Murderess Mary Winkler Gets Her Kids Back
August 1st, 2008 by Glenn Sacks, MA for Fathers & Families
Mary Winkler--who shot her husband in the back and then refused to aid him or call 911 as he slowly bled to death for 20 minutes--walked away a free woman last year after serving a farcically brief "sentence" for her crimes.
Mary Winkler’s claims of abuse were largely uncorroborated during the trial. According to the testimony from Matthew Winkler's oldest daughter, Patricia, the dead father--who as he lay dying looked at his wife and asked "why?"--was a good man and did not abuse her mother.
Mary Winkler has been in a custody battle with Matthew Winkler's parents, who have been raising the three girls since the murders. The Winklers sought to terminate Mary Winkler's parental rights and adopt the girls, a position I've supported. Mary Winkler was granted supervised visits with her daughters last year. Now, sadly, she has gained back custody of the three girls, which is clearly not in the girls' best interests.
Last year Dan Winkler said, "These young ladies have not expressed any desire to be with their mother or her family,” but he and wife Diane have now ceded custody, knowing that continuing their legal battle to protect the girls would in the end be unsuccessful. A judge has approved the custody transfer.
To learn more about this horrendous injustice, see my co-authored column No child custody for husband-killer Mary Winkler (World Net Daily, 9/14/07), or click here.
From Mary Winkler Gets Daughters Back (myfoxmemphis.com, 8/1/08):
FOX13 has learned that Mary Winkler has gotten her three daughters back. Winkler picked up her children Friday afternoon. The girls had been living with their paternal grandparents since Winkler killed her husband Matthew in 2006. Now it appears the bitter custody battle is coming to a close.
As soon as Winkler's criminal trial ended, the custody battle began. But Friday, in an unexpected turn of events, she regained physical custody of her three children.
A source told FOX13 that Winkler picked the girls up Friday afternoon and brought them to her new home in McMinnville, Tennessee. She will soon enroll them in local schools...
Winkler lost custody in 2006 when she was charged with the murder of her preacher husband Matthew Winkler.
Winkler was convicted of manslaughter in 2007 and has been fighting for custody of her children since her release from a mental facility.
Matthew's parents, Dan and Diane Winkler, have had custody of the girls since 2006 and have been trying to adopt them.
"These young ladies have not expressed any desire to be with their mother or her family," said Dan Winkler in 2007.
The Winkler's filed appeals in an effort to stop Mary Winkler from having supervised visits and phone calls with her daughter.
But now, a source said they have turned over custody to the girls' mother.
This is being called the first step to full custody, although no official court order has been filed.
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August 1st, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I can't believe any of this, just wow what a bad joke!!!!!
August 1st, 2008 at 7:46 pm
I'm about as surprised by this as I was by white farmers in South Africa being acquitted for murdering their black labourers.
August 1st, 2008 at 7:46 pm
This could not be more sick. Hey guys, think your life is worth anything? Think again! Do you think those young girls will sleep well at night knowing that Mom killed Dad and she is in the other room? What kind of reception do you think they will get in school when the other kids will know that they live with a psycho mom?
August 1st, 2008 at 7:59 pm
We don't have the rule of law; we have Themis as a feminist apologist..
August 1st, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Well if things continue the way they are going all Mary had to do is move to Britain and their wouldn't even be a trial for what she did.
“New UK Law Would Allow 'Women Who Kill in Cold Blood to Escape Murder Charge'”
http://glennsacks.com/blog/?p=2582#comments
August 1st, 2008 at 8:03 pm
"Feminism is the intellectual organization of gender hatred, just as Marxism was the intellectual organization of class hatred. Feminism's business is fashioning weapons to be used against men in society, education, politics, law and divorce court. The feminist aim is to overthrow "patriarchal tyranny." In this undertaking, the male's civil rights count for no more than those of the bourgeoisie in Soviet Russia or the Jews in National Socialist Germany." -- What civil rights has wrought. Paul Craig Roberts, July 26, 2000. Townhall.com - Creators Syndicate.
August 1st, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Geez!! A murderer gets custody.... I'm a father that's been trying to get at least joint custody of my natural daughter for three years and I haven't even killed anyone yet.
What hope do we have after all these wacky turns??
August 1st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Will the late Mr. Winkler's parents have to pay child support too?
August 1st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Glenn, offtopic - you may want to see this:
http://antimisandry.com/showthread.php?p=89507
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http://antimisandry.com/showthread.php?p=89507
August 1st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
will be interesting to read jeana's post.
ain't love a kick in the head/
August 1st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
OMG!! I am totally speechless. Just when I thought I had heard it all.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
It is just a matter of time before the children will all learn what an 'animal' the father was and how right 'mommy' was to do what she did. It is also just a matter of time before the children will be strident in rebuking their grandparents at the behest of the 'mother' because they dared to question their 'mother' or say that what she did was wrong. This is just another reason why this country is irretrievably broken.
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 am
WOW on the topic of mothers that murder!
Evil mother who killed son, 5, to spite her ex left note saying: 'I told you I would make you pay'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1040170/
Evil-mother-killed-son-5-spite-ex-left-note-saying-I-told-I-make-pay.html
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:29 am
"Winkler lost custody in 2006 when she was charged with the murder of her preacher husband Matthew Winkler.
Winkler was convicted of manslaughter in 2007 and has been fighting for custody of her children since her release from a mental facility."
Charged in 2006... convicted in 2007... released from a mental facility and ready to raise children in 2008.
That is the fastest recovery from serious mental illness I have ever heard.
Even if this woman deserved to get her kids back, which I don't think she does... the pace at which this has all taken place is so fast it makes one's head spin.
Didn't she declare that she just "blanked out" when she shot her husband?... that sounds like a VERY serious mental condition that would take a long time to really diagnose let alone cure to the extent that I would ever feel safe putting her in charge of children. Unless she wasn't crazy to begin with... in which case her defense was a fraud.
It's like she want's it both ways... she was insane enough to not be responsible for murder... but not so insane as to require years of therapy and observation.
How does this even happen?
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:54 am
"But now, a source said they have turned over custody to the girls' mother
While I am shocked and saddened by these developments, let's make sure we're reading carefully. This is one of those "there appears to be more to the story" situations. The article doesn't say a court awarded her custody. The article seems to indicate that the grandparents have turned over custody.
Now, we may come to find that they simply don't have the money to fight a protracted custody battle or some other unfortunate circumstance, and my rather harsh judgment of divorce & family court still stands... but I want to see what the missing details are before I go condemning the court in this specific instance.
August 2nd, 2008 at 7:08 am
No surprise here.
August 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 am
jason: "That is the fastest recovery from serious mental illness I have ever heard."
neat to be a chick isn't it ? run your thoughts, good ones in my opinion, past the women in your own life and circle of friends and family to see their reaction. the two step is a great dance.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Just another precedent being set.........thats all I have to say about it.
August 2nd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Duy Says:
August 1st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Will the late Mr. Winkler's parents have to pay child support too?
Probably not. We will though. When a child's parent dies social security gives the living parent a check. So realistically with three kids she could be looking at getting a check for two to three thousand dollars every month. I'm not sure but she may even be eligible to receive money for herself because they where married.
I swear, I want to pick up my television and throw it out my window then scream at the world. "WHAT IN THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!!" I know that I can't though because of this tight feeling in my throat that's telling me I should be crying. These poor people have to turn the children of their dead son over to the person that murdered him. I just can't imagine what they must be going through.
August 2nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Men should turn their anger and disgust into positive action. Tell at least 5 people this week about glenn sacks.org.
Better yet write down the web address on a piece of paper, and then hand them it.
August 2nd, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Does anybody know if Winkler was able to collect life insurance on the husband she murdered?
I was wondering where she got the money to buy a new house. Maybe just his life savings and pension?
Aren't there special low rate mortgage loans for abused psychotic women?
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:25 am
I just vomited a little in my mouth.
b
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:31 am
A woman is CONVICTED of murdering her husband, and she gets custody BACK, yet in Cary, North Carolina, there is a man who lost custody of his children because his wife was murdered, despite never having been charged with ANYTHING, and despite that fact that the POLICE have even stated that he is NOT a suspect, he is NOT a person of interest, and that he is cooperating with them in every aspect.
August 3rd, 2008 at 12:56 am
Words do not begin to express the injustice.
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:57 am
Why is anyone surprised? Isn't this partly why we followed the story? Many people have predicted this. There isn't any surprise. Point well made Glenn and others.
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 am
Didn't mary winkler shoot her husband in the back while he was sleeping, so he wouldn,t find out about her check writing scheme she was in??
Married men, with financially irresponsibble women should really start paying attention to this winkler case..
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Mother Of The Year candidate #1?
August 3rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
It is unlikely the grandparents will ever be a significant part of the lives of their grandchildren again. The mother, who is a murderess, will program the children to hate their grandparents and restrict the grandparents access. There is nothing anyone can do about it. She got away with premeditated murder. Most women would LOVE if the worst thing their husband did was ask them to dress up in slutty clothes and have great sex with them (this was one the areas of "abuse" that Mark Winkler claimed). She is despicable and another in the long line of reasons to not get married or cohabitate. Had I to do it over again I would have married the 1 time I did or have had children. It is far too risky in todays environment.
August 3rd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
This situation is unreal. Even if it were absolutely true that Winkler was "insane" at the time of the killing, she obviously should not get the children then based on mental instability (which I would think could be possible in the future) - what if she goes crazy again and kills the kids this time?
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 pm
women get away with murder these days....is this partly due to the feminists doing over the past twenty years of showing women as victims and men as bad?!....imagine the spin oprah would put on this story....try mentioning this story to any democratic liberal...and listen to how they rationalize it...
August 3rd, 2008 at 10:15 pm
john @9:03pm
John, the sad truth is that liberal democraps are not the only ones that are misandrists. There are too many repooplicans that are male appologists. Granted, most radical hard core feminuts lean way left, politcal party affiliation is a moot point anymore. Society as a whole has caused this.
BC
August 4th, 2008 at 10:47 am
This should be the opening chapter on sex ed for teen age boys.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:29 am
I can't wait to see the defense Jeana, Doc and the other feminists put up for this one.
yup justice is gender blind - what a crock.
August 4th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Like everyone else, I'm totaly shocked by this case. I, too, wonder whether there is more to the story, but in any case just the thought that a court would CONSIDER awarding custody to this woman is monstrous and completely crazy.
A mere two years later and she has long since been a free woman. Now, she has her kids back, presumably some money, and a lot of fame and public support. Shoot, she has even appeared on Oprah. I guess all she had to do to make a "happy" life for herself was to murder her husband.
That's a nice precedent to set.
August 4th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Are there really any women out there who would consider wearing hi-heels for their husband a form of abuse. These are the type of people that live in the bible belt, and the same people who want to keep church and state together. People like this listen to people like the late Jerry Falwell. I can't wait until generation xers have all the power in this country. Then, maybe, show likes the "Ghost Whisperer and CSI;Miami, will become unpopular.
August 4th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I keep trying to explain to you guys that murder isn't really murder if a woman does it.
It's really more like a bad hair day. They didn't want a bad hair day. Who ever wants a bad hair day?
Sure it's their hair, but you can't say it's their fault now can you?
Exactly my point.
Now leave this poooooor murderess alone.
No wonder she had to ear wigs -- she had to hide from insensitive people who simply didn't understand how SHE felt when her minister husband caught her scamming banks.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:13 am
My own family's experiences, and stories like this are the whole reason my 17 year old is wanting a vasectomy.
Problem is,, I'm tempted to allow it.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:29 am
OMG!!! This flipping double standard just makes me screaming mad.... had the husband shot the wife while she slept in bed with a 12 guage shotgun there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY ON EARTH he would have been allowed to spend a mere TWELVE DAYS in jail and then be allowed to later get back full custody of his kids.... What the flip is wrong with the justice system in this country having such a double standard for men/women? The woman killed her husband as he slept in cold blood.... I'm sorry people but WAKE UP!!! women do bad things, just like men do bad things... and both should be punished equally... whatever happened to equal protection of the law? And women's rights...
August 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
By the way, I am having a big debate royale on feministing.com regarding the "wage gap" myth.
I am being (mostly civil) and holding my own, but anybody who wants to join the discussion here is the link>
http://www.feministing.com/archives/010080.html
August 5th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Her getting full custody of these kids does seem highly unusal under the circumstances as she was convicted of manslaughter. So, I have to wonder-Why did a jury find her guilty of manslaughter as opposed to murder? Why did the judge give her such a light sentence? I have not heard any of the jurors speak out against the verdict or the sentence. I have not heard any of the parishoners speak out that they feel the verdict and punishment unjust-in fact many are very supportive of the mother (this does not mean they believe the husband was a monster) There were 12 people on the jury who felt their must have been mitigating circumstances. Not only that but the judge as well-as she only spent 12 or so days in jail after her conviction. Were all these people "fooled" by Mary Winkler's defense attorney's? Despite this case being so high profile and politically charged-Not only did a judge and jury feel there were mitigating circumstances of some kind in this case, but, evidently all the court appointed psychiatrists, dealing with the custody issue, etc-and the State Supreme court seem to believe that Mary is capable of caring for children, and that it is in the best interest of the children to be with their mother. Are all these people totally mistaken and deluded? or could it be there are things about this case that we don't know about? I don't know. The grandparents claim that this kids have never expressed an interest in their mother or her family is not believable. If this is the case these kids are either emotionally numb or too scared to say anything one way or the other? I, for one, don't believe that these kids' emotions are that cut and dry on this-especially the younger ones. I work in grief recovery center for children. There are several who have a parent that was killed by the other parent-all the end result of a long history of violence and emotional abuse. We have 2 families where the mother killed the father. The kids do have mixed-and strong emotions. They love both parents. Don't like what the other parent did, but do NOT want to be separated from their other parent. The custody issue is not about punishing Mary Winkler for her crime. it's about what is in the best interest of the children and is Mary a fit parent. If it is true that Mary Winker was a victim of long term abuse, she should not have killed her husband-but she did, she cannot bring him back. She received a punishment for that as decided by a jury, the judge. She paid her legal debt to society. Her kids should not be further victimized by a severing of the mother/child relationship if it is a benefical and salvageable one. Hopefully, the grandparents are smart enough and care enough for their grandchildren that they will continue to be a support system for these girls and their mother, and that they remain a postive force (instead of a divisive one) and a big part of their lives.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:56 am
If the situation had been reversed and Mary Winkler's husband had shot her and claimed it was because of a long history of emotional abuse or domestic violence would the result have been the same? Why or why not? If there is a double standard, why is that and what can be done to change that?
August 5th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
I just hope SOMEONE with influence out there is thinking of those poor girls! The article even states that they don't even want to live with her, yet they're being forced to live with the woman who killed their father! Normally I'm very anti-DSS, but in this case, someone should step in and remove those girls.
August 5th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
SW says: " I work in grief recovery center for children. There are several who have a parent that was killed by the other parent-all the end result of a long history of violence and emotional abuse."
PK asks: SW, can you tell me if any father who has killed the mother of their children, and been convicted of doing so, has served a short prison term and been given full custody of their children?
August 5th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Are all these people totally mistaken and deluded?
Yes.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:45 am
PolishKnight: We don't have any children at the grief recovery center whose situation fits this criteria. So I go back to my 2nd question. If the situation had been reversed and Mary Winkler's husband had shot her and claimed it was because of a long history of emotional abuse or domestic violence would the result have been the same? Why or why not? If there is a double standard, why is that and what can be done to change that?
If there was a similiar situation where a husband killed his wife and had been a victim of long term physical and emotional abuse assuming-1) was given similiar sentence as Mary Winkler 2) after extensive investigation, the courts found him to be a competent parent and that the father/child bond was a positive and salvageable one, would it be OK for the father/husband to have custody of the children? Is the issue that there is bias towards the mother /women in these type of cases, or ,is the issue that anyone that kills their spouse (in a long term abuse situation gone wrong) should not have custody of their kids because it could not be in the best interest of the children?