2008 Woodie Awards
Greentop felon guilty of animal abuse, too
Diane Poelker
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: News
Lawrence "Bud" Wietholder is a twice-convicted felon.
Wietholder, a resident of Greentop, Mo., submitted Alford pleas to criminal charges of voluntary manslaughter Feb. 11 and animal abuse Feb. 15. Even though the Missouri legal system accepts Wietholder's pleas as admittance of guilt, Tim Reuschel, his defense attorney, said he believes his client is innocent.
"I'm still convinced that my client is not guilty," Reuschel said. "I think it's important to note that these were both Alford pleas. ... In an Alford plea, you are saying that I still do not believe that I am not guilty, but I agree that there is evidence against me, so I am accepting the lesser punishment."
Adair County prosecutor Mark Williams charged Wietholder and his wife JoAnn in June 2006 with eight counts of animal abuse, torture and mutilation of a live animal, class D felonies. In September, Schuyler County officials arrested Wietholder, charging him with the murder of his wife. The death certificate of Wietholder's wife read that she died of "homicide by drowning," according to the Oct. 5, 2006, issue of the Index.
The charge was amended to voluntary manslaughter, a class B felony, the same day, according to a court docket sheet.
Voluntary manslaughter, under Missouri Revised Statutes 565.023, occurs when a person "causes the death of another person under circumstances that would constitute murder in the second degree ... except that he caused the death under the influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause; or (2) knowingly assists another in the commission of self-murder."
The first circumstance is what is mentioned in amended felony information about the charge from Schuyler County.
Reuschel said Wietholder made the right decision in pleading to voluntary manslaughter, a class B felony, even though he thinks Wietholder did not murder his wife.
"I think it's an unfortunate situation," Reuschel said. "... There was evidence against him, but I think what they would have found him guilty [in a trial situation] of is assisted suicide - which also falls under voluntary manslaughter in the state of
Wietholder, a resident of Greentop, Mo., submitted Alford pleas to criminal charges of voluntary manslaughter Feb. 11 and animal abuse Feb. 15. Even though the Missouri legal system accepts Wietholder's pleas as admittance of guilt, Tim Reuschel, his defense attorney, said he believes his client is innocent.
"I'm still convinced that my client is not guilty," Reuschel said. "I think it's important to note that these were both Alford pleas. ... In an Alford plea, you are saying that I still do not believe that I am not guilty, but I agree that there is evidence against me, so I am accepting the lesser punishment."
Adair County prosecutor Mark Williams charged Wietholder and his wife JoAnn in June 2006 with eight counts of animal abuse, torture and mutilation of a live animal, class D felonies. In September, Schuyler County officials arrested Wietholder, charging him with the murder of his wife. The death certificate of Wietholder's wife read that she died of "homicide by drowning," according to the Oct. 5, 2006, issue of the Index.
The charge was amended to voluntary manslaughter, a class B felony, the same day, according to a court docket sheet.
Voluntary manslaughter, under Missouri Revised Statutes 565.023, occurs when a person "causes the death of another person under circumstances that would constitute murder in the second degree ... except that he caused the death under the influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause; or (2) knowingly assists another in the commission of self-murder."
The first circumstance is what is mentioned in amended felony information about the charge from Schuyler County.
Reuschel said Wietholder made the right decision in pleading to voluntary manslaughter, a class B felony, even though he thinks Wietholder did not murder his wife.
"I think it's an unfortunate situation," Reuschel said. "... There was evidence against him, but I think what they would have found him guilty [in a trial situation] of is assisted suicide - which also falls under voluntary manslaughter in the state of
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Kathy
posted 3/29/08 @ 4:16 PM CST
As a recipient of one of "Buds" seized neglected horses from his Camp Point property, I have seen first hand the injury this man can inflict. The filly I fostered is lucky to be alive. (Continued…)
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