Strong City

Office of the Governor
State Capitol Building
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501

Governor Richardson:

My name is Hanifa Travesser and I am a member of the Strong City community in Union County, New Mexico.

Wayne Bent aka Michael Travesser, one of our brothers, was recently tried, convicted and sentenced for a crime that he did not commit. The trial itself was a farce, with the prosecution using deceptive, manipulative techniques, leading questions, deliberately restricted evidence, and outright lying. The judge also was guilty of restricting much evidence and several key witnesses that would have given the jury a different picture and context altogether. Mr. Bent was never allowed to speak for himself, that is, give a full testimony regarding the charges against him, until after the verdict was reached. Condemn a man before he has been able to tell his side of things? Could this truly be happening in America, the land of “justice”? Watching the shameful proceedings, I felt that the entire trial was a disgrace to that title of “justice”. I don’t know how those responsible for this fallacious circus are able to sleep at night.

Now, Mr. Bent has been sentenced to ten years in prison, literally a death sentence for him, for a religious encounter that included touching the sternums of two young girls. While this action of Mr. Bent’s may be shocking to the general public’s perception of what constitutes a “proper” religious ritual, nevertheless, the crime of criminal sexual contact was NEVER committed. Judge Baca, who presided throughout the trial, said at the sentencing that Mr. Bent “crossed the line” and that an authority figure such as himself should have told the girls “no” when they came to him for healing. The only line Mr. Bent crossed was that of generally accepted religious behavior but he never committed a crime. The entire strength of the prosecution’s argument was that part of Mr. Bent’s hand “might have” touched some fatty tissue of the girls’ breast when he put his hand on their sternum. Ten years in prison for Mr. Bent for following God’s instructions to heal the hearts of these two girls when, on the day before, a teacher and coach (an authority figure) in Alamogordo was sentenced to only ten months of work release (only in prison at night) after pleading guilty to having repeated sexual intercourse with one of his minor students?

December 30, 2008

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (AP) – A former Alamogordo High School girls soccer and basketball coach has been sentenced to 10 months on work release after admitting to having sex with a 16-year-old girl who was one of his athletes last March.

State District Judge Waylon Counts sentenced James Javier Cruz on Monday. Cruz also has to register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in August to three counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

He originally faced five counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor and three of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to court records, Cruz would pick up the girl at the school before a class and take her to his mother’s apartment for sex. Afterward, he would return her to school.

Judge Baca also included in his sentencing statements that he was sending a message to religious leaders. What message was that, pray tell? That one must not obey God if it interferes with the comfort zone of those looking on? That if one follows the instructions of God, subsequently shocking public sensibilities, the consequences are an unfair trial and a long prison sentence? The precedent has been established by way of numerous confrontations throughout history between civil authorities and the Word of God to a soul. All the burning of believers at the stake, being thrown to the lions, public humiliation and defamation, etc., all done in the name of the “law”, has only been a lame attempt at ridding the system of those who hear God and do what He says no matter what. Mr. Bent’s innocent blood has been spilled as surely as if he was literally executed for following his religious convictions. The State of New Mexico is guilty of an injustice that reaches to heaven. But God says in the Scriptures, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” Rom. 12:19

Governor, I am writing to you to ask you to intervene on behalf of Mr. Bent. If anyone has the authority to release Mr. Bent, thereby repenting of the state’s crimes against him, you do. God will have His way no matter what you choose to do.

Sincerely,

Hanifa Travesser

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