Friday, March 12, 2010

Dad on trial for rubbing son in urine during visitation (Redwood City, California)

Gee, I "pretend" to rub my son's hair in urine all the time, don't you? Oh, and don't you regularly spit at your kids? NOT.

Dad JOHN JONGSOO HAN's convoluted attempts to explain away his bizarre behavior just don't make any sense to me at all.

It's too bad this nitwit was awarded visitation. For all the kids who get murdered during visitation, there must be thousands who have had to put up with crazy, humiliating crap by what sounds like a seriously disturbed father. It's just got to stop. We need to stop glorifying the presence of a father--any father--in children's lives.

http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=126775&title=Dad%20on%20trial%20for%20rubbing%20son%20in%20urine

Dad on trial for rubbing son in urine
March 12, 2010, 03:23 AM By Michelle Durand

The District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting a Redwood City father who they say spit on his two young sons, rubbed one’s hair in urine and offered them $1,000 and toys to tell police it was all in fun.

Prosecutors charged John Jongsoo Han, 49, with two counts of child endangerment stemming from the alleged Dec. 6, 2008 event. Jurors have heard both the prosecution and defense version of events. Closing arguments will be held this morning.

According to the prosecution, the 7-year-old son urinated in front of his dad’s office because he couldn’t make it to the bathroom in time. Han allegedly flipped the boy over and rubbed the tips of his hair in the urine.

Han claims he simply pretended to rub the boy’s head in the urine.

At another time, Han is accused of spitting at that boy and his 8-year-old brother through a straw. He reportedly said he spit at them because they were misbehaving and they spit at him all the time.

The boy’s mother said she learned of the incidents when she picked the children up from their weekly visit with Han and the younger boy requested a shower because he smelled.

Two weeks later, Han brought his sons to the Redwood City Police Department to explain what had happened. The older boy later told his mother Han offered them $1,000 and toys if they said he had been kidding. In a second interview, the boy said his father had not been playing and his young brother re-iterated the tips of his hair were wet from the urine but said it was “playful.”

The inconsistent statements are a key element of the trial as are the children’s testimony before jurors. One boy testified he did not love his dad because he hurts him, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Han’s statements during the trial process are also expected to be used, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

During jury selection, Wagstaffe said Han borrowed a pen from one juror and spoke on his cell phone in front of another about how he is wrongfully charged with child abuse. In a courthouse bathroom, two jurors say Han said his kid did urinate, he stuck his head in it and the boys have never peed outside again.

The prosecution will use the alleged statements to rebut Han’s claims that he did not stick his son’s hair in the urine.

Han’s attorney, Ross Green, could not be reached for comment.