Post by dgriffin on Jan 13, 2009 23:35:43 GMT -5
Deal to sell daughter for beer, cash part of Mexican culture
The social mores in parts of rural Mexico, where arranged marriages are common for young girls, ran head-on into California law designed to protect juveniles from sexual predators.
The case involves a father, Marcelino DeJesus Martinez, 36, a young male neighbor, Margarito DeJesus Galindo, 18, and Martinez's 14-year-old daughter who Galindo sought to marry.
"It's kind of a clash of two different cultures, but I have to uphold the local law," Greenfield Police Chief Joe Grebmeier said.
Police said the young man and girl spent a week together in Soledad, the girl having gone along willingly, after a marriage deal was brokered that called for Martinez to receive $16,000, 150 cases of beer, 150 cases of soda and Gatorade, and several cases of wine and meat.
www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_11445114
Back in high school, I never thought to offer beer to my girl friend's father.