Senator Schumer Issues Press Release on 12-1-2010

SCHUMER DEMANDS FEDS HELP CERNA FAMILY ACHIEVE JUSTICE IN SPAIN; PROPOSED SENTENCE FOR LAURAS ALLEGED MURDERER FAR TOO SHORT Schumer, In Personal Letter to American Ambassador to Spain, Asks Embassy to Provide All Possible Assistance To Cerna Family As They Seek More Stringent Sentence for Lauras Murderer According to Cerna Family, Embassy Has Been Reluctant To Help Schumer: Laura Is an American Citizen and She and Her Family Should Have the Full Might of the United States Government on Their Side Today U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer released a public letter to American Ambassador to Spain Alan D. Solomont, pressing him to instruct the American Embassy in Spain to provide all necessary assistance to the Cerna family, as they seek justice for Laura. Laura Cerna, a United States Citizen, was brutally murdered in Spain on August 30, at the young age of 49. Laura had lived in Seville, Spain since 2004, and was a resident of Larchmont, NY. The family is seeking justice in a Spanish court, but has expressed frustration to Schumer that the American Embassy in Spain has not provided the necessary assistance. This is despite the fact that she, and of course her family, are American citizens.

The American Embassy in Spain has an obligation to provide all the help they can to the Cerna family as they seek to find some measure of justice for the horrible crime committed against Laura, said Schumer. Laura and her family are American citizens and they deserve to have the full might of the U.S. Government on their side as they fight to put Lauras killer in prison for as long as possible. Laura was last seen on the evening of August 29th, having dinner with her son and his girlfriend. Between 1:30 and 4:00 a.m. on August 30th, the murderer locked Laura in his apartment, sexually assaulted her and killed her after stabbing her repeatedly. He then proceeded to mutilate and dismember her body. The alleged murderer, Anotonio Gordillo, has been charged with basic homicide which will carry a prison sentence of 10-15 years. The parents have retained private lawyers and investigators in an attempt to have the court take into account the brutal murder (dismemberment and supposed rape) with the goal of increasing the years the criminal would spend in prison. It is unacceptable that a criminal could commit such a heinous and cowardly act and possibly receive a punishment that is extremely lenient and not reflective of the crime that was committed. The Cerna family informed Schumer that the United States Embassy, despite their good intentions, have so far been unable to provide any service outside of grief counseling. The family is left on their own to deal with the Spanish government, navigate the Spanish judicial system, communicate with law enforcement personal and identify foreign counsel. Schumer wrote: It is my sincere hope that you will personally examine this matter and find it within the parameters of the embassy to direct any resources available that can be used to assist the victims family as they seek full justice for a crime that has left them shattered. Additionally, I would ask that you take every measure possible to appropriately monitor the judicial proceedings to ensure that the legal process is being carried out in a fair and proper manner.