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Post by tcrashfx on Apr 20, 2007 3:41:16 GMT -5
Mary Winkler Guilty Mary Winkler showed no emotion when it was announced this afternoon she had been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of her preacher husband. She was convicted in the death of Matthew Winkler, a popular Church of Christ preacher in the rural West Tennessee town of Selmer. The prosecution had asked that Mary Winkler be convicted of first-degree murder. But the jury made up of a majority of women settled on the lesser charge after deliberating for eight hours today. Winkler told jurors yesterday that her husband, Matthew, abused her physically and sexually. But she said the shotgun went off accidentally as she pointed it at him last March. Voluntary manslaughter suggests the crime was committed in an irrational state. Prosecution witnesses described Matthew Winkler as a good husband and father. The couple's 9-year-old daughter also testified she never saw her father mistreat her mother.
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Laura Rice
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Post by Laura Rice on Apr 20, 2007 7:54:49 GMT -5
Mark, Weren't you the one early on that said you thought she would get away with it?
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Post by professor on Apr 20, 2007 8:17:44 GMT -5
In a way she did get away with it. She got charged with manslaughter not 1st degree murder. "She will be sentenced to only three to six years in prison. She could be released on parole after serving only 30 percent of that time."
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Post by tcrashfx on Apr 20, 2007 8:19:54 GMT -5
Yep, and it appears she has.
At the maximum sentence (6 years) at 30% is 1.8 years. With more time off for good behavior and working at a prison job, she will get an even greater downward departure on her sentence. If she volunteers to teach other inmates English or Home-Ec even more time will be deducted. Her lawyers will file motions that since she is the sole surviving parent to their children, she will be granted hardship furloughs to take care of them or be granted probation, in lieu of actual prison time, to do the same.
She also gets to include her "Time Served" counted towards her sentence reduction.
If she gets the minimum she will serve 0.9 years with the same reductions getting her out way early.
Yea, she got away with it. She should have gotten drunk and run him over, then she wouldn't have gotten any time, if she had been convicted, by some chance.
If I was her next husband, I would sleep light. And keep the keys and the guns well hidden.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2007 9:07:40 GMT -5
about accidental discharges...
never mind.
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Laura Rice
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Just full of sass and sunshine!
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Post by Laura Rice on Apr 20, 2007 9:49:20 GMT -5
Her lawyers will file motions that since she is the sole surviving parent to their children, she will be granted hardship furloughs to take care of them or be granted probation, in lieu of actual prison time, to do the same. speaking of her children... Her in-laws have custody right now. Do you think when she gets out she could take custody away from them even though they have a wrongful death suit against her?
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Kordax
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Post by Kordax on Apr 20, 2007 10:21:22 GMT -5
I'd like to know how many (if not all) of the jurors are Oprah fans because they collectively sure as hell rendered an Oprah show type of verdict. They make the OJ jury appear like a bunch of Clarence Darrows by comparison.
Can't wait to read the predictable feminysts' reactions -- "You go girl!" "Every womyn has a right to "defend" herself in an abusive relationship." "Burning Bed II! Burning Bed II! We've won another one & next we're coming after you!"
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Post by professor on Apr 20, 2007 12:38:57 GMT -5
I'd like to know how many (if not all) of the jurors are Oprah fans because they collectively sure as hell rendered an Oprah show type of verdict. Ain't that the truth! And actually on a semi-related note; I thought of one show where Oprah had the kid on that pointed a gun at his teacher and it "accidentally went off". When they were going to the break she said "coming up another man wrongfully convicted" or something to that effect. That confirmed what I already knew in my mind, not only was she worthless but also dangerous.
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snarkalicious
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Post by snarkalicious on Apr 20, 2007 12:40:18 GMT -5
OK, I'll preface this by saying I've never actually BEEN an abused wife, so I can't really relate...
But this woman had her own car, her own cell phone, and a father who lived not so far away. WHY didn't she just LEAVE?
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Post by squirrelfever on Apr 20, 2007 12:40:50 GMT -5
This case has disappointed me greatly. A person I work with and greatly respect switched her interpretation of the facts after the abuse allegations came out. In addtion the Tennessean's comment section burned with people talking about the "proof" of spousal abuse. Spousal abuse was not proven, but even the media refused to say "alleged abuse" regarding this story. I don't know what happened that night in the Winkler's bedroom or their lives, but for Matthew Winkler it seems innocent until proven guilty should've be applied in his case. For the sake of Mary Winkler and her children I hope the jury made the right decision.
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