|
|
Post by victimsrights on Jul 24, 2009 6:53:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by pumpkinpie on Jul 24, 2009 20:39:37 GMT -5
The owners obviously haven't updated the webpages since this man's clemency. Glad to hear of this clemency though, and thanks for the update! It was interesting to read both sides of the story in your link. It's funny how both him and his brother tried to claim mental retardation after calculating and carrying out what sounded like a cold blooded plot. It sounds like Rudi Apelt may have been mentally retarded and his brother was the masterminder of the whole thing. Although the victim's sister didn't seem to think either of them were retarded. But it must have been proven in Rudi's case or he wouldn't have had his sentenced reduced. Either way, he's serving his time as he should be, executing him would be a senseless act. The victim's sister was right when she said that now he'll be where he's suppose to be and he'll be forgotten. That's my view on most prisoners that are serving a life sentence... Getting them off death row is my main goal. Although if he is actually mentally retarded though and that absolutely has been PROVEN based on his childhood life and entire life before this crime- then prison is not the place for him either, he needs to be put away in an institutution. The mentally retarded shouldn't be executed and certainly aren't fit to be put in with the general prison population. Instutuionalizing them is the only answer. Again, I don't know how mild Rudy Apelt's retardation is or whether or not he's mentally retarded at all. |
|
|
|
Post by victimsrights on Jul 26, 2009 19:14:30 GMT -5
The first time I met Rudi Apelt, he was hitting on me in a bar. He was there with another woman, dancing with her on the dance floor and blowing kisses to me and winking at me behind her back. He was immaculately groomed, dressed in a suit and buying and consuming drinks. He was using money stolen from other women to purchase these drinks.
He spent 3 months traveling around the Phoenix area with his brother posing as anything from a professional sports figure from Germany to a pilot to an International businessman. He convinced Jaguar dealers, Rolex watch sellers and a real estate agent that he was a wealthy man from Germany. Along with his brother. Outside the presence of his brother, he was able to live independently with more than one woman in Phoenix, continuing to convince them he was an international wealthy businessman stranded in the US, he borrowed one of their cars (which got him kicked out of another's home), convinced one woman his brother Michael was killed in a car accident (he was alive and well) and conned money out of her for helping with funeral expenses and went on dates, alone out of the watchful eye of his brother or anyone else. He did all of his being a minimally English speaking person in a foreign country. He stood up at Cindy's funeral and gave a speech. By himself.
He violently raped another woman in Germany leaving her to die outside of town but she survived. He served 5 years for this. Then murdered Cindy Monkman all before he was the age of 27. All of the above information, and more, was well documented in the trial.
You tell me if you think these behaviors are consistent with the mentally retarded.
When you think of the kid with Down Syndrome helping you out with your groceries, do you think he might be able to hit on women in bars, steal money out of their purses, walk in to luxury car dealers and test drive cars, sign a contract on a luxury home, converse with bankers, perform public speaking without being detected as mentally retarded?
His release from Death Row could have garnered him, a violent man, a parole in 5 years after serving 20 years incarcerated. Would anyone want him moving in next door to them? All in the name of abolishing the Death penalty?
Cindy Monkman was my sister. No, I don't think he was ever mentally retarded. Yes I think the ruling by this Judge who was the ONLY finder of fact in this years-long hearing, was politically motivated. She defended her position entirely on testimony of his childhood life by people who had not seen him in some cases for over 40 years. She did not consider the facts of the crime in determining his mental state for the sentence which she was determining--just the "facts" from his childhood life. Yes, a sentence was determined for this murderer while ignoring the facts of the crime itself or the circumstances around it. This Judge is applying right now to head up the Legal Defender's position in our State which is one of the most active anti death penalty positions we have. Tell me if you think her objectivity could have been maintained in this case.
She ruled his sentences (he was convicted of first degree homicide and conspiracy--apparently the mentally retarded can also conspire to commit premeditated homicide--not to mention the extensive coverup involving travel to several States) could not be altered from consecutive to concurrent to assure the public safety that he will not be potentially released in 5 years. This was the only decent and rational decision she made in this hearing lasting many years. This hearing alone cost taxpayers in excess of 10 million dollars.
And finally it's over.
Yet Rudi Apelt maintains his "singles ad" on this website. How many other "Death Row inmates" who are no longer on Death Row are still being falsely advertised and pawned about on here?
Credibility?
|
|
|
|
Post by pumpkinpie on Jul 27, 2009 3:36:05 GMT -5
His release from Death Row could have garnered him, a violent man, a parole in 5 years after serving 20 years incarcerated. Would anyone want him moving in next door to them? All in the name of abolishing the Death penalty? Cindy Monkman was my sister. No, I would absolutely NOT want him living next door to me or to anyone! He should never be released back into society after what he's done. I had a hunch this was your sister.  I am so very sorry. |
|
|
|
Post by victimsrights on Jul 29, 2009 9:52:22 GMT -5
Thank you for your condolences.
I see this admitted murderer is still being listed on your site as being a Death Row inmate and receiving the benefits that come with that. His sentence was reversed months ago and he was officially resentenced to Life WITH parole a week ago. Is this the kind of credibility people can associate with this site? People being listed on Death Row who really are not? Interesting in your ad there he claims he is "innocent" but in the most recent years-long hearing he admitted slitting my sister's throat and beating and stabbing her multiple times but that he was mentally retarded when he was a child so shouldn't be accountable. Funny how the arguments just keep changing....or did he not write this ad at all but your site claims he is "innocent" on his behalf? Maybe you all need your facts updated. Or to attend a trial to learn about them ALL.
German Citizen - Consular Rights Violated !
Rudi Apelt - German Citizen on Death Row
Two German brothers are currently on Arizona's death row...Michael and Rudi Apelt.
"... I urgently need financial aid for my complex death penalty case in order to save my life and not to be barbarously executed, as I am innocent..." As usual, Arizona authorities violated US obligations under international law by refusing to allow a foreign citizen the right to contact their government for assistance upon arrest. (See: Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations) Visit Rudi's CCADP webpage for more information in English and German.
|
|
|
|
Post by pumpkinpie on Jul 29, 2009 18:31:49 GMT -5
Thank you for your condolences. I see this admitted murderer is still being listed on your site as being a Death Row inmate and receiving the benefits that come with that. His sentence was reversed months ago and he was officially resentenced to Life WITH parole a week ago. Is this the kind of credibility people can associate with this site? People being listed on Death Row who really are not? Interesting in your ad there he claims he is "innocent" but in the most recent years-long hearing he admitted slitting my sister's throat and beating and stabbing her multiple times but that he was mentally retarded when he was a child so shouldn't be accountable. Funny how the arguments just keep changing....or did he not write this ad at all but your site claims he is "innocent" on his behalf? Maybe you all need your facts updated. Or to attend a trial to learn about them ALL. German Citizen - Consular Rights Violated ! Rudi Apelt - German Citizen on Death Row Two German brothers are currently on Arizona's death row...Michael and Rudi Apelt. "... I urgently need financial aid for my complex death penalty case in order to save my life and not to be barbarously executed, as I am innocent..." As usual, Arizona authorities violated US obligations under international law by refusing to allow a foreign citizen the right to contact their government for assistance upon arrest. (See: Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations) Visit Rudi's CCADP webpage for more information in English and German. I'm a moderator here on this forum only, not the owner of CCADP. I have about as much access to those webpages as you do! How often they are updated or not updated is completely out of my hands, and doesn't really have much to do with this discussion forum here. I'm sure the inmates can write whatever they want in their ad though, some claiming innocence, some asking for no judgement, and I believe there's even some serial killers who have ads on there. I believe the option to put pen-pal adds up on the site is available to any inmate on death row, not just certain ones. That is a shame, and quite ridiculous that he was re-sentenced to life WITH parole though. It should have been life WITHOUT... Why would the system go from one extreme to another like that?? This guy that took the life of your sister does need to stay behind bars for life! I'm so very sorry that your family could possibly live to see a day that he could get out of prison and I hope to God it never happens! ((victimsrights)) - Sending you hugs and comfort, and hopefully justice always for your sister! |
|
|
|
Post by victimsrights on Aug 2, 2009 18:15:48 GMT -5
Thank you pumpkin pie.
I'm confused though...I found this forum through the ccadp site and at the top of this site says it's part of that organization. But it's not affiliated?
How do you know which inmates listed are actually ON Death Row vs. ones like Rudi Apelt who are being listed as being on Death Row falsely? One of the consolations for my family is that Rudi will no longer maintain the celebrity status like he has on the ccadp site and others where he gets the one thing we'd prefer he no longer have in prison: attention. International attention in fact, solicitations for donations, penpals, etc. Will he maintain that prestige even while in the General population and OFF Death Row just because he once was on it? Like a former President always being considered the President even when out of office?
How do your message board contributors know that a person being represented on Death Row is actually accurate considering this obvious and gross mischaracterization here? I would think you guys would be somewhat discouraged by that.
|
|
|
|
Post by pumpkinpie on Aug 2, 2009 22:02:28 GMT -5
Thank you pumpkin pie. I'm confused though...I found this forum through the ccadp site and at the top of this site says it's part of that organization. But it's not affiliated? How do you know which inmates listed are actually ON Death Row vs. ones like Rudi Apelt who are being listed as being on Death Row falsely? One of the consolations for my family is that Rudi will no longer maintain the celebrity status like he has on the ccadp site and others where he gets the one thing we'd prefer he no longer have in prison: attention. International attention in fact, solicitations for donations, penpals, etc. Will he maintain that prestige even while in the General population and OFF Death Row just because he once was on it? Like a former President always being considered the President even when out of office? How do your message board contributors know that a person being represented on Death Row is actually accurate considering this obvious and gross mischaracterization here? I would think you guys would be somewhat discouraged by that. Yes, it's part of the organization, yes it's affiliated. No it isn't discouraging to me. If a person wants to write to an inmate and they are unsure if the contact info is up to date or not, they could probably call the prison to confirm if the inmate is still there before writing. |
|
|
|
Post by happyhaddock on Aug 2, 2009 23:58:30 GMT -5
Thank you pumpkin pie. I'm confused though...I found this forum through the ccadp site and at the top of this site says it's part of that organization. But it's not affiliated? It is. I've offered to update the web pages but so far no interest. C'est la vie. |
|
|
|
Post by pumpkinpie on Aug 11, 2009 16:22:21 GMT -5
Man Removed from Ariz. Death Row; Brother Stays
May 21st, 2009 by NAZ Today Staff
PHOENIX (AP) — A German national was removed from Arizona’s death row and will be resentenced because a judge ruled the man is mentally retarded.
Rudi Apelt, 49, now faces a life sentence with a possibility of parole after 25 years. He is already serving 25 years to life for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
Apelt was sentenced to death for helping his brother, Michael Apelt, kill Cynthia Monkman, a woman Michael had married and insured for $400,000. Michael Apelt, 46, was also sentenced to death.
The brothers had petitioned the court for relief under a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling forbidding executions of mentally retarded persons.
Superior Court Judge Silvia Arellano determined this week that Rudi Apelt was mentally retarded. She found that Michael Apelt was mentally competent, and his death sentence stands.
“It’s been clear to us from the beginning that he (Rudi Apelt) was a person with mental retardation, and under the law, it was the right decision,” Rudi Apelt’s public defender, Dale Baich, said Thursday.
He said his client understands that he no longer has a death sentence, “but he was still a little confused by what it all meant.”
A status conference is scheduled for June 22, at which time a sentencing date will be set, Baich said.
The Apelts came from Dusseldorf, Germany, to Arizona in the late 1980s and posed as wealthy businessmen to scam vulnerable women. They stabbed the 30-year-old Monkman and dumped her body in the desert east of Apache Junction in Pinal County.
Rudi Apelt had been on death row since 1991.
The victim’s sister, Kathy Monkman, criticized the ruling in his case.
“I don’t think he’s mentally retarded, but I’m not surprised at the decision,” she said. “And at this stage of the game, nobody cares anymore about the victim. There is never any closure, it’s just how open is the wound.”
The judge noted that Michael Apelt spoke English well enough to buy cars, lease property and take out an insurance policy in a foreign country. But Rudi attended special schools as a child, was kicked out of the German army and relied heavily on his brother.
___
Information from: The Arizona Republic,
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
|
|
|
|
Post by pumpkinpie on Aug 11, 2009 16:39:16 GMT -5
So yes, Rudi Apelt WAS mentally retarded. This article even states he attended special schools as a child. At least this execution was stopped before it happened.
I had to ban the victim's sister for posting mean and hateful remarks about CCADP, which were deleted. She was given support in this thread but only came here to start trouble, and became very obsessive about Rudy's ad here. Can't have that kind of drama going on here..
So, yes, I'm glad I learned about this case and that a mentally retarded man is now off death row!
|
|
|
|
Post by kathymonkman on Dec 9, 2010 2:42:09 GMT -5
Yes, it's me. I'm back again. Kathy Monkman, the sister of Rudi Apelt's victim, Cindy Monkman. Yes he was released from Death Row last year due to one Judge ruling based on facts presented from his life prior to the age of 18 that he was /is mentally retarded. Facts surrounding this case , the murder of my sister, the conspiracy for which is remains sentenced to Life With Parole for , were specifically NOT considered and excluded from Judge Arellano's decision. Facts related to the gang rape for which he served 5 years in a German prison were specifically excluded from her decision. Everyone can make up their mind based on the facts of the murder itself whether his behavior constitutes mental retardation but the fact remains he was released from Death Row in 2009.
Yet here we are closing to the end of 2010 and he remains on this Anti Death Penalty site represented as a current Death Row inmate. Is this "mean and hateful" to point this out?
My family and I live a life sentence ourselves of not only navigating the waters of our lives with one member of our very small family gone forever, but we are dragged through the legal system time and time again to testify, give statements, participate in hearings, have to confront murderers, give impact statements, etc. Is this "mean and hateful"? Why, yes it does feel that way when we are in the midst of it.
Is it "mean and hateful" to point out the FACT that once again, an old friend of mine surfaces after many years, an old friend of my sister's actually, who has decided to update himself on our case and writes me an email asking "hey, I thought one of those brothers got off death row due to mental retardation. Why does that website list him as still on Death Row? Has he not been moved yet?".
You call this "obsessing"? I call it my life. We would have to live on a desert island with no communication to ever fully escape it then of course we can't escape our memories of Christmas Eve murder news. "Mean and hateful" indeed.
I keep asking the question here, "Why does the CCADP keep inmates who are clearly NOT on Death Row, listed disingenuously on the site as if they remain on Death Row?". I would think a site dedicated to nitpicking all kinds of aspects of the LAW would be interested in having credibility when it comes to the truth of the matter. At least in what they are postulating out there as truth. I am typing this right now looking at the wallpaper behind my words repeating "CCADP CCADP" so yes I am stating the obvious: this is the message board that is a section of the CCADP website. That is an obvious fact.
Now, please tell me how these remarks are "mean and hateful"? They are facts.
Rudi Apelt has been released from Death Row for over a year now. FACT
Rudi Apelt is still listed on this site as a Death Row inmate, as if this is his current status. FACT
This website has been informed in multiple ways about Rudi Apelt's status change yet has chosen to not respond or update the site. FACT
Mean and hateful? I don't even think my arguments would instigate an objection in a court of law. They are facts, not even opinions, but facts. With questions attached to them.
Are you going to ban me again now for this post?
|
|
|
|
Post by CCADP on Dec 22, 2010 21:45:56 GMT -5
Hi there...I just saw this  and the old emails have been invalid for awhile... Here is the answer I posted on the other thread : Hi everyone Tracy of CCADP here...believe it or not we have JUST regained access to this site...if you sent any previous messages to old emails they weren't recieved...we're about 3 yrs behind in ALL site updates - there are people here who have been executed so yes - APOLOGIES for being so behind..and as for the Apelt issue...first let me extend my most serious condolences for your loss, I know what it is to lose a loved one suddenly and can only imagine in this manner..., there's no reason for him to be on the site anymore so ...no problems with doing this...it may take a little bit as its someone else currently working on the site for us - there is a HUGE rehaul of a decades worth of badly organized information on it, quite a job to go through...we will be taking advantage of peoples offering to help with site updates when we unveil the new site...and again,Kathy - I'll pass this on ASAP and hopefully get it off within a few weeks if not sooner (if I was able to update simply myself like in the old days I would do it right away, but I don't know HTML and we don't have the old editing software anymore...The holidays must be hard for you and again I extend my very best wishes for healing to you...he'll be off as soon as I can get it done... Right after I wrote that, Dave started working on it to see if he could update it from this end...he was able to! It should all be off now, the penpal request, the webpage, and the german translation of the webpage as well. If you see anything we missed, let us know, Kathy...glad I was able to do this, and sorry for the delay...we really are crazy behind on everything here! |
|
|
|
Post by cindyssister on Nov 19, 2014 14:38:43 GMT -5
Hi there...I just saw this and the old emails have been invalid for awhile... Here is the answer I posted on the other thread : Hi everyone Tracy of CCADP here...believe it or not we have JUST regained access to this site...if you sent any previous messages to old emails they weren't recieved...we're about 3 yrs behind in ALL site updates - there are people here who have been executed so yes - APOLOGIES for being so behind..and as for the Apelt issue...first let me extend my most serious condolences for your loss, I know what it is to lose a loved one suddenly and can only imagine in this manner..., there's no reason for him to be on the site anymore so ...no problems with doing this...it may take a little bit as its someone else currently working on the site for us - there is a HUGE rehaul of a decades worth of badly organized information on it, quite a job to go through...we will be taking advantage of peoples offering to help with site updates when we unveil the new site...and again,Kathy - I'll pass this on ASAP and hopefully get it off within a few weeks if not sooner (if I was able to update simply myself like in the old days I would do it right away, but I don't know HTML and we don't have the old editing software anymore...The holidays must be hard for you and again I extend my very best wishes for healing to you...he'll be off as soon as I can get it done... Right after I wrote that, Dave started working on it to see if he could update it from this end...he was able to! It should all be off now, the penpal request, the webpage, and the german translation of the webpage as well. If you see anything we missed, let us know, Kathy...glad I was able to do this, and sorry for the delay...we really are crazy behind on everything here! |
|
|
|
Post by cindyssister on Nov 19, 2014 14:48:33 GMT -5
I haven't been on here for years as I divorce myself as much as possible from the men who murdered my sister but am involved in another "cause" and wanted to see if Rudi's ad was still listed. I am seeing your response for the first time Tracy. I tried clicking on your main site www.ccadp.org but it gives me an error message so not sure if you're still operational there. I want to thank you for correcting the site (if you did) and removing Rudi's profile. Did you know it held a photograph of him holding my sister's puppy? And it was proven in court that he was in fact the perpetrator who slit her throat from ear to ear? That's an awfully rough thing to see (the photo she took of him holding her dog). Our family has been dragged through the ringer over these decades the men who slaughtered Cindy have been fighting on Death Row. The system is abominable for families which is my primary concern as you can imagine. The very worst treatment we EVER received (beyond of course losing our sister/daughter this way) was by death penalty opponents flat out abusing our family. The tides get so far shifted in to thinking these murderers are "victims" and those of us who had absolutely nothing to do with anything other than losing our loved ones are "mean" or somehow the problem. Well you can imagine the insult to injury. I know the system needs reform. We were and are never attached to these men being executed. At the time they were sentenced there WAS no life without parole and they were young. It was the only sentence that assured they would be imprisoned for life and society would be protected from their violence. Doesn't that make sense? If we had the decision to make NOW, knowing what we do and what we've been dragged through we would all definitely have chosen LWOP for these men. It's not their death we want, it's we want them to be removed from society and our lives. As it stands I get mail monthly reminding me of them, dragged back to court, sites like yours aggrandizing them that doesn't happen with murderers who've gotten LIFE. And in some cases blamed for the problem. We are grieving human beings who lost someone due to a senseless crime for money. We don't feel particularly sympathetic toward the men who did this nor would anyone I don't think. They've never admitted guilt, never apologized, never given any reason to think they learned anything or showed remorse. I am writing a book about our case and other issues next year. Aside from my sister being murdered, my brother fell in to serious mental illness following her death and I navigate this life as a middle child of all of that. All the dominoes fell when the Apelts stole her from us. If you'd like to follow me, I write at www.twoinnocents.comI'm not your enemy and I do appreciate you removing him from your site. That's one small spot of relief in this mess for me. So thank you. |
|
I am so very sorry.
and the old emails have been invalid for awhile... Here is the answer I posted on the other thread :