The Three Peas
The "three peas" are my daughters Rebecca, Katheryn, and Leslie. They were murdered by my ex-husband Simon Gonzales in June 1999, hours before Simon was shot to death in a confrontation with Castle Rock, CO police.
The girls were ages 10, 8, and 7 when they were murdered. We liked to call them "Three Peas in a Pod". The saying really fit them and it's stuck with our family for these past several years. I remember one year, my friend AnnMarie gave my mom a windsock that was a cartoony pea pod with three smiling faces. The next year my mom made little ones for our stocking stuffers. Well, that's a little explanation of why I named the webpage that will be used to honor their lives and memory as "3 Peas".
At the time the girls were murdered, I had a restraining order against my ex-husband.
After the girls were murdered, I began a long legal process against the Castle Rock police. I brought a civil claim against the police officers and the city of Castle Rock for their refusal to enforce the restraining order I had taken against my ex-husband.
The case was heard in federal court in Denver, and was initially dismissed. This decision was later overturned in the U.S. Circuit Court of appeals in a 6-5 decision.
The Circuit Court decision was appealed by the town of Castle Rock, and the case was eventually heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in March, 2005. The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of the town of Castle Rock.
After defeat in the U.S. Supreme Court, the ACLU filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on my behalf. This is the first domestic violence complaint brought to this international body. The outcome of this effort is still pending.
In spite of a defeat in the U.S. Supreme Court, I continue to pursue this matter to honor the memory of my beloved daughters, and in the hope that my efforts will help others who are survivors of domestic violence. Take care and God Bless.
- Jessica Lenahan
March, 2006
Learn More
The following are links to related articles.
- scotusblog.com: Monday's Argument in Castle Rock
- Rocky Mtn News 03/07/05, Police response faces challenge
- Supreme Court Docket 04-278
- No. 03-278 In the Supreme Court of the United States / Town of Castle Rock, CO vs Jessica Gonzales
- NAWL (National Assoc of Women Lawyers - Files brief in US Supreme Court supporting Jessica Gonzales
- ACLU - Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales, 04-278
- No due process right to a competent investigation
- Medill School of Journalism - On the Docket: Castle Rock, CO v. Gonzales, Jessica, et al.
- Divided en banc 10th Circuit opinion (April 29, 2004)
- Earlier 10th Circuit opinion (Oct. 15, 2002)
- Coverage of the police shootout with Simon Gonzales (CNN.com)
- 1989 Supreme Court opinion in DeShaney v. Winnebago County
- MSNBC - High court weighs police, restraining orders
- New York Times - Justices to Mull Rights of Those Seeking Police Protection
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