Ariel Castro: Prosecutor Adds 446 Counts of Rape, 512 Counts of Kidnapping

Ariel Castro was in court today, facing additional charges related to the three women he allegedly held captive in his home for more than ten years.

The indictment has been expanded.

The Associated Press reports that it now includes 512 counts of kidnapping and 446 counts of rape.

Also included in the indictment are two counts of aggravated murder, seven counts of gross sexual imposition, six counts of felonious assault, three counts of child endangerment and one count of possession of a criminal’s tools.

This makes a grand total of 977 charges, which looks like some sort of record for the greatest number of charges ever filed against one person.

In June, Castro, 53, pleaded not guilty to an indictment containing only 329 charges.

It now appears that these charges only covered part of the period in which the women were held captive.

Ariel Castro has been held in jail since he was arrested on May 6, since he could not meet the $8 million bond that the court required, if he were to be bailed.

The three women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, disappeared on different dates between 2002 and 2004.

The murder charges relate to Michelle Knight when she was pregnant with Castro’s child. He did father a girl – now six years old – with Amanda Berry.

The trial is scheduled for August 4, but the defense indicated that it may need more time.

They have also suggested – again according to the Associated Press – that Ariel Castro is prepared to enter a guilty plea, if the death penalty is taken off the table

Photo Credit: usnews,nbcnews.com