Murder in The Villages-Justice Begins

This has been a long time coming.

OCALA - Two of the men charged in the July 21, 2006 murder of a woman and the kidnapping of her daughter in The Villages will face a jury on Monday, despite defense requests to postpone the trial.
*************
The police allege that the three men went to the home at 269 S.E. 179th Wesley St. in the The Villages to visit their friend Sheila Miller, 40. Once there, the men allegedly shot her mother, Diana Miller, 63, in the chest and head. Sheila Miller's father James Miller was shot in the head but he survived the robbery.

The men then allegedly kidnapped Sheila Miller and drove to a Gainesville mall and tried to use several ATM cash machines to get cash out on stolen credit cards. Marion County sheriff's deputies later arrested the men after a high-speed car chase.
*************
Defense lawyers requested more time to investigate certain aspects of their case, including Sheila Miller's background. They plan on painting her as the "mastermind" in the robbery, claiming that she wanted to get her parents' life insurance money. She has a history of drug use, alcohol use and fraud, at one point getting a credit card in her mother's name and charging more than $7,000, according to a sworn statement made by James Miller.
**************
Ferro told Lambert he was not ready for trial and also argued the defense should be allowed to question Sheila Miller without restrictions.

"She is the only witness that can testify that three men did A, B and C. If we can't fully attack her . . . . then let's just put a rope around the neck of these three men and hang 'em by the statue of the confederate soldier," Ferro said. (Hint-the 3 darlings are black. Such a nice touch, you lawyer scum.)

"This is not a simple case in the sense that you have multiple stories," he argued, later adding: I want to have the ability to put on a defense.Defense lawyers also argued they could not locate Sheila Miller until last week to interview her.

She had been at the Marion County Jail for some time on a bad check charge, and recently was tracked down at an abuse shelter in South Florida.

There has been conjecture that Sheila Miller was a willing party to this atrocity. Hell, her dad-also shot and near murdered at the same time-believes it. I believe it also, but I have no proof, just common sense. Sheila is quite a piece of work, as evidenced by bold face I've added.

Here's an interesting tidbit in the news article. Hawthorne's investigator found an Internet blog that suggested Sheila Miller was involved in the crime and includes intimate details of the incident. Hawthorne told the judge she wants to find the blogger to see if the person has any personal knowledge about the case.

Well, I've blogged on this three times before, but I know of nothing other than reported in the newspaper. So I know it's not me being looked for. But there have been at least one other blog that has had some real interesting stuff (check this one out-note a recent entry from a Star Banner reporter). However, it's obvious the defense team is grasping at straws to slow down justice. The murderous assault occurred in July 2006 for Chrissakes! Get on with it.

Expect the obligatory crying mother and family members swearing these 3 little angels couldn't have done this. And if they did, it wasn't their fault. It was that junkie white woman. Hell of a defense you got there Sparky.