Saturday, May 9, 2009

No Bond for a Battered Wife

Shortly after the Michael Stalling sentencing in Judge John Adams' courtroom, I watched a bond hearing that has haunted me the past 24 hours. Michelle Wheeler (2009CF808) is charged with 2nd Degree Murder in the death of her husband, Jerry Cisco. Without recounting all the details of the 75 minute hearing, both parties have criminal histories. Cisco had been arrested several times for assaulting Wheeler, and the charges have always been dropped.

After the judge took 15 minutes to review the psychological report, the bond hearing began. Ms. Wheeler had about a dozen family members and friends in the courtroom to support her. In addition to a 17-yr old from a previous marriage, she has two children with the victim (ages 2 and 3). If released, she would live with her parents, who have owned their home in Ocoee since 1969. She has a history of always appearing in court when required to do so.

Joyce Pastorek, co-founder of No Abuse, a certified Batterers' Intervention Program (BIP) provider, and author of the psych report testified on behalf of the defense. She related that Ms. Wheeler is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and meets the criteria for Battered Wife Syndrome. Pastorek testified that on the day of the incident, Cisco had conviced Wheeler that she would die that day. She had been repeatedly beaten and threatened with a knife that he'd used on her in the past. She was, in fact, convinced that she would die that day. Some time after midnight, she begged him to drop the knife, at which time she quickly grabbed it and stabbed him in the chest.

Wheeler's attorney, Chung-Wook Kim did an excellent job of making his case, until it was time for final argument. He carried the ball to the 5-yard line, but didn't cross into the end zone. Bond is designed for two purposes - to assure the defendant's appearance in court and to protect the victim and/or community. Mr. Kim failed to emphasize that Wheeler has strong ties to the community, and that she is not a flight risk (having lived here her entire life). He also failed to argue that she is not a danger to anyone. He asked for bond in the amount of $10k-20k with home confinement or GPS monitoring, and counseling. He indicated a curfew would be a reasonable restriction for his client, who has been in custody since January.

Assistant State Attorney Les Hess provided testimony that Ms. Wheeler committed the offense (she made an admission to law enforcement). He relied on "proof evident, presumption great" standard that she committed the offense.

The judge ordered that the defendant be held on No Bond. He indicated that if evidence were presented that she could get the counseling help she needs, and that if it was superior to the help she's currently receiving in jail with the New Beginnings program, he would reconsider if another motion were brought before him. Was the judge's decision perhaps influenced by the embarrassment of having had a different defendant (Michael Stalling) not show up when he was supposed to? We'll probably never know for certain.

True justice is tempered with mercy and each case should be considered on its own merits. I was disappointed to see that justice didn't happen in this hearing.

26 comments:

  1. HI SORRY BUT JERRY CISCO WAS NOT MARRIED TOO MRS WHEELER SHE IS MARRIED TO TIM WHEELER... THE RIGHT TO LIVE AND JUSTCE FOR JERRY IF NOT HERE ON EARTH, OH BYTW LOOK AT HER RECORDS I SAW SHE IS AND HAS BEEN IN PRISON BEFORE FOR THE SAME THING SHE COULD HAVE LEFT AND BEEN FREE AND HER FAMILY IS THE ONE WHO PUT HIM IN JAIL HE LOST ALL HE HAD WHEN HE GOT WITH HER AND THE REST OF HER FAMILY DONT TO MANY ONE THIS ST. SAW WHAT WENT ON AND HOW SHE TREATED JERRY LIKE A DOG,AS HE TRIED TO GET HER TO STOP DRINKING AND GET HELP BUT I GUESS THE FAMILY WAS AFRAID OF HER

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  2. YES JUSTICE WAS SERVED THAT DAY SHE Kill a man where is his family that he left behind wonder why they wasnt there to go up for Jerry, if they new this was going on why didnt they put him and her away??? and the judge did the right thing by not letting her out, if you kill once MHP YOU WILL AGAIN God bless the judge and hess he has the proved Yell she has been in jail since jan. but so has cisco never coming back Jerry i hope justice is served for you.rip

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  3. "He also failed to argue that she is not a danger to anyone."

    Yeah, tell that to the dead guy. Her story is BS. She needs to do serious time.

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  4. True justice is tempered with mercy and each case should be considered on its own merits. I was disappointed to see that justice didn't happen in this hearing.
    Posted by CourtWatcher at 11:17 OH YES JUSTICE WAS SERVE AND IF THE PROVED IS IN THE PUDDING SO BE IT .... JUSTICE FOR JERRY

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  5. Assistant State Attorney Les Hess provided testimony that Ms. Wheeler committed the offense (she made an admission to law enforcement). He relied on "proof evident, presumption great" standard that she committed the offense.

    I THANK FOR STATE ATTORNEY LES HESS AND THE JUDGE FOR THERE SEEING THAT WE STILL HAVE A FAIR COURT.... AND AS I WATCH THIS UNFOLD I HOPE THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS THANKS TO A FAIR TRIAL SINCE CISCO CANT SPEAK FOR HIMSELF MAYBE JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED...

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  6. OTHER: MICHELLE WHEELER SWORN AND TESTIFIED REQUESTING TO HAE CONTACT W/THE DEFENDANT OH YES HER DAUGHTER THE OLDEST ONE I HEAR ALL THEY SAID WAS WE GOT YOU ON BOND TO JERRY I AM GOING TO CALL THE LAW,I UNDERSTAND WHEN SHE GOT OUT OF JAIL BEFORE SHE WASNT TO BE AROUND HER DAUGHTER AND I PRAY THAT THE YOUNGER KIDS ARE NOT TO BE AROUND WHEELER IF SHE OUT ALL I SEE HERE IS MORE LIES AS SHE GOES ALONE BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT WELL LIKED ON THIS ST. OH YEA SHE LIKE USING HAMMERS ALSO AS SHE IS A GIRL THAT NEEDS HELP,,BUT CISCO NEEDED HELP ALSO TO GET AWAY FROM HER BUT NOT THE WAY HE HAD TO DIE

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  7. THO SHALL NOT KILL.... IF YOU CAN GET OUT AND HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO PLEASE GO NO MATTER WHAT!!!! DRINKING AND DRUGS DONT MIX IF YOU HAVE A WOMAN OR MAN THAT HAS SAID THEY WILL KILL YOU ONE DAY..... NO MATTER IF YOU CANT FIND SOMEONE TO HELP YOU OR GET YOUR DRUGS OR DRINKS FOR YOU DONT STAY WITH THAT PERSON BECAUSE OF YOUR NEEDS THIS IS SO SAD LOOKS LIKE THE 2 CHILDREN ARE THE ONES GOING TO HURT FOR THIS TERRBLE THING THAT HAS HAPPEN TO THEM I WILL PRAY HARD FOR THE KIDS.

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  8. DOES CISCO HAVE A FAMILY IF HE DOES I HOPE THEY WILL BE THERE TO TELL ABOUT WHAT A GOOD GUY HE WAS BEFORE HE MET MRS WHEELER I NEW JERRY FOR ALL THE YRS HE WAS IN ORLANDA HE WOULD GIVE YOU THE SHIRT FROM HIS BACK,WHEN I NEW HIM HE WAS MARRIED TO A WONDERFUL WOMAN NAME CARRIE WHEN HE LOSTED HER OVER MRS WHEELER, WHEN SHE GOT OUT OF JAIL BEFORE SHE WENT TO HIS BOBY SHOP WOW FROM THEN ON IT WAS DOWN HILL THEN I HEARD HE SPENDED ALOT OF TIME IN JAIL THERE ARE NO WINNERS IN THIS DEATH SO SAD THESE CHILDEN WILL GROWN UP WITH A FATHER..... SO LETS WAIT AND LET THE COURT DO THERE JOB THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK ON THIS SAD CASE

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  9. None of the children deserve to be mentioned in this story please leave them alone. All of them have been through enough. We as adults should be mature enough to not mess with anyone's kids.

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  10. That was a bond hearing not an actual trial. Jerry's family does not have to be present at bond hearings unless they are afraid of her. His family lives in Kentucky guess it wold be kind of hard to prove that theory.
    By the way Carrie hated Jerry and he was not allowed at her funeral, she left him sick of the drugs and drinking.

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  11. OMG!!! THIS SO B.S. NO I DONT THINK THEY ARE AFRAID OF HER THEY ALL HAVE MORE CLASS THAN MS WHEELER OR HER FAMILY WILL EVER HAVE..... THEY JUST DONT EVER JUST GET CAUGHT HER FAMILY AND ALL HER FRIENDS UGH!!!!

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  12. No all his family does not live in Ky, in fact i heard his mother has been there since Feb, and some other family members also live in Fla.... it dont matter where they live they all lost a Son brother dad grandkids will never no him also when he was killed everyone was told he had no one BUT HE DOES!!! AS FAR as CARRIE, i dont think you new her well she didnt want wheeler at her resting place, who could blame her and Carrie was married to a good man at the time of her death,it will all come out in the trial so try to stop lieing until then.....

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  13. That was a bond hearing not an actual trial. Jerry's family does not have to be present at bond hearings unless they are afraid of her. His family lives in Kentucky guess it wold be kind of hard to prove that theory.
    By the way Carrie hated Jerry and he was not allowed at her funeral, she left him sick of the drugs and drinking.

    OH MY AS I FOLLOW THIS CASE I SEE WHAT IS HAPPING HERE ALL THIS SHOW IS FOR THE JURY TO BE..

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  14. None of the children deserve to be mentioned in this story please leave them alone. All of them have been through enough. We as adults should be mature enough to not mess with anyone's kids.

    I DIDNT SEE ANY KIDS MENTION, IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HER DAUGHTER BEWARE OF HER.from seeing her here on Floral st.... as far as i am concern she is a adult

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  15. I sure hope when ever this trial comes up you will put it on here, for all to see..... 2 family are torned apart by this action....if they was not married, was they both married to someone else??Thanks

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  16. (RE: Not one of the children deserve to be mentioned in this story please leave them alone. All of them have been through enough. We as adults should be mature enough to not mess with anyone's kids.)

    PROVE THEY ARE HIS KIDS! ????????

    That will come out later....

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  17. RE: By the way Carrie hated Jerry and he was not allowed at her funeral, she left him sick of the drugs and drinking.

    That is so false. Jerry was the one Carrie ask for during her last weeks here on this earth. He was her one and only and now they are together for ever...you can't take that away from them ever again...Together Forever and Ever...Amen

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  18. To: The person who posted I DIDNT SEE ANY KIDS MENTION, IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HER DAUGHTER BEWARE OF HER.from seeing her here on Floral st.... as far as i am concern she is a adult

    Can you read? The article does mention the children and no the oldest is not 17 she is 16. Since when is 16 an adult? You need to find a better outlet than keeping track of someone else's children

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  19. PROVE THEY ARE HIS KIDS! ????????

    That will come out later....

    1st Why do you care? NOBODY asked you to provide for them and they never will.

    2nd Who needs to prove anyone's kids all of her children are well provided for and will never EVER need anything from you!

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  20. The children are being provided for by Social Security money because of Jerry's years of hard work and paying his dues. Glorying in the fact that they are well provided for by you is non-sense. Because of Michell's promiscuous life style, there is reasonable doubt that both are children are Jerry's. Even though he loved them until death did them part, he himself had questions because of her taunting words of doubt. Only tests will tell, and they will tell, and yes it matters. Not only to you who are "well providing for them" and enjoying the "financial gain" from this tragic loss of "Daddy" but to us who will continue to seek Justice for Jerry until we meet again.

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  21. Domestic Violence Kills....who is the real victim here? The one who crys out from the grave night after night, who cannot defend himself. The one who was abused, beaten, then stabbed to death.

    God bless the children, God rest Jerry's soul, and God have mercy on those who take the lives of others, regardless of the alibis. God in this case, can you be ruthlessly fair for Jerry's Cause, Thank you.

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  22. After the judge took 15 minutes to review the psychological report, the bond hearing began. Ms. Wheeler had about a dozen family members and friends in the courtroom to support her. In addition to a 17-yr old from a previous marriage, she what age does this say???? about her daughter???

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  23. His family lives in Kentucky guess it wold be kind of hard to prove that theory.
    No not when Jerry has family right there in Fla, 2 grown daughters< that was not allow to see there Dad unless they saw him at work.... because he was not allow to see them by HER.... Thanks

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  24. does it say that michelle was put in a hospital being 5-6 months pregnant with a stab wound or maybe her broken arm or possibly her busted ear drum yes Jerry was fed liquor through hi bottle and raised out side of his family in Ky long live thefamiliy tree a totem pole

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  25. I think had shed been black they would give her 2 weeks and a new car and jewelry and food stamps and a trip to Africa and back

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  26. all you people make me sick, a man is dead because of the abuse he did to some one else, 2 kids are with out parents,a women is is unjustly put in jail for 20 years, and all you people can do is point fingers and blame each other!!!! What has this world come to! Grow the hell up, take a look at what happened and make damn sure it don't happen to no one else!THEY BOTH WERE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED HELP! EVEN AFTER WHAT HAPPENED THIS IS NO WAY TO HELP EITHER ONE NOT HIS MEMORY OR, HIS KIDS AND I MEAN ALL OF HIS KIDS NOT JUST THE SMALL ONES! THIS WHOLE THIN SICKENS ME!

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