Hiram's Slashed Girlfriend: "We Love Each Other"

State Senator Hiram Monserrate's girlfriend spoke to the Daily News about her love for Monserrate: "I love him. We love each other and we want to be together again." See, Karla Giraldo hasn't been able to see Monserrate ever since a judge placed an order of protection preventing him from contacting her—since he slashed her last December with a broken glass—"I never asked for an order of protection. Now that the case is over, what is the reason for keeping us separated? I feel that the justice system has been unjust to me."

Monserrate was acquitted of felony charges related to the assault—which he and Giraldo maintained was an accident—but was found guilty of a misdemeanor (recklessly causing physical injury) which could still bring prison time. Giraldo told the News' Juan Gonzalez, "It was a tiny cut. When I arrived at the hospital, it was bleeding a lot, but it wasn't very big," (though it allegedly took 40 stitches to close). She also explained why they went to a hospital further than nearby Elmhurst Hospital: "I'm the one who told Hiram I didn't want to go to Elmhurst because I've heard terrible things about that place before."

Giraldo, who also said the police and prosecutors "[treated] me more like a criminal than a victim," said, "All this time, I've been very depressed and sad not to be able to have Hiram at my side." Well, Monserrate wants to marry Giraldo, so he's apparently eager to have Giraldo back too. He just has a huge legal bill—estimated to be $150,000—to deal with.