Dugard Kidnap Suspect Apologizes in Letter

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — The man accused of kidnapping and raping Jaycee Dugard and holding her captive for nearly two decades wrote an apology in a jailhouse letter that talks about "ending a sexual problem believed to be impossible."

Only a brief portion of Phillip Garrido's handwritten letter received Thursday by KCRA was released, and those excerpts did not mention Dugard. (See the top 10 famous disappearances.)

"First off," Garrido wrote, "I would like to apologize to every human being for what has taken place."

He continued, "People all over the world are hearing testimony that through the spirit of Christ a mental process took place ending a sexual problem believed to be impossible."

Anzio Williams, news director at the Sacramento-based station was quoted on CNN.com saying the station was not releasing any more of the letter based on consultations with attorneys.

"We will tell the story and reference the letter," he said.

The station said it has received a total of three letters from Garrido. (Read a brief history of Stockholm syndrome.)

In an earlier letter, Garrido alleged that Dugard's civil rights were being violated during questioning with authorities.

Garrido and his wife, Nancy, are being been held at El Dorado County Jail. They were arrested in August on charges of abducting Dugard outside her South Lake Tahoe home in 1991. Prosecutors allege the couple sexually assaulted Dugard and held her in a secret compound at their Antioch home. The couple has pleaded not guilty.

Phillip Garrido's lawyer, Susan Gellman, told KCRA her client is expressing genuine remorse.

"He would like people to consider the fact that he's a changed man," she said. "He presents obvious issues whether or not he is competent to be a defendant and we are looking into that."

Gellman did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.

Dugard's attorney, McGregor Scott, declined to comment.

Dugard was reunited with her family Aug. 27 after her whereabouts was discovered during a meeting with Garrido's parole agent. The agent had summoned Garrido, a registered sex offender, after two University of California Berkeley police employees grew suspicious of him when he showed up at the campus with two girls and asked for a permit to hold a religious event.

The two girls are Dugard's daughters fathered by Garrido, police say.

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