Saudi royal picks his jail: Convict will do a year on MV
By Maggie Mulvihill and O’Ryan Johnson
Thursday, November 17, 2005 - Updated: 11:46 AM EST
A 23-year-old kinsman of the Saudi royal family will spend only a year in jail on scenic Martha’s Vineyard for running down a Cambridge father – allegedly while drunk – under a plea agreement to be presented this morning to a Suffolk Superior Court judge.
Bader Al-Saud, a former philosophy student at Suffolk University, was hurtling down Charles Street at nearly 50 mph in a luxury SUV on Oct. 29, 2002. He plowed into Orlando Ramos of Cambridge, killing the 37-year-old itinerant landscaper. His body landed 150 feet away, authorities said.
“He killed someone and he gets to pick where he wants to go to jail?” said an outraged Paula Caruso, mother of Ramos’ daughter, Jennifer, 16. “Why? Because he has money he gets to choose?”
A lawyer for Jennifer Ramos said her family was infuriated to learn that Al-Saud has been allowed to choose an island getaway – the Dukes County Jail and House of Corrections in Edgartown – as his prison.
“A number of the family members literally almost came out of their seats,” said attorney Richard A. Eustis.“It appears the defendant is being given special consideration that your typical Suffolk defendant isn’t usually given.”
Al-Saud’s blood alcohol level was .12, above the legal limit of .08, the night of the crash, police said.
Suffolk County officials initially planned to prosecute him for felony homicide. But their case weakened as he and his lawyers pushed to obtain Ramos’ mental health records after Ramos’ survivors sued Al-Saud for wrongful death.
David Procopio, spokesman for Suffolk DA Daniel Conley, said issues raised during the civil suit were “unfavorable” to the state’s case, but he would not elaborate.
“The defendant has as a result of a civil suit raised some triability issues with us,” Procopio said.“In our desire to see the defendant serve some time for this crime we agreed to the recommendation.”
Procopio said he could not confirm whether Al-Saud might serve his time at the jail on Martha’s Vineyard. But he said his office is not objecting to Al-Saud’s bid to serve his time outside Boston.
After the accident, Al-Saud was ordered held on $200,000 bail pending trial. He posted bail after the funds were made available to him by the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Washington.
Al-Saud was 19 or 20 at the time of the accident. But police found an international driver’s license in his leased BMW X5 with a bogus birth date that put his age at 24. Neither Al-Saud, who is listed at a Cambridge address, nor his lawyers could be reached for comment.
Eustis said Jennifer Ramos was informed in a meeting with Conley’s office last month that Al-Saud and the DA had reached the plea agreement. “Jennifer was left with the impression there wasn’t anything she could do about it,” Eustis said.“But she believes her father’s life is worth more than a year.”
Under Melanie’s Law, the mandatory minimum sentence for a motor vehicle homicide while driving under the influence would be five years instead of one.
Paula Caruso said her daughter, who still makes photo memorials to her dead father, will be in court today to face Al-Saud.
“Tomorrow is the first time we’re going to lay eyes on him,” she said. “I don’t think there’s going to be closure on this.”
Orlando Ramos, victim of a drunk driver, with daughter Jen. (Courtesy photo)
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