Posted on 03/29/2006 8:52:49 AM PST by T-Bird45
LOL - very true. It all depends on who you interview.
The original AP story had an accurate quote that Matthew Winkler had charisma. From there it went to a preacher with charisma, to a charismatic preacher, to Pentecostal.
There is so much misinformation out there that some people wouldn't believe the truth if you told it to them.
Farese doesn't (lose most of the time). Farese represented many of those that were involved with the Martin Frankel debacle here in Mississippi along with Joey Langston. I have seen what should have been slam dunks for the prosecution go down the tubes when the Farese family was representing someone.
It appears that the TBI don't think he was abusing the children or wife and they are the investigating agency.
This is a quote from TBI spokesperson Jennifer Johnson when she appeared on Larry King Live:
JOHNSON: I think everything about this case is puzzling. I don't think there's any information that could come out that would really make sense of it all and I think that's really where the public is right now. They want some reasonable explanation for this and I think we all have to brace ourselves for the fact that it may never come. They never get a reasonable explanation or a satisfactory answer.
CALLER: I have a question. Could the motive have been that Mr. Winkler could have been abusing his wife or children in any way?
JOHNSON: A lot of people have asked that question and from the very moment that we came upon the scene we actually looked and there's no history of domestic violence. As I said earlier, we can't share the motive but I think, you know, the history does sort of speak for itself.
Well, he did a good job of his "special request" to the McNairy Co. sheriff, I see:
http://www.independentappeal.com/
Mary Winkler allowed private visitation with husband
[snipped - from Independent Appeal, Selmer]
Mary Winkler was escorted to the funeral home at approximately 5:00 a.m. for a private moment with her husband. According to sources at the scene, Mrs. Winkler was quiet but emotional.
Reports indicate that the early morning visit was arranged to avoid media attention.
I've always wondered why the murderer would "want" to visit the funeral home. Is it to make sure the victim is dead and to gloat at their handiwork?
If she feels so "justified" in what she did, I would think she has some fairly good motive, to her way of thinking - whatever that mindset might be. So, it would seem that she would despise the man she shot in the back and he would be the last living or dead person she would want to lay eyes on. But, that's just me.
However, she broke down crying when the jail visitor Church Lady came to call and poked a picture of Matthew up on the window glass at the little meeting cubicle where she saw her. Way to go, Church Lady. It was the memorial church bulletin they printed in his honor for last Sunday's services.
Mary covered her face, cried for a little bitty second and then said she loved him so much.
I'm just appalled at this permissiveness, allowing her to have this "visit." She's accused of 1st degree, premeditated murder, which she claimed to have planned on doing beforehand.
I know the sheriff's name is said to be Roten, but I swear, since they called their town "more Mayberry than Mayberry is," I think it must really be Andy Taylor and Mary is the new Otis. Aunt Bee will have the doilies washed overnight for the rocking chair in Mary's cell - there'll be fried chicken in the lunch basket tomorrow - and maybe the Darlin's will come around to sing and set a spell, while Deputy Barney Fife accompanies on harmonica.
If Mary needs to get her hair done or something, there are the keys right by the cell door. Be back around 4 for some of Aunt Bee's apple pie and homemade ice cream, ya hear? Opie wants ya to help him with his homework, Miz Mary! Yiiiiiikes.
Farese and Ballin *say* they're working for free. LOL, they didn't even bother to call it "pro bono" as if it's "for the good of the public" or something. Just "FREE."
If you ask Farese, or even if you don't, he'll tell you he's made somebody's Top Ten Lawyers in the US list every year for 10 years. He and Ballin have both represented many of the major defendants in the "area" (TN/MS/AR) in the more highly publicized criminal cases in recent years - but they may not have received much, if any, national publicity - and this case may give them that extra boost.
Unless there is a plea bargain to be offered tomorrow, then it's all moot. No need to look up his credentials - the Winkler case will go in the "closed" file and we may never know what drove the preacher's wife to murder, unless she plans to pen a tell-all from the pen.
"Isn't the murder of a husband unusual as a result of postpartum depression? I can't remember a single well-known case in which a husband was the victim."
I'm not sure if this particular case is PPD or not, but I know of a (not well-known) case where the husband was killed. My aunt killed her husband and 6 year old daughter and herself as a result of PPD. She did not kill the 3 month old child (my cousin).
Sometimes husbands are killed, too, when PPD is the diagnosis.
I'm so sorry for your family! That's terrible. It *does* look like PPD might be among the possibilities that Farese and Company are considering. This is the most anyone has been able to pin him down about, I believe.
~~~
http://www.newschannel5.com/content/news/18272.asp
Postpartum Depression Possible Defense, Winkler’s Attorney Says
Posted: 3/29/2006 11:04:00 PM
Updated: 3/29/2006 11:53:29 PM
It's the question everyone is asking: What led a minister's wife to kill her husband?
Authorities said Mary Winkler not only confessed but also gave a motive for killing her husband Matthew.
That motive has yet to be made public, but her attorney Steve Farese is less hesitant to discuss one possible defense; postpartum depression.
"This is certainly one of the things we are looking into. Of course, she has a 1-year-old child, and we have certain information that lead us to believe that is something that needs to be investigated fully," said Steve Farese, Mary Winkler's attorney.
Winkler is back in the courtroom Thursday morning for a bond hearing. Meanwhile, the three children are with Matthews parents.
NewsChannel 5 Plus will carry the hearing Thursday live, starting at 9 a.m.
I posted on the Big Thread some autopsy highlights that were noted last night on Nancy Grace's show, with the Tenn State Med Examiner:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1602406/posts?page=887#887
Very sorry about your family members.
Interesting that the lawyers aren't even willing yet to go with an abuse theory.
Let's get the record straight. As of now, we have absolutely zero evidence that the preacher did anything wrong.
We have plenty of evidence that this bitch did a lot wrong; namely she shot him in the back.
So far, until we know more, the only person who deserves the condemnation from freepers is the one who pulled the trigger.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,189651,00.html
No Bond Sought for Slain Pastor's Wife
Thursday, March 30, 2006
SELMER, Tenn. — A minister's wife charged with shooting her husband to death waived her right to a preliminary hearing Thursday.
The judge ordered Mary Winkler, who has been charged with first-degree murder, to be held in custody until her next court appearance after her lawyers told the court she was not seeking a bond.
Speaking to the press outside the courthouse, her lawyers said there were a number of reasons why bond was not sought.
"Her condition is pretty fragile," defense attorney Leslie Ballin said. "We think it is in her best interest not have bond at this time."
Another member of the defense team, Steve Farese, said that while his client had been a part of every decision involved in the case, she was "having a difficulty staying on point."
The case now goes to the grand jury, which will meet in June to determine if there is enough evidence to support the murder charges.
truth be told, Mary's lawyer knows there is no freakin way she'd be granted bail, so best not to ask and be shot down.
I am saying this as an attorney...I am always skeptical of attorneys that represent defendant's for free. Don't believe for a minute their attestations that they are offering their help for free because they see a person in need. If Mary had been changed with DUI, Burglary, Drug possession, shoplifting, they wouldn't even think about her case without a huge retainer. They are in this for the media attention. No lawyer who had his/her client's best interests at heart would keep going on Nancy Grace or whatever show and talk on and on about the case. And they are probably hurting their chances for a change of venue for pre-trial publicity when they are the ones that keep creating the publicity. These guys are just media whores wanting the exposure so they can charge other poor saps huge, huge fees. If they were really in this for "poor Mary"...they would refuse comment, refrain from appearing on any show, and they wouldn't talk to the Media about Mary and the case.
And I'm angered that the Judge hasn't slapped a gag order on Farese. It needs to be done.
You know, the hell of it is .. I've seen posters (not at FR) from that area writing that Farese is just the greatest thing since sliced bread and that Ballin is sliced bread itself - the funniest statement one of the posters has made is about how great it is that Farese is on the case, so this won't turn into a media circus.
Ho ho ho. Lay-deez and gen-tull-men! Chirren of all ages! Step right into this jury box, please. What we have here is not a failure to communicate; it's a failure to erase that little poster's unreasonable doubt. Did you say book offer?
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