Second molestation suspect flees in middle of trial
DeKalb County authorities are looking for a child molestation suspect who failed to show up for court in the middle of his trial -- at which he was acquitted of the charge.
Luciano Gonzales is the second molestation suspect to skip out on his trial in DeKalb this month.
WSB-TV reported that Gonzales showed up for the first day and a half of his trial on accusations that he molested the 8-year-old daughter of a friend but failed to show for the remainder of the trial.
"He's gone," assistant DeKalb district attorney Peter Boehn told WSB.
Jail records show that Gonzales, 37, of Atlanta, was arrested in October 2008, and released on bond the following day. He was free to come and go to the courthouse for his trial.
Gonzales' attorney, Jerome Lee, told WSB that his client feared the system wasn't fair.
"I was disappointed my client didn't show up," Lee told the station. "I wish he hadn't done what he did because I think we could have won."
Judge Linda Warren Hunter immediately issued a warrant for Gonzales' arrest. A short time later, the jury found Gonzales not guilty of the original charge, WSB reported.
Last week, another defendant who had been released from jail on bond, Vincent Barber, fled the courthouse during his trial on rape and child molestation charges before the same judge.
Barber, 40, of Stone Mountain was sentenced in absentia to life in prison without parole for raping a 13-year-old babysitter.
A warrant was also issued for Barber's arrest.
