How Richard Childers Earned His Restraining Orders

Alameda CA

Description

How Richard Childers Earned His Restraining Orders The First Restraining Order: February 16, 1993: At the hearing for Childers' first restraining order, Childers’s ex-girlfriend testified that Childers slapped her in the face and in the mouth, and that Childers tripped her. And that Childers broke the glass on her door. Specifically: JUDGE: Did you break the glass on her door? CHILDERS: Yes. I knocked. Her doorbell was disconnected and that’s probably the same spot that everyone else knocked. Despite Childers’ denials, the judge believed her, and Childers was served with his first restraining order. In 1996, Childers’ attempt to vacate and expunge the order failed. The Second Restraining Order: June 2005 (Note: 12 years later): Childers leaves a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things, “I am wondering how much longer we are going to remain at war?” July 1, 2005: Her birthday. Childers leaves flowers and a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things: “I am your ‘ex’...but your ‘ex’ will not just go away” and that “you will always have a relationship with your ‘ex.’ ” “I am a convinced it is in your best interest to give me a fair hearing.” “But by evading the consequences of your actions you have only put off the moment of reckoning. It is still pending.” July 7, 2005: Childers visits his ex-girlfriend’s house. She pretends to be not home. July 8, 2005: Childers leaves a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things, “I need some answers and I am not prepared to wait another twelve years for you to accumulate your courage.” Then, Childers includes with his letter an article about a murder-suicide where an ex-boyfriend, so distraught over his breakup, kills his ex-girlfriend and then himself. On which, Childers commented, “I know the parking lot he killed himself in; I spent a lot of time there, thinking about killing myself, too, over a decade ago. For similar reasons. So I can identify with him...politically incorrect though it may be, I have compassion for this man, who murdered his spouse, and then himself.” July 15, 2005: Childers leaves flowers and a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, inviting her to lunch. July 22, 2005: Childers leaves flowers and a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things: “I find that I still have strong feelings for you” and “I still love you.” August 5, 2005: Childers leaves flowers, a letter, and some pictures of his children at your ex-girlfriend’s house. August 19, 2005: Childers leaves flowers and a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things: “How come I don’t hear from you?” August 20, 2005: Flowers are delivered to his ex-girlfriend’s house. No card. September 6, 2005: Childers’ Craigslist postings begin. Childers posts an article detailing a man who murdered his wife and kids. October 20, 2005: Childers leaves a letter at your ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things: “I am still patiently waiting for you to find the courage to face me.” January 6, 2006: Childers leaves a cookie and note at his ex-girlfriend’s house. January 13, 2006: Childers leaves a crafting catalog, presumably a hobby of hers, at his ex-girlfriend’s house. February 14, 2006: Valentine’s Day. Childers leaves flowers and a letter at his ex-girlfriend’s house, stating, among other things: “At least I can see you are still coming, and going.” Childers’ letter further states that “I go out of my way” to walk by her house “four to six times” daily, and that Childers has rented a storage space (that Childers sometimes sleeps in) that is only ten minutes from her house. The letter also states: “Is it so wrong for me to care about you?” February 16, 2006: Childers leaves a letter at your ex-girlfriend’s house on what you describe as your “anniversary,” i.e., the anniversary of when the first restraining order went into effect. Childers letter states, among other things, “Breaking off communications, changing telephone numbers, and disconnecting doorbells are exactly the sort of counterproductive, self-sabotaging actions, in my opinion, that lead to accidently cracked door glass.” Also, Childers states that he is waiting for her to admit that she is sorry. March 22, 2006: After the judge finds Childers’ conduct to be harassing and threatening, the second restraining order is issued against Childers. This time it is for five years. And Childers is ordered to surrender his firearms to the police.