Have Gun, Will Unravel

The case of the amorous ranch hand and the vigilante husband

A A A Comments By David Holthouse Thursday, Feb 17 2000

...continued from page 5

On January 25, two days before Salcido was to go on trial for two counts of misdemeanor assault, the County Attorney's Office filed a motion to dismiss the charges "in the interests of justice."

The motion, filed by another young prosecutor, Jason Johannes, notes that "both victims were notified and were ok with dismissal without prejudice."

Adan Salcido's mug shot, taken after he was booked for assaulting Tom and Helen Rose.

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This is not good news for Adan Salcido.

The legalese translation of "without prejudice" means the County Attorney's Office can re-file the same charges against Salcido, or file new, more serious charges, based on Helen Rose's new version of events.

Tom Rose told me he and his wife agreed to the dismissal of the misdemeanor charges only because the County Attorney's Office promised Salcido would be charged with a felony.

FitzGerald, the county attorney's spokesman, is more circumspect in his comments: "We dismissed the case because new information has been alleged by the victim which must be investigated prior to a new charging decision."

Through his attorney, Salcido denied trying to force himself on Helen Rose or driving by the Roses' ranch to intimidate them. Mehrens, his public defender, declined to comment on the case except to say, "We're shocked the County Attorney's Office is even considering more serious charges against my client."

The cruel joke on Salcido is that if any of his initial trial dates had gone through, and he was convicted of misdemeanor assault, at worst he was looking at a short stint in jail and deportation to Mexico.

Now he could go to state prison for a minimum of two and a half years.

From Salcido's perspective, then, "The Pistol Whippin' Rancher From Cave Creek" acquires more the flavor of a borderlands corrido, a Mexican folk ballad about a hard-luck case, lovestruck, lonely and far from home, who makes a clumsy play for the wife of a prideful man of influence, and winds up with his freedom hanging by a whim. Title it "Estas bella. ¿Me deseas?"

"You are beautiful. Do you want me?"

And the question becomes: Did a simple "No" suffice?

If Salcido goes to trial, I'll be there to hear the jury's answer. In the interests of justice.

Contact David Holthouse at his online address: david.holthouse@newtimes.com