Thursday, August 11, 2011

Bill Phillips and Fred Bailey's Domestic Abuse Assaults

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These victims certainly need Time’s Up: A guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships by: Susan Murphy Milano


Bill Phillips was arrested for domestic assault Saturday, August 7, 2011. Seems Mr. Phillips didn’t want to leave the home after an argument and his wife asked him to because he proceeded to physically struggle with his brother. Mr. Phillips was summarily taken to jail and placed under a 10,000. dollar bond. The sad news is, allegedly Phillips’ son advised them he was scared his dad would get his guns and he feared for his own safety. Mr. Phillips had done so in the past apparently.

After his arrest, and free on bond Phillips went back to his wife’s home. This time he didn’t hang around to battle; he took her car without her permission. Again, LE was contacted and they came to the rescue. The police were still at the residence when Bill Phillips called his wife. Phillips allegedly seemed distraught (poor guy) and threatened to kill himself. The police put out a call to be on the lookout for him. He was spotted in Union Co., and police followed him to a bridge where he stopped the car, exited and proceeded to climb over the railing. An officer was able to get close enough and grab him before he jumped. Phillips was again charged, this time in Union Co., with Violation of Conditional Release then taken to the hospital for a possible mental evaluation. (Yep, mental evaluation - that works to solve the problem every time! Yes. I am being sarcastic.)

Mr. Phillips is an ex school board member. Sure glad to see he is an ex! I wouldn’t want such a man (I hesitantly use ‘man’ there) deciding anything connected to my children’s schooling.

Hopefully when he is released from the hospital his bond will be forfeited and his wife and son can breathe a sigh of safety relief. But I certainly will not hold my breath to see if that happens. Mr. Phillips allegedly has committed domestic abuse in the past: he also, allegedly had issues with drugs in both Knox and Union Counties. He admitted taking Ambien pills and Lexipro the day of the DV incidents.

Equally important is that it seems domestic assault in Knox Co. TN is nothing more than a misdemeanor!

I give you the alleged case of Fred Bailey's intimate partner assault as an example.

Fred Bailey and his girlfriend, Kelly Hoffman, began arguing in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Aug 9, 2011. Kelly attempted to leave the motel where they lived but Fred prevented her from doing so. At some point that day she was able to lock herself in a room but Fred’s anger allegedly hadn’t abated so he kicked the door in causing bodily injury to her and causing her to have seizures. Later that day, Kelly was able to escape and asked a neighbor for help. Police were called and Kelly was transported to the hospital. Mr. Bailey fled, allegedly taking a shotgun and 22 rifle with him behind the motel where he crawled under a camper.

LE called in K-9 but when the dog bit him, he threatened to shoot the dog. The standoff began and negotiators talked with him for around two hours before he gave up. Fred Bailey was taken for treatment for the dog bite then to jail and charged with domestic assault. He was placed on a 15,000. dollar conditional bond but didn’t bond out. (guess he was broke) Bailey goes for arraignment today but - What court division will he be taken too? Misdemeanor! What happened to the threatening an officer? ( A K-9 dog is a police officer too.) What happened to flight from arrest? Since when is domestic assault of any kind a misdemeanor?

A domestic assault that caused bodily injury is more than a misdemeanor to me! And I just bet many victims who have been physically harmed during an intimate partner violence attack would beg to differ with it being considered a misdemeanor too!

Please someone advise Bill Phillips’ spouse and Kelly Hoffman about Time’s Up. Susan Murphy Milano’s book is a roadmap for assistance with how to safely remove yourself (and your children) from toxic intimate partner relationships. It can help save lives!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

The Alleged 'Twilight Rapist' Billy Joe Harris Is Going on Trial

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Billy Joe Harris, the accused Texas Twilight Rapist, is headed to trial in Jackson County, Texas. He is charged with rape of a 59 year-old disabled woman on January 8, 2011; and he’s charged with home invasion of that home; also a home burglary where evidence was recovered from December 4, 2010.


On September 12, 2011 jury selection will begin. This is his first trial and hopefully will set the tide flow for others to come. Harris’ lawyer, Alan Cohen, for the Jackson Co., trial is wanting DNA samples reexamined. Cohen is questioning the chain of custody handling of the samples and wondering if there could be contamination.  DNA has linked Harris to 6 of the rapes of elderly women in Texas. He is also charged with numerous counts of home invasion, burglary, and assault. His alleged crime spree of terrorizing elderly citizens spanned 2 years and through 9 counties, from Jan 21 2009 until his capture Jan 8 2011.  DNA and other forensic evidence were collected at numerous scenes; which is a good thing since the victims are elderly and their memories could naturally fade. The DNA links him to five of the assaults in Bell, Falls, and Leon counties and in Yoakum. Yoakum is where the first rape occurred on January 21, 2009. His second alleged rape in Yoakum in Feb of 2009 is when they collected DNA samples.

Oddly, Mr. Harris worked for the prison system in Texas for years so he should’ve known crime doesn’t pay. He was a food service manager and corrections’ officer for different TX prisons between 1999 through 2010. I don’t think if he is found guilty of crimes in which he is accused his food service business will be responsible for seeing he’s well fed. When Harris was in court recently for the Falls County charges he allegedly yelled bible verses and rolled his head. ( An insanity attempt? Remember, Harris allegedly told Quanell X that someone apparently broke into his home and stole his clothing then spread his DNA all over the place. I say he can play dumb-dumb if he wants, I have no sympathy for him)

His Falls County lawyers’ Hoagie Karels and Stan Schwieger entered not guilty pleas to the charges. All his lawyers in each town and county have an uphill battle, (hopefully a losing one) DNA, forensic evidence and the fact missing items from the home invasions were discovered in Harris’ home screams guilt to me.

Yoakum, TX seemed to be the Twilight Rapist favorite crime center. In that town alone he had allegedly perpetrated 2 rapes, an assault, 3 home invasions and 2 attempted burglaries. In the rape of Feb 27 2009 and the assault on November 9, 2009 DNA was collected. Allegedly one victim in Yoakum is also the one raped on 2 different occasions and it’s believed he attempted a third attack but she had moved. All the rapist victims were between 59 and 91-years-old.


my previous post on Twilight Rapist:


http://tigresspenssurmisals.blogspot.com/2010/01/texas-twilight-rapist.html

Monday, August 1, 2011

Two Recent Cases: Spouse/Boyfriend Allegedly Couldn't or Didn't Want To Let Go

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In Houston, TX at the home of Robyn Hightower, a 22 year-old mother of 3, an apparent argument broke out over the phone between her and her abusive boyfriend, Ervin Jones, of several years. It’s said Robin wanted to end the relationship and move on with her life. Allegedly Ervin wasn't wanting to let go and later that same night stormed into the home. It’s said that another argument ensued and several shots were fired, one hit Robyn in the chest, causing her death. Ervin fled the scene.

Robyn's brother, standing outside the home with the children, heard the gunshots and ran into the home. Robyn was lying on her stomach in a pool of blood. He grabbed his sister up and rushed her to the hospital but she died a little later.

Ervin was later discovered at a gas station with a gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital. Whether or not he was accidentally shot during a struggle or deliberately is unknown. But one weapon was found inside the home. He was charged with murder in Robyn’s death. Ervin has a long history of violence, including assault of 2 female family members and murder of a man in 1989.


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A mother of 2 and school teacher, Irene Mickens, had apparently filed for divorce from her controlling husband in hopes of moving on with her life. But, ( the buts always show up) on Tuesday July 12, 2011, her estranged husband and father of her 7 and 5 year old children, called her. Allegedly he told Irene in that call their daughter was seriously ill. Irene drove to his apartment in Sandy Springs but her daughter wasn't there, Jamal Mickens was and he had a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.

Both their bodies were later found. Irene had been shot in the head.

Of note: I think Jamal and Irene's relationship was doomed from the beginning. He allegedly controlled her movements, who she was in contact with and who she couldn't see. She had filed for divorce and a restraining order in 2009 but had stopped it and tried to make a go of their marriage. Jamal had gone to anger management classes.

But back in November of 2010 she decided it was over and again filed for divorce. At that time she moved in with her sister in Charlotte and began putting the pieces of her life back together.

Both of these cases are tragic and examples of how bad relationships spin out of control. Had both read and utilized Time's Up: A guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships by Susan Murphy Milano just maybe their lives could've been saved. Why is it always too late? This book needs to be available to all victims and/or potential victims of domestic violence.