Wife Sentenced For Killing Preacher

Tennessee Woman, Who Said Husband Abused Her, May Only Have To Serve 60 Days In A Mental Hospital

(AP)  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 voluntary 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. The judge denied Winkler's request for full probation or judicial diversion, which would have eventually cleared her record of the conviction.

Prosecutors had sought a murder conviction against Mary Winkler, who they alleged had been trying to keep her husband from learning about a check-kiting scheme. They claimed she had become caught up in a swindle known as the “Nigerian scam,” which promises riches to victims who send money to cover the processing expenses.

Winkler, however, testified during her trial that her husband hit and kicked her, forced her to look at pornography and demanded sex she considered unnatural. Jurors were shown a pair of tall, platform shoes and a black wig Winkler said she was pressured to wear during sex.

Matthew Winkler's family said at the sentencing hearing that Mary Winkler's allegations amounted to a second attack on her husband, a popular 31-year-old preacher at the Fourth Street Church of Christ in Selmer.

“The monster that you have painted for the world to see? I don't think that monster existed,” said his mother, Diane Winkler.

When Mary Winkler took the stand, she turned to her husband's family and told them she was “so sorry this has happened.” She said she understood they were angry with her and that she prayed every night for them to have peace.

Mary Winkler was arrested a day after shooting her husband. She was found 340 miles away on the Alabama coast, driving the family minivan with her daughters inside.

Diane Winkler, testified that the girls, ages 9, 7 and 2, were having nightmares about people with guns breaking into their house.

“You've never told your girls you're sorry. Don't you think you at least owe them that?” she asked.

Mary Winkler's sister, Tabitha Freeman, asked the judge to give her a chance to be reunited with her children, and called her “the best example of a good person I can think of.”

“She just needs them. She's not complete without them,” Freeman said.

[mikealford3]

Since when is murder an acceptable solution to marital problems? She could have divorced. She could have left.

Posted by Bostonia2 at 04:36 PM : Jun 09, 2007
+ report abuse


You are correct, she could have left or whatever, however her husband equally had the opportunity to beat the he11 out of her or not beat her. He chose to beat/abuse her and she chose to kill him. If in fact he was physically abusing her, she should have killed his sarry a** long ago.

It is a pity excuse of a man, who abuses a woman in anyway.

[agnim]

"Generally, abused men do not complain; abused women complain to anyone who will listen.
Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:05 AM : Jun 09, 2007"

LOL
That is true; those bi.atches have to get all the sympathy votes they can; so that they can be embolden to challenge the men again, and earn even more beat down.

[tonytx58]

what has come over our crazy justice system? everyone is up in arms about Paris Hilton and her 5 days yet no one seems to be upset at someone getting 60 day in a psychiatric hospital for MURDER. this is a total outrage. our justice system has obviously gone totally bonkers. I dont believe in the death penalty but murder of any kind deserves the most severe punishment of any crime. Also I dont believe shooting someone in the back while he lies in bed is manslaughter. what kind of family values are these?

[kaili3]

Thankyou bostonia 2. My thoughts exactly.

[bostonia2]

Since when is murder an acceptable solution to marital problems? She could have divorced. She could have left.

And what kind of crazy sentence is this for a murder? People easily do 10-15 year jail time on much lesser charger. People do 10 years for marijuana. Insane.

It's obvious that this was a sentence by Christian Talibans. The fact that she was forced to perform "unnatural ***" weighed more heavily than the fact that she is a murderer.

[kaili3]

and yeah Mary you do divorce men that are abusive,not kill them.
I don't care if you have 'been in that situation before'. You leave them,not kill them.
abuse is not a reason for murder,lot's of women are abused,they leave if they want,not murder husbands. My friend was in a rotten situation also with a kid and guess what? she chose to leave,her jerk husband lives 20 minutes from her and she deals with it.

[kaili3]

This chick probably was not abused,there was not one shred of eveidence to substantiate that claim.And even if he was a bad guy,you do not kill someone,you just don't do it.
Yeah,that's right,get a divorace.
Someone earlier said divorce was not always so easy ,and abused people sometimes do things like this. I say,who cares,she killed the father of her children,she should rot in hell.

[shanev137]

After the vacation this woman got, I wonder how many women out there (who can act insane) will knock off their husbands now??

[tuckerndfw]

Posted by Mary-61 at 02:46 PM : Jun 09, 2007

People who divorce quite often face financial and emotional disaster regardless how well connected their ex is or isn't.

Men routinely face that situation regardless how abusive the wife/mother is. Courts are extremely biased against men in most US jurisdictions. Abusive women rarely lose custody or face any consequences whatsoever for their abuses.

So, if we follow your line of reasoning (bad things happen after divorce) all men should be excused for murdering their wives rather than seeking a divorce.

No wonder we have schoolchildren murdering other schoolchildren. Their mommies promote the idea that murdering people who make our lives miserable is the only available option.

[mary-61]

It is true that you don't now what goes on behind closed doors. Even if he is the nicest man to everyone else, he could still have been abusive to his wife. I know of preachers who have horrible tempers. They're still people! I'm not saying what she did is right. But, I do know that it isn't as easy as you standing there so righteous sayind DIVORCE. It doesn't work that way!I've been in a similar situation, he wasn't a preacher but a very influential man. And when I did divorce. Life could not have gotten any worse. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. He was 100 times more abusive. since he played Mr. perfect to everyone else, I was evil. I lost my kids to him becuase of his abusive manipulative ways. You don't just divorce someone like that. So you can't judge unless you've been there. I don't condone murder. But abused children have done similar and people take thier side.