Taking A Stand – Local folks show they really do care

Is there another place in this whole country where a woman who confessed to killing her preacher husband by shooting him in the back while he slept would be so readily accepted into a community?

The recent stir over the Mary Winkler case came last week when photos of her enjoying herself by smoking a cigarette while sitting at a bar on New Year?s Eve were made public on the various TV stations. The pictures prompted a quick voicing of opinions, with some again asking how a confessed killer could be allowed to walk free. Others maintain taking pictures of the woman was an invasion of her privacy and just another example how some folks here are busybodies.

The end result brought back to the forefront her existence here, which had been almost forgotten by most folks in Warren County seeing she?s lived here without incident for months, if you don?t count the initial media stir surrounding her arrival.

Now, don?t get me wrong. I?m not going with a ?poor Mary? column here. Quite the contrary. I?m one of those who think she shouldn?t be out, given the fact she has confessed to the killing, even though she?s been conducting herself as a good citizen. If it had been reversed, her husband would be under the jail right now with very few supporters giving him comfort.

With that said, what I want to talk about is the good that has from the whole Winkler move here. When you think about it, shooting a man in the back while he sleeps, especially a man of the cloth and a spouse, is about as unspeakable a crime as you can imagine. Yet, even though the victim was a person who many knew here, a man who had served as youth minister at Central Church of Christ, the community was quick to open its arms to Mary despite the horrific crime she allegedly committed.

First off we have a family who has opened its doors for her to stay, no questions asked. That takes guts for several reasons.

First, who knows how a person may have changed after such an incident? Inviting someone to live in your home is about as close as friends can be. Second, they knew they?d have to put up with media bugging them all the time, as you would expect in what is arguably the most famous murder case in the country right now.

Second, you have Matt Hash over at Cleaners Express who gave her a job. This guy took an enormous risk seeing no one really knew what the community would make of her coming here, especially bringing in outside scrutiny so soon after the Pamela Rogers case made us a media magnet.

Then last, but not least, you have a church located across the street from the Standard, and other folks in the community, who took in the very woman accused of shooting one of our former ministers. Not only did they take her in, they have given her support and assistance, things which make some people angry because they see it as rewarding Winkler for her actions.

For me it?s quite the opposite. The way folks have gone out of their way to make things normal and not hold a sword of condemnation is one of the main reasons I have chosen to make Warren County my home. Folks, there aren?t a lot of places in this world you can go and have people greet you with such open arms, even if you?re charged with such as crime as Mary Winkler.

Instead of criticizing folks who are helping her and giving her help, maybe we should be thankful we live in such a caring and giving community.

Duane Sherrill is a reporter for the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].