There was an emotional and dangerous moment in court last week when Van Terry faced the murderer of his daughter Shirellda Terry. Terry was giving his victim statement when his understandable emotions took over and he leapt over the table to attack Michael Madison, as captured on videotape.
Terry is the father of one of three victims of Madison and attacked the killer who has been sentenced to death. He told the court: “Right now, I guess we’re supposed to, in our hearts forgive this clown, who has touched our families, taken my child.” He then looked back at Madison who reportedly smirked. Terry then attacked him.
The bodies of 38-year-old Angela Deskins, 28-year-old Shetisha Sheeley and 18-year-old Shirellda Terry were found in July 2013, including one who was wrapped in garbage bags and sealed with tape in a garage. The scene was near Madison’s East Cleveland apartment building. Madison confessed to strangling two of the women but said that he could not remember the third. Madison told police he strangled two of the women but couldn’t remember killing the third. Madison was classified as a sex offender in 2002 and sentenced to four years in prison for attempted rape.
Here is the videotape.
It is not clear if Terry will be charged, but it seems likely. Of course, the court can and should consider the circumstances of such incident for a grieving father, particularly if the court concludes that there was taunting on the part of Madison.
Given the size of the father, I think it would be nice if they were put in the same jail cell. I hope the judge mandates that.
How about a life sentence of 24/7 solitary confinement — no human contact — no light. Call it: Living Death.
The Constitution only prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. The murder will be peacefully put to sleep, so I can hardly blame the poor father for attacking this POS. I am rather disappointed that the bailiffs were so quick to stop the attack. I think common sense should have ruled and let the father get some good licks in on the POS. That would not be cruel or unusual punishment either. It would be simple justice too.
Too bad he missed.
Emotion can change the Physics of Gravity, Monks in deep meditation can do it and so can grieving Fathers when confronted with unrepentant killers.
No one trusts US/us the Government to do anything right yet we demand this same Government make a determination on life and death. If we are the Government are we not all held responsible for the death of an innocent person falsely accused? If the government kills an innocent person im also responsible. If the family of the victim makes the decision of life or death and the Government provides them with the rifle we have a new way of looking at Crime and Punishment, Faith and Forgiveness.
We have to stop incarcerating people for Morality Crimes. No one agrees with what’s moral and a moral code is always broken by thoes trying to enforce it the hardest. We can all agree on with what’s criminal.
Prison becomes a better place to send a rapist or murder if you remove all the people out of the system for morality crimes and make them better their community.
I wish the father had been successful in snuffing out this murdering scum. No one person, who have children, would convict this grieving father.
But I know for a fact that the murdering scum will be dealt with in prison. There’s not enough torture in this world to make this POS pay for what he’s done to these girls, daughters or sisters.
Olly,
Using public funds as a litmus test to determine life/death is a very slippery proposition. One could very easily use that as an argument for abortion or removing the handicap from our society. My point in my anecdotal example was that the murder of my friends sister changed this person and her family forever. She has never really recovered from it and killing this guy wouldn’t bring her sister back or free her. She might never return back to the same person she was until she accepts that this horrible thing happened.
Add to that, man is not perfect (as evidenced by the very nature of crimes themselves) and to think we could make a fail proof system (one we know has made mistakes already) seems a little egotistical.
I know this may seem a little bleeding heart of me too, but I also feel that maybe, just maybe there is a kernel of good in the worst of us and it seems wrong to snuff that out. True, some are evil until the day they die, but again, a higher power should determine that day, not man.
There needs to be more non judicial justice. Not less. We need tit for tat laws in America. If some slimeball kills your sister then you can kill slimeball and his mom and dad. Every American should be issued a rifle at age 8. If slimball kills more than one person then kill all of his family first, then him. If it was a rape event then cut off the short dong and stuff it down his throat. Let him choke on it. If slimball can’t recall a crime then cut his brain out while he is awake and alive. We are too easy on slime balls.
Disorderly conduct charged as a simple ordinance violation. $75 fine. I’ll pay it for him.
Tin: If they don’t charge him, how do they prevent future occurrences? Lenient sentencing is certainly warranted.
Jim,
The way I view the death penalty and the natural right to life is these people have made the choice to disable or terminate their own right by their actions. I’m not sure how one could argue the death penalty does not help anyone, especially given the fact public funds must be spent to “care” for them as opposed to the public themselves.
Karen,
I am a conservative/libertarian as I can be but one thing I’ve learned changed over the years is my stance on the death penalty. I fully understand people’s desires to want to kill these people, but doing so does not help anyone. I learned this first hand when a friend of mines sister was murdered. I find it also hard to say I wish women would stop killing their babies and then turn around and say kill this person. This is not to say I believe in easy sentences. But I personally do not feel we are up to the task determining life or death, that should be left to a higher power. That being said, I can only pray that I would have the strength to stick with my convictions if I was this man.
The father is guilty of what? Maybe negligent. Negligent for not killing the scum who murdered his daughter.
Of course it is essential that Van Terry be charged, convicted, and jailed for his heinous conduct in attacking a mere murderer f his daughter. Terry is taking the cold-blooded murder of his daughter entirely to personally. Michael Madison’s civil rights were flagrantly violated by Terry’s vile, despicable, and contemptuous act. Fortunately, the law officers did everything they could to protect Madison from receiving any blows from Terry. It would have been a horrible thing if Terry had managed t land some punches on Madison. Hopefully, Madison will be released from jail early for good behavior, as we need more good citizens like him walking the street. I hope they throw the book at Terry. Terry is clearly a menace to society. Perhaps Madison could file and civil lawsuit for emotional pain and suffering that Terry has inflicted on him. We can only hope so for the sake of humanity and justice.
That father is already serving a life sentence.
It’s criminals like these which make me wonder why anyone wants to turn our prison system into a reformation/therapy center. Sometimes, we just need the monsters to go away and stay away from us.
I give him a 10 for the leap and style. Must have been a hell of an adrenaline rush. 15 points for the impact statement.
The prosecutor would be wasting taxpayer money and court resources in charging the father. No jury is going to convict him.