Bent Not Broken - Shea Family Legal Funds Help

Friends,

This is really hard to swallow my pride and admit that we are facing some major difficulties in trying to finance the legal fees to keep the kids safe from some very dangerous situations. I’ve spent most of my career fundraising for others (Hospice, United Way, Veterans with PTSD, Homelessness, Drug Prevention & Recovery) and it never occurred to me to ask for help for us, until I came across a page for a family who lost their child to a rare disease and more recently a family whose Dad/Husband committed suicide. It brought me to tears and I couldn't even imagine the hurt and pain they have endured and continue to endure. It made me think about the call for action on bringing addiction, the opioid epidemic and mental health awareness to the forefront. My children do not suffer any physical impairments but are struggling with PTSD and are challenged with a parent with serious addictions, personality disorders and all that comes with that. It has been extremely difficult to come up with the right words, phrases or sentiments about our situation without coming off as sounding like I am some super-parent because I am not. It's embarrassing to ask for financial assistance with a situation that affects my sensitive teenagers, precocious 9 year old, friends, family and daily life. 

My only goals here are to:
1. Protect the kids from serious danger already happening 
2. Help try to prevent an avoidable tragedy for my kids should there be an OD/accident 
3. Put the legal issues to bed by finally putting an End to the enabling, denial, indifference, and tolerance and Put into Action what has been imminent and now immediately necessary
4. Spread awareness and offer help for any other families, bent-families or bending families that are dealing with or on the verge of dealing with similar issues. 

The kid's mother struggles with severe opioid addiction, alcoholism, and personality disorders. As does her live-in roommate of 2 years and past live-in roommate of 3 years.  Has been to rehab numerous times, made some progress but then regresses. Years of battling this addiction, sporadic inconsistent recovery efforts and dealing with attorneys, enormous fee$ and a family in denial, Nothing for my children has changed except schools, cities, various living situations, various partners mom brings home, lack of commitments, unmet expectations and obligations, broken promises, etc. Addiction is a family disease and it has affected and continues to infect the kids in so many ways that I can't even articulate all of them here. When sober and independent, their mother is a decent mom and person. The kid’s mother's family, while good intentioned, do not seem to grasp the totality and reality of what is going on or what my kids face on a daily basis. They have not grasped the concept of Enabling and loving someone to death. Taking real concrete legally bound preventative safety measures to avoid dangerous and life threatening situations for a 15, 14 and 9 year old has escaped their scope and abilities. 

That is exactly why I am asking for your help. This isn’t meant to be an indictment of the kid's mother or her family but I continue to take on 90% of sole responsibility for the kids financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually with no "co-parenting" support or reimbursement. 

Unfortunately, my job is not one that is lucrative enough to finance the legal fees that need to be paid in order to finalize these actions. Another challenge we face is that the other side of this unfortunate situation is well-financed, will not listen to reason, avoids recovery and cannot admit that there even is a problem. No-shows at scheduled court hearings, Cancelled court hearings and subsequent mediation attempts, Abdication of Legally-bound time-sharing, Absconding on trips to avoid Legally-Bound Time-sharing, Broken Communication, Blocking Communication, Negligent and Contradictory Co-Parenting, Delay tactics, Unresponsive to drug-testing requests, Unresponsive to my attorneys, avoidance of being served injunctions, avoidance of DCF, theft, domestic violence, negligence, indifference, abandonment, numerous police visitations to numerous residences, dragging out litigation, procrastination until some unforeseen law enforcement action all have not worked. A public arrest, public news at 6pm type stories, newspaper articles, rescinding of a job didn’t motivate anyone to think there was an ongoing problem.  Stealing of our daughter's bodily fluids was the only thing that finally inspired the last rehab trip.  Currently and foreseeably in the future the mentality is that: " She got her graduation certificate from Rehab and all traces of addiction have been cured and stamped out. End of Story. Life shifts back to Happily Ever After........" 

We all know better! This is not reality for most addicts and families of addicts. It is not my kid’s reality. 

The avoidance of making good on the legally bound obligations (to the tune of $20,000) and past & current drug-fueled behavior cannot be avoided any longer.  Sometimes, families want someone to be someone they are not so badly they will pay to make it so and then that person will rebel and this is exactly what is going on and my kids are the pawns in this sad dysfunctional situation. 

We are faced with a very large debt from what has not been paid in child support fees and are facing an even bigger challenge with what seems to be insurmountable legal fees just to achieve some sort of rational financial retribution, protection from ongoing financial default, safe visitation/time-sharing plan and preventative safety measures from all of the inherent dangers that come with her addiction that have not ceased in 7 years and are active currently.

Your help is welcome and very much appreciated. I lost my own Mom (to breast cancer) at 17 and do not want the same fate for my kids. It is not easy to grow up without your Mom and even harder when she is alive but not really present.  I am grateful for your consideration and any amount of help that you can give.  Sincerely & Positively :), 

Tim, Kaley, Jack & Lily Shea

Funded Justice

Domestic violence victim needs help!

My best friend is a hard working single mother of a four year old son from a prior relationship that ended due to domestic violence.   During September 2017, upon picking up her child from school for her parenting time she  noticed a  set  of concerning abrasions on multiple areas of his face and his teachers claimed he came to school with them. She took her son to his pediatrician's office and he stated that he was being physically and sexually abused at his father's house. CPS was called and an investigation was opened. During the investigation, my friend was advised to withhold parenting time until the investigation was completed and was told to obtain legal counsel to permantly change the custody arangement. She found an experienced attorney that deals with domestic violence and child abuse custody cases.  During all of this conflict she not only worked full time and was working on her MSW at a local university, but she is also 8 months pregnant.  However she recently was put on bedrest for  potential pre-eclamsia and  even with no income coming in currently, she is not eligible for legal aid. She is needing help not only to help pay her retainer fee or any sub-sequential fees that arise, but to make sure her bills are still paid in a timely fashion. Thank you for reading. 

Funded Justice

Don't Let the Bad Guys Win!

(Please Read in Full; this story is unbelievable!)

On May 19th 2016 then-Marion County Sheriff Chris Blair was indicted by grand jury on 3 felonies exclusive to one case: two counts of perjury and one count of official misconduct. They found that he lied about seeing this victim's injuries, both in the grand jury inquiry and in a federal affidavit.
On June 2 of the same year the grand jury issued a presentment regarding "The Leadership of the Marion County Sheriff's Office" highlighting a multitude of incidents of excessive force, overaggressive tactics, and cover-ups of these incidents. Also documented was the sheriff's creation of "special" units formed to "kick ass and take names...don't worry about complaints." Numerous veteran officers complained about the unethical treatment of the citizens of Marion County and were reassigned to "punishment" posts.
On November 13th , 2015, then-deputy Cody Hoppel pled guilty in federal court to two counts of deprivation of a person's civil rights under color of law, or, simply put, using his uniform and the State's authority to terrorize people. One count was caught on video and for some reason only made local news: Five deputies beating Derrick Price, a black guy who'd laid down in submission. The other count was the until-then covered up beating of Dustin Heathman, a white guy who DID defend himself at first, them submitted to arrest, only to be beaten severely as he complied to all orders.

It is the case of Dustin Heathman that we are seeking justice for. Mr Price pled guilty to several crimes and is content with the resolution of his issues. Mr Heathman exercised his right to a trial by jury and was rail-roaded with lies, omissions, and a State hungry for a conviction, justice be damned!
Mr Heathman was sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm. He didn't out a scratch on anyone despite the obvious ability to do so if he'd wanted to: In terms of firepower he was more heavily armed than law enforcement that day. In terms of tactical superiority, he was in a block home and could see out while law enforcement could not see in.
Against Mr Heathman was a SWAT grenadier team, a sniper-spotter team, an armored vehicle known as a BearCat and inside this a 5-man assault team wearing body armor and Kevlar helmets.
You might suspect that Mr Heathman may have been a king-pin drug dealer to warrant this kind of force. Or maybe a wanted killer. Negative. Mr Heathman was wanted for misdemeanor driving infractions. In specific, Mr Heathman had been placed on a year's misdemeanor probation for a 1st time DUI in Marion County. Neighboring Levy County charged Mr Heathman with misdemeanor driving on a suspended driver's license. Mr Heathman knew this charge was baseless and frivolous and thus that he had NOT violated probation. He just had not had the opportunity to clear this up before Marion County came for him. This was later proven to be true when, five days after Mr Heathman wrote them a letter, Levy County dropped the charge. This would tend to prove Mr Heathman's honesty when he told Marion deputies that he hadn't done anything wrong and to leave a summons at the gate and get off his property. 
When asked if he was armed he answered honestly and specified how he was armed.

When it became obvious that SWAT was going to storm the house, Mr Heathman prevented the inevitable blood-shed that comes when armed men meet in close quarters. Mr Heathman knew that these men would shoot first and ask questions later if they entered his home. He knew he would die. But he also knew he hadn't done anything wrong and his principles would not allow him to submit to a baseless arrest.

For nearly 6 hours, deputies stood around outside Mr Heathman's home. He never fired a shot. In fact, over several phone calls with a negotiator, he accurately identified the positions of officers, what they were doing, what they were wearing. Yet the only thing that Mr Heathman fired upon was an armored vehicle, a target DESIGNED to be shot at while rendering the fire ineffective against the passengers inside. And he only fired on it as it approached to deposit the assault team, issuing threats and ultimatums over the PA system. And then, when it backed off, Mr Heathman ceased fire... Until it pulled forward again.
Now why would a man hell-bent on killing cops tell officers he was armed? Why wouldn't he lure them into an ambush? Why wouldn't he fire on deputies whem he could have inflicted actual casualties? Why would he fire on the one target he knew he could shoot at without hurting anyone?
Clearly he fired to prevent the forced armed entry into his home. Clearly he feared for his life. Clearly there was something wrong when military-grade force was being used for what was essentially a traffic ticket and clearly Mr Heathman had reason to believe he was in danger. This would prove to be true.
The BearCat sustained gunfire damage and Mr Heathman was slightly wounded by bullet fragments and glass.
Before the situation got any worse, Mr Heathman told negotiators he was coming out. He did everything he was told, wasn't agressive and in fact, deputies testified that as he approached them, walking backwards, hands up, in his underwear, he was talking about the Constitution. He was promptly cuffed and thrown to the ground and severely beaten.

Now, you may think that up until this point the story is bad but tolerable. But none of what's just been said is actually germain to Mr Heathman's legal defense, which is what we are asking you to donate towards. We want you to know that Mr Heathman is highly likely to have his convictions overturned for a new trial and that, because of events that happened AFTER his conviction that will now be admitted to the record in the course of this new trial, his chances of victory are HIGH... IF he can get a competent lawyer to represent him.

Before we close, here is why we will win with good representation:

State v. Glosson, 462 So2d 1082 (Fla 1985) and State v. Williams, 623 So2d 462 (Fla 1993) both state that law enforcement misconduct which deprives a defendant of due process (the fundamental fairness in proceedings) REQUIRES a dismissal of criminal charges, the idea being that, if law enforcement can do whatever it wants and remain confident that the State will prosecute the case anyway, which is precisely what happened in this case, eventually the public will lose confidence in law enforcement and the judicial system and start taking the law into their own hands.
In an October 28th 2015 article in the Ocala StarBanner entitled "Investigating the Investigators," the State Attorney's office at least had doubts about Mr Heathman's case, and this was before the depth of law enforcement dishonesty in this particular case was known. Besides the arrest of the sheriff- can you imagine a sheriff getting booked into his own jail?- and the admission by a deputy that he committed a crime against Mr Heathman, then lied under oath during the investigation and that at least two other deputies did as well, consider the following:

*The grand jury's presentment was based on interviews with 35 witnesses over 3 months including the sheriff, his top aides, detectives, former officials, and prosecutors. Not one witness could recall another time when deputies discharged their firearms at a suspect and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was not called in to conduct an independent investigation; the decision to forego the FDLE investigation was made by then-sheriff Chris Blair. Blair was on scene to orchestrate the cover-up of a crime that BY LAW JUSTIFIES MR HEATHMAN'S ACTIONS under Self Defense!

*The day Mr Blair was arrested, Florida Governor Rick Scott relieved him of duty and appointed interim sheriff Emery Gainey. Sheriff Gainey's first act was to suspend Majors Don Maines and Tommy Bibb. Maj. Bibb was the lead investigator, along with two detectives, in Mr Heathman's case. Despite telling them at least three times that he'd been beaten in handcuffs, it never made it into their reports. (It should be noted that Blair, Maines, Bibb, and Deputy Chief Fred LaTorre were known as "The Four Horsemen of Marion County." They are all gone now because of Mr Heathman's case.)
Two days after his suspension, Maj. Bibb resigned.

Mr Heathman was not the bad guy on June 1st 2014 in Williston, Florida. Mr Heathman has maintained the same story since before the first shots were fired, and slowly but surely he's been shown to be the honest party to these charges. He refused any plea bargains; he refused his public defender's advice to seek an insanity defense reasoning that it isn't insane to know your rights.
An honest steadfast citizen versus undisputed law enforcement dishonesty and state collusion. It's definitely an uphill battle but Mr Heathman is fighting. With your help he'll have the tools to WIN. And whether you're on the Left and are tired of the ever-growing, ever-militarizing police state or you're on the Right and believe in our Constitution and the true meaning behind the 2nd Amendment- which is to enable Americans to take up arms against tyrannical, criminal government- this is a cause to support. This is a cause that should have national coverage, because the truth is, Sheriff Blair and his cronies created a culture where deputies were given carte blanch to terrorize citizens. This isn't a case of a bad apple or two beating or even killing someone. This is a case of an entire sheriff's department either victimizing a multitude of victims or covering up for those that do.
So even if you are staunchly pro-cop and believe they are above reproach- we aren't exactly pro-criminal or anti-cop- you have to see that there's something wrong when a citizen is serving a life sentence for defending himself against a crime perpetrated by law enforcement who then wrote the reports as they saw fit. None of this is suspected. None of this is questionable. A deputy pled guilty to it and went to prison; An elected sheriff was arrested for it; A six-figure-a-year Major resigned because of it. Not a single officer stepped forward to stop the beating or report it. They all swore to the same version of events, which has since proven to be dishonest.

Check the links. Google it. Research "Justifiable use of deadly force in Florida." If a defendant reasonably fears he's in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm- and in Mr Heathman's case the jury instruction added aggravated assault or aggravated battery- he is justifiable in using deadly force. So again, the crime committed against Mr Heathman DECRIMINALIZES what he did, and a new trial with good representation, we believe, will vindicate Mr Heathman.
Please donate and please share this story. If this is allowed to stay, what's to stop it from happening to you or someone you care about?

Thank You Ever So Much

Funded Justice

innocent father needs help with lawyer

My name is laura roten My husband charles roten was charged with aggravated dui almost 2 yrs ago we have been fighting it ever since. I know many people say they are innocent and 90% of the time they are lying but not with this case. He is truly innocent. We have a 2 1/2 yr old son, so we dont have a lot of money. We need to raise money so we can get a lawyer to prove to the state of Arizona that he is innocent

Funded Justice

Parents worst nightmare. Help bring Asia home.

On January 20, 2014 I gave birth to my wonderful daughter, Asia. Even though I was a single mother, I was optimistic about raising my daughter. All I wanted was to provide for her.

After two years of struggling to make ends meet with no proper support, I ran into some financial issues. My adoptive parents, who were living in Arizona at the time, offered to help me even though they never offered help before. I was desperate though, so when they offered to take Asia for a few months, I had no choice but to accept it. I gave my them temporary guardianship so I could focus on work. However, when I was making plans to pick up Asia, I learned that they went behind my back and applied and received guardianship of my daughter in Arizona.

Keeping this a secret, they then turned moved out of state of Arizona with my daughter and ceased communication. I frantically reached out to local police and FBI to report Asia missing. After weeks of waiting, I discovered they got permanent guardianship In Arizona. I then took the proper steps to end their guardianship and the judge did so on September 13,2017.

However, while I was doing that, they hired another lawyer and filed for custody again in North Carolina. They misled the court to believe I never took care of her and abandoned her. The court granted them custody and severed my rights. The evidence to show the lies is overwhelming, and it should be an easy win to get Asia back. But this is a very urgent matter, and I don’t have time to save up for a lawyer. It is my belief that if my rights are terminated, they can adopt my daughter, and it will become much harder to get her back home where she belongs.

My daughter has a loving hard working mother. I would never abandon her. I lost my mother because of her mistakes. I know what that life is like, and my daughter doesn't deserve to go through her life thinking she was unwanted. I am fighting for my constitutional right to raise my daughter. I did not lose my daughter. She was legally kidnapped, and she should be home with me.

I’m trying to raise enough money to hire a lawyer in North Carolina to help terminate their rights to my daughter, as they were obtained by deceiving the courts. Anything you can spare is greatly appreciated not just by me but also my daughter. If you’re unable to donate anything, know that I appreciate you taking the time to read this and hope that you will share my story with others. Thank you.

Funded Justice

Please help Family in desperate need of justice.

Our family was involved in a horrific accident earlier this year. We were rearended at a dead stop on the exit ramp of a major highway and forced into the highway where another car smashed us on the side. The guy who hit us fled the scene and we were rushed to the hospital with major injuries. My wife received 9 staples in her head and was on monitors for being 6 months pregnant and the babys heart rate was abnormal. (Thanking God we didnt lose her too). We lost almost everything that day and have not recovered from it. Our car was totalled. So we lost our car which lost our job (independent driving contractor) and our home shortly after. Our insurance providers are not going to pay for damages since the guy who caused the accident fled the scene. In fact they are trying to make us pay instead so We are trying to get an attorney to fight this wrong that has been done to us. Please help us to get the justice we deserve and possibly a piece of our lives back. This injustice has ripped away so much from our lives. We want this man found and held accountable for what was done to us. Thank you for your donations and support it means everything to our family to know someone cares.

Funded Justice

Courtney's Life Matters

Hello,

My name is Audrey, the mother of Courtney Clement. It is very hard for me to ask for help but in 2002 my daughter at the age of 18 years young received a devastating sentence of 25 years, although my daughter deserved to serve time, 25 years was an unfair exorbitant amount of time. Her court appointed lawyer stated "if this was any other county, she would have received a 10 year sentence" what type of geographic justice system do we have? to play with someones life over a county is egregious. The justice system is not fair to; people of color that do not have the money to hire a dream team of lawyers that will get the correct sentence or maybe no sentence at all.

While I have been riding this journey with my daughter, I have read about so many cases in which the justice system allowed individuals to go free because of their; color, economic position, privilege, prestige, etc. Below is link to a great Huffington Post article about racism in the criminal justice system:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/fourteen-examples-of-raci_b_658947.html

Since her incarceration she has made many strides/milestones: she received her high school diploma, Associates degree-graduating Magna Cum Laude, with a 3.8 GPA.

https://goo.gl/images/KaTRGm

She is currently working on her Bachelors degree in Justice Studies from Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice, her completion date is set for December 2017. Additionally, she mentors/tutors her peers who are seeking a GED, she is on the Student Advisory Committee, and has received certifications in other areas that will assist her upon her release/transition, these skills will make her marketable in the job market. 

Courtney is now 34 years old, she has and is a model prisoner, who is loved by all. When I would visit her, I would be approached by her peers and guards, telling me how she was good people, her peers letting me know how she helped them when they came. What I love most about my daughter is that she is a giver, and she doesn't blame anyone for her situation as a matter of fact, she states that she believes that prison saved her life. 

Courtney has appealed her case, which was riddled with many legal errors, to no avail. Currently, her case is deemed PCR (Post Conviction Release), and is pass the statute of limitation, the case now must be handled very different from an appeal. We have found a lawyer that will look at the case for a retainer of 5,000 dollars, and once he takes the case, additional cost will be incurred.

Although Courtney has made a poor decision early in her life, in which she has paid for this decision with a large portion of her life, it has been costly for her in more than time, she can never get back the things she has missed, like her brothers funeral.

Everybody deserves a second chance at life, I'm asking for your monetary assistance in this matter or if there a lawyer that would assist Pro Bono, that would be helpful as well.  Thank you for your help in advance and God Bless you all.

Sincerely, 

Courtney's Mom

Funded Justice

Wrongly Convicted/Now Witnesses Recanting Stories

Wrongly Convicted for 25 years w/o Physical Evidence - Now Witnesses Recanting Their Stories!! 
Michael Sullivan needs your help to retain an expert & an attorney to continue to fight for his freedom. He was wrongly convicted of an 1992 murder case of a Southside Chicago IL shooting without actual physical evidence. He was convicted and sentenced to natural life without the possibility of parole based on the state prosecutor's 2 key eyewitnesses testimonies identifying him in the backyard. The same 2 key eyewitnesses have now come forward recanting their original trial stories & providing 2 signed affidavits saying that they did not see Michael in the backyard or at the crime scene. He has also received 4 additional affidavits from 4 other witnesses indicating his innocence. They all have provided Michael with a total of 6 signed affidavits supporting his innocence that he's been maintaining and fighting to prove for 25 years. During his trial, Michael's public defender didn't represent him to the fullest as should have. There was NO actual physical evidence (such clothings & bullets from all victims bodies or even a gun used) submitted to support the prosecutor's case. Michael has spent 25 years of his life behind bars and has been working diligently daily to prove his innocence.

Because the medical examiner, state's prosecutor and detectives somehow lost or destroyed ALL of the victims clothings and bullets that were removed from their bodies. These key important pieces of evidences would have freed Michael, but instead have been improperly mishandled, lost or destroyed to prevent a fair trial. The gunpowder residue from the victim's clothing and the size of the bullets removed from the victims would have proven that they were fatally shot at a close range by their friends in the basement. Now an expert is needed to prove the ranges, angles & distances.

Over several years, Michael has been reading and studying law books persistently as well as eagerly trying to fight and prove his innocence. He couldn't afford an attorney so he began to study and file his own briefs/motions/petitions in court. But when Michael filed a brief/motion/petition to the courts to advise of the affidavits as new evidence, he was denied indicating that the same eyewitnesses recantations were not credible and enough to exonerate him. Because he's representing himself & filing his own motions/briefs/petitions, has no attorney or any other groups assisting to support him, the courts will not view him the same as they would an attorney or organization that would fight on his behalf. However, we have reached out to an expert to see if he can test or determine if the victims were shot at a close or far distance and at which angle based on the reports & documentation he has. The state's attorney provided him with all of the testing materials to perform his own testing as needed. Unfortunately, the cost & fees always seems to be the main issue. He (WE) is/are needing help with either getting him a new trial or exonerated. He has always kept a positive attitude as well as spirit while maintaining to prove his innocence. The picture above is of Michael speaking with a Theological professor after taking a Theological Seminar in prison. He smiles and continues to develop himself refusing to allow his circumstances to determine the man he truly is. He's a family oriented man who has been deprived of raising his children and being with his family who loves him dearly.

Every little bit helps and most definitely GREATLY appreciated. His Love and Gratitude has been sent to you all from Michael. On the behalf of Michael's mother and myself (his fiancée), we both want to thank you all for your support and Blessings as well!

Funded Justice

Help us defend a falsely accused foster parent.

SUMMARY

Charles “Chuck” McMullen is a beloved husband, father, former law enforcement officer, and community member who, along with his wife Tammy, has also helped care for more than 30 foster children over the last 25 years. Until the case described below evolved, never had there been a single complaint about their caring for foster children. Since late October 2016, Chuck has been fighting a firestorm of false allegations that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Chuck is accused of inappropriately touching two foster children in his and Tammy’s care. Devastated by these accusations, Chuck has lost his employment with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and is being held in jail on an excessively high bail. He has remained incarcerated since November 1, 2016. The McMullen family has been financially and emotionally devastated by these allegations. Chuck has adamantly proclaimed the falsity of these allegations, and he and his trial team are preparing to go to jury trial on February 5th, 2018.

Despite his many years as an Investigator with the Sheriff’s Office, his ten years of service with the Florida Attorney General’s Office as Chief of Law Enforcement for the Child Predator/Cybercrime Unit, as Assistant Special Agent in charge of Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in Pensacola, and his longtime service as a foster parent—with no previous history of any accusations on either front—Chuck has endured more than eleven months of separation from his family while in jail as he awaits trial. Funds are urgently needed as soon as possible to continue mounting a skilled legal defense that can return Chuck’s freedom and reunite him with his family.

Studies have shown that 10% to 25% of allegations of sexual abuse of children are false , depending on the circumstances.  People who know Chuck McMullen are adamant that the allegations brought by these children are false.

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PHOTO: Chuck McMullen and his wife of more than 28 years, Tammy.

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BACKGROUND

Chuck and his wife, Tammy, have been married for 28 years. They have four children: two biological adult children, one of whom is a sheriff’s deputy, one teen who was adopted out of foster care and one eleven-year-old biological son and one grandchild. The couple’s lives have focused on serving, protecting and helping others in their community: Chuck built a decades-long career in law enforcement, and Tammy has worked in nursing for over 21 years. In addition, over the years the McMullens have cared for more than 30 foster children.

Chuck’s stellar reputation as a law enforcement officer and foster parent was never in question until the Fall of 2016, when accusations were made by the two foster boys. Following a blitz of media coverage on television, newspaper, Facebook, etc., accusations were made by a neighbor child. Chuck and his family were shocked and dismayed by these outlandish claims. Yet, as reported by the local ABC-affiliate in his hometown, Chuck was charged with “two counts of sexual assault/battery on victims less than 12 and lewd lascivious behavior on victims less than 12.” 

Even though Chuck vehemently denies these allegations, these charges have resulted in much suffering for Chuck and his family. He has been separated from his family, his career has been destroyed, and the family has slipped into financial crisis. His entire future hangs in the balance. Only a “not guilty” verdict can restore Chuck’s freedom, reunite him with his family and begin to repair his reputation.

URGENT NEED TO FUND CHUCK’S DEFENSE

Despite Tammy moving the family to more affordable housing, implementing extreme budgeting measures, and trying to maximize her own earning potential, there is an urgent need for help in funding Chuck’s defense. As of mid-October 2017, expenses and costs related to Chuck’s ongoing defense are estimated at more than $150,000. This is far beyond anything Tammy can afford on her own. Please support Chuck’s fight for justice with a donation in ANY amount on this website.Any financial contribution helps as family and friends band together to help meet this need.

GIVING ALTERNATIVE: Funded Justice is a great way to raise funds for legal expenses—however, there are other ways to help the family if you prefer. Please inquire at email@milton1st.com if you want to know more about donating gift cards or giving to the church's Benevolent Fund to help the McMullen family.

THANK YOU for your support of Chuck and his family with this nightmarish case. If allegations like these are alleged against someone like Charles “Chuck” McMullen, they could happen to anyone. The family also appreciates your prayers during this time.   

Funded Justice

Savior of our sons

My name is Shane hall.  I am currently incarcerated in federal prison with a life sentence.   I have one last chance for freedom if I win this appeal  and all I need is to raise some money to help finish paying legal fees.  This is the last chance at life.   I need help to raise money to retain a lawyer.  He is half paid for I just need the other half.  Any donation will be great thank you  !!! 

Funded Justice

Gay man wrongfully accused by homophobic cops

Hi im josh.i live in a small town & ten years ago when i was 18 police were searching my home for stolen property & came across some gay porn photos i had which were given to me by a friend who had saved them to his computer after he downloaded them from internet.the night police found the photos i was in jail because i got in a fight with my roommate who is also gay.the fight started because he was drunk & high on drugs & i told him i didnt want him doing that stuff at my house.police thought the young men in the photos "looked like minors" but they were all at least 18 and the photos were from the "twink" genre of gay porn.a "twink" is basically a thin feminine looking gay guy between ages 18-23.after the county attorney refused to prosecute me (because they had no proof that there were minors in the photos) police waited until that county attorney retired over a year later & then convinced the new county attorney to prosecute me for the photos while i was in jail for nonrelated & nonsexual charges.they still had no proof that any minors were in photos but i was still charged for it.my court appointed attorney did nothing to defend me.he lied to me by saying prosecutor would only have to convince jury that they looked like minors.he also said if they proved they wereminors it wouldnt matter if i didnt know that.i found out after i was in prison for it that that was also a lie.the 35yo prosecutor died unexpectedly while i was in prison & his death was suspected to be drug related as they found out he was alchoholic & addicted to drugs.they caught him mishandling other cases and his law license got suspended for awhile.anyway, my attorney did nothing for me & prosecutor offered to drop 35 years worth of nonrelated & nonsexual charges if i'd plead guilty to the misdemeanor sex offense.judge refused to appoint me a new attorney when i requested it so, knowing little about the law back then, i accepted the plea deal & plead guilty & went to prison.now ive learned that my innocencce couldve been proven easily if my court appointed attorney would have actually tried to do so.( the guy who gave me the photos was charged but his charge was dropped cause county attorney forgot to file the trial info on time)i belive that at least part of their motive for accusing me of this crime was their homophobia.prior to when they found the photos i was being harrassed by a bunch of guys in town for being gay & police refused to do anything.i was harrassed by these guys & even assualted a couple times.they called me faggot & queer etc when they seen me in public.thhey once followed me in my car and yelled homophobic names at me.there were several witnesses to this but police still refused to do anything.i no longer trust court appointed attorneys after what mine did to me.and i have been diagnosed with PTSD because of what the police & justice system here did to me.i often have nightmares & at times its close to impossible to go in public cause i feel panicky sometimes when i do.i cry alot because im innocent & feel so helpless & hopeless.i need money to hire a private attorney who can get my case back in court and prove there was no minors in those photos.when police asked wether photos were mine or my gay roommate's i immediately admitted they were mine as i knew i had nothing to hide.if there was minors in the photos i would have denied they were mine or even told them that they belonged to my roommate who had me arrested the night b4 for hitting him.( im not a violent person but he was drunk & high and mouthing off to me and being obnoxious & wouldnt leave me alone after i told him to over and over again)but i admitted they were mine.why would i admit that if there was something illegal about the photos?Anyway, thanks for reading my story & i will be extremely greatful if you would be kind enough to donate any amount you can afford.they destroyed my life and future and publicly humiliated me when it was obvious i was innocent.

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Lawyer feees for parenting plan

Hi my names Michelle . I wanted to reach out to this because basically this is my last resort . I have to pay 2,500 up front for a lawyer to represent me at mediation and to fill out all the necessary documents . I can't go down the legal aid route again because I've used them for my last mediation. I honestly don't have this kind of money and this is very cheap for a lawyer . So if anyone can help me I would really appreciate it 

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Help Bring Izabella Home!

My name is Ariel, I am the older sister of David and I am setting this crowdfunding up in order to plea for the help of the people and fight for justice for my younger brother.

David is a loving father of Izabella, lovingly nicknamed "Izzy", who will be 2 this December. He left his wife recently due to the verbal and physical abuse she used upon him as well as the unsafe living conditions they and their child were living in. Bed Bugs and roaches were everywhere, the child was covered in bed bug bites, and the child hadn’t been to a doctor in nearly two years. He brought his daughter with him to live with our sister, Brittany, when he left in order to get Izzy the medical care and other necessities she needed.

Though David and his wife were split, he always allowed his wife and her mother to visit the child, and made it clear that once her house was in proper living order, the wife could bring Izzy to her home once again. Once the divorce was finalized, they were going to file for custody and split the time with Izzy fairly.

However, Sunday, October 15th, his wife orchestrated a kidnapping of Izabella rather than wait and utilize the proper legal methods to negotiate custody.

While visiting their child at his current residence, the wife tricked David into letting her bring over a “sick aunt who was visiting from Indiana” (who we learned through the police report is not the wife’s aunt and is not visiting from out of state) over to visit Izzy. Without invitation inside, she entered my sisters home, stole the child, and assaulted David and Brittany when the two tried to rescue the child. Two men, who were also part of the wife’s scheme, then pulled up and began to attack.

While the wife and “aunt” placed Izzy in a car, unbuckled and unrestrained with no car-seat, one man attacked David with brass knuckles and a knife while another hit Brittany. Then, the wife dragged David and Brittany with a car while they were trying to rescue the child from the unsafe conditions in the car. David now has a broken nose, lacerations, and other injuries.

Brittany was bitten by Izabella's mother during the altercation and her finger is now infected. There’s no telling how bad the injury is at the moment but worst-case scenario, Brittany may lose her finger.

The child’s mother and her accomplices did all this in front of Izabella as well as Brittany’s children. The wife and her accomplices obviously have no care for the safety of the missing child. They drove off with Izzy unrestrained in the lap of the aunt in the front seat, which is completely unsafe for a child. They ran at least 2 stop signs as well, and almost hit our mother's car (Izzy's fraternal grandmother) headfirst since she was coming over to visit as well.

Currently, we have gone through all the legal processes we can, charging and reporting the wife and kidnappers. The wife was shortly jailed October 15th, and during this time her family hid Izzy from her father. Police and DCS have assisted in the search and charged people with custodial interference, but the child has yet to be found. The wife made bail the next day, and despite other orders to return the child, she continues to hide Izabella from her father, David, by bouncing the child between different people.

Despite this, we fear for our case because while she will resort to illegal measures to obtain funds, we do not have the funding to afford a lawyer. She was able to afford bond easily, so we know she has sources and cash for a lawyer. David has only just begun a new job after leaving his wife, and our family does not have the savings to help him fight for his daughter. The money from your donations will be used to pay for legal fees and to retain a lawyer for two cases: an order of protection for him and the child, and the divorce/custody for the child.

He is a loving, caring father who has devoted his life to Izabella since birth. He was a stay at home parent caring for her as well as his wife’s younger brothers for years. The moment he left his wife, he found a job in order to pay for all his daughter's wants and needs. Listening to him and watching the videos he and my sister have taken, anyone can see in every moment how much she was cared for and loved while in his care.

Despite the fact his daughter has been missing for 3 days, David is optimistic and wants to do all he can to see his child again. All we want is for the child to come home safe and sound. Please help us make sure Izabella is in the hands of someone who cares about the happiness and safety of his child.

Thank you so much for your help!

Funded Justice

"POUR INTO SOMEONE'S LIFE!!

Brother Smelley was convicted of capital murder after spending 95% of his time awaiting trial in solitary confinement. This destroyed his life,to a certain degree, and he was incompetent to stand trial, however the judge denied his ability to pay for a mental evaluation. After 32 years in prison, Lionel has a new attorney who is appealing his case determined to receive the effective mental evaluation he was entitled to so many years ago. He has a doctor ready to evaluate him and the court has granted his evaluation, but once again has denied his motions for funds. We are trying to raise the money now for this evaluation to finally take place.There are grave injustices like this that happen every day in our courts, people are brutalized and wrongfully convicted. Many of them are forgotten once they are sent to prison, but here we have been given the rare opportunity to change his situation like this one, and here we have been given that chance! We don't want to miss this incredible blessing because of cost- ANY amount given will be appreciated. Lionel has achieved his GED,Barber's certificate,Father's link certificate,he even has taught classes in Prison.He has excepted Jesus Christ has his Lord and Saviour,his desire is to teach the youth,and share with others what the Lord has done.We ask that you help by praying,and giving.Pour into his life.And help set this innocent man free.Thanks! In advance.

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I need help raising money for immigration attorne

• Hi my name is Rodolfo Resendiz and I am 26 years old. I have 2 kids. A son and a step son who I am raising. I got married a year ago to a beautiful woman who I love with all my heart.
• My reason for reaching out to the funded Justice people is because I am in need on a good lawyer that will help me win my case against deportation proceedings. The problem is I'm in debt because I was arrested by ice a while back not because I did something wrong that day but because when I was 18 I was arrested for a DUI. Which has been my one and only arrest. 8 years later it has resurfaced again due to the laws that have changed this year. I was detained for it again and was released on bond thanks to family and friends. But now I'm in debt. And I also need an attorney asap for my next court.
• So I am asking you for help to raise money for an attorney. I know I may not deserve it but I hope there's someone out there that will help me with my cause so I don't leave behind my family and get send to a country I know little about because I was raised in this beautiful country.
• I hope you can help me out and help me get my life back thank you and God bless.
• Funded Justice

FORMER US MARINE INNOCENT AND INCARCERATED ABROAD

My name is Gail Henry, I am Heath John Henry's mother. We are launching this campaign to raise money to pay for legal fees for my son, who is a former United States Marine and a Junior Youth Coordinator/Community Developer.

On January 2nd, 2015 my son was charged with attempted murder in the Bahamas. After going there on a work contract he was attacked by an unstable individual on a remote island. Unlike his accuser, John has no prior criminal record nor a history of violence he had a gun on him to fend off wild boars (common on these islands) and used it to defend himself from his attacker who had swung a machete at him and was about to do it again. John was convicted of attempted murder on March 23rd, 2016 and is currently serving a 15 year sentence. 

We need money to pay for John's lawyer for his Appeal and New Trial. We also need to pay for his necessary living expenses like food and water (which is very costly) to keep John alive and as healthy as possible.

John is in one of the worst prisons in the world awaiting his appeal. He is in a 10 x 20 cell with 35 other inmates. There is not enough space for the inmates to lay down to sleep. He is sleep deprived getting under 2 hours sleep a night.  Some days he is given one piece of bread as his meal for the day, unless food is bought for him. He has no access to clean drinking water unless we pay for it. His cell is overrun by rats. The whole prison is infested with rats! There is no plumbing and so  the inmates are forced to use a 15-gallon bucket as a toilet, which then sits in the cell with feces and urine in it for days, with no ventilation, until the guards remove the bucket. His blanket was infested with bed bugs and he was bitten all over his body. The conditions at that prison are filthy and inhumane.

John does not have regular access to a dentist or a doctor. It took months before he was able to see a dentist but instead of filling his tooth they extracted it. He was attacked by his cellmates and received injuries to his face, cheek and eye. The guards have threatened him many times. He is confined to his cell 23 hours and 45 minutes every day and only allowed out for 15 minutes, 4 days a week. That is one hour of sunshine per week! He is suffering psychologically and physically. It is during those 15 minutes that he calls me and other family members. He depends on people on the outside, mostly his family, for everything. John's basic human rights are being violated. Local justice scholars are publishing stories citing the "deplorable and deadly prison conditions" at this prison.

At John's trial there was ample evidence to prove his innocence but that evidence was not presented in court. His lawyer only showed up 2 days for a 4 day trial. The jury did not hear his side of what happened, which the evidence supports. No evidence was presented, no witnesses were called, there was no ballistics report and John was given contradictory advice from his lawyer. The trustworthiness and character of the sole witness against John, a convicted drug dealer, murderer and arsonist, who is also the alleged victim, was not questioned thoroughly by John’s lawyer, despite the fact that the entire case hinged on his accusation. John's statement to the police asserting his innocence and explaining his version of the incident was not allowed into evidence. The police publicly misrepresented John in the press as a violent ex-US Marine -- these, in short, are grave departures from the right of any accused to a fair trial.

We are heartbroken about the outcome of his trial and are appealing the verdict. He acted in self-defense. My son comes from a good home. He served his country. His brother was a Marine as well and is now a police officer. John is not a violent person, on the contrary, he is a very peaceful and compassionate person. He has done years of volunteer work and is very religious, he reads his Bible daily, loves helping other people and is always willing to give what he has to those in need. An animal rights activist, who loves his dog Nya, the two were inseparable before the incident. John had planned to ask his girlfriend to marry him the week after the incident happened. He never got a chance to ask her and unfortunately the relationship did not survive.

Please donate to our cause so that we can retain a lawyer for John’s appeal and new trial and he can eventually be exonerated. We are humbly asking for your help in our quest for justice for John as well as your prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read John’s story.

WHAT YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL DO:

Pay for John's lawyer for his Appeal and New Trial

Pay for necessary living expenses like food and water (which is very costly) to keep John alive and as healthy as possible

Use of phone at the prison ~ $10 per 10min call

Funded Justice

Please help reunite our family!

Hi my name is Summer Stallard and I would like to tell you about my story. On January 17th 2017 my family was ripped apart. My husband and I brought our 2 month old (now 11 mo) son to the doctor because we noticed his head was swollen on the left side, he had a 2 month check up later that day and i called to get an earlier appointment because i was concerned. The night before our 18 month old (now 2) threw a full sippy cup of juice and a truck at him while we were in the vehicle, he acted completely normal afterwards so we didn't suspect anything was wrong. To our horror the doctors told us he had multiple fractures. We were absolutely mortified and had no idea how they could have occurred and would never imagine harming our precious baby boy! We pleaded with the doctors to look for another explanation, and they wouldn't listen. Then we heard the words that no parent ever wants to hear "we are taking all of your children into state custody we believe it is abuse, you must leave". We didn't even get to say goodbye. I just want my babies home. I am trying to raise money for funds for a doctor to come down and testify at trial and to travel to see a doctor that isn't in my state. Please help if you can, and please share our story it needs to be heard. 

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JUSTICE FOR KENNY

MY NAME IS PEGGY BATES. I NEED HELP TO GET AN ATTORNEY ON KENNYS BEHALF. MY SON KENNY DIETS WAS MURDERED ON MARCH 25. 2015. I CANT AFFORD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY ON KENNYS BEHALF. I HAVE A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW. MY HUSBAND RONALD BATES IS DYING WITH CANCER (BONE AND LIVER). THE BOY WHO MURDERED MY SON IS WALKING THE STEET ON BAIL.  SOME REASON OR OTHER THE CASE KEEPS GETTING POSTPONED. THEY DONT EVEN NOTIFY ME OF ANYTHING GOING ON WITH THE CASE. MY SON WAS SHOT NOT ONCE BUT TWO TIMES. I JUST NEED HELP DESPERATELY HIRING AN ATTORNEY. PLEASE IF EVERYONE COULD JUST DONATE 1.00. 2.00 EVEN 5.00 IT WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY. I PRAY THE LORD GIVES US SOME JUSTICE.  THANKS IN ADVANCE.

Funded Justice

Please help seek justice for Harrison King

Hello our names are Precious Henderson and Harrison King we are writing your organization in hopes that you may be able to assist us in a matter of grave concern pertaining to inmates convicted in federal court whose sentences is no longer valid under the double jeopardy. In sum, we are prayerful that in the interest of fairness and justice your organization can assist us in this serious matter. He has done research on this matter will be able to present it to whomever needs to see. We have built this campaign to help us to get  lawyers, private investigator and whatever else is needed. Anything that can be contibuted to this matter and our campaign will be greatly appreciated.  Thank you  Harrison King and Precious Henderson

Funded Justice

Liberty & Justice 4 Anthoine

For over 12 years, Anthoine Plunkett has been incarcerated due to a wrongful conviction. Anthoine has been convicted solely based on circumstantial evidence and has consistently maintained his innocence.

For the last six years he has fought tooth and nail to expose the governmental and prosecutorial misconduct that took place in his criminal trial in August 2005.  Because of his tenacity, diligence and resilience in seeking the truth, within the last few years he has obtained newly discovered evidence that supports his allegations. This latest discovery demonstrates and supports prosecutorial misconduct involving mishandled evidence, lost evidence, and suppressed evidence that could have been favorable to his defense during his trial. The results of this evidence can lead to Anthoine being exonerated or awarded a new trial.

Anthoine has already spent $11,000.00 with various paralegals, forensic experts and investigators in the identification and development of critical issues that can lead to his conviction being overturned.  But sadly, this is still not enough. There are additional investigatory resources that need to be thoroughly exhausted to complete and further support his contentions. Unfortunately, we have lost some of our most beloved family members along the way during Anthoine’s incarceration including his mother, grandparents, an aunt and uncle in addition to the recent passing of yet another uncle. Losing these loved ones has taken a devastating toll on Anthoine emotionally as well as financially.

Anthoine has been in contact with a very reputable attorney who is willing to take on his case setting the wheels in motion necessary to gain his freedom.  The time has come to embark upon the much-needed task of raising funds. Finances are needed to cover the costs for continued investigatory work and litigation, which includes the filing of this post-conviction motion. With your help, our $15,000 campaign goal can easily be attained.  We will share as much of this new information as possible concerning developments in his case, under the advisement of the attorney. Our desire is to gain your support by being as transparent as possible.

So, get on board and join our fight for freedom, justice and equality concerning Anthoine’s plight by helping him expose the prosecutorial misconduct that has led to his wrongful conviction. NO ONE REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, COLOR OR CREED SHOULD HAVE THEIR DUE PROCESS RIGHTS AS GUARANTEED BY THE FIFTH AMENDMENT OF OUR UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION STRIPPED AWAY AS WAS DONE TO THIS MAN! HELP US AS WE REVEAL THE TRUTH AND LET S BRING THIS INNOCENT MAN HOME!

In closing, we also welcome any legal assistance or support from anyone who may be able to contribute to his cause. Thank you all. We humbly appreciate your generosity and kindness.

Funded Justice

Please Help A Father Protect His Children

Victor is a hardworking, dedicated father of four seeking financial help to hire a custody lawyer to gain full custody of his two youngest children. I ask that you please read this with an open heart with Victor's children in mind as they are the true victims of this story.

Custody battles will bring out the worst in people, especially if one of the people involved is vindictive and mentally unstable. For the past 3 years, Victor's Ex has done everything in her power to make Victor's life with his fiancee as difficult as possible with complete disregard for how her actions are negatively affecting her own children. In the eyes of Victor's Ex, her children are nothing but pons to be used as collateral. Victor has been in and out of court for the past 3 years fighting for his children. During this time, Victor's Ex has lied about being a victim of domestic violence as a ploy to gain US citizenship, she has attempted to coach the children with lies, she has repeatedly stalked Victor's residence and social media sights, and she has slandered Victor's name as a father at her children's schools and around town. This past weekend Victor's Ex brought her vindictiveness to a level beyond what anyone thought she was capable of.

Victor currently has joint legal and physical custody of his children with time every afternoon and every weekend. This past weekend Victor had requested of his Ex that she keep the children for the weekend as he had a family wedding to attend. She was very reluctant to do so and started a big argument, but when the weekend inevitably came, she kept the children. Then, on the following Monday Victor's Ex called Victor accusing him of heinous acts against his daughter and threatening to take legal action. Victor was absolutely appalled and besides himself with worry for his children. He immediately left his residence with his fiancee to pick his daughter up from preschool and take her to the doctor and then to the police station. When the couple arrived at Victor's daughter's school they were informed that his daughter did not attend class that day. The couple then drove over to Victor's Ex's residence to check for the children. When no one was present at Victor's Ex's apartment, Victor and his fiancee drove over to Victor's youngest son's school to check if the children were there. Upon arriving at the school, Victor and his fiancee discovered his children unattended in Victor's Ex's car with Victor's Ex nowhere in sight. The children were ecstatic to see Victor after being away from him for the weekend. Victor and his fiancee stayed by the car with the children for 10-20 minutes waiting for Victor's Ex to return. When Victor's Ex finally returned to the car she immediately began cursing and causing a scene in front of the children and Victor's son's classmates and families. Victor has the legal right to have his children in the afternoons in agreeance to his  custody court order, so when Victor's Ex started saying she was going to call the police, Victor welcomed it. Victor's Ex then attempted to call the police, but after hearing news she was not satisfied with, she decided to lock the children in her car and drive away. Victor and his fiancee followed Victor's Ex's car with the children while recording the whole time. Victor's Ex sped through town driving as if she was heading to the police station and then turning around at the last second only to drive in circles down side streets. After following the car for 30 minutes, Victor's Ex finally decided to drive towards her residence. 

Down the street from Victor's Ex's residence, a police officer was parked by a convenience store assisting a man with an unrelated issue. Victor's Ex decided to pull into the parking lot of the convenience store and park her car. Victor and his fiancee parked alongside her. Victor then got out of the car and pleaded with his Ex to stop the drama now and let him take his children. Victor's Ex continued to refuse, so Victor flagged down the nearby police officer for assistance. Victor and his fiancee explained the at hand situation to the officer and that Victor has the legal right to have his children in the afternoons. During the time Victor and his fiancee were speaking with the officer, Victor's Ex was on the phone with a detective from the police department. When the officer approached Victor's Ex's car, Victor's Ex handed the officer her cellphone with the detective on the line. The officer spoke with the detective and then informed Victor that he needed to detain him until other units arrived. Victor was put into handcuffs and placed into the back seat of the officer's car in front of his children. 

An hour later, detectives in two separate cars arrived at the scene stating that they were investigating the assault of a child. The detectives transferred Victor into one of their vehicles and asked his fiancee if she would like to come down to the station to make a statement. Victor's fiancee jumped at the opportunity to defend Victor and willfully went with the detectives to the station. The children were released to Victor's Ex and returned back to her residence. 

Back at the station, detectives began questioning Victor's fiancee on what she knew of this situation. Victor's fiancee was as open and honest as she could possibly be. She told detectives all the events of the day and weekend as well as a detailed description of the difficult past they had dealing with Victor's Ex over custody rights. The detectives then told Victor's fiancee their side of the story. The detectives said that Victor's Ex had said Victor's four year old daughter was saying Victor assaulted her during one of her overnight stays at his home. His daughter supposedly said that during this alleged assault Victor's fiancee walked into the room, said "oh my God" at which time Victor stopped what he was doing, slapped his fiancee across the face and his fiancee left the room. The detectives were vague, but informed Victor's fiancee that Victor's daughter had injuries. Upon hearing this story, Victor's fiancee was in shock. She repeatedly told detectives the story was fictitious and how Victor's Ex was a sociopathic unfit parent. Victor's fiancee gave the detectives the key to her and Victor's home with consent to search, she offered to take a liar detection test, and offered anything else the detectives may want access to. Victor's fiancee told detectives that if they cared for the wellbeing of Victor's children they would remove them from Victor's Ex's residence immediately. The detectives told her that removing the children from the residence was out of their jurisdiction and that if she wanted to do so she could call CPS herself. The detectives then left Victor's fiancee in the interview room while they prepared to go search her and Victor's home. After detectives searched the residence, they allowed Victor's fiancee to go home. Victor's fiancee was informed that Victor had not yet been interviewed, but that he was going to be transferred to jail with a court hearing the following Wednesday. Victor's fiancee urged the detectives to do their jobs correctly and to please make an effort to assure the safety of Victor's children.

After the detectives returned from searching Victor's home, they began to interview Victor on what he knew of the situation. Victor repeated an identical story to the one his fiancee had just told detectives. He was beside himself with worry for his daughter when the detectives told him that his daughter may have injuries. He was informed that supposedly this investigation began weeks ago and that when Victor's Ex called him earlier that morning, the detectives were listening on the line. Victor insisted his innocence and asked the detectives to protect his children. Victor offered his dna, he offered to take a lie detector test, and gave the detectives his cellphone and any other personal property they wanted access to. Victor was arrested and kept in custody 3 days until his court hearing.

When Victor's fiancee returned to her home she was in pieces. She called all of Victor's family and friends to fill them in on what was going on. She called CPS and reported everything that had just happened and insisted that Victor's children were in immediate danger.  The next day, Victor's fiancee met with lawyers. Victor's fiancee did everything she could to prepare for Victor's court hearing the next day. She prayed for truth and justice and she asked her friends and family to do the same. She prayed for the safety of Victor's children as well as for the safety of Victor while he was incarcerated. 

On Wednesday, Victor's fiancee showed up to the court with Victor's family to show support. Victor's family was beyond relieved when they found out their prayers had been answered and Victor's charges had been dropped without having to appear. The DA had refused charges as all the evidence they had collected pointed to a clear custody dispute and not that of an assault on a child. Victor was released to go home Wednesday evening after spending 3 days in jail. Victor's fiancee and family were thrilled, but could see that this arrest is just the beginning of what is going to be long and expensive fight to gain full custody.

As a result of the time Victor missed from work while being incarcerated he lost his job. Victor and his fiancee were already struggling to keep food on the table and bills paid with their combined income. The support Victor and his fiancee have received from friends and family has been overwhelmingly helpful, but it does not even come close to providing enough to hire a proper defense. Victor's children are being subjected to severe psychological damage while under the care of their biological mother. During the past 3 years of this custody battle, the emotional toll of Victor's daughter has been reflected in her behavior at school. According to teachers, Victor's daughter refuses to eat at school and has had fainting spells, she picks fights with other little girls, she talks back to teachers while being aggressive, and she has been lying. Unfortunately we are up against a system that is programed to favor the mother in custody issues involving young children.  In our case we are dealing with an extremely dangerous woman who will go to any means she deems necessary to sabotage the life of an Ex boyfriend. 

Anything you can offer us will be greatly appreciated. All we want is for Victor's children to be safe and happy. 

Funded Justice