A grand jury has indicted Ariel Castro on hundreds of counts, a month after Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight escaped from Castro's home after disappearing at different times in the 2000s.
Castro was indicted on two counts of aggravated murder for allegedly terminating a pregnancy of one of the women held in his home. Prosecutor Timothy McGinty said in a written statement that he will ask a committee to investigate whether to seek the death penalty for that charge.
Castro was also indicted on 139 counts of rape, 177 counts of kidnapping, as well as counts of gross sexual imposition, felonious assault and possession of criminal tools. The indictments only cover the period between August 2002 and February 2007, the prosecutor's office says.
“Today’s indictments represent a first major step in the criminal justice process,” McGinty said in the statement. “Our investigation continues, and we will present our findings to the grand jury.”
Craig Weintraub, one of Castro's attorneys, wrote in an email he was glad McGinty "has not rushed to a decision" to seek the death penalty.
"It would be unprecedented to pursue the death penalty for the alleged death of a fetus, without the death of the mother," he wrote. "We are hopeful that the prosecutor’s office and the public understand and agree that the death penalty should never be used as leverage to attempt to obtain a plea bargain, especially since Mr. Castro currently faces hundreds of years in prison to life without parole."
McGinty's office says Castro will be arraigned next week.
A pair of attorneys representing the three women responded to the indictments in a written statement sent through a spokesman. Jim Wooley represents Berry and DeJesus, and Kathy Joseph represents Knight.
“We have a great legal system plus confidence and faith in the prosecutor’s office and its decisions," the attorneys said. "Now, we need to stand back and let the judicial process unfold.”
