Deacon, soccer coach, father-bank robbery suspect

[n david]

Bruce Windsor is known as many things: church deacon, soccer coach, father of four. But facing potential financial problems, he's now known as something else: suspected bank robber.

In his initial appearance for a bond hearing, Windsor was in an orange jail jumpsuit, shackled and with his hands cuffed. In a quiet voice, he answered "yes, sir" as the judge explained the charges to him: two counts of kidnapping, one count of robbery and two counts of pointing firearms at a person, charges that could carry more than 30 years in prison if convicted.

The judge allowed his family to stand with him during the court appearance. His sister clutched his arm, crying through most of the brief hearing. His wife stood behind him, appearing to rub his back. His pastor at Brushy Creek Baptist Church, where Windsor is a deacon, stood at his side.

His sister told the judge Windsor coaches one of his children's soccer teams and picks them up every day from school.

"He would never, ever hurt his family," she said in a halting voice.

Sobbing, she said, "I can't imagine the desperation that must have caused this." The incident, she said, "doesn't even register." Windsor then spoke up, saying, "I've never stolen anything in my life."

But the judge reminded the court "this is a very serious incident," setting the bail at just over $1.5 million.

1. Terribly sad that the man would feel so desperate as to take a gun and try to rob a bank

2. Incredibly ridiculous that the Judge would set the bail for this man at $1.5 - higher than I've seen for worse offenses.

I wonder how fair a trial this man will get, seeing that the judge and da are obviously intent on making him pay the maximum. I'm surprised no plea or deal was offered to a man who, by all accounts, has been a good citizen til now.


Source

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by n david

1. Terribly sad that the man would feel so desperate as to take a gun and try to rob a bank

2. Incredibly ridiculous that the Judge would set the bail for this man at $1.5 - higher than I've seen for worse offenses.

I wonder how fair a trial this man will get, seeing that the judge and da are obviously intent on making him pay the maximum. I'm surprised no plea or deal was offered to a man who, by all accounts, has been a good citizen til now.


Source

I agree it's terribly sad. However, armed robbery is a serious offense. He held hostages, for goodness' sake. That's no small matter. How would you have felt if you and/or your kids had been in that bank? It wouldn't matter how nice of a person he had been up until that point!

The amount of bail is based on more than just the nature of the offense, btw.

[n david]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I agree it's terribly sad. However, armed robbery is a serious offense. He held hostages, for goodness' sake. That's no small matter. How would you have felt if you and/or your kids had been in that bank? It wouldn't matter how nice of a person he had been up until that point!

The amount of bail is based on more than just the nature of the offense, btw.

Unfortunately we weren't there to see this first-hand. Obviously the man is a lousy bank-robber. The police caught him inside the building. I'd like to see information from the hostages, how he acted, if he was simply caught inside with the police outside and freaked at first. He did let them go without any injuries.

I know the allegation is heavy, however, I've seen worse offenses with less bail amount.

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by n david

I know the allegation is heavy, however, I've seen worse offenses with less bail amount.

If I was a young drug dealer and I killed one of my rivals, my bail would not be as high and I AM SURE that I would not serve 30 years.

In fact, with "good behavior" I wouldn't even serve 10 years!

"Justice" works against us.

[Margies3]

What difference does the amount of the bail make? If the point in this case was to set the bail high enough that there was no chance of the man making it, thereby keeping him locked up, then they could have set it at as low as $10 if $10 is more than he could have come up with. Or as high as a Billion Dollars if that's what they felt it would take to keep him in prison until the trial.


I have to wonder tho if this bank robbery happened in a small town or rural county? Or did it happen in a big city? I do think that when things happen in small towns and rural counties, we might tend to over-react, just because we have so little experience with it, we tend to feel more fear than in a place where bank robberies are more common.

that does NOT mean I disagree with the judge's bail amount. I think there's probably alot more to this story than we know. Maybe the judge wants to keep the man in jail for his own safety. Maybe he's concerned that if he got out, he would commit suicide.

[jaxfam6]

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

If I was a young drug dealer and I killed one of my rivals, my bail would not be as high and I AM SURE that I would not serve 30 years.

In fact, with "good behavior" I wouldn't even serve 10 years!

"Justice" works against us.

criminals always have more rights than the rest of us
they need sympathy. they can not help what they do because their parents abused them and made them do things as kids that NO ONE else ever had happen to them
for this cause we must be gentle with them, give them a chance to prove they are not as bad as everyone thinks they are because of the horrible things their up bringing caused them to do.