UPDATE: Patrick Kelly, Jamie Pittman and Shauntel Mayo
RETRIAL LIKELY FOR KELLY AND PITTMAN IN MINEOLA CHILD SEX RING CASE
by Layron Livingston – KLTV Television News, Texas
Patrick “Booger Red” Kelly was convicted and sentenced once, but now, the accused child molester will get a retrial. Thursday morning, the 14th court of appeals reversed Kelly’s case.
The court says the evidence was there in Kelly’s trial, but they add that too many rules were broken by both the trial court and prosecutors.
In its opinion, the court writes the “record is rife with error,” mistakes the appeals court says may have led to Kelly’s conviction.
“I expected acquittal…because he’s not guilty,” said Linda Kelly, Patrick Kelly’s mother.
For weeks, she sat in the back of the 241st district courtroom while her son was put on trial.
“It was hell,” she said.
Friday, she and her grandson, Stephen, will make the 10-hour drive to Amarillo to see their son and father jail.
“It’s like ripping your heart out of your chest and it hurts,” said Stephen Kelly.
KLTV surprised Wes Volberding, Kelly’s appellate lawyer, with the decision, Thursday morning. But, the
decision itself did not take him by surprise.
“In this case, there were serious errors in the way that seven categories of evidence were handled,” said Volberding. “They had no hesitation about sending the case back for a new trial to make sure that those seven areas were handled correctly.”
It includes hearsay testimony the appeals court says should not have been allowed. There was also an issue with the prosecutor’s closing arguments.
“He made very strong statements that Kelly should be convicted just like the other people in the other trials were convicted,” said Volberding.
“Is that a heinous, awful, terrible thing to say? No. Is it something that’s not within the evidentiary rules? Yes. Is it inherently dishonest? No. Did anyone withhold evidence? No,” said Matt Bingham.
Smith County D.A. Matt Bingham is referring to earlier allegations by the defense the state withheld crucial information in the case. He says, clearly, the appeals court disagreed with that allegation, but accepts the court’s overall decision and will re-try Kelly’s case.
“Sometimes, we’re not perfect on evidentiary rules,” said Matt Bingham. “Sometimes we get it wrong. I believe Judge Skeen made the decision that he felt was right and the appellate courts disagreed with him
that’s why we have appellate court.”
“It’s been hard, but we’ve had to survive,” said Linda Kelly. “We will go through anything we can to support him.”
They are committed, even if that means sitting through another trial.
The Houston appeals court also reversed the case of Jaime Pittman. Pittman was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in March 2008 on one charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
This is not the only case Smith County prosecutors say they will have to retry. The appeals court also decided to send back Jamie Pittman’s trial – Kelly’s co-defendant. Pittman was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child. He was sentenced to life in prison but the appeals judges say the trial court allowed Pittman to be tried on his past criminal offenses.
The court says that may have influenced the jury’s decision in the sexual assault case.
There are a lot of reasons why the Appellate Court overturned Patrick Kelley’s and Jamie Pittman’s convictions, most of them having to do with errors and outright misconduct by prosecuting attorney Joe Murphy and Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham.
I think this article by Amanda Kost of television station KYTX in Tyler, Texas does a great job of explaining the ins and outs of a very complicated situation.
So far, three juries have sent three people to prison for life for sexually exploiting children for profit, starting with the first trial two years ago. All three are appealing their convictions, and attorneys for two actually argued their case for the 14th Court of Appeals.
The Mineola Swinger’s Club convictions could be overturned. Jamie Pittman, Shauntel Mayo and Patrick Kelly were convicted of sexually exploiting children for profit. All three are serving life sentences for their role in the Mineola Swinger’s Club. CBS 19’s Amanda Kost spoke exclusively with Patrick Kelly’s family.
Patrick Kelly’s mother, Linda, still claims her son is innocent, so she wasn’t shocked that a court of appeals is considering overturning his conviction. “Well everybody seemed to care when my son was being persecuted. He never went to Mineola. He lived at my place. His truck was there every night when he was ((allegedly)) in Mineola,” said Linda Kelly.
Linda sat in on her son’s appeal where attorneys argued that Patrick Kelly and Jamie Pittman deserve another trial because they claim evidence was hidden and rules were changed. “Allegations in the case are that the DA’s office withheld some incredibly powerful evidence that pointed to the actual innocence of these people, and at the same time the judge, allegations in the briefs are that the judge changed the rules to favor the prosecutors,” said Kelly’s attorney Wes Volberding.
Attorneys also claim jurors heard more than they’re supposed to hear. For example in Kelly’s trial jurors were told that two other juries convicted Kelly’s two other co-defendants and sentenced them to life in prison. Also witnesses were repeatedly asked if they believed other witnesses were telling the truth, and whether they thought the defendants were guilty. “That’s the two big problems in this case, hiding evidence and changing rules,” explained Volberding.
And then there’s this. It’s about 70 pages of paperwork the Wood County District Attorney faxed directly to the appellate court. It’s called an Amicus Brief. It essentially contradicts what the Smith County District Attorney’s office is telling the court of appeals. “I’ve never heard of an instance where one elected District Attorney directly contradicts what another elected district attorney is telling a court of appeals. I’ve never heard that happen,” concluded Volberding.
So how about Wood County District Attorney Jim Wheeler? Have any of you put there ever heard of one District Attorney essentially telling an appeals court that another District Attorney is lying? That just blows my mind, and makes me think that this whole case was complete bullshit.
When this story began to break about a month or so ago, I began following it closely, at first because I thought two diddlers were going to squirm their way out of their convictions. Now I’m not nearly so sure
Here’s my take on what happened here. A couple, Russ and Sherry Adams, opened a Swingers club in 
Mineola, Texas. It was a place where adults who engaged in open relationships could get together, swap partners, have sex and do whatever else folks like that do. Needles to say, this did not go over well with some of the more religious folks in this mostly rural part of Tejas. Something had to be done.
The first complaints were made in Wood County, and after a thorough investigation, the allegations of sex parties with children was found to have no merit.
One thing is a fact. This case would never have proceeded past these original allegations without the “tireless efforts” of Margie Cantrell. Margie and her husband John were foster parent of the two alleged victims. Margie would not take no for an answer:
“I called Smith County, the FBI, and the Mineola police several times, as well as CPS, the Smith County CAC, and the Smith County police.”
Sounds like someone was on a mission.
Mineola, and the club, were in Wood County, but the two children lived in Smith County, giving Smith jurisdiction also. Much of the Smith County case relied on evidence gathered by and the testimony of Texas Ranger Phillip Kemp, in spite of the fact that he had no training in investigating child abuse cases or interviewing children who had been molested. His inexperience had led him to commit several blunders during interrogation of the two victims, poisoning their version of what may or may not have happened.
I won’t get into the details, because it would take another 2000 words to explain it properly, but the trial of Patrick Kelly was a study in how to railroad a man into prison. The same goes foe Jamie Pittman. I think it’s very possible a few people used religion to justify some seriously underhanded tactics. These people may have convicted three innocent people in the name of God.
After the trials of Pittman and Mayo were over, a Wood County Grand Jury opened up an investigation, mostly because the citizens wanted to know why a child sex ring was able to operate right under everyone’s noses. Basically they went over the Smith county case, and couldn’t corroborate anything the children alleged.
They then interviewed neighbors of the club, who stated they saw plenty of adults entering and leaving the building, but they never saw a child anywhere near the place. Cops also talked to just about all the club members, who adamantly denied any involvement with children.
A Wood County Grand Jury refused to indict Patrick Kelly, Jamie Pittman and Shauntel Mayo, citing insufficient evidence. Something was very, very wrong with this case.
If you’re really interested in the entire story, including all the details of how this scam probably worked, I suggest you read this article in the Texas Monthly by Michael Hall called “Across The Line“.
So I find myself in the uncomfortable position of defending the rights of two accused child molesters to a fair trial. I tried to be indignant about this decision, but the more I discovered about what happened, the more I knew could not.
These two men may still be guilty. The problem is, there’s an even better chance that Patrick Kelly and Jamie Pittman have been falsely accused and wrongly convicted. For that reason, I’ve suspended viewing of the original story until the appeals process and the new trials have run their course.
We also need to remember there is one more person who was not charged, but who’s name was dragged through the mud. Sheila Sones, the two young victims’ maternal grandmother, has had her life destroyed by these accusations. If she’s guilty, then fine, let her suffer. But if she’s innocent……
Anyways, I very interested to know what all of you think. Please speak freely, your opinion matters here. Since this could be a very controversial topic, I’m asking everyone to show one another the respect and courtesy they would want to be shown themselves.
94 Comments »
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hey Max, the link to Across the Line can only be read by registered members =/
but based on what you said, i feel that this is a sticky situation and that maybe these people WERE wrongly accused, just because people don’t agree with the swinger lifestyle.
Yeah, it could easily boil down to someones personal prejudice about their lifestyle choices. I figure if the doors are closed, let them spouse-swap and bone each other. Why care? There are many worse things they could be doing in that building, like macrame or Square Dancing or something.
Anyone can register, that’s how I got access cicatriz. I would have posted it, but it’s 7 or 8 pages. The writer explains a lot of things I just couldn’t fit into an update. Now you have to take it all with a grain of sale, because he has an agenda, but some of the things he writes about just speak for themselves.
@Vcbecky yeah i mean if you [meaning the person that accused them] disapprove of it, they’re doing it in the privacy of their own home/swinger parlor lol so why should it bother you? Ah people like that make me mad. can’t let anything different exist. LOL @ the square dancing remark
@Max ok, i just wasn’t sure if it was like a subscription kinda thing to the Texas Monthly.
If they’re not guilty, they should go free. It is good to see the court is re-checking itself on this complicated case. I hope for the best, most accurate outcome for all involved.
And jeez, if this taught me anything, it’s that I should NEVER join a swingers club. I mean, they may end up being innocent of child rape, but the idea of seeing any of them naked…. YEEEESH! Imma go dry-heave for a sec.
I agree with you. How come is it people who go to nudist colonies and swingers clubs are people you would least like to see naked.
They may end up innocent we’ll see, but seeing them without clothes on would be a crime in itself.
I had a problem with my timeline in the story. I’ve corrected that so it more closely matched the what and when of how things actually happened.
Very thorough and well-written update Max. I’m glad you always post both sides of any story, and I hope people realize that rogue DAs and incompetent judges exist.
I don’t know Ben, I just feel that we would lose all credibility is I left the old story up with all this going on, and I’m seriously disturbed by the possibility that these people could have been thrown in jail and convicted, basically because they were white trash that no one cared about. I’m also bothered by the actions of the Cantrels, Margie in particular. She had the children available to them 24/7, and could easily have coached them on what to say to the police. We’re talking about a true believer here.
Plus the atmosphere in Mineola is scary. Even before the child sex ring stuff came out, the building in question was just a Swingers Club – and these people ran it out of town. They’ll be no consenting adults having sex in an unconventional atmosphere in OUR town.
I believe in justice , and I’m afraid that these 2 guys may not have gotten a chance to get theirs. They could still be guilty – I don’t know yet. But in no way, shape or form did Patrick Kelly and Jamie Pittman get a fair trial.
These kinds of cases really bother me. Especially if, say, the defendants really were guilty but their trial was so ludicrously unfair and misconducted that they’re going to have to let them go. Now, I don’t know if that’s the case here, but obviously improper conduct that goes against the rules of law and evidence should NEVER be tolerated.
I just don’t understand how children could be used like this. If all of this is just a lie, imagine what the foster parents had to be telling these children… That’s abuse in it’s own right.
It’s people like this who make a joke of the judicial system. It just takes one case like this to ruin the judicial process. From now on, no case in this town or county will be taken seriously again. Many guilty parties will now run the risk of going free because of these people. (If this is a story of wrongful conviction.) Who’s going to want to vote guilty after it’s been proven that they were wrong the first time?
Personally, if this is a wrongful conviction, I think that those holier then thou hypocrites are forced to pay for the joke of a trial and to the men they got convicted.
Sorry, I just realized that I was trying to say this: This town is now a defence attorney’s dream. What happened here has now automatically installed reasonable doubt into so many people’s minds, and with it only taking 1 person to know about this case to say ‘Not Guilty” on another… How is it that any real criminal is going to end up going to prison? Sounds like if you want to break the law, here’s the perfect little town for you.
Why is the previous story password protected? I’m confused.
“These two men may still be guilty. The problem is, there’s an even better chance that Patrick Kelly and Jamie Pittman have been falsely accused and wrongly convicted. For that reason, *I’ve suspended viewing* of the original story until the appeals process and the new trials have run their course.”
Well written story Max, but it blew my simple mind lol if they are guilty then lock them away and throw away the key. But on the other hand, if they are inocent (which i feel is a very realistic possibility) then there lives have been ruined, due to the permanent tarnishing of their reputations and the jail time that they have served… either way, something is seriously fucked up in this case- either the perps or the courts, but which one I’m not sure just yet
Another falsified “child sex/satan worship/molestation” ring, huh? When will we learn that all of that bullshit is 99% total fabrication resulting from some backwoods idiot “interrogating” the child while confusing the hell out of them and planting filth in their little heads?
I really have a hard time believing that these sex rings exist outside of a colony of pedophiles exchanging pictures or victims. They sure as hell don’t happen in tiny towns where everyone pretty much knows if you so much as fart too loud.
I do like how everybody everywhere insisted that the Cantrell’s were superheroes who rescued these children.
Wow. As someone who remembers the McMartin pre school hoopla, and used to drive by the abandoned (and vandalized) preschool in Redondo Beach on her way home from work, I am very interested in this. I can imagine few things more terrifying than being wrongly accused — WRONGLY — of pedophilia and finding yourself in prison, knowing you’re marked and that possibly humiliating, definitely excruciating, and maybe even lethal events await.
The things I applaud as so, so right in the case of cocksmooches like Andrette are beyond wrong if these guys are innocent. And when you think that the Cantrell may have deliberately made wrongful accusations — well, I can only shake my head. I want to do more but am paralyzed at the thought of people like this living in the world. What an evil person that woman is/may be.
Of course if the guys are guilty, all bets are off.
Now I’m going to be petty for a few seconds: “Booger Red” Kelly — EEeuuwwww! How do you suppose he got the nickname, on second thought I don’t want to know. And Pittman, and Mayo — these people were swingers?? I just can’t — I mean, my mind refuses to — I’m groping for words here . . .
Were the other club members blind by any chance?
Here’s my opinion; After reading this story and the link to “Across the Line”, I think the defendants are probably innocent. This case just has too much in common with the McMartin Preschool case of years ago, as noted in the article. The following quote said it all:
“…the little girl talked about Booger Red’s kindergarten, doing bad stuff in front of people, and taking silly pills. She described costumes (she was a witch, Harlan a bear, and Sheryl a ghost) and fantastic scenes.“[Sheryl] would fly around,” Callie said. “I would fly around on a broom and [Harlan] would just crawl on the ground.”Kemp asked her if she was on the ground or in the air.“Air,” Callie replied.Kemp asked how she got there.“With my broom.”
Give me a break! Those were just like the fantastic stories brainwashed into the children in the McMartin Preschool case. The stories in that case got crazier and more outrageous every time the children were “interviewed.” In the article one child claimed:
“Booger Red had once gotten mad at a woman and choked her and how a bunch of people ran out of a nearby church to see what the commotion was all about.”
Now couldn’t anyone verify an accusation like that. Wood County District Attorney Jim Wheeler should be congratulated for his ethical stand.
My mother and I were talking about the McMartin Preschool case, in which several teachers (including one male teacher) were accused of molesting a male student by a woman who later was revealed to be schizophrenic and had made the same accusations about other people. The police were called and made the disastrous decision to send a letter to hundreds of parents of current and past students at the school, saying their kids “might have been abused” and to try and talk to them about it. After years of trials, jail time and the destruction of reputations and livelihoods, the general consensus was that nothing had ever happened and the whole thing was yet another example of Satanic Ritual Abuse Syndrome, sparked by one crazy lady’s insane claims (she also claimed the male teacher could fly!!!!!).
My mother’s take on the whole thing: where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Needless to say, this turned into a major argument. You can’t convict people solely on the skewed testimony of people with ulterior motives (e.g. the D.A. refusing to back down lest they admit they had rushed to judgment with insufficient evidence; the community’s distaste at the notion of a male pre-school teacher).
Swinging isn’t for everyone. Fair enough. But what consenting adults do with each other is no one’s business but theirs. Tell that to Mr and Mrs Self-Righteous. I mean, after all, wouldn’t Jesus manufacture evidence and provide false testimony in order to convict people of a crime they didn’t commit because he didn’t like their lifestyle? Lets just forget for a moment that he was friends with prostitutes and drug addicts.
I’d rather have someone cut off my hand than dishonestly attack the idea that I’m a fundamentally good person, and try to destroy it in the minds of my family and friends.
“I don’t like your private lifestyle choice, so I’m going to fabricate evidence of a truly heinous crime that everyone can get behind, in order to destroy that lifestyle choice. And I’m going to get children to lie for me.” It truly is disgusting. I’d call it inhuman, but then I’d be lying. This type of psychological violence is all too human.
If these guys are proved innocent, there will still be a stigma attached to them for the rest of their lives. Once it’s attached, it’s nearly impossible to scrub away completely.
If these people ae innocent, then they are not the only victims -
1. the children instructed to lie – they may become targets as they may have lost credibility. They have been used and they will be disposed of when they no longer are needed.
2. Any real victim will be grilled harder and the accused may get an advantage that puts real vicims at increased harm
I am sure that this “swinger club” served alcohol – I’d need some to look at these people naked (and they maythink the same of me).
If one is goingto be religious and shut them down then do it honestly…..
1. Find some other legal infraction
2. Non violent / non agressive intimidation……..
on #2 if someone wanted to shutdown a strip club, a bunch of people could just stand around the area maybe have a few picket signs occasionally…… just somethig to let poeple know that what they are doing is known by others, that would reduce business….
How many of us would go to a strip club if it were at the mall?
Few – that would go over great – go to the mall with my daughter and her boyfriend and the wife………. Somebody would be taking a bus…. somewhere else BUT home that night……
That is a big problem with false accusations — it’s crying wolf and then the next time someone is truly victimized they have a hard uphill road to convincing people.
Personally I couldn’t care less about strip clubs or bars. I don’t want drunk people passing out on my lawn but otherwise it’s cool. But if these people wanted to shut the place down, couldn’t they have just photographed the cars, with plates prominently shown, that were parked out front?
That’s why so many feminists and victims’ rights groups were so furious about the Duke Lacrosse scandal. When it turned out the “victim” had made the story up in order to extort money from the players, she inadvertently hurt the credibility of women who’d really been raped. Nancy Grace didn’t help matters by rallying behind her and demonizing the entire Duke lacrosse team – then refusing to acknowledge when it was proven the whole thing had been a scam. All that hurt the cause that Grace was supposedly trying to uphold. but that’s the way self-righteous people operate. They get high and mighty until it comes time to admit they were wrong. Then they crawl into their cave and sulk. That is most likely what will happen here.
You’re right. Funny you mention that, I just finished reading It’s Not About the Truth about the Duke Lacrosse case. Some info on Nancy Grace and the damage she caused, and then like you say she refused to man up and admit what she’d done was inaccurate and just plain wrong. I get so disgusted when a woman does that. Of course, she’s psychotic anyway.
Shela Sones and Jimmy Sones have both been charged and have been sitting in jail for almost 4 years.The foster mother has been involved in something simular in Ca. He husband was exterdited to Ca. To face charges of child molest of 2 grown Adopted daughters but the charges were dropped because of stauates of lim. were up.Mind you CPS has never removed the kids from there care.I have studyed this case indepth and the foster mother here needs to be investagated and all children should be removed! I didnt know u could sit in jail for 4 years with out a trial what happen to inosent until proven guilty?
Yes, this whole thing is beginning to stink. Wood county investigated the original charges and decided that there was no truth in the accusations. After Pittman and Kelly were convicted, they re investigated, using Smith county’s investigation as a guide, and couldn’t corroborate ANY of the children’s accusations.
Margie Cantrel would not accept the Wood County findings. She is a true believer – she thinks that if she believes it, it must be true. Put that together with a prosecutor with less than pure motives and a county full of holier than thou “beautiful people” and it’s easy to railroad a few oddballs into prison.I’m afraid for the Smith County Six, afraid that they will never see justice.
I’m angry – angry because I bought into this 100%. I was part of the reason the six people suffered. Now I need to make it right. This update was a first step. I need to look into what else I and this website can do to ensure that everyone gets a fair trial. A change of venue should be the #1 priority right now. Get this case out of Smith County.
The new evidence that has come to light is very disturbing,it chews up michael halls across the line the main :son: complaining about the foster mom calling her puppet master was just mad at her and felt this would be a cool way to get to her. He now says it was never true what was said about Margie Cantrell and will tell if asked she is not a puppet master he was driven by his wife who made it all up. Booger red made a tape for michael hall you need to listen very careful to this tape as michael hall has tried to destroy Margie Cantrell as Thad Davidson his friend vowed to do to her.listen to the tape Booger red admits knowing “all” about what was coming down on him,shantel, jamie,listen michael hall says “when was the first time you knew about all this” Booger red says well I first heard about it before the children were taken away, he did ! The children told no one before they were taken away,, Jim wheeler is with Thad davidson and Joyce Box who did a very leading interview of cantrells daughter and put words in this very slow I.Q.83 forced her to talk for jim wheeler who asked joyce to go get this girl and interview her when it went to court once it was said to have no merit then it went to California and was not given an ok to even go to trial transcrips tell the story and there was NO crediable evidence so the California Judge said it was over he would not have it go to court and told the Cantrells he should never even allowed it to go to pre trial and said he was sorry.Cantrell’s daughter is married to the man the kids ID as the tatooed man that hurt them and described the dragon tattoo on this man and it was found at court to be as the children said it was.As the last trials go I am sure unless their is one honest reported that dares to hear the childrens side of this horriable story each and everyone of you will have to live with what you have done to the children . The truth is out there with proof. There was no investigation ! fact it was stamped closed 24 hrs after it was reported the mineola police never went to the childrens school never did go pick up the evidence that was at the club the first day it was reported by a mandated state reported. Michael Hall is way off base with the truth an Xwife and some kids that were fighting with their siblings and mom did all this for michael, then add a neighbor that had to have the police called on her and her husband repeatedly for calling the cantrell children ” niggers and white trash foster kids. Michael Hall has already won prizes on this story and it is a lie.
Blaze, don’t even go there. I know Michael Hall personally, and his evidence is rock solid. I’m not going to argue with you, because you are at a major disadvantage. In other words, this was a really BAD time to come to the the defense of the people who railroaded these six innocent individuals. I will say this; Be careful what you say about this case, because before the summer heat hits Smith County you will have to eat every one of those words, the same way I had to man up and admit I was wrong after I read Michael Hall’s article and researched the case on my own.
Shit, I just can’t let this go. Blaze, I don’t know what your sources for this “disturbing new information” are, but man did you get taken in.
You’ve totally confused the accusation against John Cantrell in California, which were completely groundless, with the case in Texas. Two girls in California, who were foster children of the Cantrels when they lived there, were the accusers and both were found to be lying – that was the “no credible evidence” the judge is CA referred to.
We reported the California story years ago, when it happened, and removed any reference to John from our original story. And I personally wrote a letter of apology to the Cantrels. so Who do you think is more informed about that, me or you?
Much of what you write seems to be your own personal opinion. You have alot to say about Patrick Kelly’s interview with Michael Hall, but you offer no proof. That makes it worthless here a PYSIH and unworthy of discussion.
The same is true of the accusations you made against Jim Wheeler and the Mineola Police. Do you honestly expect us to believe the Mineola cops didn’t do a thorough investigation, or even a cursory one, that took more than a day, without some sort of evidence to back up that statement. Comon Blaze – I admit to being an amateur investigator, but I’m not a moron.
No Blaze, you’re going to have to do better than you did here. You got off to a bad start when you attacked Michael Hall’s credibility, and it was all downhill from there.
Max…I know I don’t tell things so good and I am sorry. I heard the tape it is on the texas monthly site so I know I am not crazy its there just please listen to it. I guess because I talked to the kids about this I do believe them and I know if michael hall would re contact main son he would tell the truth then thats all I am trying to say The girls lied about their dad and mom, these are good people. I don’t want people to be closed minded about this case. I know all about this summer. These people are not innocent and fact in court the mineola police closed the case in 24hrs.
Blaze, it’s not a case of you not being a good enough writer to get your point across. I understood perfectly well what you wanted to say. The problem with your comments is a lack of proof. What you posted was your opinion, plus some rumors added for good measure.
I know for a fact that the Mineola County investigation took much longer than a day, and they also re-investigated after Smith County indicted the six defendants. They couldn’t corroborate one thing that Smith county accused Jamie and Dennis Pittman, Patrick Kelly.and Shauntel Mayo of. That’s fact – it was the much of the information that was included in the Amicus Brief Mineola sent to the Judge during Kelly’s and Pittman’s successful appeal of their convictions.
And this is why the death penalty is indefensible.
Now I wouldn’t go that far. When there’s DNA and other indisputable evidence, and the crime is especially cruel or evil, I’ve got no problem with executing the person responsible.
I do believe that the way the DP is applied now is flawed and needs to be fixed.
Max the Cat – your faith in the absolute fairness and total objectivity of the gathering, administration and presentation of scientific evidence is touching but, alas, too reliant upon the bright certainties of fictional forensic drama and the crime TV-cable channels.
The diameter of your hair shaft is no different from my son’s. The brown carpet fibres in your basement are microscopically indistinguishable from the brown carpet in my car.
A helpful neighbour or first responder coughs within 6 feet of a bio sample and thats your DNA sample screwed. A loving mother tries clean her daughter up after a rape – that’s the DNA sample contaminated.
The bullshit but successful efforts by the OJ defence were allowed because of simple mistakes- made by a well-resourced crime team dealing with a high-profile case. Cops et al are under enormous pressure to clear up crimes and the shortfall in training, funding, labs and sheer will to do justice means that the evidence gets mucked up time and again, accidentally or otherwise even, day in and day out and people get done because of it. You think everything is shiny bright and honest in law-enforcement and the courts? What have you just been writing about here? And what would you be saying otherwise if no digging journos had come to these mens’ defence? Fry these evil fuckin pedos, that’s what.
Take a look into the eyes of those whose loved ones were executed for crimes they have been proved now not to have committed. Ask yourself honestly if these so-called modern foolproof techniques are 100% reliable and 100% accurately applied in 100% of cases. You happy with that? Fine, throw the switch, depress the plunger. By order of the govt – the govt who says that’s the way to go, the govt who says that they’re sure their offices have got it right – the same govt who can’t even fix the potholes in the goddamn road.
I suspect your intransigence is less because you truly believe your “they’re sure then I’m sure” song than it is because you are afraid of losing some high Internet moral-arbiter status – the outrage and angry-man gnash you have to crank up every time another story of another horror hits your inbox. Where would you be if you can’t wish the righteous justice of the ultimate violence on their asses? Losing hits to another, even-angrier-man site, that’s where. But that’s the Internet, can’t blame you for it, and you do a good job publicising these scum.
BTW to the rest of you who love to comment on this site, saying how you’d give the perps (arrested, most of them , not tried – as if that matters to you lot, really) a taste of their own medicine. Yeah, you’d love a public hanging wouldn’t you? Know your kind.
Wow, what did i do to deserve this angry attack on my character? I seem to remember politely disagreeing with you, even agreeing with part of your argument.
Would you like to know what really drew me to take a second look at the Kelly/Pittman case. The fact that the District Attorney of neighboring Wood County provided evidence to the Appellate Court contradicting major parts of Smith County’s case against Patrick Kelly. I read Michael Hall’s article “Across The Line” a couple of weeks later. As a rule, I don’t use the news media as a source of legit information. I would think someone who write using so many big words, the way you do Topka, would know that instinctively. Guess not.
So you assumed something about me that wasn’t true. You did that a lot in your rant against me. By now, most people know what kind of man I am, and where I stand. Nothing some not-nearly-as-smart-as-he-thinks-he-is asshole like you says about me is going to change it, so I’m not even going to respond to rest of the nonsense you claim you know about me. You know nothing about forensics, how the investigative process works, or even what “indisputable evidence” means. Hair and fiber evidence don’t come close to falling into that category.
Why do I make you so angry? Because people like me? Because they respect my opinion? I’m sure there are plenty of people that don’t like or respect me, but the ones who do and say so seem to really get under you skin. You should relax Topka, if folks knew me in real life, the game would be over pretty quick – the truth is I’m a pretty offensive guy who enjoys farting and burping way too much.
Eh, big words don’t impress me. Anyone with an average IQ and a thesaurus can pretend to have knowledge on the internet. Case in point – Topka, here.
“By now, most people know what kind of man I am, and where I stand. ” A GOOD man.
Jim Wheeler asked Joyce box to inerview for him. Then he took it to the appeals court He neglected to tell them it was found to be no crediabl evidence. If Jim Wheelers lies to the appeallet court allow the child molester to go free the children will never forgive him because they know he lied he showed the leading interview from Joyce Box and gave it to the appeals court even though two different Judges threw it out and by the way it was not thrown out due to statuet of limitations . The Judge said for no crediable evidence,he said if any crediable evidence was presented he would and could extend the statuet but he found none in all the garbage Jim wheeler and Box put together with the daughter that is married to the swinger.
I’m one of those that likes to comment here and while I don’t have all the stats. I believe very rarely if ever anyone who has been written about here has turned out to be innocent. In the Kelly case looks like the jury is still out. We’ll see. If they turn out to be innocent I’ll eat every word I said about the case. Even though I realize it want help them or their reputation one bit.
True some of the perps we comment on here haven’t been convicted yet, but if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck it’s probably a duck.
Sorry I can’t sound as intelligent as some people;)
BTW I’m all for public hangings. Would be a great weekend event!
Wow, you know jack and crap about forensics, don’t you? A carpet fiber can be distinguished clearly enough microscopically and spectrographically to identify what kind of carpet it is – the manufacturer and where it was used. Heck, the dirt in the carpet can be placed sometimes.
The only way the carpet in your basement is indistinguishable from the carpet in a car is if you’re carpeting your basement with carpet manufactured for a car.
I’m just laughing my ass off over here at your ideas about forensics. Awesome. I love even more how authoritatively you’ve attempted to state these idiot things.
Topka, everyone else has said what I want to, except for one thing – you’re a pompous, ignorant asshat.
Ah, that felt good.
I had to look that one up. We use different names in the Virgin Islands but that one is FUNNY!
“Asshat: One who has their head up their ass. Thus wearing their ass as a hat.” urbandictionary.com. Ha Ha Ha
Use it in good health! Hehe!
Topka , your statement: “A loving mother tries clean her daughter up after a rape – that’s the DNA sample contaminated.” is BULLSHIT! If a mother’s DNA got mixed up inside (???) the vagina of a raped child, then there would be 3 people’s DNA: the child’s; the child’s mother; and the perpetrator’s. The test would not be contaminated. The prosecutors in my jurisdiction are cracking down on unlicensed and/or stolen firearms and are now doing DNA tests on firearms they recover because they rarely hold fingerprints. Often there are several people’s DNA on the gun, but that doesn’t stop the prosecutor from pressing charges. If a gun is found in a car with 4 people in it and they all claim they never saw it before and never touched it, then DNA can often determine who possessed the gun. Just because the rightful owner’s DNA is on the gun also doesn’t make it contaminated.
stcroix, perhaps Topka believes soap has DNA.
But even if it did, you can eliminate the extra DNA by simply testing the soap, the same way you’d test a lab worker if you had reason to believe a lab worker’s DNA was also in a sample.
Having more than one kind of DNA doesn’t “contaminate” in the fashion Topka is suggesting. My DNA being on the same coffee cup as my partner/fiance/live-in love monkey doesn’t change either of our DNA as presented on the cup, our DNA doesn’t smoosh together and form a whole new DNA creature that cannot be reliably traced to either of us. A reputable, effective lab would simply be able to tell we had BOTH used the cup.
Good presentation. I remember when this case broke, and I just read the first couple articles, not really following it up (sad world where there are so many horrifying stories that something like these accusations would be lost).
I read the article linked and have a few impressions of this Margie woman that are definitely not favorable. She doesn’t sound at all like a reliable witness or player based on her personal history of bringing up charges and making up lies–not even taking into account the former fosters that are saying she actually physically and emotionally abused all of them. Just to look at her character as portrayed in the public eye, she seems to be one that you’d have to really listen to and then go find the facts rather than to take her word for facts.
This case is going to really bring up a big blow to the reliability of child witnesses and victims, which sucks. Kids are already facing a grownup world where we dismiss them too easily. I feel that these kids have been led to really major claims, and I’m not feeling that they’re true. That’s not saying anything bad about these children; they were so young and still are, and this margie character is definitely a force to stand against, much less if you’re a child and trying to get things right.
I hope that this case is thoroughly reviewed. If these people are guilty I want that to be found and then proper punishments given out. If they’re innocent, then I want proper punishment to be given to the incompetent investigators and to save those children from the abuse that they’ve suffered at the hands of those who are orchestrating this. Either way, these children have suffered and will suffer for a long time from the after effects. The only thing that is certain is that someone has truly wounded these victims; the question is who and at what point? I am honestly leaning toward the current accused being innocent. It smacks so much of the old daycare scares and quite frankly it’s terrifying that this could happen again after we should have learned then.
And even if these defendants are guilty, I’m horrified at the legal process used against them so far. If they’re guilty they are one of the very few cases that I feel has an actual and legit out based on the rules of our justice system because this investigation and subsequent sentencing has been a major fuckup.
I think you did a great job of stating the facts. Jamie Pittman is my cousin by marriage and I’ve known him half my life. HE IS INNOCENT!!!
I can’t believe the jury only took minutes to decide he was gulity. minutes,,, that’s absolutely crazy. We are talking about a mans life here. The charges are serious and the Life in prison is nothing to take lightly. Pittman is not a child preditor. Like I said I’ve known Jamie Pittman half of my life. You don’t just wake up one day and decide to sexually assault children and make them do the things Smith County said these men did. Jamie Pittman was around my daughter from the time she was born till she was 9 years old. We had our children 3 months apart. Needless to say, we are very close. He never once did anything inapropriate with my child or his or anyone elses children. I know I was always around him. We shared a house for together for a long time. I can’t believe that the justice system has failed like it has. Thank God the court has granted Pittman and Kelly new trials. I don’t understand why the new trials will be held in the same court. I honestly believe another judge should handle these new trails. My thoughts and prayers go out to the familys of Patrick Kelly and my cousin Jamie Pittman.
Hi Tanya–thanks for sharing a personal view. It is so hard on family members of defendants, whether or not they’re really guilty or not (my dad spent most of my life in prison for crimes he was most definitely guilty of, so I know the public stigma and also the personal conflict when someone you love does something bad). I have to admit that I’m instinctively reluctant to swing all the way off the fence because of the fact I think that usually children are too seldom believed when it matters, but I’m definitely able to see the utter mess this trial and investigation were and I’m very inclined to think that your cousin and the others were made victims also in this case–even if they are not telling the truth, these kids are so young that it’s obvious that they’ve been goaded and pushed into the lies, so I feel that they will be victims no matter where the guilt lies. :(
Please keep coming here and letting everyone know what is going on. I will continue to wish/pray that justice is served in this case, and if your cousin is innocent I feel that justice should be made to compensate for the horrible things that have been done to an innocent group of people.
I’ve always felt sick when I hear of innocent people convicted. I hope that this one ends soon if this is the case here.
You’re welcome Tanya, but don’t thank us so fast. We believed the story the Smith County people were telling us too at the beginning of this case – we wanted to see your cousin Jamie hang along with everyone else. You should be eternally grateful to Wood County District Attorney Jim Wheeler. It took a lot of guts to send that Amicus brief to the appellate court telling them that Smith County’s investigation was garbage. That’s when I began to think the case against Jamie and Patrick smelled a little funky, and that’s when I started looking into it myself. This update is the result.
I hate child molester, but not as much as as I hate liars and hypocrites. It looks to me now that there are more than enough of those to go around concerning this case, starting with Margie Cantrel, crusader for the children (LOL). After I read Michael Hall’s article, I got the impression that Margie watched too many movies on Lifetime, and that when Wood County found no evidence that the children’s accusations were true, she was going to become the heroine of the story and prove that it did happen the way she said it did. Add in an inexperienced Texas Ranger with no experience in Child Sex Abuse cases who’s trying to make a name for himself, a District Attorney who is only interested in convictions and doesn’t seem to care how he gets them, and a county full of Bible thumping, holier than thou, judgmental clowns and you wind up with the mess we have here.
I hope that the evidence is there to prove Jamie and the rest of the defendants are innocent. It seems to me like it’s the only way to make this right.
Oh and one more thing. Jamie Pittman and Patrick Kelly were NEVER IN MINEOLA. They were NEVER swingers!! This foster mother is the person you will see in HELL!!!!
ScribbleMuse, thank you I will continue to come back and keep you informed. Max, I understand where you are coming from, I know just about everyone believed this story. And if I was not as close to the defendant as I am, I might have believed it too. But I know him and this is not Jamie.
I have been tryng to find Jamie another attorney. I spoke to one yesterday here in Tyler and he informed me that I should not replace Jamie’s lawyer. That he had his hands tied in the first trial because of withheld evidence. This attorney also informed me that ever since Patrick Kelly’s trial there have been dozens of lawyers putting thousands of hours in on this case, Pro Bono. He said “Tanya, we know these people are innocent, and all the evidence that was withheld in the first trials will be introduced in the new trials”. He also said that the courts were going to overturn Shauntel Mayos case too. He said that her attorney did a lousy job of defending her and that she was going to have a hearing about it. Shauntel is in Smith County right now. She got here almost a week ago. I guess that may be why she is back. This attorney also informed me that the best thing I could do for Jamie is go to the newspaper and the media.
You guys I can’t tell you how happy I was when I got off the phone with this lawyer. I feels amazing that there are other people
( besides myself and Jamie’s other family) that believe these guys and girls are innocent. I’ve been watching the news and the message I’ve been getting is that they will indeed get a retrial but the outcome with remain the same.
Max, believe me I am very grateful to Mr. Jim Wheeler. More than you or anyone will ever know. He did a very brave thing and I intend to contact him and thank him pesonally for getting involved the way he did. Not too many people would call out the Smith County DA office the way he did. All he did was tell the truth, but it took a lot of guts to do it. Smith County has a reputation. Needless to say it’s not a great one.
So, I would appreciate the positive thinking and the prayers. We need all we can get.
By the way, I’m printing this out to send to Jamie. It will do him some good to hear some of the things that have been said.
Till next time
Tanya, I live in Austin, don’t know you or your cousin and never heard of Mineola until this case broke a few years ago. However, when this case first broke and after reading the first article, I immediately knew this case was a complete fabrication and a product of someone’s fantasy. The whole account of silly pills, sex kindergarten, then holding perfomances in a swingers club in front of hundreds of paying pedos while the owner of the club and presumably the “adult” swingers had no idea what was taking place is absurd. The owner of the swingers club and several patrons testified in court they had no idea who Patrick Kelly or Pittman and never saw them in their lives until then speaks volumes. Kelly, Pittman, Shauntel and company would have had to conspire with the owner of the club, the club patrons who were only into adults would have spilled the beans. How could you advertise a kiddie sex show at a swingers club which was next door to the newspaper and draw 100 pedos and no one got wind of this operation? The ONLY evidence were these childrens testimony. During their first interviews, they denied anything of the sort took place, only after being coerced did they start telling the interviewers what they wanted to hear. Again, it is telling that so many local journalists who are presumably educated, actually believed this tripe.
Duane, I want to thank you for your reply. It’s about time someone said what you said. It is an outragous story with the “silly pills” and the children also talked about flying around on brooms and things like that. Dennis Pittman’s (no relation to my cousin Jamie) trial started yesterday. The (now) 11 year old aunt told the judge and jury that the “Kindergarten” never happened. It wasn’t until Matt Bingham kept on and on that she finally said that she remembered taking silly pills. Bingham asked her if she was mad at him and she said yes, he said why and she said ” cause you keep asking the same questions over and over”.
Now anyone with a brain knows how children are. If you badger them enough they will eventually tell you what you want to hear.
Seems to me like the damn prosecutor needs to get his head out of his ass and quit torturing these kids. The kids are not to blame for these lies that were told. The authorities and the foster parents should have to pay for what they have put the defendants and these kids through.
Yes Tanya, I read the article today. These witch trials are total bullshit. I can’t believe people believe this crap. In the earlier trials, a kid claimed they flew around the swinger’s club in a flying broom. I guess that was true since “children don’t lie”. Did they find the broom? Was it Harry Potter’s.
The Owner of the swinger’s club and several of the patrons WOULD HAVE NEVER TESTIFIED FOR THE DEFENSE IF THESE ALLEGATIONS HAD ANY MERIT!!
Thanks Tanya, keep us updated. This site has some good info on these witch trials:
http://www.flds.ws/2010/06/23/texass-ranger-philip-kemps-sexual-fantasy-goes-up-in-smoke/
Tanya, this is a great blog covering the Tonya Craft witch hunt
http://williamlanderson.blogspot.com/
IS the attorney aware of these other cases? If not point him to this blog, he may get some pointers in how to properly defend someone in a witch trial.
Duane: thank you for posting those links. Very interesting and very desturbing. It amazes me that so many people can buy into these alligations. Don’t get me wrong, I can not stand a child molester or anyone that abuses children. But like I said before, Jamine and I raised our kids together, as a matter of fact, Jamies son lived with him during the time these acts were suposed to have happened. Yet no one even brought him up. His son would have seen something or if this truely happened he would have been made to do the same things these other kids had to do. Ive spoken to Jamie’s son ( I will not state his name) and he said none of this happened. I mean what did Jamie do, leave his own son at home by himself while he made these other children dance and have sex with each other? It’s obserd. I am so eager to see how this turns out. Dennis Pittman is on trial now and it doesn’t seem to be going well. If the prosecution would quit badgering these childern and just listen to the truth then these guys might have a chance. I pray that Justice is served.
As far as Jack Skeen is concerned. I think he should be removed from the bench!!!
duane:
do you know how I can read the appeals for Jamie and Patrick?
Right Here Tanya:
Patrick Stephen Kelly vs The State Of Texas
Jamie Pittman vs The State Of Texas
Just click on the names and you’ll be redirected right to the opinion you’re looking for.
I was reading about Dennis Pittman’s trial yesterday, and found the testimony of the two “victim’s” aunt very interesting. So did God really tell her that noting happened back when the sex club was supposed to be in operation, and there was no “kindergarten”? I guess that wasn’t good enough for Matt Bingham, who kept asking the girl the same questions until she finally reversed herself and told him what he wanted to hear.
The boy still insists that the abuse happened – I’m not putting much stock in what these children are saying anymore. It’s not their fault, but I honestly think they don’t know what the truth is. The real fun will begin when the adults start taking the oath.
I’d really like to come down to Texas and observe one of these trials. It’s so hard to get a fair picture of what’s going on from news reports. BTW, how fair was the coverage in the Tyler Morning Telegraph? I like to use local news media for my sources, because their coverage is usually the most thorough, but it can also be the most biased. Also, their reporters are more likely to talk to a small-time blogger like me about details that don’t make it into print.
Max thank you for the links. And about the news media down here. If you go to http://www.cbs19.tv you will get great coverage. They even have some video of one of the girls testifing. As far as the Morning Telegraph goes I read there articles about these trials in their paper and they do cover it a lot but Channel 19 (the site I mentioned earlier) are the only ones that seem to admit there may be a problem with cases. They were talking on last nights broadcast about the inconsistecy of the testimony given by these children. The oldest of the children took the stand and broke down crying and asked if they could stop for a minute. She then started talking about abuse not only happening at this swinggers club but also a well know club in Tyler named The Brass Star. Now, correct me if I’m wrong but this is the first I’ve heard of this. It’s crazy. And everytime the defense cross exams the kids, they keep saying I don’t remember that. I sure hope this jury isn’t buying into all this crap!!!
Just in case you haven’t been keeping up with the trial of Dennis Pittman, yesterday two different mothers of some of the children that were suposed to be victims testified in court that they weren’t even living in Texas at the time of these alleged events. Score one for the defense. The State rested their case on Monday. Now lets pray the evidence comes out that this case is all bullshit.
Today I read that a girl and her friends went to the swinger’s club on a dare and were admitted. They saw a hot tub, some adults playing pool, porno playing on a tv, and a blowup doll on a motorcycle parked on the stage and saw no signs that children were ever there.
The kids described a tree that they climbed, dead chickens and dogs, and flying around the club on a broom.
This case is complete horseshit. Thanks for mentioning that they were also abused at the Brass Star.
Kudos to the owner of this blog for showing some humility, but how could you or anyone in their right mind swallow the prosecutors tale hook, line and sinker? It scares me to think that so many in this country of ours are so gullible. All of the sex abuse cases involving multiple victims/multiple offenders have been false. Not a single one ever proven to be true in the history of this nation, NOT ONE!! All of the truly sick child rapist crimes invovled 1 or in some cases 2 offenders.
I just read that the defense attorney for Dennis Pittman got to question the Cantrells ( the foster parents) My question is why did they excuse the jury first? The jury needs to know what kind of people these are. Every question the attorney asked both of the parents got the same answer…”I refuse to answer that due to my constitutional rights” What kind of bullshit is that? I am sick and tired of these freaks getting away with shit while Innocent people
Like my cousin Jamie Pittman is sitting in prison accused of things he didn’t do. The justice system has truely failed them!!!
I knew that that Cantrell pleaded the 5th when asked if he molested children and if his wife told the children to lie.
Didn’t realize the jury wasn’t able to hear it. Are you sure about that? Jury sequestering means they aren’t allowed to go home at night, not necessarily that they didn’t hear the questions on the stand. Hopefully Cassell will be able argue that John Cantrell was charged with child molestion in California. Sad that PIttman and others are rotting in jail while these girls have go back to John Cantrells bed so he can screw them some more.
Duane, please that is enough. John Cantrell was never charged with anything He was accused and the Court found NO crediable evidence to extend the statuet and take it further to trial. The Judge told John he was sorry he allowed it to even come to pre trial and dissmissed the case against John. You have slandered an innocent man who his 20 children and grand children love their pop so please till you find your facts some where besides what Thad Davidson has set up and had put into print I would ask that you don’t say things like that it has hurt us as a family too much thank you for understanding. Margie
Oh you are asking Tanya, I’m pretty sure the jury go to hear it:
Well, here’s the testimony taken down by a friend in Skeen the Beans Clubhouse:
Q. Mr. Cantrell, have you ever sexually molested a child?
A. I plead the 5th.
Q. Mr. Cantrell, have you ever been arrested in California for sexually abusing foster children in your care?
A. I plead the 5th.
Q. Mr. Cantrell, have you ever heard your wife prompt the children in your foster care to lie on the witness stand?
A. I plead the 5th.
Q. Mr. Cantrell, since taking the children involved in this case into your home as foster children, have you sexually molested them?
A. I plead the 5th.
CASSELL: I have no further questions for this witness.
SKEEN: Mr. Bingham?
BINGHAM: No questions your honor.
SKEEN: You’re excused Mr. Cantrell.
http://www.flds.ws/2010/07/15/john-cantrell-testifies-in-kemps-fantasy-trial/
WHY WOULD SOMEONE PLEAD THE 5TH WHEN ASKED IF THEY MOLESTED CHILDREN UNLESS THEY ARE GUILTY???
Someone would plead the fifth when there is no reason to allow Thad davidson to dirty up the case for the children when they have always known it was a set up and there was no merit to it at all.
duane: Go to tylerpaper.com when it loads up go to the search box and type in Dennis Pittman. All the different articles will pop up. Read the one that says “Judge Sequesters Pittman Jury” It states that the judge sequesters the jury after the foster parents testified outside the presence of the jury. WTF. That makes no sence to me at all. And what do you know… the jury found Dennis Pittman guilty and sentenced him to life in prison. Another innocent man going to prison due to the Smith County Judicial System.
I just don’t understand, the cocreater of the swingers club testified that there were never any children in that club. The stepdaughter of Dennis Pittman admitted that she was lieing to the jury while she was on the stand. The first girl to testify in this trial said that Kindergarten never happened.
Can anyone tell me how that jury did not have reasonable doubt?? Please someone enlighten me.
As far as those fucking foster parents pleading the 5th, How can the judge not let the jury hear that shit. I can see why Mr Cantrell would plead the 5th on the questions asking if he was a child molester, because we all know that motherf**ker is what he is, But why would he plead the 5th when they asked if he ever heard his b**ch of a wife tell the children to lie on the stand…..UNLESS SHE DID!!!!!! TELL ME WHERE IS THE JUSTICE. THOSE KIDS HAVE TO REMAIN WITH THE TRUE CHILD ABUSERS. Can someone please help me understand. Max the cat….what are you’re thoughts on this?
I feel a great sadness in my heart for Dennis Pittman. In my mind, there was more than enough reasonable doubt to acquit. I though Mr. Cassel did a good job of discrediting the children’s stories. Unfortunately, The judge couldn’t allow the jury to see the Cantrells take the 5th – that’s something that isn’t up to his discretion.
Unfortunately, as long as these children continue to stick to their stories, we will probably continue to see convictions – at least in Smith County. There needs to be a change in venue, hopefully to a more urban county where people are no so eager to prejudge. The children need to be removed from the Cantrell home, then placed somewhere where they can heal without pressure from adults. They need unconditional love now – I believe the truth will come out on its own if these little ones are just given a chance to get better.
It’s very upsetting to me to watch such an obvious miscarriage of justice go on under my nose. But we have to remember that time is NOT the friend of the prosecution and the Cantrells. Eventually these kids will outgrow the influence of John and Margie, and then watch out as the recantations come out. Call me naive, but I believe in justice, and I also believe in Karma. Because of that, I think in the end the Cantrells and Matt Bingham will end up doing more time than the six defendants.
Jesus said, “It would be better for someone to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck, than for that person to harm even one hair on the head of an innocent.” Although the people who are so gung-ho to prosecute the six defendants in the Mineola alleged child sex club claim to be such devout Christians, especially Margie, I’m wondering if these words mean anything to them.
Tanya, I know how much this hurts. It is really horrible. Thanks for correcting me about the jury. Yes, the jury most certainly should have been allowed to hear him plead the 5th. The jurors are idiots, I read that bingham appealed to their emotions, calling Pittman “pure evil” and such, stupid people are easily swayed by such crap and all that “believe the children” nonsense. The children denied any abuse occured in the initial interviews, so why did they not believe them at that time??? The only hope is in the appeals. In all the past day care sex abuse witch hunts, pretty much all the victims were eventually released. It may take a while but their is hope.
What is so sad is John Cantrell has unfettered access to these children. He gets to continue his kiddie f**king ways with Texas CPS’s blessing while completely innocent people rot in prison.
But can anyone give me the reason the jury was excused from hearing the Cantrell’s testimony. I can’t figure it out. There must have been a reason. Is it because the Cantrells are not on trial here. I am going to call a lawyer I know tomorrow and find out if he can explain it to me.
My concern is that when Jamie gets his new trial, that his jury wont be able to hear their testimony either. In my mind that is very damaging testimony, at least for the state. I don’t want to sound childish here but it’s just not fair. I know it’s not the kids fault. They are just children under control by the terrible people.
Max: I agree, Mr Cassel did a great job of proving reasonable doubt. the news said that he has already filed for Dennis’ appeal but has withdrawn as his attorney. Not sure if that’s because Dennis cant afford another trial and will have to go with a court appointed attorney oor what. I also believe the kids should be taken out of that home. As long as they are living under that roof, justice will not be seen in these cases. I feel for the kids, I really do. Did I tell you that I met Shauntels children? They were very roudy kids. Shauntel used to yell and scream at them constantly. She would make Jamie spank them when they were bad. I neve liked Shauntel. She is not playing with a full deck. She was very controlling over Jamie and would not even let him talk to me. Even Jamie’s mother stated when she first met Shauntel and her kids, that they were going to get Jamie into a lot of trouble. Who knew it would be this bad.
Im trying like hell to keep a positive attitude. It’s very hard to tell Jamie this kind of news while he’s in there. He’s having a very hard time where he is at.
I will try to get a hold of that attorney I was talking about and see what he has to say, I’ll let you guys know. Thank you
Max I have not lied to anyone about anything I have paperwork proving we were the ones set up so the defense and wood county could win. In the end when the time is right it will all be put on the table along with our 20 plus children that are happy to call themselves Cantrell . This hurts our whole family that nanny and pop, their brothers and sisters are going through this but I assure you Max it is not at all true thats why we did have a ….pre trial in California and the Judge said sorry for even allowing it to go that far there was “no crediable” evidence presented so he could have extended the limitations but choose not to and told john to go home to his wife and children . I am in awww over being set up I will be contacting the fourteenth court to show them the TANGABLE proof we have no fault, in this case or any other Jim Wheelers report was “set up” when he asked Joyce box to do the interview ( I have the file from the court) of our daughter who had married david the tatooed man. I am in shock as I hear people start hating me it’s sad they don’t know me and the one in the texas monthly is about to crash…., william that called me a puppet master is ready to put it all straight he loves his ma ma and dad. I am sorry if I have up set anyone I do have a side to tell and to clearify I was called by thad davidson but he never in fact called me to testify and no I did “not” plead the fifth in Booger Reds case I did not hear any of the trials as they went on. The bits the children told me I passed on as a mandated reporter. I don’t to this day know what was said in them I did see a large whole in the ground that booger red had the day I sent cops out there its all flat now. The reason I called so many people was because I was told by each agency to take what the child said to this or that one so I did. I think Licence plates were given from m.monitor to police where are they ?? Mr Edwards showed me them on his computer.Mr Edwards where are they ?????????
I am just a mom and John is as sweet a man as you would want to meet we love our kids and take this case very seriously I can’t do anything but report what the kids say. Its not for me to decide if it is good or bad I know the children have never changed their story so yes I belive them and always will. In case anyone was going to ask about the children they are happy doing very well in school outside activitys church camp youth group each week. Jim wheeler was set up big time by our daughter and if he had asked to know who or what she is we have years and years of proof, then she married the tatooed man and his mom was the” holy roller” running around town (Mineola) saying the evil club had to be shut down because her two son’s went there ( we have three wittness that david said he went to the clubs)Jenna has purjered herself over and over. He would love the chance to tell the truth about those two.If and when the real truth gets to be put out there it will blow there con job out of the water and I don’t have any hearsay I have concret proof.The Cantrells have done nothing wrong in this case and have nothing to hide. P.S. we did not make 110,000 on the three children as stated .Foster pay is you support the children the month they come into your home they come with NO money then you are reimburst and the the state takes the child to a doc. and then they set the rate. there are nothing but lies out there about us and its time to stop them, we have in storage all the proof papers we could ever need to prove we are good people tying to do the right thing for the children. thats all Stay open minded to the fact there is a con going on so just wait Thad davidson has lied to much and set too many people up with the help of the swingers and John’s X-wife and daughter I have proof of her also.they have played some evil games with our lives but I am ready to claim it back and the “swinging road show” needs to stay in jail for all they did to the children.
Margie, I have to say, after thoroughly reviewing both Jamie Pittman’s and Patrick Kelly’s appeals, and studying Michael Hall’s series of articles on the entire Tyler Sex Ring case, I’m leaning very strongly towards the idea that ALL the defendants have been unjustly accused, and that you and John, along with Texas Ranger Phillip Kemp, Judge Jack Skeen and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office are very much responsible for that. I still have unanswered questions, but they are slowly being answered as more details become available.
I would like to get both sides of this story. Would you be willing to participate in a webcam or telephone interview? I would even be willing to fly down to Tyler if you would agree to answer some of my questions. Actually, I would prefer to do it face to face. You know my reputation for being honest and fair – I can promise you is that hasn’t changed.
For instance, why did you plead the Fifth Amendment 130 times when you testified outside the presence of the jury during Dennis Pittman’s recent trial? Can you see why something like that would cause me to question your sincerity?
Max Thank you for being kind. When the time is right I would love nothing more than to open my records to you and show you everything proof that all of the Thad Davidsons lies that went to Michael Hall to start the set up on John and I , I will also give you all of our Children to interview that were so mad when left out of that horrible story. My Children have had to suffer so much at what a couple of our children decided to do (Jenna and Chayna). I would love to answer why I took the fifth but Max I know the truth of this story first hand I know the way it all started and I have seen the faces of the children each time they told something. I am the one that had to stand there and hear these things then Mandated to report them, I had no choice but to pass it on or I would face jail.To this day our family knows who the children fear and it is the ones who got an appeal based on lies sent to the 14th court of appeals . Max if your an honest man then look at the brief Wheeler sent and ask your self if this is “not true” who has become the victims. Like I said before I don’t have hearsay I have wittnesses and e-mails I have proof of what I say and I say the amicus brief is a provable lie.But when do we get to talk ????????? When the children have an unclouded trial without setting us up trying it on its merits as it has justly been done.The defense has put all their eggs in one basket with the two girls, John’s X-wife and daughter and thats bad for them in the end they have lied.(Provable) Our son that called me the puppet Master is so sorry he got involved with Michael Hall he’s ready to tell why.Max I don’t know what you have heard nor from who you have heard it from but yes I would love you to meet my wonderful family when the time is right, and I don’t know when that can be.Max If all I had before me was Thad Davidson and what he says and how he got Michale Hall to do his artical for him and the Amicus brief, I would lean heavy against Us also but without the other pieces of the puzzle put out there, I can see how there could never have been an appeal Never, so untill the missing pieses of the story are placed with it you can’t know the truth. Again Thank You for being nice all I read about John and I breakes my heart . Margie
Margie,
That was a hell of a way to dance around the question Max asked you. Why did you plead the 5th? There is only one reason in my book to plead the 5th. You have something to hide. The story that the children eventually told after being in your custody is so far fetched it’s really unbelievable. I am not shocked that Smith County took this case on with out doing all the necessary investigating. You should be ashamed of yourself Margie. The children spoke of flying around the room on brooms, is that really what happened? I think not? I have known Jamie Pittman for over 20 years and he is not capable of doing the things that you…oh I’m sorry that the children say he’s done. It’s ridiculous. Can you tell me why you were in the room when the children were questioned? You shouldn’t have been anywhere near them, seeing how you are the one that said the kids “cried out”. If it were any other person besides Kemp you wouldn’t have been in the room during questioning. I don’t understand how you can sleep at night, these people are innocent, and yet they are sitting in prisons and jail all over Texas while you get to sleep in your own bed with that man you call sweet. Have you thought about these peoples families? I bet you haven’t. Tell me something.. how did Thad Davidson set you up, How did Michael Hall set you up. You’re not making sense here. Can you give me a strait answer? Or are you going to dance around my questions too.
Well the attorney I was telling you about is out of town. So I decided to call Jamie’s attorney. He answered and I told him who I was, and that I had some questions I wondered if he could answer for me. He was very excited to hear from me and asked if I would come to his office Monday after I got off work. Of course I said I would see him there.
So my questions go unanswered till then.
I did have a lengthy talk with Jamie’s mom, she told me that after the kids were taken away from Shauntel, Shauntel had a visit with her daughter. Now were not sure if she was already with the Cantrells or if it was with one of the first foster homes she went to but, the daughter told Shauntel that she was scared to be in that house because there was a man that comes in her bedroom at night. And another time she told her that she was with the Cantrells and they went and looked at a place with them (the swinggers club) (cause the Cantrells were thinking about buying it) and there was a stage in the house. The daughter then told Shauntel that the kids got up on that stage and danced on it. These things were told to me by Jamies mother.
Now why didn’t Shauntel get on the stand hand testify to that? I know if it was my life and my kids (or not my kids) I would on that stand letting the jury get to know me, not just sit back and let the prosecution make me look like a monster. I don’t know… that’s just me I guess.
Tanya…Thats jamies mother just talking it never happened the mothers visits were moitored and when she went to the club the visits between them had been long stopped so it is what it is a lie from yet another person. Facts are facts.
Tonya, I believe judge skeen would have disallowed Shauntel’s testimony as “hearsay”. Judge skeen was preventing anything that would help the defense in these trials.
However, that is some pretty chilling info you posted, we need to get this publicized. What is happening is that John Cantrell has/is molesting these kids and Margie Cantrell pinned the abuse on your family and friends to take the heat off of John. She probably manipulated the children’s memory of dancing in this building prior to it becoming a swingers club and the abuse by John by successfully confabulating these events into a narrative of being molested and forced to dance in front of dozens of pedophiles
The youngest I had never met and she was already telling her bio Grandmother all these storys. And reporting them to CPS not knowing a girl in another state and one in tyler and two at the cantrells were all saying the same things bits and pieces but telling
I don’t know why I can’t give the truth it cuts me off
The youngest I had never met and she was already telling her bioGrandmother all these storys. And reporting them to CPS not knowing a girl in another state and one in tyler and two at the cantrells were all saying the same things bits and pieces but telling
duane: The Cantrells took the kids to that club because they were going to buy it. But it had already been the swinggers club. You heard about the article written in Texas Monthly called Across The Line haven’t you>? Well a man wrote an article about there being a swinggers club in Mineola (in August 2004). The Cantrells didn’t move here until after the club was closed down. (The club was closed down by September 2004)
I will talk to Jamies attorney Monday,hopefully he will be able to clear some things up for me.
I got a letter from Jamie yesterday, he asked me to keep him posted on Dennis Pittmans trial. Jamie feels really bad for Dennis, he told me that these things suposedly happened in Aug of 2004 but he didn’t even meet Dennis until Feb of 2005. He said Dennis was a good man and he didn’t deserve to be put in this situation because THE KIDS NEVER MET DENNIS PITTMAN! He said the only reason they even knew his name is because they heard him and Shauntel talking about him. That’s crazy, Now he’s convicted and sentenced to life in prison. I haven’t written Jamie back yet. It breaks my heart to tell him that the jury found Dennis guilty. I think it will take all hope from him. So I’ve decided to wait until after I speak to his attorney. Maybe I can give him some positive news.
In his letter to me, Jamie said that his attorney wrote him and told him that there were 27 other lawyers working on this case. Jamie also tolld me that the DA went to some of the defendants and offered them a deal. He said who ever would turn states evidence would only get probation and wouldn’t even have to register as a sex offender. Now these defendants have already seen 4 people sentenced to life in prison for these crimes and yet NOT ONE OF THEM TOOK THE DA UP ON HIS OFFER!!! What does that tell you. It tells me if this were true at all, one of those people would have jumped on that deal. Don’t you think?
Tanya, My bad, I got confused. Yes, the building was a swingers club before the Cantrells looked at it. I’m sure the kids who got on the stage in this building were just playing but it must have gave Margie the inspiration to spin this tale as it was likely that everyone knew this building was a former swingers club after that article “sex in the city” was published in the mineola paper.
This case is insane. In order to even attempt to pull off an operation like this, these people would have had to have conspired with the club operators and everyone who visited this club had to have known about it, look how small the building is. How could 50-100 pedophiles occupy a room to watch the children dance while the presumably “adult” swingers were kept in the dark about this particular section of the club? Everyone who atteneded the club had to have known what was going on, especially THE OWNER. Yet, the owner testified for the defense apparently without fear being arrester herself. In fact, Wood county DA cleared her and her husban. Now come on people! They had to have been actively involved in this and if this were true, as soon as Shauntel, Patrick Kelly, Pittmans were arrested, they would have attempted to flee. But NO, not only do they not flee, they willingly get on the stand and testify for the defense. The absurdidy and stupidity of so many supposedly educated people amaze me!!
Yes, I read the Texas Monthly articles. Amazing the Tyler press is swallowing this crap, either that or they don’t want to admit what dumb shits they are. What about the Brass Star club in Tyler? I tried to call that club but now their phone is disconnected. I bet everyone in Tyler now thinks it was a pedephile club.
Okay, so today I met with Jamie’s attorney. I asked him why the jury didn’t get to hear The Cantrells plead the 5th. He said it was Judge Skeens decision!! He also said that it will most likely be the reason Dennis Pittman will get a new trial. And that he believes the state will consolidate the rest of the trials. Well except for the retrials of Jamie and Patrick, Appeals cannot be tried with any other charges. Mr. Huggler seems to think that the next trials will happen next summer. And that hopefully there will be a change of venue. I asked him what he thought the changes are of the guys being found Not Guilty, he said he doesn’t know yet. He did say that he believes in about 10 years or so the kids will come clean about all this. But it wont happen as long as they remain with the Cantrells.
Im not feeling so great about all this.
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anythhing so I thought I’d let you guys know what was going on now. First of all, if you don’t already know this, Thad Davidson (Patrick Kelly’s attorney) filed a motion to remove Judge Jack Skeen from the bench due to his conduct durring the Pittman and Kelly trial. Unfortunately a Dallas Judge denied Mr. Davidson’s request so Skeen remains in control. Which doesn’t surprise me much.
Motions have been filed to consolidate all the defendants charges in to one big trial. The defense attorneys are still working on a change of venue. And Michael Hall has written another article on these cases in this months Texas Monthly. It’s good, you should read it.
But I saved the best news for last…Jamie is back in Smith County Jail. He returned to Tyler a few days ago. I got to actually speak to him for the first time in years. And I’m going to see him on Sunday. He also gets to see his son and mother whom he hasn’t seen since the trial.
Jamie informed me that he has NEVER been talked to about this case. Has NEVER been able to tell his story. I hope and pray he gets to soon. Tell me something…How can a man be accused, indicted, tried and convicted without ever getting to tell his side of things? That is rediculous if you ask me.
Anyways, just wanted to update you on the latest.
Tanya
Good news about Jamie Tanya – We’re pleased to hear it. To bad about Judge Skeen. But that’s not all bad news – the man is a walking talking supplier of trial error for the defense, in case the worse happens and another appeal becomes necessary. How he ever got himself a seat on The Bench is anyone’s guess.
What you describe happened to Jamie is called getting railroaded. We have a good feeling that by the time the retrial happens, their will be so much pressure on Smith County that they will have to do it by the book, and that can only work in the accused’ favor, because they are innocent.
I went and visited Jamie yesterday in Smith County. He looked really good considering. He was just so happy to finally see someone he knows. He’s been locked up over 3 years and hasn’t seen or heard from anyone except his mother, son and I. We talked about a lot of things but we tried to keep it positive. He kept a smile on his face the entire visit which was great to see. He got to see his son for the first time in years on Friday. Needless to say right now he is a happy man. At least as happy as he can be considering his situation. It was really great to see him like that. He is very optimistic about his retrial. Remember in my last post I told you about the motion (that was denied) Thad Davidson filed to have Skeen removed from the bench? Well Mr. Davidson is not giving up. He recently filed a motion asking Jack Skeen to excuse himself from the retirals. It’s a very long shot and nobody expects Skeen to do but who knows. Davidson has also scheduled a bond hearing for Patrick Kelly. Wants to get him out on a PR bond. (don’t see that happening either) I’ve also talked to several of the attorneys working on these cases and I believe they are going to consolidate the remaining trials into one big trial. I honestly don’t know how I feel about this. What do you think Max? I’d love to hear your opinion on this.
Tanya
Geez, that’s unbelivealbe. Kudos and such.
Conclusion: all six defendants agree to a plea deal that allows them to go home without having to register as an offender… after 4 years of jail/prison I would have taken the deal, too. esp. after knowing I’d be facing the same Judge/Prosecuter tag team that convicted in the first place.
Awesome article Max, as I read through the Blogs I feel that I get to know you better as people, as I read the story plus all the individual comments, I’ve noticed a strength in all of your charachters, and not just compassion, but humility that isnt always obvious from reading 25 pages worth of data, I’m not always the type to comment every time someone elses comment disagrees with how I see things, and I usually reserve hell judgements against people until after they are convicted, But at my core I’m most definately pro-justice….long story short I’m glad I found your blog.
Oh my friggin’ Lawd!
WTF!
I seriously hope one of your more senior writers does a write up on Margie Cantrell–if for no other reason than to create an opportunity for all of us to vote her (unreasonably simplistically) into Hell!
And DA Bingham…
And Judge Skeen…
And…
And…
(out of breath)