Lupe Hernandez
A second woman testified this morning that she had an affair with Vincent Brothers.
52-year old Lupe Hernandez says she didn't know Brothers was married, and that he denied being married when she asked him. At times inaudible, Hernandez spoke with a soft voice. "I deeply deeply regret what I did," Hernandez said. "I wish I wasn't here."
Hernandez met Brothers at Fremont school where they both worked, and Hernandez continues to work as a clerk. Hernandez says she was a little intimidated by Brothers when they first met. At the time, she was separated from her husband. Soon she warmed up to Brothers, and their friendship turned sexual. The relationship, she said ended at the end of the school year in 2003, around June. The Harper family was murdered in early July 2003. She initially revealed the sexual relationship to police detectives. But when later re-interviewed by prosecutor Lisa Green in July 2004, Hernandez did not mention that her relationship with Brothers was more than platonic. Hernandez said she was trying to reconcile with her husband at the time, and she was protecting her family.
Hernandez said she didn't know that Vincent Brothers had any children until he had to to bring his son Marques to preschool. She said she asked Brothers before if he had kids, and he denied it. But under questioning by the defense, Hernandez said she did see many photos in Brothers' office, including one of a boy (possibly his son) and an older girl. Brothers has an older daughter, Margaret.
Hernandez said she had sex with Brothers at his home and at his apartment on Real Road. The apartment didn't have a bed.
"Where did you have sex?," Lisa Green asked, saying she wanted to prove Hernandez was telling the truth.
Hernandez's reply was barely audible, as she looked down and her shoulders sank: "On the floor."
Maria Crisafulli
Meantime, another woman took the stand and said she too had a sexual relationship with Vincent Brothers. 39-year old Maria Crisafulli is a school bus driver and also met Brothers at Fremont school where he was the vice principal. Crisafulli’s testimony was often conflicting. Initially she said she and Brothers were having sex in 2003, when Brothers and Joanie Harper were still married. Then she said the sexual relationship stopped in 2002. A police sergeant said he interviewed Crisafulli in 2003.
Sgt. Jon Scott of the Bakersfield Police Department said Crusafulli told him she and Brothers had sex four times in 2003 between May and June. Crisafulli told him that Brothers was quiet, and tight-lipped about his personal life, saying ‘My business is my business.’ She reportedly told Sgt. Scott that she went to end her relationship with Brothers on June 29, 2003 at a boys group home where Brothers also worked. She also reportedly told Sgt. Scott they had sex at the group home on at least one occasion. In court, Crisafulli testified she had sex with Brothers at his home and in a car at the park. She said she eventually gave Brothers an ultimatum because she felt like a piece of meat because he only wanted to have sex with her. He never gave me the time of day, so I moved on, Crisafulli said. And when she asked about his marital status Crisafulli said Brothers became upset. Crisafulli has visited Brothers 78 times at the Lerdo Lockup where he’s being held since he was arrested in April of 2004.
