Seems custodial dad JAMES BOLDT decided one day he wanted to convert to Orthodox Judaism. Fine, whatever. But in his new-found fervor, he also wanted to force his son to get a circumcision. The boy didn't want one, and neither did his non-custodial mom. Finally after 5 years in court, the Oregon Supreme Court has decided that the boy doesn't have to.
The great unanswered question: How did this religious nutcase daddy get custody?
http://ecochildsplay.com/2011/02/14/oregon-supreme-court-protected-12-year-old-boy-from-religious-circumcision/
Oregon Supreme Court Protected 12-Year-Old Boy from Religious Circumcision
by Jennifer Lance on February 14, 2011
The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled on a case that is at the heart of religious freedom and circumcision. Three weeks ago, we raised the issue in relation to the proposed Male Genital Mutilation (MGM) Bill in San Francisco. We’ve had many passionate comments to that post. Three years ago, the Oregon Supreme Court decided a healthy child’s rights usurp those of religion. Such a ruling could be applicable to the MGM bill in San Francisco.
We are pleased that the Oregon Supreme Court recognized this healthy child does not need this surgery and has a right to be heard, though we remain concerned he may have been manipulated,” said attorney John Geisheker, Director of D.O.C. “Nevertheless, this is a landmark step toward recognizing the separate rights of children. We applaud the Court for protecting this boy. There is no more important decision to make for a male child.”
The Court overturned opinions of both the trial court and the Oregon Court of Appeals which had allowed the ritual surgery regardless of the child’s preferences. The custodial father, an attorney, claims to have converted to a branch of Judaism which requires the procedure. The mother, an Orthodox Christian, opposed the father and was supported by the Seattle based organization, D.O.C., who submitted two ‘friend of the Court’ briefs…
“In our view, at age 12, the (boy’s) attitude regarding circumcision, though not conclusive of the custody issue presented here, is a fact necessary to the determination,” Chief Justice Paul De Muniz wrote. “Forcing (him) at age 12 to undergo circumcision against his will could seriously affect the relationship between (he) and his father, and could have a pronounced effect on father’s capability to properly care for (him).”
The father James Boldt tried to get the United States Supreme Court to hear the case on the grounds that it was the father’s decision not the child’s, but the high court rejected hearing the case. Two years later, when Mischa was 14-years-old, his rights were honored. Bnet reports:
On April 22, in the remand hearing in Jackson County, Oregon, the boy privately testified in the judge’s chambers with neither of his parents allowed to be present. Misha told the judge that he did NOT want to be circumcised and did NOT want to be Jewish. The Judge went on the record in the courtroom accepting that testimony. In early June she issued an order finding that significant cause existed to warrant testimony on whether custody should be given back to the mother…
Ironically, had Misha’s preferences been asked five years ago when he was nine, the court could more easily have ignored him and humored the father. So the delay, while unconscionable, may have saved him. During the intervening half decade, he had the time to develop some of the aplomb of an adult, as well as an evident sense of himself as in charge of his own destiny.
Misha was protected because he had reached a mature age. It’s interesting that the court finds it appropriate to listen to a 14-year-old’s wishes but does not give the same rights to babies. Shouldn’t male babies be allowed to mature intact and then make the decision themselves when they reach the age of 14? I know this is contrary to religious doctrine; however, when do a child’s rights supersede ancient practices?
Showing posts with label circumcision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label circumcision. Show all posts
Monday, February 14, 2011
Monday, October 25, 2010
Dad gets 12-19 years in prison for suffocation death of 9-month-old son (Casper, Wyoming)
This case sounds awfully familiar, so I know we've reported on dad SAMUEL EUGENE MCGEHEE before. The guy suffocated his 9-month-old son--allegedly to "get him to nap." Clueless bastard. This moron also has a history of do-it-yourself circumcisions on another son--a 3-month-old who was mutilated when Daddy took a fillet knife to him. This father is a freaking menace.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_4f64b9ce-de5e-11df-9839-001cc4c03286.html
Judge rejects pleas for leniency, imposes 12-to-19-year sentence
Father of boy who died gets prison
WILLIAM BROWNING
Casper Star-Tribune The Billings Gazette Posted: Friday, October 22, 2010 11:45 pm (15) Comments
CASPER — Samuel Eugene McGehee shut his eyes in court Friday when his attorney played a recording of the police interrogation made the day his son died.
The recording revealed the then 38-year-old McGehee sobbing uncontrollably hours after his 9-month-old son died of asphyxiation. The courtroom, with every aisle full, remained silent as the chilling sound of a father, struggling to catch his breath in the wake of a child’s death, piped out of the courtroom’s speakers.
Authorities say McGehee wrapped the child’s head in a coat in an attempt to get him to take a nap on the afternoon of Nov. 15. His wife, after returning to their Casper home from a trip to Eastridge Mall, found the infant’s lifeless body. Police would find the boy’s vomit in the coat’s sleeve — indications, they said, of him struggling to catch his breath.
Admits guilt
In June, McGehee pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for his role in the death. On Friday, Natrona County District Judge Scott Skavdahl sentenced him to 10 to 15 years in the Wyoming State Penitentiary.
For another charge McGehee pleaded guilty to — felony child abuse dating back to 2008 — he received an additional two to four years in prison. That charge came about after McGehee attempted to circumcise another one of his children at home. He used a fillet knife to carry out the procedure, and the boy, 3 months old at the time, has undergone extensive reconstructive surgeries as a result.
District Attorney Michael Blonigen asked for a 15- to 20-year sentence for the manslaughter charge and a three- to five-year sentence for the child abuse.
“The lives of two young boys were forever changed before the age of 1,” the prosecutor told the court. “One lost his life, one was mutilated by his father.”
Man a ‘tyrant’
Blonigen, in making the argument, described McGehee as a “tyrant more than a parent.”
“At the end of the day, he mutilated one child and caused the death of another.”
Defense attorney Rob Oldham, though, painted a different picture of McGehee.
“Mr. Blonigen’s rendition is just a gross and distorted version to make it look like murder,” he said, referencing the original charge of murder prosecutors placed on McGehee.
Oldham said no evidence pointed to his client trying to kill his child, saying, “It was an accident caused by bad judgment.”
The attorney said McGehee put the coat over the child’s head, in part to keep sunlight out of his eyes.
Turning to the circumcision, Oldham said McGehee and his wife attempted to carry out the procedure at home because they were struggling financially, had deep religious convictions and were facing growing pressure from family members.
Oldham asked for his client to be sentenced to one year in the Natrona County Detention Center and then be placed in Casper ReEntry Center where he could receive counseling.
“Our request is simple,” he said. “A year in jail, some CAC, and let this man go home.”
McGehee’s wife, weeping, asked the judge to allow her husband to provide for his family. In doing so, she described a man who loved her and their children to the point where he, trying to save money, went to work in threadbare clothing and with holes in his shoes.
“My husband was never abusive to our children,” she said. “I do not condone what happened to my son. And I know I will always grieve the loss of him. (But) it would not be advantageous to send him to prison for an extended amount of time.”
Given a chance to speak at the sentencing, McGehee, 39, read two letters he wrote his sons. He cried so hard while reading the letters that he was, at times, incoherent. One sentence heard clearly in the courtroom, from the letter he wrote to his deceased son, read, “I will always remember the sparkle in your eyes.”
Skavdahl, before announcing the prison sentence, spoke briefly, saying no one will ever know what was going through McGehee’s mind the days the two incidents occurred.
“The bottom line is, he was abusive to his son when he cut off his foreskin with a fillet knife,” the judge said. “(And) I have a child who lived 9 months and will never breathe another breath again.”
Contact William Browning at william.browning@trib.com or 307-266-0534.
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_4f64b9ce-de5e-11df-9839-001cc4c03286.html
Judge rejects pleas for leniency, imposes 12-to-19-year sentence
Father of boy who died gets prison
WILLIAM BROWNING
Casper Star-Tribune The Billings Gazette Posted: Friday, October 22, 2010 11:45 pm (15) Comments
CASPER — Samuel Eugene McGehee shut his eyes in court Friday when his attorney played a recording of the police interrogation made the day his son died.
The recording revealed the then 38-year-old McGehee sobbing uncontrollably hours after his 9-month-old son died of asphyxiation. The courtroom, with every aisle full, remained silent as the chilling sound of a father, struggling to catch his breath in the wake of a child’s death, piped out of the courtroom’s speakers.
Authorities say McGehee wrapped the child’s head in a coat in an attempt to get him to take a nap on the afternoon of Nov. 15. His wife, after returning to their Casper home from a trip to Eastridge Mall, found the infant’s lifeless body. Police would find the boy’s vomit in the coat’s sleeve — indications, they said, of him struggling to catch his breath.
Admits guilt
In June, McGehee pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for his role in the death. On Friday, Natrona County District Judge Scott Skavdahl sentenced him to 10 to 15 years in the Wyoming State Penitentiary.
For another charge McGehee pleaded guilty to — felony child abuse dating back to 2008 — he received an additional two to four years in prison. That charge came about after McGehee attempted to circumcise another one of his children at home. He used a fillet knife to carry out the procedure, and the boy, 3 months old at the time, has undergone extensive reconstructive surgeries as a result.
District Attorney Michael Blonigen asked for a 15- to 20-year sentence for the manslaughter charge and a three- to five-year sentence for the child abuse.
“The lives of two young boys were forever changed before the age of 1,” the prosecutor told the court. “One lost his life, one was mutilated by his father.”
Man a ‘tyrant’
Blonigen, in making the argument, described McGehee as a “tyrant more than a parent.”
“At the end of the day, he mutilated one child and caused the death of another.”
Defense attorney Rob Oldham, though, painted a different picture of McGehee.
“Mr. Blonigen’s rendition is just a gross and distorted version to make it look like murder,” he said, referencing the original charge of murder prosecutors placed on McGehee.
Oldham said no evidence pointed to his client trying to kill his child, saying, “It was an accident caused by bad judgment.”
The attorney said McGehee put the coat over the child’s head, in part to keep sunlight out of his eyes.
Turning to the circumcision, Oldham said McGehee and his wife attempted to carry out the procedure at home because they were struggling financially, had deep religious convictions and were facing growing pressure from family members.
Oldham asked for his client to be sentenced to one year in the Natrona County Detention Center and then be placed in Casper ReEntry Center where he could receive counseling.
“Our request is simple,” he said. “A year in jail, some CAC, and let this man go home.”
McGehee’s wife, weeping, asked the judge to allow her husband to provide for his family. In doing so, she described a man who loved her and their children to the point where he, trying to save money, went to work in threadbare clothing and with holes in his shoes.
“My husband was never abusive to our children,” she said. “I do not condone what happened to my son. And I know I will always grieve the loss of him. (But) it would not be advantageous to send him to prison for an extended amount of time.”
Given a chance to speak at the sentencing, McGehee, 39, read two letters he wrote his sons. He cried so hard while reading the letters that he was, at times, incoherent. One sentence heard clearly in the courtroom, from the letter he wrote to his deceased son, read, “I will always remember the sparkle in your eyes.”
Skavdahl, before announcing the prison sentence, spoke briefly, saying no one will ever know what was going through McGehee’s mind the days the two incidents occurred.
“The bottom line is, he was abusive to his son when he cut off his foreskin with a fillet knife,” the judge said. “(And) I have a child who lived 9 months and will never breathe another breath again.”
Contact William Browning at william.browning@trib.com or 307-266-0534.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Dad on trial for "bungling" circumcision of 4-year-old son (Vancouver, Canada)
The dad--identified here only as D. J.W.--was convicted of criminal negligence last October for "botching" the home circumcision of his 4-year-old son. The prosecutor is now saying that Dad needs some jail time to deter future criminal conduct, especially since the father refuses to acknowledge any wrong doing in the incident. These religious wingnuts never do.
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/bungled+circumcision+should+jailed+Crown/2722361/story.html
B.C. dad who bungled son's circumcision should be jailed: Crown
By Keith Fraser, Vancouver Province
March 24, 2010
VANCOUVER — A B.C. man who botched the circumcision of his four-year-old son — a few years after managing to infect his own penis while circumcising himself — needs a jail term to deter and denounce his criminal conduct, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The father, who can only be identified by the initials D.J.W. due to a publication ban, was found guilty in October of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Court heard he told his son in April 2007 that the circumcision would grant him "extra special protection from God" and allow him to eat Passover lamb, ice cream and that the boy could then pick all the movies he wanted for a week.
The judge found D.J.W. had given his son honey wine before placing him on some garbage bags on the kitchen floor.
Wielding a razor blade, the father tried to cut away the foreskin of the little boy's penis.
After making several cuts over a cutting board, he sprinkled an ash-like powder called Wonder Dust on his son. The substance is normally used to treat wounds for race horses and other animals and is not deemed fit for use on humans.
The boy was later taken to hospital and the circumcision completed. The judge found the boy had been hurt and determined that the father's actions amounted to a wanton and reckless disregard for his son.
Prosecutor Daniel Porte told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Marion Allan the father does not accept that what he did is wrong, or criminal.
He said the actions of the man, who was untrained in medical procedures and ignored the advice of doctors, were clearly planned and deliberate and need to be denounced.
"The trust a child has in a parent, the authority a parent has over a child, is an awesome responsibility, not to be taken lightly, not to be refused," said Porte. "In the Crown's submission the offender abused that sacred trust. He must be personally deterred from abusing that trust in the future.
"He knew the risks of a home circumcision. He ignored those risks, for his own selfish reasons."
Porte called for a jail term of between 12 and 24 months to be followed by three years probation.
Court has heard that D.J.W.'s mother raised him as a Jehovah's Witness, but he left the church. Court has heard he believes circumcisions are required for religious reasons.
In late 2004 or early 2005, D.J.W. circumcised himself, using Band-Aids, peroxide and a roll of gauze and a clear plastic ring, which he believed would act as an anesthetic. He cut himself with a razor blade. The procedure infected his penis.
Before Wednesday's proceedings began, Doug Christie, the accused's trial lawyer, told the judge that he had been dismissed.
He also attempted to have a Vancouver Province reporter excluded from the courtroom over concerns about news coverage, but the judge said the proceedings were open to the public and added she wasn't interested in his opinions of the press.
After Porte finished his sentencing submissions, the accused asked for and was granted an adjournment to make submissions on his own behalf starting Thursday.
http://www.leaderpost.com/health/bungled+circumcision+should+jailed+Crown/2722361/story.html
B.C. dad who bungled son's circumcision should be jailed: Crown
By Keith Fraser, Vancouver Province
March 24, 2010
VANCOUVER — A B.C. man who botched the circumcision of his four-year-old son — a few years after managing to infect his own penis while circumcising himself — needs a jail term to deter and denounce his criminal conduct, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The father, who can only be identified by the initials D.J.W. due to a publication ban, was found guilty in October of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Court heard he told his son in April 2007 that the circumcision would grant him "extra special protection from God" and allow him to eat Passover lamb, ice cream and that the boy could then pick all the movies he wanted for a week.
The judge found D.J.W. had given his son honey wine before placing him on some garbage bags on the kitchen floor.
Wielding a razor blade, the father tried to cut away the foreskin of the little boy's penis.
After making several cuts over a cutting board, he sprinkled an ash-like powder called Wonder Dust on his son. The substance is normally used to treat wounds for race horses and other animals and is not deemed fit for use on humans.
The boy was later taken to hospital and the circumcision completed. The judge found the boy had been hurt and determined that the father's actions amounted to a wanton and reckless disregard for his son.
Prosecutor Daniel Porte told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Marion Allan the father does not accept that what he did is wrong, or criminal.
He said the actions of the man, who was untrained in medical procedures and ignored the advice of doctors, were clearly planned and deliberate and need to be denounced.
"The trust a child has in a parent, the authority a parent has over a child, is an awesome responsibility, not to be taken lightly, not to be refused," said Porte. "In the Crown's submission the offender abused that sacred trust. He must be personally deterred from abusing that trust in the future.
"He knew the risks of a home circumcision. He ignored those risks, for his own selfish reasons."
Porte called for a jail term of between 12 and 24 months to be followed by three years probation.
Court has heard that D.J.W.'s mother raised him as a Jehovah's Witness, but he left the church. Court has heard he believes circumcisions are required for religious reasons.
In late 2004 or early 2005, D.J.W. circumcised himself, using Band-Aids, peroxide and a roll of gauze and a clear plastic ring, which he believed would act as an anesthetic. He cut himself with a razor blade. The procedure infected his penis.
Before Wednesday's proceedings began, Doug Christie, the accused's trial lawyer, told the judge that he had been dismissed.
He also attempted to have a Vancouver Province reporter excluded from the courtroom over concerns about news coverage, but the judge said the proceedings were open to the public and added she wasn't interested in his opinions of the press.
After Porte finished his sentencing submissions, the accused asked for and was granted an adjournment to make submissions on his own behalf starting Thursday.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Dad botched "circumcision" on son, calls prosecution 'wicked' (Vancouver, Canada)
This has got to be the third case we have posted here at Dastardly on a dad (here identifed as only D. J. W.) doing a "do-it-yourself" circumcision (read: genital mutilation) on his son. Is this a trend among nutso religious-type fathers? God help us if it's true. The Freudians would have a field day on this.
http://www.canada.com/botched+circumcision+calls+prosecution+wicked/2329547/story.html
Dad botched circumcision on son, calls prosecution 'wicked'
By Keith Fraser, Canwest News ServiceDecember 11, 2009
A Vancouver man who botched the circumcision of his four-year-old son -- a few years after managing to infect his own penis while circumcising himself -- should be jailed for 12 to 24 months, a prosecutor says.
A sentencing hearing began Thursday for the man, who called the case against him a "miscarriage of justice."
The man, who can only be identified by the initials D.J.W., was convicted of criminal negligence causing bodily harm after the April 2007 incident.
B.C. Supreme Court Madam Justice Marion Allan found that D.J.W. had given his son honey wine before placing him on some garbage bags on the kitchen floor.
He told his son the circumcision would grant DJ "extra special protection from God" and allow him to eat Passover lamb, ice cream and that the boy could then pick all the movies he wanted for a week.
Wielding a razor blade, the father tried to cut away the foreskin on the boy's penis.
After making several cuts over a cutting board, the father sprinkled an ash-like powder called Wonder Dust on his son. The substance is normally used to treat wounds for race horses and other animals and is not deemed fit for use on humans.
The boy was later taken to hospital for treatment and the circumcision was completed.
On Thursday, the father reacted angrily to questioning by prosecutor Daniel Porte about whether he would be willing to do another circumcision.
"You're just taking advantage of me because I'm poor," said D.J.W. "You're taking advantage of me because I didn't have money to compel rabbis and other experts to come here and testify. What you're doing is rotten and wicked. This is a miscarriage of justice."
Doug Christie, the father's lawyer, said he would be looking for a period of probation with counselling provisions. The judge said she wouldn't rule out a conditional sentence.
The judge said Thursday that a psychiatric report ordered by the court was full of errors and needed to be done again.
The hearing was adjourned to March 25 to allow a new psychiatric report to be prepared.
http://www.canada.com/botched+circumcision+calls+prosecution+wicked/2329547/story.html
Dad botched circumcision on son, calls prosecution 'wicked'
By Keith Fraser, Canwest News ServiceDecember 11, 2009
A Vancouver man who botched the circumcision of his four-year-old son -- a few years after managing to infect his own penis while circumcising himself -- should be jailed for 12 to 24 months, a prosecutor says.
A sentencing hearing began Thursday for the man, who called the case against him a "miscarriage of justice."
The man, who can only be identified by the initials D.J.W., was convicted of criminal negligence causing bodily harm after the April 2007 incident.
B.C. Supreme Court Madam Justice Marion Allan found that D.J.W. had given his son honey wine before placing him on some garbage bags on the kitchen floor.
He told his son the circumcision would grant DJ "extra special protection from God" and allow him to eat Passover lamb, ice cream and that the boy could then pick all the movies he wanted for a week.
Wielding a razor blade, the father tried to cut away the foreskin on the boy's penis.
After making several cuts over a cutting board, the father sprinkled an ash-like powder called Wonder Dust on his son. The substance is normally used to treat wounds for race horses and other animals and is not deemed fit for use on humans.
The boy was later taken to hospital for treatment and the circumcision was completed.
On Thursday, the father reacted angrily to questioning by prosecutor Daniel Porte about whether he would be willing to do another circumcision.
"You're just taking advantage of me because I'm poor," said D.J.W. "You're taking advantage of me because I didn't have money to compel rabbis and other experts to come here and testify. What you're doing is rotten and wicked. This is a miscarriage of justice."
Doug Christie, the father's lawyer, said he would be looking for a period of probation with counselling provisions. The judge said she wouldn't rule out a conditional sentence.
The judge said Thursday that a psychiatric report ordered by the court was full of errors and needed to be done again.
The hearing was adjourned to March 25 to allow a new psychiatric report to be prepared.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Dad on trial for murder of 9-month-old son; also mutilated genitals of other son in 2008, and never prosecuted (Casper, Wyoming)
Dad SAMUEL EUGENE MCGEHEE was left home to babysit his two young sons while Mom went shopping with their daughter. Apparently Dad is just another one of those guys who couldn't handle the stresses of babytending. When his 9-month-old son "wouldn't take a nap after being fed" (oh, the horror!), Daddy Dearest decided to suffocate the kid with a coat. Medical evidence showed fibers on the baby's fingers and under his fingernails as he tried to push the coat away. Sickening.
But Dad had an interesting warm-up act. Back in 2008, Dad did a "do-it-yourself" "circumcision" on the other son, and somehow managed to cause "severe damage" to the penis and lacerate the scrotum in the process. The baby had to go to the emergency room because of the bleeding and then through reconstructive surgery. But something interesting thing here--Daddy was never prosecuted. Even though he had called doctors who told him that a 3-month-old baby should not be circumcised until at least 9-months in age because of bleeding concerns. But Dad just couldn't wait, plus he wanted to save money. NOW Wyoming officials have decided to charge Dad in this incident, though they failed to do so in 2008.
Does this suggest somebody who's just a little obsessive and sadistic? And does this really sound like a "circumcision" or a deliberate genital mutilation? WHERE WERE THE WYOMING AUTHORITIES ON THIS ONE BACK IN 2008? Were they giving this guy a wide berth because he's apparently a religious nut? (Note that the couple took the suffocated son to their pastor before 911 was called.) Why should people with mutant "religious" views get a pass on behavior that wouldn't be tolerated in others?
Your so-called "religious" views are NO EXCUSE for mutilating, torturing, or murdering your children.
http://www.trib.com/news/local/article_194350a5-cea1-5d34-aa99-97d5c65a3dcc.html
Suspect faces new child abuse charge in '08 incident
Murder case moves ahead
Story Discussion By WILLIAM BROWNING - Star-Tribune staff writer
Posted: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 12:15 am
Just before noon on Nov. 15, Bethany McGehee went shopping at the Eastridge Mall with her daughter and friend, leaving her two young sons at home with their father.
Preparing the family for a church service later that evening, she pushed her bedroom door open in search of her infant son. What she found was a horrifying scene that has led to her husband, Samuel Eugene McGehee, being charged with the murder of their 9-month-old son, Joseph.
Authorities say Samuel McGehee covered his son's head with a coat after the child wouldn't take a nap after being fed. An autopsy revealed that the boy, who had been left alone in the room for roughly four hours, died from asphyxiation.
"You might as well put that kid's head in a plastic bag," District Attorney Michael Blonigen said Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in Natrona County Circuit Court.
A judge Tuesday ruled enough evidence exists for McGehee to stand trial for the child's death. The case has been bound over to Natrona County District Court.
McGehee, 38, faces life in prison if convicted.
Another disturbing incident involving alleged child abuse in the McGehee household came to light during Tuesday's hearing.
A detective testified that in March 2008, McGehee, concerned about the family's financial state, decided to circumcise his other son at home, using a filet knife.
"There was severe damage to the shaft of the penis," Detective Shawn Jenkins said. "There was a lot of skin removed."
The 3-month-old's scrotum was also lacerated during the procedure, Jenkins said. The child has subsequently endured extensive reconstructive surgeries, and more are expected.
On Tuesday, McGehee was also formally charged with felony child abuse for the 2008 incident.
'Business as usual'
Bethany McGehee told investigators she found Joseph McGehee's lifeless body roughly 15 minutes before 6 p.m. on Nov. 15.
"She described him as blotchy and blue, and his eyes were fixed and dilated," Detective Christina Tweedy testified Tuesday.
They performed CPR for about 20 minutes -- Samuel breathing into the child's mouth while Bethany "massaged" his chest, Tweedy said.
Bethany then wrapped the baby in a blanket and drove to her pastor's home, where someone called 911.
Asked why Bethany didn't take the child to the Wyoming Medical Center, Tweedy said the couple indicated that "they thought the pastor could breathe life into him again."
The pastor told investigators that when he saw the body, "his jaw was stiff, he couldn't get his mouth to open," suggesting that rigor-mortis had set in, Tweedy said.
Later that evening, when investigators arrived at the McGehee home on South Washington Street, Samuel McGehee let them in and didn't ask any questions, Tweedy said. She said she found that "odd."
"He just seemed like it was business as usual," the detective said.
She testified that McGehee told investigators, "I'm going to have to face the consequences of what happened today."
The coat that McGehee used to cover the child's head, Tweedy said, was a female's, about medium size and blue.
Tweedy testified that a medical examiner found blue fibers on the baby's fingers and beneath the infant's fingernails, indicating he struggled to push the coat away.
"That coat, by someone, was held in place over that child's mouth," Blonigen said.
Tweedy said investigators found the coat beneath a pile of clothes on the bed. That seemed to suggest someone was trying to hide it.
A small amount of vomit was found in the armpit, she said.
McGehee's attorney, Public Defender Rob Oldham, asked Jenkins whether after his arrest, McGehee ever indicated he wanted to kill or hurt his son.
"No," he replied.
McGehee told Jenkins at one point during an interview, "Just because you have feelings for somebody, you don't always do what's best," the detective said.
Botched circumcision
Jenkins also testified Tuesday that on March 29, 2008, he responded to a call from the Wyoming Medical Center about an infant having been circumcised at home.
On that day, McGehee told investigators he had consulted with several doctors who said they wouldn't circumcise the then-3-month-old infant until he was at least 9 months old. The dangers, Jenkins said doctors told McGehee, included excessive bleeding of blood vessels in the penis.
Roughly 30 minutes after trying to carry out the procedure at home using a filet knife, McGehee and his wife took the child to the hospital because he would not stop bleeding, Jenkins said.
Jenkins testified that during his interview with McGehee about the circumcision, he found McGehee "very emotional" and "distraught."
"I didn't see any of that with Joseph," Jenkins said, referring to the other son who died.
Reached Tuesday afternoon, Blonigen declined to discuss why McGehee wasn't prosecuted for the circumcision incident when it occurred.
Problems hearing
At the beginning of the hearing Tuesday morning, McGehee informed the court he was having trouble hearing and asked to be allowed to sit closer to the witness stand.
"There's no one here that I have any ill will or ill feelings toward," he said.
"This seems to become worse as the charges become more serious," Blonigen said of McGehee's hearing difficulty.
In an effort to help him hear witnesses, McGehee was allowed to sit directly in front of Natrona County Circuit Judge Michael Patchen throughout the nearly two-hour-long proceedings.
He remains in the Natrona County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.
But Dad had an interesting warm-up act. Back in 2008, Dad did a "do-it-yourself" "circumcision" on the other son, and somehow managed to cause "severe damage" to the penis and lacerate the scrotum in the process. The baby had to go to the emergency room because of the bleeding and then through reconstructive surgery. But something interesting thing here--Daddy was never prosecuted. Even though he had called doctors who told him that a 3-month-old baby should not be circumcised until at least 9-months in age because of bleeding concerns. But Dad just couldn't wait, plus he wanted to save money. NOW Wyoming officials have decided to charge Dad in this incident, though they failed to do so in 2008.
Does this suggest somebody who's just a little obsessive and sadistic? And does this really sound like a "circumcision" or a deliberate genital mutilation? WHERE WERE THE WYOMING AUTHORITIES ON THIS ONE BACK IN 2008? Were they giving this guy a wide berth because he's apparently a religious nut? (Note that the couple took the suffocated son to their pastor before 911 was called.) Why should people with mutant "religious" views get a pass on behavior that wouldn't be tolerated in others?
Your so-called "religious" views are NO EXCUSE for mutilating, torturing, or murdering your children.
http://www.trib.com/news/local/article_194350a5-cea1-5d34-aa99-97d5c65a3dcc.html
Suspect faces new child abuse charge in '08 incident
Murder case moves ahead
Story Discussion By WILLIAM BROWNING - Star-Tribune staff writer
Posted: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 12:15 am
Just before noon on Nov. 15, Bethany McGehee went shopping at the Eastridge Mall with her daughter and friend, leaving her two young sons at home with their father.
Preparing the family for a church service later that evening, she pushed her bedroom door open in search of her infant son. What she found was a horrifying scene that has led to her husband, Samuel Eugene McGehee, being charged with the murder of their 9-month-old son, Joseph.
Authorities say Samuel McGehee covered his son's head with a coat after the child wouldn't take a nap after being fed. An autopsy revealed that the boy, who had been left alone in the room for roughly four hours, died from asphyxiation.
"You might as well put that kid's head in a plastic bag," District Attorney Michael Blonigen said Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in Natrona County Circuit Court.
A judge Tuesday ruled enough evidence exists for McGehee to stand trial for the child's death. The case has been bound over to Natrona County District Court.
McGehee, 38, faces life in prison if convicted.
Another disturbing incident involving alleged child abuse in the McGehee household came to light during Tuesday's hearing.
A detective testified that in March 2008, McGehee, concerned about the family's financial state, decided to circumcise his other son at home, using a filet knife.
"There was severe damage to the shaft of the penis," Detective Shawn Jenkins said. "There was a lot of skin removed."
The 3-month-old's scrotum was also lacerated during the procedure, Jenkins said. The child has subsequently endured extensive reconstructive surgeries, and more are expected.
On Tuesday, McGehee was also formally charged with felony child abuse for the 2008 incident.
'Business as usual'
Bethany McGehee told investigators she found Joseph McGehee's lifeless body roughly 15 minutes before 6 p.m. on Nov. 15.
"She described him as blotchy and blue, and his eyes were fixed and dilated," Detective Christina Tweedy testified Tuesday.
They performed CPR for about 20 minutes -- Samuel breathing into the child's mouth while Bethany "massaged" his chest, Tweedy said.
Bethany then wrapped the baby in a blanket and drove to her pastor's home, where someone called 911.
Asked why Bethany didn't take the child to the Wyoming Medical Center, Tweedy said the couple indicated that "they thought the pastor could breathe life into him again."
The pastor told investigators that when he saw the body, "his jaw was stiff, he couldn't get his mouth to open," suggesting that rigor-mortis had set in, Tweedy said.
Later that evening, when investigators arrived at the McGehee home on South Washington Street, Samuel McGehee let them in and didn't ask any questions, Tweedy said. She said she found that "odd."
"He just seemed like it was business as usual," the detective said.
She testified that McGehee told investigators, "I'm going to have to face the consequences of what happened today."
The coat that McGehee used to cover the child's head, Tweedy said, was a female's, about medium size and blue.
Tweedy testified that a medical examiner found blue fibers on the baby's fingers and beneath the infant's fingernails, indicating he struggled to push the coat away.
"That coat, by someone, was held in place over that child's mouth," Blonigen said.
Tweedy said investigators found the coat beneath a pile of clothes on the bed. That seemed to suggest someone was trying to hide it.
A small amount of vomit was found in the armpit, she said.
McGehee's attorney, Public Defender Rob Oldham, asked Jenkins whether after his arrest, McGehee ever indicated he wanted to kill or hurt his son.
"No," he replied.
McGehee told Jenkins at one point during an interview, "Just because you have feelings for somebody, you don't always do what's best," the detective said.
Botched circumcision
Jenkins also testified Tuesday that on March 29, 2008, he responded to a call from the Wyoming Medical Center about an infant having been circumcised at home.
On that day, McGehee told investigators he had consulted with several doctors who said they wouldn't circumcise the then-3-month-old infant until he was at least 9 months old. The dangers, Jenkins said doctors told McGehee, included excessive bleeding of blood vessels in the penis.
Roughly 30 minutes after trying to carry out the procedure at home using a filet knife, McGehee and his wife took the child to the hospital because he would not stop bleeding, Jenkins said.
Jenkins testified that during his interview with McGehee about the circumcision, he found McGehee "very emotional" and "distraught."
"I didn't see any of that with Joseph," Jenkins said, referring to the other son who died.
Reached Tuesday afternoon, Blonigen declined to discuss why McGehee wasn't prosecuted for the circumcision incident when it occurred.
Problems hearing
At the beginning of the hearing Tuesday morning, McGehee informed the court he was having trouble hearing and asked to be allowed to sit closer to the witness stand.
"There's no one here that I have any ill will or ill feelings toward," he said.
"This seems to become worse as the charges become more serious," Blonigen said of McGehee's hearing difficulty.
In an effort to help him hear witnesses, McGehee was allowed to sit directly in front of Natrona County Circuit Judge Michael Patchen throughout the nearly two-hour-long proceedings.
He remains in the Natrona County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Circumcising dad gets 150 days in prison (Caldwell County, North Carolina)
For the record, dad JOHNNY MARLOWE used a box cutter with no anesthesia.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/422/story/981487.html
Circumcising dad gets 150 days in prison
NewChannel 36
Posted: Friday, Oct. 02, 2009
Johnny Marlowe
CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. A father found guilty of misdemeanor child abuse for circumcising his sons says he plans to appeal after a judge handed down a 150 day sentence Friday.
Johnny Marlowe was found guilty Thursday on one count of misdemeanor child abuse. Prosecutors tried him on two felony counts.
A judge sentenced Marlow to 150 days in prison at the expiration of his current sentence for a prior conviction.
Prosecutors called Marlowe's wife to the stand during trial. She testified that one of the young boys bled for nearly 11 hours after Marlowe used box cutters to perform the circumcision.
Marlowe admitted he had no formal training and gained most of his knowledge about the procedure from watching videos on the Internet.
Without a lawyer, he took the stand Wednesday and told the jury that "God, the Holy Spirit pressed me to do that. ... When God presses you to do something, you do it."
After hearing closing arguments, the jury started deliberating Wednesday afternoon. According to the prosecutors, the jury reached a verdict on one of the two charges that same day, but could not come to a unanimous decision on the second.
Deliberations continued into Thursday with the jury coming back into court several times, asking questions of the judge and saying they were deadlocked on one of the charges. The judge asked them to continue deliberating in hopes of reaching a verdict.
Meanwhile, Marlowe was grinning, winking and posing for the camera as he was escorted in and out of the courtroom Thursday. He had a quiet air of confidence about him through much of the day. And it turns out he had good reason.
Around 3 p.m. Thursday the jury returned a verdict of guilty of misdemeanor child abuse on one of the charges, but announced they would never be able to reach a unanimous verdict on the second charge. The judge declared that charge a mistrial.
Now, instead of serving four to eight years in prison for those two felony charges as prosecutors had hoped, Marlowe will spend 150 days in prison for the misdemeanor conviction.
When asked if he still thought that circumcising the boys himself without anesthesia was the right thing to do Marlowe replied, "Definitely."
Meanwhile, the district attorney will have to decide if it's worth pursuing another trial against Marlowe for the second felony child abuse charge.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/422/story/981487.html
Circumcising dad gets 150 days in prison
NewChannel 36
Posted: Friday, Oct. 02, 2009
Johnny Marlowe
CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. A father found guilty of misdemeanor child abuse for circumcising his sons says he plans to appeal after a judge handed down a 150 day sentence Friday.
Johnny Marlowe was found guilty Thursday on one count of misdemeanor child abuse. Prosecutors tried him on two felony counts.
A judge sentenced Marlow to 150 days in prison at the expiration of his current sentence for a prior conviction.
Prosecutors called Marlowe's wife to the stand during trial. She testified that one of the young boys bled for nearly 11 hours after Marlowe used box cutters to perform the circumcision.
Marlowe admitted he had no formal training and gained most of his knowledge about the procedure from watching videos on the Internet.
Without a lawyer, he took the stand Wednesday and told the jury that "God, the Holy Spirit pressed me to do that. ... When God presses you to do something, you do it."
After hearing closing arguments, the jury started deliberating Wednesday afternoon. According to the prosecutors, the jury reached a verdict on one of the two charges that same day, but could not come to a unanimous decision on the second.
Deliberations continued into Thursday with the jury coming back into court several times, asking questions of the judge and saying they were deadlocked on one of the charges. The judge asked them to continue deliberating in hopes of reaching a verdict.
Meanwhile, Marlowe was grinning, winking and posing for the camera as he was escorted in and out of the courtroom Thursday. He had a quiet air of confidence about him through much of the day. And it turns out he had good reason.
Around 3 p.m. Thursday the jury returned a verdict of guilty of misdemeanor child abuse on one of the charges, but announced they would never be able to reach a unanimous verdict on the second charge. The judge declared that charge a mistrial.
Now, instead of serving four to eight years in prison for those two felony charges as prosecutors had hoped, Marlowe will spend 150 days in prison for the misdemeanor conviction.
When asked if he still thought that circumcising the boys himself without anesthesia was the right thing to do Marlowe replied, "Definitely."
Meanwhile, the district attorney will have to decide if it's worth pursuing another trial against Marlowe for the second felony child abuse charge.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Dad says God told him to circumcise his sons (Morganton, North Carolina)
Dad JOHN MARLOWE is apparently a do-it-yourself kind of guy--even does circumcisions on his own sons. Of course, there's more to the story. Dad says God told him to do the circumcisions. (As a service to Dastardly readers, I checked with God's office. God wasn't available but God's secretary, who refused to give his name, said "What the f---? We never told this a----- any such thing.") The mothers he was involved with said they had been fearful for their lives when they were with Dad. That should give you an idea as to what kind of guy he is.
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=11232718
Man says God told him to circumcise 4 children, self
Posted: Sep 30, 2009 1:16 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 30, 2009 1:22 PM CDT
By Steve Obnesorge
MORGANTON, NC (WBTV) - A father accused of abusing two of his sons by performing circumcisions when they were infants took the stand in his own defense Wednesday morning.
John Marlowe is representing himself in the case, which is being held at the Caldwell County courthouse.
In court on Wednesday, Marlowe admitted he did circumcised the two children. He also revealed that he circumcised two other children in Mecklenburg County, including one of his children and someone else's child. At this time, he has not been charged in connection with the alleged incidents in Mecklenburg County.
Marlowe told jurors the question is whether the children suffered any pain. He says he knows first-hand it's not that painful because he circumcised himself at age 30. He said the reason he performed the circumcisions was because "God told him to."
The case is expected to go to the jury Wednesday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Marlowe confronted his accusers - his ex-wife and a second woman he claimed he was married to at the time - saying the case is all about religious freedom and his right to circumcise his children.
"It hasn't been illegal till now," he said. "Why should it be illegal?"
During the court proceedings on Tuesday, Marlowe implied this was a landmark case and kept reminding witnesses and the court, "Do you understand what the outcome of the case will do to the state and this country?"
Prosecutors say this is not about religious freedom, but instead is about what one man did to his children.
Marlowe's ex-wife, Amber Marlowe, said he used a box knife to circumcise her son.
Sara Fleming, who also lived with John Marlowe, described how he circumcised her child:"He held the foreskin out, took the box cutter, and made an incision."
Marlowe didn't deny doing that or how the infants reacted.
Both women said they couldn't stop John Marlowe from performing the procedure because they were fearful for their lives; Fleming said she left with only the close she was wearing,
"[I was] running for my life," she said.
Amber Marlowe says she's testifying now because she finally feels safe.
"I'm no longer under your power," she said. "I no longer have nightmares of you coming and killing me. I know you are safe behind bars where you can't reach me."
Marlowe was convicted in May in cases involving assaults against the women and the children. He will be sentenced on those charges after this case is over. He remains behind bars in Caldwell County.
As for the Caldwell County victims who were just a few days old when the circumcisions occurred, one is still in the custody of Department of Social Services. The second child is with his mother, Sara Fleming. A doctor says the children are well and should not have any long lasting physical effects.
http://www.wmbfnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=11232718
Man says God told him to circumcise 4 children, self
Posted: Sep 30, 2009 1:16 PM CDT
Updated: Sep 30, 2009 1:22 PM CDT
By Steve Obnesorge
MORGANTON, NC (WBTV) - A father accused of abusing two of his sons by performing circumcisions when they were infants took the stand in his own defense Wednesday morning.
John Marlowe is representing himself in the case, which is being held at the Caldwell County courthouse.
In court on Wednesday, Marlowe admitted he did circumcised the two children. He also revealed that he circumcised two other children in Mecklenburg County, including one of his children and someone else's child. At this time, he has not been charged in connection with the alleged incidents in Mecklenburg County.
Marlowe told jurors the question is whether the children suffered any pain. He says he knows first-hand it's not that painful because he circumcised himself at age 30. He said the reason he performed the circumcisions was because "God told him to."
The case is expected to go to the jury Wednesday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Marlowe confronted his accusers - his ex-wife and a second woman he claimed he was married to at the time - saying the case is all about religious freedom and his right to circumcise his children.
"It hasn't been illegal till now," he said. "Why should it be illegal?"
During the court proceedings on Tuesday, Marlowe implied this was a landmark case and kept reminding witnesses and the court, "Do you understand what the outcome of the case will do to the state and this country?"
Prosecutors say this is not about religious freedom, but instead is about what one man did to his children.
Marlowe's ex-wife, Amber Marlowe, said he used a box knife to circumcise her son.
Sara Fleming, who also lived with John Marlowe, described how he circumcised her child:"He held the foreskin out, took the box cutter, and made an incision."
Marlowe didn't deny doing that or how the infants reacted.
Both women said they couldn't stop John Marlowe from performing the procedure because they were fearful for their lives; Fleming said she left with only the close she was wearing,
"[I was] running for my life," she said.
Amber Marlowe says she's testifying now because she finally feels safe.
"I'm no longer under your power," she said. "I no longer have nightmares of you coming and killing me. I know you are safe behind bars where you can't reach me."
Marlowe was convicted in May in cases involving assaults against the women and the children. He will be sentenced on those charges after this case is over. He remains behind bars in Caldwell County.
As for the Caldwell County victims who were just a few days old when the circumcisions occurred, one is still in the custody of Department of Social Services. The second child is with his mother, Sara Fleming. A doctor says the children are well and should not have any long lasting physical effects.
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