Mary Winkler gets 3 years for killing husband, may end up serving only 60 days

[KristinBelle]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,279390,00.html

Mary Winkler Sentenced to 3 Years for Killing Husband, May End Up Serving Only 60 Days

Friday , June 08, 2007



SELMER, Tenn. —
A woman who killed her preacher husband with a shotgun blast to the back as he lay in bed was sentenced Friday to three years in prison, but she may end up serving only 60 days in a mental hospital.

Mary Winkler must serve 210 days, or about seven months, of her sentence before she can be released on probation, but she gets credit for the five months she has already spent in jail, Judge Weber McCraw said.

That leaves only two months, and McCraw said up to 60 days of the sentence could be served in a facility where she could receive mental health treatment. That means Winkler may not serve any significant time in prison.

Winkler, 33, was convicted of manslaughter in April and could have received up to six years for killing her husband, Matthew, in the parsonage where the family lived in March 2006.

At her trial she testified she was physically and emotionally abused by her husband, but at her sentencing hearing Friday she said, "I think of Matthew every day, and I'll always miss him and love him."

She pleaded to the judge for leniency, and asked to be reunited with her three daughters, who are now in the custody of Matthew Winkler's parents.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

 

[lovemygoofy]

The whole, poor family needs some mental help after all they have been through.

 

[tinatark]

210 days imprisoned for killing your husband?

 

[KristinBelle]

210 days imprisoned for killing your husband?

They said she doesn't even have to serve the time in prison, she can go to a mental health facility too. Ridiculous.

Paris get 45 days and this women get 210 for killing her husband? Doesn't make much sense.

 

[OKWMom]

The whole, poor family needs some mental help after all they have been through.

Amen. I was thinking the same thing.

 

[JadenLayne]

Didn't her husband beat her though? Or am I thinking of something else.

 

[JunieJay]

They said she doesn't even have to serve the time in prison, she can go to a mental health facility too. Ridiculous.

Paris get 45 days and this women get 210 for killing her husband? Doesn't make much sense.

I don't know the whole story but if he was physically or emotionally abusive she might have felt she had no other choice but to kill him.

 

[bubie2.5]

I think her being a woman had a lot to do with the verdict and sentence. Had he killed her, he would have had to serve a longer sentence for sure.

 

[Tiggeroo]

It sounded like some serious mental and perhaps physical abuse was taking place. Also the husband had prevented her from obtaining any money so she could get away.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Didn't her husband beat her though? Or am I thinking of something else.

No, her husband did not beat her.

 

[KristinBelle]

I don't know the whole story but if he was physically or emotionally abusive she might have felt she had no other choice but to kill him.

I think that was her defense. But still even if he mentally abused her, she shot him in the back when he was asleep, she should have to serve serious time for that.

 

[mickeyboat]

She testified he hit her and kicked her, forced her to look at pornography, and forced her into sexual acts she considered unnatural. She produced a wig and platform shoes at trial she said he forced her to wear.

I think the judge felt she was being abused and felt she had no other way out. Although she was not freed because of insanity, I think the judge felt she was having some mental problems.

 

[JunieJay]

I think that was her defense. But still even if he mentally abused her, she shot him in the back when he was asleep, she should have to serve serious time for that.

Ever remember the lady who set her husband's bed on fire while he slept? They made a movie about it, aptly titled "The Burning Bed". She got off. After reading the nightmare she went through, I'm just surprised she didn't do it sooner.

 

[mirror mirror]

I don't know the whole story but if he was physically or emotionally abusive she might have felt she had no other choice but to kill him.

I thought the same thing. We obviously don't know the whole story, probably never will. But if the jury thought enough of her story to charge her with voluntary manslaughter, I tend to think there was something going on in her life that drove her to this. Not saying it was the answer, but there for the grace of God go I.....

 

[lovemygoofy]

She testified he hit her and kicked her, forced her to look at pornography, and forced her into sexual acts she considered unnatural. She produced a wig and platform shoes at trial she said he forced her to wear.

I think the judge felt she was being abused and felt she had no other way out. Although she was not freed because of insanity, I think the judge felt she was having some mental problems.

She also testified about how he would make the babies pass out to keep them quiet so he could sleep. Obviously no one is ever going to know the whole deal between them and honestly she wouldn't have gotten that much if she hadnt shot him in the back and left him there to die. The judge said as much.

 

[OceanAnnie]

She testified he hit her and kicked her, forced her to look at pornography, and forced her into sexual acts she considered unnatural. She produced a wig and platform shoes at trial she said he forced her to wear.

I think the judge felt she was being abused and felt she had no other way out. Although she was not freed because of insanity, I think the judge felt she was having some mental problems.

I saw the picture of her on the stand with the wig and platform shoes. I don't know very much about the case, but I'm sure the abuse did play a major factor in her sentence.

 

[Robinrs]

She was convicted of manslaughter, a much lesser charge than murder.

Somewhere in the evidence they had to prove that she was physically abused, and the jury or judge believed it.

Sooo many people kill their spouses, it's the most common kind of murder. Thin line between love and hate I guess. No one can ever get me that lost of mad.

 

[KristinBelle]

Ever remember the lady who set her husband's bed on fire while he slept? They made a movie about it, aptly titled "The Burning Bed". She got off. After reading the nightmare she went through, I'm just surprised she didn't do it sooner.

I've seen the movie. I would never, ever condone that kind or any kind of abuse but I don't think people should be able to take justice into their own hands by killing their abuser like in this case. Of course I don't mean defending yourself with lethal force in self defense when being physically attacked.

 

[JunieJay]

I've seen the movie. I would never, ever condone that kind or any kind of abuse but I don't think people should be able to take justice into their own hands by killing their abuser like in this case. Of course I don't mean defending yourself with lethal force in self defense when being physically attacked.

Well, as I said, I don't know Mary Winkler's story. I do think The Burning Bed lady had no choice....she tried many times to get away from that nut and he'd track her down and beat the crap out of her everytime. She was so messed up in head after years of that sort of abuse, I can totally see why it happened and she gets a full pardon from me.