Lawyers for accused Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro say their client plans to plead not guilty and urged the public not to jump to conclusions about his character, wkyc.com reports.
Castro, 52, is accused of imprisoning three women in his Cleveland home for more than a decade under utterly deplorable conditions, and his own brother called him a monster.
Here's what his lawyer Craig Weintraub had to say to wkyc.com:
"The initial portrayal by the media has been one of a 'monster' and that's not the impression that I got when I talked to him for three hours. I know that family members who have been interviewed by the media have expressed that as well."
DNA tests show Castro fathered the 6-year-old daughter of one of the women he allegedly imprisoned and raped. His other lawyer, Jaye Schlachet, told wkyc that he loves the little girl "dearly" and is committed to her future.
"And if people find that to be a disconnect from what he's alleged to have done, then the people will just have to deal with it," Schlachet said. "We just know how he feels about his little girl."
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