Rilya Wilson Murder Case

[MuffyBee]

Justice was not done this day for Rilya Wilson.      JMHO

[yuknomenot]

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/state/rilya-wilson-case-geralyn-graham-convicted-of-kidnapping-child-abuse-in-wilsons-disappearance
Rilya Wilson case: Geralyn Graham convicted of kidnapping, child abuse in Wilson's disappearance
A mistrial was declared on a murder charge
January 25, 2013

MIAMI (AP) -- A South Florida woman has been convicted of kidnapping and child abuse in the case of 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, who disappeared more than 12 years ago. A mistrial was declared on a murder charge.

   Jurors said Friday they were unable to resolve their 11-1 split on that murder count against 67-year-old Geralyn Graham. She was convicted of kidnapping and three child abuse counts following an eight-week trial.
 ::snipping2::

How extraordinarily sad for Rilya.  Why on earth would the Prosecution have used Robyn Lunceford with her past.  She shouldn't be getting out of jail, she should have received a double sentence because of her past lies.

[Amys Sister]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/25/woman-convicted-missing-girl/1865543/
Woman convicted of abusing, kidnapping missing girl
January 25, 2013

MIAMI (AP) — A former caretaker was convicted Friday of child abuse and kidnapping in a 4-year-old foster child's disappearance more than a decade ago, but a mistrial was declared on a murder charge after jurors were narrowly unable to agree.

Assistant State Attorney Joshua Weintraub said the state would not try Graham a second time for first-degree murder. Graham has long maintained her innocence. Weintraub said the other convictions would likely keep Graham locked up for life even without the murder conviction.

"The fact that they didn't come back on a murder charge doesn't mean that justice was not done for Rilya Wilson," Weintraub told reporters afterward.

Circuit Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez set sentencing for Feb. 12. Graham's attorneys said they planned an appeal and praised the lone juror who held out.
More...

"The fact that they didn't come back on a murder charge doesn't mean that justice was not done for Rilya Wilson," Weintraub told reporters afterward."

 

Justice for Rilya.  May her murderer never be free again.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/01/25/woman-convicted-missing-girl/1865543/
Woman convicted of abusing, kidnapping missing girl
January 25, 2013

MIAMI (AP) — A former caretaker was convicted Friday of child abuse and kidnapping in a 4-year-old foster child's disappearance more than a decade ago, but a mistrial was declared on a murder charge after jurors were narrowly unable to agree.

Assistant State Attorney Joshua Weintraub said the state would not try Graham a second time for first-degree murder. Graham has long maintained her innocence. Weintraub said the other convictions would likely keep Graham locked up for life even without the murder conviction.

"The fact that they didn't come back on a murder charge doesn't mean that justice was not done for Rilya Wilson," Weintraub told reporters afterward.

Circuit Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez set sentencing for Feb. 12. Graham's attorneys said they planned an appeal and praised the lone juror who held out.
More...

"The fact that they didn't come back on a murder charge doesn't mean that justice was not done for Rilya Wilson," Weintraub told reporters afterward."

 

Justice for Rilya.  May her murderer never be free again.

If it's the best they could do with what they had, we have to accept it.  However, my concern is "...would likely keep Graham locked up for life...".  Graham is already planning to appeal, and I always wonder when  someone is given time, how much of that time do they really serve?  Sometimes their sentence is reduced for various reasons, for good behavior etc.  I hope Graham stays locked up for a long, long time.  The rest of her life would be appropriate imo.  Considering how the state child welfare system failed Rilya in life, I hope her loss of life wasn't in vain, and the system truly is revamped. 

[sharon]

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/Geralyn-Graham-Faces-Sentencing-in-Rilya-Wilson-Case-190836181.html

Geralyn Graham Sentenced to 55 Years in Prison in Rilya Wilson Case
Caretaker of missing girl sentenced after being found guilty of kidnapping, child abuse
By Brian Hamacher
Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013  |  Updated 12:43 PM EST

The South Florida woman convicted of kidnapping and child abuse in the case of missing 4-year-old Rilya Wilson was sentenced to 55 years behind bars Tuesday.

Geralyn Graham, 67, was sentenced to 30 years on the kidnapping charge, followed by a consecutive term of 25 years for two counts of aggravated child abuse, Circuit Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez ruled.

"For you Ms. Graham, the jury has spoken. You have been found to be the person responsible for the senseless, cruel and inhumane acts directed toward this innocent and defenseless child, Rilya Wilson," Tinkler Mendez said. "You are responsible for inflicting unimaginable pain and for instilling fear in this child and for repeatedly abusing this child."

 ::snipping2::

 ::justice2NJ::

[sharon]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/15/3287841/prosecutors-to-retry-woman-in.html

Posted on Friday, 03.15.13

Prosecutors to retry woman in Rilya Wilson foster child slaying

By DAVID OVALLE
dovalle@MiamiHerald.com

Prosecutors will retry the Kendall woman accused of murdering foster child Rilya Wilson.

The state made the announcement Friday, two months after a jury deadlocked, 11 to 1, on a count of first-degree murder against Geralyn Graham, forcing Miami-Dade Circuit Marisa Tinkler Mendez to declare a mistrial.

Jurors did convict on aggravated child abuse and kidnapping, for which Graham, 67, received a 55-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors believe Graham in December 2000 smothered Rilya, a foster child, with a pillow, disposed of her body near water in South Miami-Dade, then spent years telling conflicting versions of what happened to the child.

The case lead to massive reform at Florida’s Dept. of Children and Families, which failed to discover the child was missing for more than a year.

Graham falsely claimed to investigators that a DCF case worker whisked the child away for some sort of mental health treatment, prosecutors say.

 ::snipping2::

   

[sharon]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/15/3345385/caretaker-of-missing-foster-child.html

Posted on Monday, 04.15.13

Caretaker of missing foster child Rilya Wilson has probation terminated

By DAVID OVALLE
dovalle@MiamiHerald.com

After nine years of cooperating with prosecutors, the former legal guardian of missing Miami foster child Rilya Wilson appeared in court Monday to have her probation terminated.

Pamela Graham, who pleaded guilty to two counts of child neglect in 2004, will not serve any jail time.

In December, Pamela graham testified against her former live-in lover, Geralyn Graham, who was charged with murdering, kidnapping and abusing the child in 2000. The two women are not related.

Geralyn Graham is serving 55 years for kidnapping and torturing Rilya, whose body has never found. A jury in December convicted her of abusing and kidnapping Rilya, but deadlocked on a first-degree murder count.

The state attorney’s office says it will retry her for the murder.

 ::snipping2::