Judge denies motion to stop Winkler interview on ‘Oprah’

Winkler was convicted in April of voluntary manslaughter after she shot and killed her husband Matthew, a Church of Christ minister, last year. His parents, Dan and Diane Winkler, argued that discussing the case on national TV would harm the children.

‘It is in the best interest of the children to live normal lives and it is not in their interest for their private lives and problems to be aired in the newspaper and on television. No good can come of it,’ their motion said.

Carroll County Chancellor Ron Harmon denied the motion without comment. In a later ruling Tuesday, McNairy County judge Weber McCraw denied Winkler permission to travel to Chicago where the show is produced.

Part of Mary Winkler’s ‘Oprah’ interview, scheduled to air today at 4 p.m. on WSMV Channel 4, has already been taped. She is currently under court order to stay in Tennessee except for visits to her attorney, whose office is in Mississippi outside of Memphis.

Chancellor Harmon set a hearing next week on another motion filed Monday by Winkler, seeking immediate custody of her children, or at least frequent visits.

Dan and Diane Winkler have had custody of the girls since their mother’s arrest. They are seeking to terminate her parental rights and adopt the girls.

Mary Winkler’s motion argues that her continued separation from the girls ‘ ages 2, 8 and 10 ‘ is ‘unconscionable and detrimental’ to the children.

Mary Winkler’s petition for custody says she has not had parenting time with the children in a year. She ‘would show that she does not represent a threat of substantial harm to the children and therefore they should be returned to her immediately in order to serve their best interest,’ the filing says.