“Mom’s plea deal includes ‘resurrection clause'”

The title of this post is the title of this new piece at CNN.com.  Here are the fascinating particulars:

A Maryland woman involved with a group described as a religious cult pleaded guilty in the starvation death of her son, but insisted that the charges be dropped when he is resurrected.  The condition was made a part of Ria Ramkissoon’s plea agreement, officials said.  She entered the plea Monday in Baltimore, Maryland, to a first-degree felony count of child abuse resulting in death, her attorney, Steven Silverman, said Tuesday.

Ramkissoon, a member of a group called One Mind Ministries, believes Javon Thompson, her year-old son, will rise again, and as part of her plea agreement, authorities agreed to the clause. “She certainly recognizes that her omissions caused the death of her son,” Silverman said.  “To this day, she believes it was God’s will and he will be resurrected and this will all take care of itself.  She realizes if she’s wrong, then everyone has to take responsibility … and if she’s wrong, then she’s a failure as a mother and the worst thing imaginable has happened.  I don’t think that, mentally, she’s ready to accept that.”

Under the plea agreement, Ramkissoon, 22, must testify against four other One Mind Ministries members who are also facing charges, including first-degree murder, in Javon’s death.  At her sentencing, set for August, she will receive a 20-year sentence, which will be suspended except for the time she has already served behind bars, Silverman said.  She must also undergo deprogramming and psychiatric counseling.

In court Monday, it was clarified that the “resurrection clause” would apply only in the case of Javon’s actual resurrection — not a perceived reincarnation, Silverman said. “This has never come up in the history of American law, as far as I’ve seen,” Silverman said, adding that the clause was “very important to her.”…

Ramkissoon and the others are accused of denying Javon food after the group’s leader, a 40-year-old woman who goes by the name Queen Antoinette, decreed the boy was a demon since he refused to say “amen” after meals, Silverman said.  “Ria would cling to him every day and try to get him to say ‘amen,’ ” Silverman said. Eventually, Queen Antoinette ordered that Ramkissoon be separated from the child, he said.

Javon is believed to have died in December 2006, court documents allege.  Following his death, the group members put the boy’s body in a back room, and “everyone was directed to come in and pray,” according to the documents.  “The Queen told everyone that ‘God was going to raise Javon from the dead.’  Javon remained in the room for an extended period of time (in excess of one week). The resurrection never took place.” 

Obviously, this is a serious matter and a sad case.  Nevertheless, I can already begin to imagine the late-night talk-show writers working this case into an opening monologue.  In addition, I cannot help but think about other possible unusual plea terms that this case might prompt.