This is something I read in one of the better TS yahoo groups:
"Tinsel Town T-Girl Tragedy
This is the true story of the rise and fall, of Sylvia Boots an internationally known transsexual porn star.
Her story is one of life in the fast lane. It takes place in Hollywood Ca. and is wilder than anything that Hollywood€™s best writers, high on cocaine could ever dream up.
Sylvia€™s real name is Amara Vadillo. She began her career, as have many transsexuals as a Gay-Boy. It was her life long childhood friend Rogelio Coto; also from Cuba; who helped Sylvia transition from a Gay-Boy into one of the most beautiful Queens in Hollywood. He helped Sylvia inject herself with hormones and slowly the metamorphosis worked its magic. Three breast enhancements later and Sylvia is a massive 34 DDD. Her adult video salary assumed equally impressive proportions.
Sylvia made it to the top of the adult video world and not on good looks alone. Sylvia is a people person and her personality charmed all she came in contact with. This heterosexual writer has known many beautiful real women in his lifetime, but few have had the inner charm, grace and personality that is Sylvia€™s. Sylvia got along well with all her contemporaries in the adult video industry Alissa, Brenda Perez, Sofia Santos and Vo D€™ Balm just to name a few.
There was however one Queen that she could not win over, Tanya Amadore. There had long been an extreme animosity between them. The source of Tanya€™s hatred for Sylvia apparently jealousy and envy.
The first of four confrontations takes place between them in the Arena Club. Inside the club the two Queens were staring daggers at each other. Outside the club Sylvia was attacked by three of Tanya€™s friends. Tanya did not physically participate in the attack but looked on with glee and made sure that Sylvia knew she was responsible for it. Sylvia filed a criminal complaint with the L.A.P.D. at that time.
On August l8, 2002 Sylvia again came into conflict with Tanya. She unknowingly dated Tanya€™s boyfriend Mr. Jorge Espinoza. They met at the Plaza Club. Following the date at Sylvia€™s apartment Jorge brutally beat Sylvia and stole her new Ford Mustang convertible. The following morning Tanya called Sylvia on the phone and taunted her. She asked how did it feel to be beaten up and have your car stolen. Sylvia responded in kind and told Tanya €œYour friend is a faggot; ask him how he liked being fucked in the ass€. Tanya was furious! If beating Sylvia up and stealing her car were a part of Tanya€™s plan, Jorge having sex with Sylvia definitely was not.
Sylvia then realized that there was a connection between Tanya and Jorge. She didn€™t know that they were in fact boyfriend and girlfriend. Again Sylvia filed a complaint with the L.A.P.D. case #021500009.
Three weeks later on September 8, 2002 Jorge returned to Sylvia€™s apartment and attempted to murder her by firing a bullet into her head. Sylvia miraculously survived and will carry this bullet in her head for the rest of her life, as it is inoperative. Again for the third time Sylvia filed a complaint with the L.A.P.D. case #021526214. After this third attack a police officer unofficially advised Sylvia to carry a weapon for self-defense. At this point the true identity of Jorge was not yet known. All the police had to go on was an artist€™s sketch and a suspicion that he was associated with Tanya.
Six and a half months later on March 17, 2003 in an after hours restaurant known as the Yukon a chance encounter took place between Sylvia and Tanya in the women€™s restroom. Both exchanged gender based insults. Sylvia coming off with some that were quite funny, as this writer had never heard them before. A vicious knock down hair pulling, scratching, punching, kicking, no holds barred fight ensued with Sylvia coming out on top.
Upon both parties being expelled from the Restaurant, round two began in the parking lot with Tanya threatening Sylvia, with the spiked ends of her high heel shoes. Tanya had then gained allies. Two other transsexuals Laura Banuelos and Monica joined Tanya. Martica Garcia, Sylvia€™s close transsexual girlfriend came to her aid. More insults were exchanged and the management was doing their best to separate the five combatants.
At one point this tragedy was almost averted as Sylvia and her girlfriend Martica returned to Sylvia€™s new Ford Expedition to leave. At one time someone said you bitches aren€™t going anywhere. One report has it that Sylvia€™s vehicles€™ path was momentarily blocked. Sylvia apparently thinking that the ass kicking wasn€™t enough to convince Tanya to leave her alone, exited the vehicle with a gun in hand to confront all three would be attacker€™s. Sylvia remembering the Arena Club attack wasn€™t about to be gang attacked again. She was apparently planning to bluff them into submission. Given the allegation that Tanya had mounted three previous attacks against Sylvia, each one becoming potentially more deadly in sequence; it is no wonder that she had finally decided to make a stand. In Sylvia€™s mind if she didn€™t face Tanya at that time she knew that a future fifth attack would certainly follow and might prove fatal to her. We must all ask ourselves what we would have done under the same circumstances. It€™s easy to say go to the authorities but that didn€™t work for Sylvia on three previous occasions. Emotions, egos, alcohol and a hand gun are always a dangerous mix. This became a tragedy the moment Tanya decided to attempt to take the gun away from Sylvia. They struggled violently for control of the weapon. For both parties this was a life and death situation. Neither party could afford to relinquish the gun to the other. Ultimately the unthinkable happened. The gun was accidentally fired and Laura Banuelos was fatally shot.
As the shot was fired Tanya€™s hand was seared with gun power burns. She let go of the weapon in pain. Everyone went into shock as no one expected this to happen. This was much like two children scuffling in their parents€™ home and something was accidentally broken. Their feeling was we are in trouble now. At first no one appeared to have been hit. Instead of everyone running away they just began to slowly walk away. Then after a few steps Laura began to stagger. After walking about 50 feet she collapsed. This bullet couldn€™t have done more damage if it had been deliberated aimed and fired. This single 22 caliber magnum bullet entered Laura€™s right lung, made an abrupt left turn, severed an artery to the heart and then lodged in the left lung. It was all over for Laura in less than a minute.
The police arrived and Sylvia was arrested. While awaiting trial in County Jail, Sylvia heard via the inmate grapevine that another inmate was bragging about having shot the celebrity Sylvia Boots. After L.A.P.D. learned of this they did a six-pack photo identification session with Sylvia. On February 4, 2004 Sylvia positively identified Mr. Jorge Espinoza as the man who beat her, stole her car on August 18, 2002 and later shot her on September 8, 2002.
Tanya Amadore and Jorge Espinoza are well known to Detectives Chuck Morales of the Los Angeles County Sheriff€™s Department, Dwaine Anderson and Mike Coffee of L.A.P.D. for these and other crimes they have committed in the community. These crimes are still being investigated.
Sylvia was put on trial in Beverly Hills, a city that borders Hollywood. These two cities are culturally light years apart. If Sylvia truly had a jury of her peers, then a West Hollywood jury would have been preferred.
Judge Richard A. Stone, a pleasant agreeable man on the surface presided over her trial. The prosecutor was Mrs. Bita Ahdoot. Sylvia€™s attorney was Mr. Gary J. Kaufman of Century City.
The prosecutor charged Sylvia with Murder in the first degree, Murder in the second degree, Voluntary Manslaughter, Involuntary Manslaughter and added an Armed Allegation charge, apparently hoping the jury would find her guilty of something.
Her trial lasted only one week. Her defense rested after one day. Her jury decided her fate in about five hours - all this after awaiting trial in County Jail for l4 months. Can there be a just murder trial in one short week?
The prosecutor convinced the jury that Sylvia had intended to shoot Tanya, but accidentally shot Laura. She went on to explain that under an obscure interpretation of the law that they were to consider that Sylvia had intended to shoot Laura, thus making a Second Degree Murder verdict possible.
This is quite a stretch of logic as well as the law. The application of the law in this fashion, in a case of self-defense in which there are so many mitigating circumstances, was never intended.
Sylvia€™s attorney pointed out that this transference of intent was meant to apply to a sniper situation wherein a sniper would be shooting at specific people and accidentally hitting an unintended person. This then is a catch 22 situation for the State. It allows them to hold a person liable for a greater offense than was actually committed. To apply this to Sylvia€™s case is immoral and uncompassionate.
By law an accidental killing is not Murder. It is Involuntary Manslaughter at most.
In order to be guilty of second degree Murder you have to have shown intent and premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt. There is plenty of reasonable doubt in this case. The gun is fired only once. It is fired only when Tanya has her hands on it and is trying to take it away from Sylvia. As Sylvia€™s attorney and others pointed out, this gun was never fired when Sylvia had sole control of the weapon. This proves that Sylvia never had any intent. Without intent this case falls apart and comes down to Involuntary Manslaughter at the worst and self defense at the best.
This court would not see that this was actually a tragic accident and not an intentional act. The Judge in this case wasn€™t swayed by the 58 people who all wrote letters and signed a petition urging him to reduce Sylvia€™s sentence down to an Involuntary Manslaughter. This judge threw the book at her. The correct sentence for Second Degree Murder is l5 years to life according to section l90a of the Penal Code. This judge sentenced her to 20 years to life by applying the wrong Penal Code section. He apparently cited section 190d. It reads as follows. €œEvery person guilty of murder in the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 20 years to life if the killing was perpetrated by means of shooting a firearm from a motor vehicle, intentionally at another person outside of the vehicle with the intent to inflict great bodily injury.€ This gun was never fired from within a vehicle. The struggle for control of this gun took place well outside of any vehicle. He next applied an Armed Allegation section l2022.53d and added an additional 25 years to life. After that he still wasn€™t finished. He ordered a $10,000 restitution fine to be paid to Laura€™s family, if Sylvia is ever released on parole. None of these additional charges could have been added if Sylvia had been found guilty of Manslaughter or less. This is a high price to pay for an accidental shooting in which Sylvia did not have control of the weapon.
The person perceived to be morally responsibility for this tragedy by the Hollywood Community is Tanya, but the law does not try people for moral guilt, only legal and because of the self-defense aspect Tanya escapes all legal consequences for her actions. In all fairness to Tanya, she is reported to be very distraught over Laura€™s death. Everyone involved in this tragedy knows it was a tragic accident and suffers for it.
Sylvia was sentenced on July 27, 2004 to 45 years to life. Given all of the mitigating circumstances in this case, is this justice? Sylvia€™s friends are unable to afford a second attorney to handle her appeal at this time. It is hoped that this story will persuade a prominent appeals attorney to defend Sylvia without charge. This case cries out for a correct and compassionate justice. This was after all a tragic accident in which the verdict and punishment do not fit the case. Has there been a more unjust verdict since the O.J. Simpson trial?
News agencies wishing to run this story may contact Sylvia€™s Defense Group at the following e-mail address, [email protected]. We will put you in touch with Sylvia and arrange for you to meet the principle people in this story. Attorneys wishing to defend Sylvia on appeal may use the same address. "
"Tinsel Town T-Girl Tragedy
This is the true story of the rise and fall, of Sylvia Boots an internationally known transsexual porn star.
Her story is one of life in the fast lane. It takes place in Hollywood Ca. and is wilder than anything that Hollywood€™s best writers, high on cocaine could ever dream up.
Sylvia€™s real name is Amara Vadillo. She began her career, as have many transsexuals as a Gay-Boy. It was her life long childhood friend Rogelio Coto; also from Cuba; who helped Sylvia transition from a Gay-Boy into one of the most beautiful Queens in Hollywood. He helped Sylvia inject herself with hormones and slowly the metamorphosis worked its magic. Three breast enhancements later and Sylvia is a massive 34 DDD. Her adult video salary assumed equally impressive proportions.
Sylvia made it to the top of the adult video world and not on good looks alone. Sylvia is a people person and her personality charmed all she came in contact with. This heterosexual writer has known many beautiful real women in his lifetime, but few have had the inner charm, grace and personality that is Sylvia€™s. Sylvia got along well with all her contemporaries in the adult video industry Alissa, Brenda Perez, Sofia Santos and Vo D€™ Balm just to name a few.
There was however one Queen that she could not win over, Tanya Amadore. There had long been an extreme animosity between them. The source of Tanya€™s hatred for Sylvia apparently jealousy and envy.
The first of four confrontations takes place between them in the Arena Club. Inside the club the two Queens were staring daggers at each other. Outside the club Sylvia was attacked by three of Tanya€™s friends. Tanya did not physically participate in the attack but looked on with glee and made sure that Sylvia knew she was responsible for it. Sylvia filed a criminal complaint with the L.A.P.D. at that time.
On August l8, 2002 Sylvia again came into conflict with Tanya. She unknowingly dated Tanya€™s boyfriend Mr. Jorge Espinoza. They met at the Plaza Club. Following the date at Sylvia€™s apartment Jorge brutally beat Sylvia and stole her new Ford Mustang convertible. The following morning Tanya called Sylvia on the phone and taunted her. She asked how did it feel to be beaten up and have your car stolen. Sylvia responded in kind and told Tanya €œYour friend is a faggot; ask him how he liked being fucked in the ass€. Tanya was furious! If beating Sylvia up and stealing her car were a part of Tanya€™s plan, Jorge having sex with Sylvia definitely was not.
Sylvia then realized that there was a connection between Tanya and Jorge. She didn€™t know that they were in fact boyfriend and girlfriend. Again Sylvia filed a complaint with the L.A.P.D. case #021500009.
Three weeks later on September 8, 2002 Jorge returned to Sylvia€™s apartment and attempted to murder her by firing a bullet into her head. Sylvia miraculously survived and will carry this bullet in her head for the rest of her life, as it is inoperative. Again for the third time Sylvia filed a complaint with the L.A.P.D. case #021526214. After this third attack a police officer unofficially advised Sylvia to carry a weapon for self-defense. At this point the true identity of Jorge was not yet known. All the police had to go on was an artist€™s sketch and a suspicion that he was associated with Tanya.
Six and a half months later on March 17, 2003 in an after hours restaurant known as the Yukon a chance encounter took place between Sylvia and Tanya in the women€™s restroom. Both exchanged gender based insults. Sylvia coming off with some that were quite funny, as this writer had never heard them before. A vicious knock down hair pulling, scratching, punching, kicking, no holds barred fight ensued with Sylvia coming out on top.
Upon both parties being expelled from the Restaurant, round two began in the parking lot with Tanya threatening Sylvia, with the spiked ends of her high heel shoes. Tanya had then gained allies. Two other transsexuals Laura Banuelos and Monica joined Tanya. Martica Garcia, Sylvia€™s close transsexual girlfriend came to her aid. More insults were exchanged and the management was doing their best to separate the five combatants.
At one point this tragedy was almost averted as Sylvia and her girlfriend Martica returned to Sylvia€™s new Ford Expedition to leave. At one time someone said you bitches aren€™t going anywhere. One report has it that Sylvia€™s vehicles€™ path was momentarily blocked. Sylvia apparently thinking that the ass kicking wasn€™t enough to convince Tanya to leave her alone, exited the vehicle with a gun in hand to confront all three would be attacker€™s. Sylvia remembering the Arena Club attack wasn€™t about to be gang attacked again. She was apparently planning to bluff them into submission. Given the allegation that Tanya had mounted three previous attacks against Sylvia, each one becoming potentially more deadly in sequence; it is no wonder that she had finally decided to make a stand. In Sylvia€™s mind if she didn€™t face Tanya at that time she knew that a future fifth attack would certainly follow and might prove fatal to her. We must all ask ourselves what we would have done under the same circumstances. It€™s easy to say go to the authorities but that didn€™t work for Sylvia on three previous occasions. Emotions, egos, alcohol and a hand gun are always a dangerous mix. This became a tragedy the moment Tanya decided to attempt to take the gun away from Sylvia. They struggled violently for control of the weapon. For both parties this was a life and death situation. Neither party could afford to relinquish the gun to the other. Ultimately the unthinkable happened. The gun was accidentally fired and Laura Banuelos was fatally shot.
As the shot was fired Tanya€™s hand was seared with gun power burns. She let go of the weapon in pain. Everyone went into shock as no one expected this to happen. This was much like two children scuffling in their parents€™ home and something was accidentally broken. Their feeling was we are in trouble now. At first no one appeared to have been hit. Instead of everyone running away they just began to slowly walk away. Then after a few steps Laura began to stagger. After walking about 50 feet she collapsed. This bullet couldn€™t have done more damage if it had been deliberated aimed and fired. This single 22 caliber magnum bullet entered Laura€™s right lung, made an abrupt left turn, severed an artery to the heart and then lodged in the left lung. It was all over for Laura in less than a minute.
The police arrived and Sylvia was arrested. While awaiting trial in County Jail, Sylvia heard via the inmate grapevine that another inmate was bragging about having shot the celebrity Sylvia Boots. After L.A.P.D. learned of this they did a six-pack photo identification session with Sylvia. On February 4, 2004 Sylvia positively identified Mr. Jorge Espinoza as the man who beat her, stole her car on August 18, 2002 and later shot her on September 8, 2002.
Tanya Amadore and Jorge Espinoza are well known to Detectives Chuck Morales of the Los Angeles County Sheriff€™s Department, Dwaine Anderson and Mike Coffee of L.A.P.D. for these and other crimes they have committed in the community. These crimes are still being investigated.
Sylvia was put on trial in Beverly Hills, a city that borders Hollywood. These two cities are culturally light years apart. If Sylvia truly had a jury of her peers, then a West Hollywood jury would have been preferred.
Judge Richard A. Stone, a pleasant agreeable man on the surface presided over her trial. The prosecutor was Mrs. Bita Ahdoot. Sylvia€™s attorney was Mr. Gary J. Kaufman of Century City.
The prosecutor charged Sylvia with Murder in the first degree, Murder in the second degree, Voluntary Manslaughter, Involuntary Manslaughter and added an Armed Allegation charge, apparently hoping the jury would find her guilty of something.
Her trial lasted only one week. Her defense rested after one day. Her jury decided her fate in about five hours - all this after awaiting trial in County Jail for l4 months. Can there be a just murder trial in one short week?
The prosecutor convinced the jury that Sylvia had intended to shoot Tanya, but accidentally shot Laura. She went on to explain that under an obscure interpretation of the law that they were to consider that Sylvia had intended to shoot Laura, thus making a Second Degree Murder verdict possible.
This is quite a stretch of logic as well as the law. The application of the law in this fashion, in a case of self-defense in which there are so many mitigating circumstances, was never intended.
Sylvia€™s attorney pointed out that this transference of intent was meant to apply to a sniper situation wherein a sniper would be shooting at specific people and accidentally hitting an unintended person. This then is a catch 22 situation for the State. It allows them to hold a person liable for a greater offense than was actually committed. To apply this to Sylvia€™s case is immoral and uncompassionate.
By law an accidental killing is not Murder. It is Involuntary Manslaughter at most.
In order to be guilty of second degree Murder you have to have shown intent and premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt. There is plenty of reasonable doubt in this case. The gun is fired only once. It is fired only when Tanya has her hands on it and is trying to take it away from Sylvia. As Sylvia€™s attorney and others pointed out, this gun was never fired when Sylvia had sole control of the weapon. This proves that Sylvia never had any intent. Without intent this case falls apart and comes down to Involuntary Manslaughter at the worst and self defense at the best.
This court would not see that this was actually a tragic accident and not an intentional act. The Judge in this case wasn€™t swayed by the 58 people who all wrote letters and signed a petition urging him to reduce Sylvia€™s sentence down to an Involuntary Manslaughter. This judge threw the book at her. The correct sentence for Second Degree Murder is l5 years to life according to section l90a of the Penal Code. This judge sentenced her to 20 years to life by applying the wrong Penal Code section. He apparently cited section 190d. It reads as follows. €œEvery person guilty of murder in the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 20 years to life if the killing was perpetrated by means of shooting a firearm from a motor vehicle, intentionally at another person outside of the vehicle with the intent to inflict great bodily injury.€ This gun was never fired from within a vehicle. The struggle for control of this gun took place well outside of any vehicle. He next applied an Armed Allegation section l2022.53d and added an additional 25 years to life. After that he still wasn€™t finished. He ordered a $10,000 restitution fine to be paid to Laura€™s family, if Sylvia is ever released on parole. None of these additional charges could have been added if Sylvia had been found guilty of Manslaughter or less. This is a high price to pay for an accidental shooting in which Sylvia did not have control of the weapon.
The person perceived to be morally responsibility for this tragedy by the Hollywood Community is Tanya, but the law does not try people for moral guilt, only legal and because of the self-defense aspect Tanya escapes all legal consequences for her actions. In all fairness to Tanya, she is reported to be very distraught over Laura€™s death. Everyone involved in this tragedy knows it was a tragic accident and suffers for it.
Sylvia was sentenced on July 27, 2004 to 45 years to life. Given all of the mitigating circumstances in this case, is this justice? Sylvia€™s friends are unable to afford a second attorney to handle her appeal at this time. It is hoped that this story will persuade a prominent appeals attorney to defend Sylvia without charge. This case cries out for a correct and compassionate justice. This was after all a tragic accident in which the verdict and punishment do not fit the case. Has there been a more unjust verdict since the O.J. Simpson trial?
News agencies wishing to run this story may contact Sylvia€™s Defense Group at the following e-mail address, [email protected]. We will put you in touch with Sylvia and arrange for you to meet the principle people in this story. Attorneys wishing to defend Sylvia on appeal may use the same address. "
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