....relatives denied entry into Philly court

PHILADELPHIA Judge Lisa Richette yesterday placed a gag order on a custody hearing involving Trinidadian brothers,  Michael and Randy Diaz, who remain in protective custody following the June 17 shooting death of their mother Pramatee Rampersad-Celestine, and the surrendering  of their 57-year-old father, Cyprian Diaz, who is facing a five-count indictment at the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Centre.

So strict Judge Richette was, that the children’s uncle, Tharan Rampersad, the only biological relative present, and others,  were refused entry into Court Room H of the Philadelphia Family Court, situated at 1801 and Vine Street. No reasons were given for Judge Richette’s gag order, but Ted Qualli, spokesperson for the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS) told Newsday yesterday:   “The judge placed a gag order on the case and that’s all I know.  We aren’t supposed to talk about it.” The DHS man  said he could not say when the matter was adjourned to, nor whether anyone had won custody of the children, currently in a foster home. The matter was first called at 10.30 am on the Third Floor of the Family Court building in Room 341, where there was a private conference with DHS members.

Among those present outside were Consuelo Paris-Celestine, her Antiguan-born mother Mazie Paris, and brother and sister, Arthur and Estelle Paris.  Paris-Celestine is the mother of Eugene Celestine, husband of  Pramatee, who was also shot and killed on June 17, allegedly by the same killer.  He and Pramatee had been married since December 2002. After the 30-minute conference, the victims relatives were directed to the First Floor in Court Room H, where they were allowed to enter. However, a short while later, a male lawyer from the Public Defenders Department emerged saying Judge Richette does not want anyone else in the courtroom because too much information was “leaking out”. Paris-Celestine protested saying she, her mother and Estelle were all summoned to attend the custody hearing.  But the lawyer informed her that the judge had quashed the summons. He said if anyone of them was needed as witnesses, they will be called.  “This case is too popular.  The children went to get their clothes and the newspapers were there,” the lawyer said. He said the children were “highly traumatised” by everything. Paris-Celestine and the others were never called. At the end of the custody hearing just before noon, not a word was mentioned to anyone. “The authorities knew I was here,” a sad-looking Rampersad said after the custody hearing.

Rampersad, who entered the US on an emergency visa,  said he did not want to comment any further on the custody matter, since it was “too early”.  The Arouca man also did not wish to say what he intends to tell the Judge for his family to gain custody of the two boys, ages 13 and 9.  However, during  the time at the court, Rampersad was in constant conversation with Arthur Paris, a college professor at Syracuse University. Rampersad, however, said he had seen the children briefly at the funeral of their mother in New York on Tuesday.  He said they cried a lot.  They were accompanied by two members of the DHS, who after the shooting deaths, went to the Family Court to get authorisation to have the children. Pramatee and Eugene were shot and killed on the morning of June 17.  Eugene, 29, was found lying face down on the pavement in the first block of North Ruby Street, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, while his wife was found dead in their apartment house on 45th and Arch Street. The shooting deaths have been dubbed ‘a crime of passion’ by Philadelphia police, who stated that Pramatee, Eugene and Cyprian Diaz all lived together in the same house.  After the murders, the children called 911.