Winkler Trial

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by tamor

Closing arguments were made yesterday and the jury is in deliberation. I wonder how long this will take.

I think the trial went VERY fast.....

[tamor]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

I think the trial went VERY fast.....

It went faster than I expected. I figured it would last the rest of this week with the deliberations beginning after the weekend.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Sherri

I think if he had been abusive, there should have been some sort of signals from his kids, especially the oldest girl. The teachers at her school think she was a sweet, well adjusted normal child. The family seemed like they had it altogether, obviously they didn't. I know some people who attend this church; it was a total shock!

Children in an abusive family can be very compliant, especially girls.

[Esther]

Originally Posted by ILG

Children in an abusive family can be very compliant, especially girls.

Very true.

[Sherri]

I guess I can't get past the fact that Mary might be making up this entire thing (other than the computer porn) and no one will ever know because her husband isn't here to defend himself. I think she will walk away and possibly not even serve time - just probation. If that happens, I think there will be a rash of spousal murders in the future.

[Tina]

Originally Posted by Sherri

I guess I can't get past the fact that Mary might be making up this entire thing (other than the computer porn) and no one will ever know because her husband isn't here to defend himself. I think she will walk away and possibly not even serve time - just probation. If that happens, I think there will be a rash of spousal murders in the future.

She had a year to come up with an elaborate story.

I have been watching the videos of some of the testimony today on the Channel 3 website-- and from what I've seen of it-- I'm not buying her story. The reason I don't buy her story is that I've been listening pretty closely-- and she's retracting too many statements. Denying telling the police in Alabama stuff, etc...


Whatever the rest of the story, it is no excuse for murder. I probably won't have time to view the rest of it. Although I'd like to...

[tamor]

The jury just delivered a verdit.

Voluntary Manslaughter -
which carries 3-6 years in prison with possible parole after 30% served.

[Tina]

Mary Winkler guilty of voluntary manslaughter

April 19, 2007 05:51 PM CDT






SELMER, TN -- The jury returned with a verdict in the Mary Winkler trial. She has been found guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter.

After a week and a half of testimony, the jury started deliberations Thursday morning at 9am. Eight hours later, they had come to a decision. Rather than finding the preacher's wife guilty of First or Second Degree murder, they found her guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter.

Under U.S. law, Voluntary Manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of 10 years, but in Tennessee, the law is only three to six years. There is also a chance of parole after serving 30% of the sentence.

Whether Mary Winkler will have to spend the term in prison or if her sentence will be reduced still needs to be decided.

The judge has decided that Mary can be released under her present bond if she can come up with the cash until the date of her sentence on May 18, 2006.
http://www.wreg.com/global/story.asp?s=6398839

[tamor]

I believe her testimony, but it still does NOT condone murder.

I go back and forth, I don't know if I believe her or not. Abusive men can sometimes be very smart on how to hide it. And, being a pastor he would have had to hide it pretty good to keep it from the people. If, she was abused the anger level would have grown weekly after that she would have to listen to him tell others how they should live their lives knowing how he was living his own. It is too bad she couldn't have gotten help. But in her situation that would have been tough. There were aspects of her situation that I feel both lawyers completely missed according to what I read. It just didn't seem to have the punch that the media was giving it prior to trial. I mean those shoes and the wig could have been bought since the murder, who knows. I feel so bad for the kids and the parents. Must be heart wrenching.