http://www.boxingconfidential.com/articles.php?id=7006 Pretty interesting read: <TABLE class=main_table cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=630 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Unjustly accused (?) of killing Arturo Gatti, wife Amanda Rodrigues pours heart out! </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>Michael Marley Boxingconfidential EXCLUSIVE 8/14/2009 EXAMINER,COM, BOXINGCONFIDENTIAL.COM EXCLUSIVE Michael, First of all I want thank you for your great article. This is a letter which I would like to give to you. I am sure you will do the right thing. Sincerely, Amanda Rodrigues Gatti I have been waiting for all the questions to be answered and all the accusations made against me to be corrected. I always knew that the truth would come out, as to my innocence. I believe in justice, specially the justice of God. It was very hard to stay away from my baby as well as to see my friends and family suffering from the injustice of humans. I was in shock and I still have problems believing in this entire nightmare.. I still don’t know how I will cope from this loss. Arturo was my life! He was included in all my dreams and goals. I don't know how I can restart my life again. My son and my faith in God are what make me keep going. The worst accusations came from Arturo s family. Family, which I have never had any intimacy with. Not because I didn't want to or because I didn't like them. This intimacy never existed because my own husband was never “that†close with his own family. Arturo left home (Montreal) at the age 19 to train in The US. He returned from the US at the age of 36. While living all these years in the US, Arturo never had any close relationship with his family. When I heard that they want the custody of my child, I was in shock. I didn't believe in the beginning.. The reason I didn't believe is because none of them had ever had any relationship with my son. My son knows only four people from his father’s family; Arturo’s brother Fabricio Gatti, his sister Pina Gatti, his mother and his stepfather. Only Arturo’s mom and stepfather showed care and love for the my baby. They never bothered to come to my house. I had my son far away from my family. Arturo was the only person that helped me in all aspects with my son. I have never received any visit or help from any member of his family. Arturo’s family do not have any condition to take care of my son, neither psychologically or financial. Arturo’s struggle with depression came at a very young age. He grew up in a very violent home. His father was an alcoholic and a very aggressive man that not only used to hit his mother but the kids as well. Arturo’s sisters also married violent men. One of his sisters (Ana Maria Gatti) had her two daughters raped by their own father( her husband David Hilton). His other sister Pina Gatti does not have any relationship with two of her kids, which live with their father in Italy. Arturo’s brother, Fabricio Gatti never had any respect or affection for Arturo or my son. That just makes clear that the only reason they would want the custody of my son would be for financial reasons. I just want make it clear that Arturo and I have documents signed by both of us which gives my family the custody of my son in case of both of us die. Arturo, more than me knew that our son would be better of being raised by my family. He would never want Junior to be raised in the same way and environment that he was. Arturo had a very hard time with drugs and alcohol and I was the only person that ever helped him in this matter. I checked him in a rehab and during this time I didn't hear from his family. I just heard from his sister when she picked him up three days before he was supposed to finish his treatments. His family was never involved in any of his problems or struggles.. Even after our marriage and the birth of our child, I have not met his other sister and his other brother, which just show how close he was with his family. My only problem regardless Arturo and his family, specially his brother Frabricio Gatti was that he wanted to be supported by my husband. For that, it is more than normal, that I, his wife wouldn't accept the situation.. All the accusations and false statements made about me from anybody or by the media, my lawyer will be taking care of. It obviously upsets me that people that don’t’ even know us make up their own stories and judgements about me. But in the end of the day, I know I have a my son, my friends and my family, people that really know me and care for me for the right reason. I totally agree that his family should ask for another autopsy on Arturo’s body. This will only count for my benefit, reassuring my innocence for his family and everyone else that still don’t believe that I am innocent. Last time that I spoke with you, I was told that his family wanted to know how my baby is doing. If they really wanted to know, they would have contacted me or anyone from my family. They have my sister’s, my mother’s number and my email address. We did not receive any phone calls. While Fabricio Gatti stayed in Brazil, in any moment he asked to speak with me, to ask me any questions, to find out any details about what happened or to hear my version of the story. Fabricio called my sister once, and only question he asked my sister was, “where is Arturo’s watch?â€. What I find very strange is that if it was my sister, I would want to know every little details about the incident. In his police report, the only thing he mentioned was about my financial life. Everything that came from his family so far was about financial issues. It is more than normal that my husband had a Will done and that me and my son were the main beneficiaries on that Will. His family was me and Junior. Strange would be if in that Will he would have included another woman or his brothers for instance. I was his wife, not his girlfriend. I never heard of any father that has a family putting brothers and sisters as beneficiaries. What really bothers Arturo’s family is not the fact that he is not here anymore, or the reason why he is not here. Is the simple fact that they are not included in the Will. I know that even after the private autopsy, when is proven for the second time that I did not did any harm to my husband, they will still be against me, claiming and fighting in the expectation of receiving anything regarding Arturo’s estate. I also want to make clear that Arturo’s daughter, Sofia Bella Gatti has her future guaranteed. Arturo would never let anything miss for his daughter. In the Will explains with details what she gets. Sofia Bella Gatti owns two accounts. One for her college fund and another as her trust account. Regarding Arturo not being present in Sofia’s life, that has nothing to do with me. The problems that he had with Sofia’s family started way before I met him. Arturo was supervised and monitored during all the visits that he made to his daughter. As a dad, he felt uncomfortable with that situation. This issue and other problems that he had with his daughter’s mother changed his behavior towards his daughter. Obviously he loved her, but he had to deal with a lot of drama to see Sofia. I have documents for attorneys that can prove what I am stating. Also, Arturo did want to have more contact and a closer relationship with his daughter. Everyone that don’t know the story and even some that do know, just find convenient and easier to blame me for all the problems, but the reality is very different. I never asked Arturo or his family (whom also had no contact with his daughter) members to stop seeing his daughter, because before anything I am still a mother. It has been very hard to wake up every day, knowing that my husband is no longer here with me. It comes down to the point that nobody knows my pain, unless you go thru the same nightmare that I did. Nobody knows what it feels like be accused of the death of a loved one. Worst than that, I didn’t even have the chance to go to my husband’s funeral. For the friends and family that really care, here are the way here are som news of Junior. Even though he is little, I know that he misses his father a lot. Arturo was very present in Junior’s life. He never missed one day of Junior’s life. Even when he was away, Arturo would talk to him on the phone and Junior would just listen and scream on the other side of the phone. Junior’s first word was “papa†and he still keeps saying “papa†every single day. I am sure he will miss his father forever, but around great people that loves him for the right reason he will be fine. He has unconditional affection, love and care around my family and I. It has been an unexplainable pain for both Junior and I. We want to thank every single person that has been praying for us. We know that the true would come out because our GOD is faithful. (Salm 35). Amanda Rodrigues </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Wow. Great grammar; it's like we attended the same creative writing course in college. I guess one of the few strippers who actually was going to school? I love Brazilian chicks whose names end in gold, stein, & call now. Fuck I love Canada.
This story is interesting to me. I wonder who really prompted her to publicize her "side" of the story? If it really comes from her, or is simply on the paid agenda or her lawyers and PR people to try to swing this thing to her "side". I admit I am conflicted. Everything life has taught me says she's no good and she somehow offed Arturo. Any man who has ever had the occasion to be in a relationship with a woman knows this by default. Married men know it even better. But in looking at the facts, I admit it is a bit far-fetched that she did this by herself. Not impossible, but unlikely. The way she "talks" in this letter, I am again divided on whether or not Gatti's family was indeed a bit cavalier toward him or rather this woman played (and is playing) them against her constantly to try and manipulate. My first notion is the latter, she was waging a little power struggle for Arturo, their kid, and his $$$$. Looks like she won. Even though I think the 2nd autopsy is definitely a good idea, I'd be very surprised if it conclusively proves or disproves her story. It may point one way or another, but she will NEVER be tried in her home country with the only evidence being a privately-hired pathologist who says "well I think she killed him". Gatti's blood relatives can kiss all that fight money goodbye.
Probably someone who got sick of hearing all of the internet sleuths call her a whore, bitch, slut, gold digger, and tramp without knowing anything about her.
Ha! Fair enough. I suppose that since high-profile crimes (well, deaths anyway) such as this usually follow a pattern, motivated by revenge, jealousy, money, etc. we often assume it's the case even when apparently bizarre things like this occur. But do you really think she trolls the low-traffic boxing boards and reads the threads about her? After all, I don't recall Newsweek or the New York Times calling her a whore, bitch, gold digger, tramp, or slut. That mostly happened here.
She may be telling the truth but i think she should be given 10 years in jail to be on the safe side.
Nah, she's still pretty hot. Let's at least wait a few years for her to ugly up a bit.............and then throw her in jail.
Gatti's wife to sue for wrongful accusation Associated Press Published: Thursday, August 27, 2009 Brazilian wife of former Canadian world boxing champion Arturo Gatti, Amanda Rodrigues, third right, 23, is escorted by policemen after being arrested in Recife July 12, 2009. REUTERS/JC Imagem/Clemilson Campos (BRAZIL SPORT BOXING CRIME LAW) Clemilson Campos/JC Imagem/Reuters Brazilian wife of former Canadian world boxing champion Arturo Gatti, Amanda Rodrigues, third right, 23, is escorted by policemen after being arrested in Recife July 12, 2009. REUTERS/JC ... SAO PAULO -- The wife of boxer Arturo Gatti intends to sue the state of Pernambuco for arresting her as a prime suspect in her husband's death a month ago. Amanda Rodrigues spent 18 days in jail. Gatti, a two-time world champion from Canada, died July 11 while he and his family vacationed in the Brazilian resort town of Porto de Galinhas. Rodrigues' lawyer, Celio Avelino, said by telephone Thursday his client is taking action against the state for "wrongfully accusing her of murder." Avelino said paperwork will be filed in about 20 days. He declined to provide further details. A day after Gatti was found dead, police said his 23-year-old wife strangled him with her purse strap as he drunkenly slept. But on July 30, police ruled the 37-year-old boxer had committed suicide and Rodrigues was released from jail. One has to think that if she did it, she'd be happy just to get away with it. Only an innocent person would sue.
Prejudice against Italians? haha j/k Who wouldn't be happy smashing that out every night? It would probably take me a whole year to get tired of that. :hump:
If that guys name was Carlos Gonzales from Mexico, and I said they were a happy white Italian couple, I'd be pulled up for reasons not so obvious to the eye :notallthere: .
