MI MI - Tanner Lucas, Alexander William, & Andrew Ryan Skelton, Morenci, 26 Nov 2010 #6

[panthera]

Thank-you, BDE.

So very sad, from this article:

How much worse can it get for this poor woman? Her three children are missing, perhaps killed by their own father, and now her grandmother has passed away on Christmas Day. :cry: MOO

 

[panthera]

So... John goes straight to trial for kidnapping. Serves his time. Gets out.

Then what?

Unless they find the boys, does he just go on with life?

The sad thing is he may be intended to drag the boys mother under the proverbial bus to justify why he took them from her. I sure hope a jury will see through him and also consider the boys may not be alive as he claims. MOO

 

[blazelet]

First off I'm not a legal expert but I wanted to put this out there. There have been a lot of questions about if he is found guilty of parental kidnapping, what happens.

Based on the Michigan Penal Code section 750.350a (full link here)

(1) An adoptive or natural parent of a child shall not take that child, or retain that child for more than 24 hours, with the intent to detain or conceal the child from any other parent or legal guardian of the child who has custody or parenting time rights pursuant to a lawful court order at the time of the taking or retention, or from the person or persons who have adopted the child, or from any other person having lawful charge of the child at the time of the taking or retention.

(2) A parent who violates subsection (1) is guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year and 1 day, or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.

He has been charged with 3 counts of parental kidnapping, so I would assume that means he can be imprisoned for up to 3 years and 3 days if found guilty and the boys are not found.

Edit : Here's a news article that confirms that as the maximum punishment.
http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x493344319/Morenci-father-arraigned-on-parental-kidnapping-charges

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Right, he will serve his time for the kidnapping "to an organization" and then he walks out in 3 years (or less if they give him time served or good time or whatev)

 

[panthera]

Right, he will serve his time for the kidnapping "to an organization" and then he walks out in 3 years (or less if they give him time served or good time or whatev)

I know it just doesn't seem right. However, hopefully while he is incarcerated (assuming he'll be convicted) LE will be working on finding the boys. And there is no statute of limitations on murder, if that is the case. MOO

 

[Janeumayer]

Oh Dear! Look at his teeth. Drugs? Alcohol? Cigarettes? Coffee?
All of the above?

 

[MistyM]

that fact that he's smiling makes me physically ill.

 

[georgiajean]

What concerns me the most is that he looks genuinely happy. Or delirious. Or insane.
That picture makes me shudder.

 

[Wondergirl]

that fact that he's smiling makes me physically ill.

What concerns me the most is that he looks genuinely happy. Or delirious. Or insane.
That picture makes me shudder.

I do agree, and I am leaning toward insane.

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Not sure if it is insanity.... but it sure looks like he is pleased with himself.
He has gotten exquisite revenge on his wife.

Not sure when was the last time I posted the link, but forgive me if it was 10 minutes ago.
Case archive album for the Skelton case:
http://s296.photobucket.com/albums/mm166/crankycrankerson/Andrew%20-Alexander%20-Tanner%20Skelton%20%20-MI-/

 

[blazelet]

When I look at his eyes he comes accross as hesitant.

That feeling you get when you're inwardly miserable but everyone around you seems positive so you play along.

 

[sailorgirl64]

Hi, I'm new to WS.

Has anyone else seen this article that says that JS told police he killed the boys and where they were? This is the only place I've noticed it. Very strange? Can anyone shed any light?

http://www.examiner.com/missing-per...r-admist-to-killing-missing-michigan-brothers

 

[AmandaReckonwith]

Welcome to WS, sailorgirl64.

Yes. Early on he told police (according to sources) that he killed them and the "where he put them" was all of the stories. I have heard/read many of them.

Here's a Fox link to that story, but the Examiner got it the same.
http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpps/ne...n-skelton-into-custody-20101130-wpms_10865203

 

[tiredblondy]

Hi, I'm new to WS.

Has anyone else seen this article that says that JS told police he killed the boys and where they were? This is the only place I've noticed it. Very strange? Can anyone shed any light?

http://www.examiner.com/missing-per...r-admist-to-killing-missing-michigan-brothers

Welcome Sailorgirl!

:wagon::welcome::greetings:

 

[cluciano63]

I think these poor little fellows have been dead since that Friday morning after Thanksgiving...and I am wondering when and if the charges will change from parental kidnapping, which seems rather mild in any event...when he won't say where they are...

 

[blazelet]

State law to be followed on release of Skelton documents

http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x192072433/State-law-to-be-followed-on-release-of-Skelton-documents

WDIV sued the district court to gain access to search warrant documents related to the search of John Russell Skelton’s home on East Congress Street in Morenci. Skelton’s sons, Andrew, 9, Alexander, 7, and Tanner, 5, were last seen there on Thanksgiving.

Ashley Krueger of the Plymouth law firm Bernardi, Ronayne & Glusac told Lenawee County Circuit Judge Margaret M.S. Noe that WDIV “would like the tabulation (of items removed from Skelton’s home) to be turned over promptly.”

State law suppresses search warrant affidavits for 56 days after the warrants are executed. After that, they may be sealed if a judge agrees to a prosecutor’s request.

 

[girly girl]

State law to be followed on release of Skelton documents

http://www.lenconnect.com/news/x192072433/State-law-to-be-followed-on-release-of-Skelton-documents

i am new to the court systems etc... what does this mean? i have been thinkin over the holidays... is there is a special place for the family to go that might of meant something to him that he could of possibly have evidence or something to that manner. like a park etc... when you look at him and look at his family it almost seems like they disowned him (they know what happened)and that you never hear about them. did they come up for christmas? just seems really wierd and creepy that they all just dropped off the face of the earth (his family). for someone that tells that their son, nephew etc is innocent they sure as hell are not helping to clear his name. just had to put my thoughts out there. maybe because i am like 5000 miles away or more i never get to see what is in the news... hope it has a happy ending. come home safe.

 

[citigirl]

i am new to the court systems etc... what does this mean? i have been thinkin over the holidays... is there is a special place for the family to go that might of meant something to him that he could of possibly have evidence or something to that manner. like a park etc... when you look at him and look at his family it almost seems like they disowned him (they know what happened)and that you never hear about them. did they come up for christmas? just seems really wierd and creepy that they all just dropped off the face of the earth (his family). for someone that tells that their son, nephew etc is innocent they sure as hell are not helping to clear his name. just had to put my thoughts out there. maybe because i am like 5000 miles away or more i never get to see what is in the news... hope it has a happy ending. come home safe.

Girly girl, I would characterize his family as fairly involved. He took his children to them when he kidnapped them before, and they have been speaking out in his defense. They did visit him, I think last week, and told the press he told them the children were with "an organization."

If you read through this and previous threads and look at the case press thread, you will see this and a lot more interesting stuff.

 

[mtrooper]

In Michigan search warrants are subject to FOIA (freedom of information act). You have to wait 56 days, and then they become public information (unless a judge feels that it would harm the case for some reason, then they could seal it). Basically all you would get would be a copy of the search warrant stating what the police were looking for (DNA evidence, or any evidence leading to the whereabouts of the boys), and then at the bottom they put what they actually took from the house (blood samples and such). Just went through this with a local case.

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Michigan dad of 3 missing boys waives key hearing

A Michigan man blamed for the disappearance of his three sons will go straight to trial on charges of parental kidnapping.

John Skelton waived his right to a hearing to determine if prosecutors had probable cause to charge him.

[snip]

Skelton is charged with keeping his boys more than 24 hours with the intent of concealing them from their mother. His next court date is Jan. 5.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/dec/31/us-boys-search-michigan/