ago, Byers alleges, and Watsonville police said they know her from prior contact when she was close to her daughter's age.
Public defender Mark Garver, who is representing her, said she has an immigration hold and that the incident began because she heard her daughter was being "jumped," and she was worried about her. Several family members attended her arraignment, including at least two daughters who were distraught that she was in custody and was facing possible deportation, he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment