Duct tape can't keep Carlos Martinez from speaking his mind

Miami-Dade Public Defender Carlos Martinez discovered how precious free speech is in his native Cuba decades ago.

Marc Puccinelli, his life partner, told everyone at a swearing-in ceremony Tuesday that teachers took a dim view of a 7-year-old Carlos making remarks against Cuban president Fidel Castro at an award ceremony. "He was literally silenced for speaking his mind," Puccinelli said. "The school officials duct-taped his mouth and made him sit on the stage for the rest of the thing and then marched him home, hoping to humiliate him."

Marie Osborne, chief assistant of the juvenile division, said Martinez, now 53, wanted to go to church when he found out no one filed to oppose him for a second term last year and asked her to accompany him.

"For you young people, of course the only right answer when your boss wants you to go to church is yes," she said.