HomeRILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
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RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by TomTerrific0420 Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:05 am
Florida prosecutors plan to bring first-degree murder and other charges against the former caregiver of a 4-year-old girl who has been missing since 2000.
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Monday nobody knows whether foster child Rilya Wilson is alive or dead.
"In a homicide case, generally there is a body, and there is not one here," said Scott Sakin, an attorney representing caregiver Geralyn Graham.
The Florida Department of Children & Families did not learn Rilya was missing until 2002, and her disappearance and the fact it wasn't discovered until then led to major changes in the state's child welfare system, the Sun Sentinel said.
Graham, 65, has denied harming Rilya and told investigators she last saw her in January 2001 when a woman who said she was from the DCF took her for a medical exam.
A Miami-Dade grand jury indicted Graham in March 2005 on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated child abuse.
At the time, prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty but have since decided to seek life in prison instead.
When Graham was indicted, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said, she had told someone in jail she had smothered Rilya with a pillowcase because the child insisted on wearing an "evil" Cleopatra costume instead of an angel costume for Halloween.
Graham was arrested on unrelated charges and convicted of using a friend's Social Security number to buy a sport utility vehicle. She has been in jail since.
The trial is scheduled to start Oct. 11.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/09/12/Caregiver-charged-in-case-of-missing-girl/UPI-20051315857198/#ixzz1Xnm9zgWS
The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Monday nobody knows whether foster child Rilya Wilson is alive or dead.
"In a homicide case, generally there is a body, and there is not one here," said Scott Sakin, an attorney representing caregiver Geralyn Graham.
The Florida Department of Children & Families did not learn Rilya was missing until 2002, and her disappearance and the fact it wasn't discovered until then led to major changes in the state's child welfare system, the Sun Sentinel said.
Graham, 65, has denied harming Rilya and told investigators she last saw her in January 2001 when a woman who said she was from the DCF took her for a medical exam.
A Miami-Dade grand jury indicted Graham in March 2005 on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated child abuse.
At the time, prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty but have since decided to seek life in prison instead.
When Graham was indicted, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said, she had told someone in jail she had smothered Rilya with a pillowcase because the child insisted on wearing an "evil" Cleopatra costume instead of an angel costume for Halloween.
Graham was arrested on unrelated charges and convicted of using a friend's Social Security number to buy a sport utility vehicle. She has been in jail since.
The trial is scheduled to start Oct. 11.
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/09/12/Caregiver-charged-in-case-of-missing-girl/UPI-20051315857198/#ixzz1Xnm9zgWS
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Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by TomTerrific0420 Mon Oct 03, 2011 5:41 pm
MIAMI -- The murder trial in the case of missing Florida foster child Rilya Wilson has been delayed indefinitely because of an attorney's illness.
Jury selection was scheduled to begin next week in Miami. Rilya's former caretaker Geralyn Graham faces life in prison if convicted in the little girl's slaying. Graham insists she is innocent.
Prosecutors said Monday the trial date is being postponed because one of Graham's lawyers is ill. The earliest likely new date won't be until January.
Rilya disappeared in late 2000 at age four, but officials whose job is to protect her didn't realize it until months later.
Investigators say Graham told fellow jail inmates she smothered the child and disposed of the body near a lake.
Yet no trace of Rilya has ever been found.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/03/2436625/trial-in-rilya-wilson-case-delayed.html#ixzz1Zk2nm2ka
Jury selection was scheduled to begin next week in Miami. Rilya's former caretaker Geralyn Graham faces life in prison if convicted in the little girl's slaying. Graham insists she is innocent.
Prosecutors said Monday the trial date is being postponed because one of Graham's lawyers is ill. The earliest likely new date won't be until January.
Rilya disappeared in late 2000 at age four, but officials whose job is to protect her didn't realize it until months later.
Investigators say Graham told fellow jail inmates she smothered the child and disposed of the body near a lake.
Yet no trace of Rilya has ever been found.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/10/03/2436625/trial-in-rilya-wilson-case-delayed.html#ixzz1Zk2nm2ka
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- Job/hobbies : Searching for Truth and Justice
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by Watcher_of_all Thu Feb 16, 2012 7:10 pm
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – After eleven years and series of delays, the murder trial of foster child Rilya Wilson will take place early next year.
Wilson’s foster mother Geralyn Graham will go on trial March 26. Graham maintains her innocence in Rilya’s death.
The 4-year-old foster child disappeared in South Florida in 2000, sparking a shakeup at the Florida Department of Children and Families
Rilya’s body was never found, and authorities have little physical evidence. They aren’t even sure whether Geralyn Graham is the defendant’s name or one of her 47 aliases.
It took 15 months for officials to discover Rilya was missing. DCF has since been overhauled but is still accused of lax oversight.
In February, authorities found the body of a 10 year old Nubia Barahona in her foster-turned-adopted father’s car.
Welfare workers had repeatedly dismissed abuse allegations against her parents.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/11/23/trial-date-set-in-rilya-wilson-murder-trial/
Wilson’s foster mother Geralyn Graham will go on trial March 26. Graham maintains her innocence in Rilya’s death.
The 4-year-old foster child disappeared in South Florida in 2000, sparking a shakeup at the Florida Department of Children and Families
Rilya’s body was never found, and authorities have little physical evidence. They aren’t even sure whether Geralyn Graham is the defendant’s name or one of her 47 aliases.
It took 15 months for officials to discover Rilya was missing. DCF has since been overhauled but is still accused of lax oversight.
In February, authorities found the body of a 10 year old Nubia Barahona in her foster-turned-adopted father’s car.
Welfare workers had repeatedly dismissed abuse allegations against her parents.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2011/11/23/trial-date-set-in-rilya-wilson-murder-trial/
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Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by TomTerrific0420 Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:10 pm
The delays continue in the murder trial of a woman accused in the case of missing South Florida foster child Rilya Wilson, who disappeared over a decade ago.
Tuesday, a Miami-Dade County judge set a new July 23rd trial date for Rilya’s former caretaker Geralyn Graham. The trial had been set to begin March 26.
Rilya was a 4-year-old foster child who disappeared in late 2000 and has never been found.
The 66-year-old Graham is facing first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse charges.
Prosecutors are relying heavily on testimony from jail inmates who claim Graham confessed to them that she smothered the child and disposed of the body near a lake. No trace of Rilya has ever been found.
Graham has denied killing the young girl.
It took 15 months for state child welfare officials to discover Rilya was missing. Florida’s child welfare agency was overhauled after Rilya’s disappearance but is still accused of lax oversight.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted in the little girl’s slaying.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/02/21/trial-delayed-again-in-rilya-wilson-murder-case/
Tuesday, a Miami-Dade County judge set a new July 23rd trial date for Rilya’s former caretaker Geralyn Graham. The trial had been set to begin March 26.
Rilya was a 4-year-old foster child who disappeared in late 2000 and has never been found.
The 66-year-old Graham is facing first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse charges.
Prosecutors are relying heavily on testimony from jail inmates who claim Graham confessed to them that she smothered the child and disposed of the body near a lake. No trace of Rilya has ever been found.
Graham has denied killing the young girl.
It took 15 months for state child welfare officials to discover Rilya was missing. Florida’s child welfare agency was overhauled after Rilya’s disappearance but is still accused of lax oversight.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted in the little girl’s slaying.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/02/21/trial-delayed-again-in-rilya-wilson-murder-case/
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- Job/hobbies : Searching for Truth and Justice
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:03 pm
Foster mother accused of murdering Rilya Wilson, 4, to be tried 12 years after girl's disappearance
By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 11:24 EST, 4 November 2012 | UPDATED: 11:24 EST, 4 November 2012
The woman accused of murdering a four-year-old foster child more than a decade ago is finally being tried.
Rilya Wilson's case drew national attention because she reportedly vanished
in 2000 from her foster home in Miami, but it took the state of Florida
two years to realize she was missing.
She became a symbol of children who slipped through the cracks of the social safety net and
led to major reforms at the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Vanished: Rilya Wilson, 4, was missing for two years before the state of Florida realized and began to search for her
Trial: Rilya (right) disappeared in 2000 at age 4. Her foster mother, Geralyn
Graham, now 66, is going on trial more than a dozen years later
Rilya would be 16 years old, if she were still alive.
Jury selection in the trial of Geralyn Graham begins on Monday. But the case is far from airtight.
Lost: Rilya's body has never been found
Rilya's body has never been found. There are no witnesses to the killing and little physical evidence.
Instead, prosecutors are relying on a confessions Graham allegedly made to other
prison inmates -- saying that she killed the girl and buried her near a
lake.
Graham was convicted of collecting government payments for the child for months after she disappeared.
Critics say social workers for the DCF allowed Rilya to fall through the cracks
and neglected their duties by failing to check up on her.
Her disappearance led to the passage of Rilya Wilson Act, which required all
foster children in Florida to attend school and required schools to
report unexcused absences to authorities.
One reason Rilya's disappearance went unnoticed for so long was the her caretaker, who was
Graham's roommate, withdrew her from school.
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who sponsored the Rilya Wilson Act when she was in the
Florida legislature, wrote in an op-ed to the Miami Herald that the trial of Graham should receive the same attention as the trial of Casey Anthony.
'We must fight for Rilya because her murder trial, like Caylee’s murder
trial, deserves the national spotlight. Nancy Grace and the national
media should dedicate their time and resources to Rilya’s trial, and
simply not ignore her because she is a child of color. This happens too
often,' she wrote.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2227676/Rilya-Wilson-Foster-mother-accused-murdering-girl-4-tried-12-years-disappearance.html#ixzz2BK1OK1Wa
By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 11:24 EST, 4 November 2012 | UPDATED: 11:24 EST, 4 November 2012
The woman accused of murdering a four-year-old foster child more than a decade ago is finally being tried.
Rilya Wilson's case drew national attention because she reportedly vanished
in 2000 from her foster home in Miami, but it took the state of Florida
two years to realize she was missing.
She became a symbol of children who slipped through the cracks of the social safety net and
led to major reforms at the Florida Department of Children and Families.
Vanished: Rilya Wilson, 4, was missing for two years before the state of Florida realized and began to search for her
Trial: Rilya (right) disappeared in 2000 at age 4. Her foster mother, Geralyn
Graham, now 66, is going on trial more than a dozen years later
Rilya would be 16 years old, if she were still alive.
Jury selection in the trial of Geralyn Graham begins on Monday. But the case is far from airtight.
Lost: Rilya's body has never been found
Rilya's body has never been found. There are no witnesses to the killing and little physical evidence.
Instead, prosecutors are relying on a confessions Graham allegedly made to other
prison inmates -- saying that she killed the girl and buried her near a
lake.
Graham was convicted of collecting government payments for the child for months after she disappeared.
Critics say social workers for the DCF allowed Rilya to fall through the cracks
and neglected their duties by failing to check up on her.
Her disappearance led to the passage of Rilya Wilson Act, which required all
foster children in Florida to attend school and required schools to
report unexcused absences to authorities.
One reason Rilya's disappearance went unnoticed for so long was the her caretaker, who was
Graham's roommate, withdrew her from school.
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who sponsored the Rilya Wilson Act when she was in the
Florida legislature, wrote in an op-ed to the Miami Herald that the trial of Graham should receive the same attention as the trial of Casey Anthony.
'We must fight for Rilya because her murder trial, like Caylee’s murder
trial, deserves the national spotlight. Nancy Grace and the national
media should dedicate their time and resources to Rilya’s trial, and
simply not ignore her because she is a child of color. This happens too
often,' she wrote.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2227676/Rilya-Wilson-Foster-mother-accused-murdering-girl-4-tried-12-years-disappearance.html#ixzz2BK1OK1Wa
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by willcarney Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:37 pm
'We must fight for Rilya because her murder trial, like Caylee’s murder trial, deserves the national spotlight. Nancy Grace and the national media should dedicate their time and resources to Rilya’s trial, and simply not ignore her because she is a child of color. This happens too often,' she wrote.
I agree. A murdered child is a henious crime whether it's white, black or whatever race. A child is a child. Such a cute little girl. I would have loved her with all my heart and soul regardless of color. Shame her foster mother didn't. Why didn't they search the lake around where the foster mother lived? A grave even 10 years old can be found with today's tools. I hope the little angel gets justice.
William
I agree. A murdered child is a henious crime whether it's white, black or whatever race. A child is a child. Such a cute little girl. I would have loved her with all my heart and soul regardless of color. Shame her foster mother didn't. Why didn't they search the lake around where the foster mother lived? A grave even 10 years old can be found with today's tools. I hope the little angel gets justice.
William
willcarney- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : NEVER assume your child is safe, KNOW.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:50 pm
I remember this as if it were yesterday. She continued to collect child support from the state for several years after Rilya was missing.
She also claimed that DCF had taken the child. DCF didn't do their job once again, ignoring this little girl and falsifying reports.
So glad this is finally going to trial.
She also claimed that DCF had taken the child. DCF didn't do their job once again, ignoring this little girl and falsifying reports.
So glad this is finally going to trial.
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:17 am
Prosecutor says woman smothered Rilya Wilson
By Curt Anderson, The Associated Press
11:19 a.m. EST, November 26, 2012
MIAMI — A South Florida prosecutor says a woman smothered foster child Rilya Wilson a decade ago after months of abuse and elaborately covered up her disappearance until confessing to fellow jail inmates.
Prosecutor Joshua Weintraub urged jurors in an opening statement Monday to convict 66-year-old Geralyn Graham of first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse. Graham has pleaded innocent and faces a potential life sentence if convicted. Trial will last several weeks.
Rilya's body has never been found. The two jail inmates who claim Graham confessed are key to the state's case.
The discovery of Rilya's disappearance in 2002 led to a shakeup at the state child protection agency because caseworkers were unaware the girl hadn't been seen in months. The case also led to greater privatization of programs for foster children.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/fl-rilya-wilson-openings-20121126,0,5659242.story
By Curt Anderson, The Associated Press
11:19 a.m. EST, November 26, 2012
MIAMI — A South Florida prosecutor says a woman smothered foster child Rilya Wilson a decade ago after months of abuse and elaborately covered up her disappearance until confessing to fellow jail inmates.
Prosecutor Joshua Weintraub urged jurors in an opening statement Monday to convict 66-year-old Geralyn Graham of first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse. Graham has pleaded innocent and faces a potential life sentence if convicted. Trial will last several weeks.
Rilya's body has never been found. The two jail inmates who claim Graham confessed are key to the state's case.
The discovery of Rilya's disappearance in 2002 led to a shakeup at the state child protection agency because caseworkers were unaware the girl hadn't been seen in months. The case also led to greater privatization of programs for foster children.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/fl-rilya-wilson-openings-20121126,0,5659242.story
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Wed Nov 28, 2012 3:25 pm
Opening Statements in Foster Mom's Trial
A woman in Florida is on trial for the death of her foster child who disappeared more than a decade ago. Opening statements in Geralyn Graham's murder trial began Monday.
Graham is charged with first-degree murder of Rilya Wilson. Investigators believe she went missing in late 2000. Rilya's remains have never been found.
READ MORE: Former foster mom's murder trial to begin
It took more than a year for the state's welfare agency to realize Rilya was missing. A case worker had been filing false reports that Rilya was in good condition. Authorities discovered she was missing in 2002.
Watch the video to see In Session's Beth Karas explain the changes that have occurred in Florida's foster care system since Rilya's disappearance.
http://www.hlntv.com/video/2012/11/27/geralyn-graham
A woman in Florida is on trial for the death of her foster child who disappeared more than a decade ago. Opening statements in Geralyn Graham's murder trial began Monday.
Graham is charged with first-degree murder of Rilya Wilson. Investigators believe she went missing in late 2000. Rilya's remains have never been found.
READ MORE: Former foster mom's murder trial to begin
It took more than a year for the state's welfare agency to realize Rilya was missing. A case worker had been filing false reports that Rilya was in good condition. Authorities discovered she was missing in 2002.
Watch the video to see In Session's Beth Karas explain the changes that have occurred in Florida's foster care system since Rilya's disappearance.
http://www.hlntv.com/video/2012/11/27/geralyn-graham
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Wed Dec 05, 2012 8:21 pm
Worker falsely claimed visits to Fla. foster girl
By CURT ANDERSON, AP Legal Affairs Writer
Updated 1:48 p.m., Tuesday, December 4, 2012
MIAMI (AP) — A former Florida child welfare caseworker testified Tuesday that she falsified reports showing in-person visits to the home of a foster girl who disappeared a decade ago and often used telephone calls rather than coming to the home.
Deborah Muskelly, a former Department of Children and Families caseworker, said she turned in travel vouchers for face-to-face visits for months after authorities say 4-year-old Rilya Wilson went missing in late 2000. Muskelly testified in the second week of the murder trial of 66-year-old Geralyn Graham, who was Rilya's caretaker.
Graham is facing first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse charges, and faces life in prison if convicted.
On the witness stand, Muskelly said she often used the telephone to check on children under her supervision because of her caseload of more than 100 children. She also acknowledged claiming travel reimbursement for in-home visits for Rilya for months in 2001. It wasn't until April 2002 that authorities discovered Rilya was no longer living at the Graham home.
Before that, Muskelly said Graham would always assure her on the phone that Rilya "was doing fine, doing great" and when she did visit the home, she saw nothing amiss.
"I never saw a problem with the child," Muskelly testified.
On the travel vouchers for Graham in-home visits, Muskelly insisted at first that she "guesstimated" making the trips. Graham defense attorney Scott Sakin scoffed at that response.
"Were you trying to get money you weren't entitled to from the state of Florida?" he asked.
"I already told you I didn't go," Muskelly said.
Eventually Muskelly resigned from DCF and pleaded guilty to official misconduct for falsifying time sheets. She was placed on five years' probation and paid restitution to the state. She now works as an employment recruiter for a private company.
The girl's disappearance became a statewide scandal and had a far broader impact on DCF and its policies, including high-level resignations and launching of a new child tracking system. In addition, state lawmakers made it a crime to falsify records of visits between caseworkers and children in the agency's care.
Muskelly said she didn't realize Rilya was no longer living with Graham and her companion, Pamela Graham, until April 2002. That was when a new DCF caseworker took over.
"I said that was crazy. I didn't know anything about it," Muskelly said.
Later, Muskelly said she regretted many of her actions and wished often she could go back and change things.
"I'm not proud of what I did. I just wish I had paid more attention for the telltale signs of what was really going on," she testified.
Based on Graham's purported confession to fellow jail inmates, prosecutors say she smothered Rilya with a pillow and buried her body near a lake or canal. But Rilya's remains have never been found, and part of the defense is to raise doubt for jurors about whether Rilya might really still be alive.
The jailhouse snitches and Pamela Graham are expected to testify later in the trial, which is scheduled to last several more weeks. Graham has claimed that an unknown DCF worker took Rilya for medical testing and never returned the girl.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Worker-falsely-claimed-visits-to-Fla-foster-girl-4088610.php#ixzz2ED8NgAhr
By CURT ANDERSON, AP Legal Affairs Writer
Updated 1:48 p.m., Tuesday, December 4, 2012
MIAMI (AP) — A former Florida child welfare caseworker testified Tuesday that she falsified reports showing in-person visits to the home of a foster girl who disappeared a decade ago and often used telephone calls rather than coming to the home.
Deborah Muskelly, a former Department of Children and Families caseworker, said she turned in travel vouchers for face-to-face visits for months after authorities say 4-year-old Rilya Wilson went missing in late 2000. Muskelly testified in the second week of the murder trial of 66-year-old Geralyn Graham, who was Rilya's caretaker.
Graham is facing first-degree murder, kidnapping and child abuse charges, and faces life in prison if convicted.
On the witness stand, Muskelly said she often used the telephone to check on children under her supervision because of her caseload of more than 100 children. She also acknowledged claiming travel reimbursement for in-home visits for Rilya for months in 2001. It wasn't until April 2002 that authorities discovered Rilya was no longer living at the Graham home.
Before that, Muskelly said Graham would always assure her on the phone that Rilya "was doing fine, doing great" and when she did visit the home, she saw nothing amiss.
"I never saw a problem with the child," Muskelly testified.
On the travel vouchers for Graham in-home visits, Muskelly insisted at first that she "guesstimated" making the trips. Graham defense attorney Scott Sakin scoffed at that response.
"Were you trying to get money you weren't entitled to from the state of Florida?" he asked.
"I already told you I didn't go," Muskelly said.
Eventually Muskelly resigned from DCF and pleaded guilty to official misconduct for falsifying time sheets. She was placed on five years' probation and paid restitution to the state. She now works as an employment recruiter for a private company.
The girl's disappearance became a statewide scandal and had a far broader impact on DCF and its policies, including high-level resignations and launching of a new child tracking system. In addition, state lawmakers made it a crime to falsify records of visits between caseworkers and children in the agency's care.
Muskelly said she didn't realize Rilya was no longer living with Graham and her companion, Pamela Graham, until April 2002. That was when a new DCF caseworker took over.
"I said that was crazy. I didn't know anything about it," Muskelly said.
Later, Muskelly said she regretted many of her actions and wished often she could go back and change things.
"I'm not proud of what I did. I just wish I had paid more attention for the telltale signs of what was really going on," she testified.
Based on Graham's purported confession to fellow jail inmates, prosecutors say she smothered Rilya with a pillow and buried her body near a lake or canal. But Rilya's remains have never been found, and part of the defense is to raise doubt for jurors about whether Rilya might really still be alive.
The jailhouse snitches and Pamela Graham are expected to testify later in the trial, which is scheduled to last several more weeks. Graham has claimed that an unknown DCF worker took Rilya for medical testing and never returned the girl.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/article/Worker-falsely-claimed-visits-to-Fla-foster-girl-4088610.php#ixzz2ED8NgAhr
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:02 am
Wednesday, 12.19.12
Legal guardian: Lover tied up Rilya, confined her to laundry room
Pamela Graham testified that she saw her longtime lover repeatedly punish Rilya Wilson but did nothing to stop it.
Rilya Wilson in an undated handout photo. Credit: Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
At first, Geralyn Graham had nothing but hugs and affection for chubby cheeked foster child Rilya Wilson.
But within a few weeks, Geralyn grew increasingly exasperated with the child’s unruly behavior, the woman’s emotional ex-lover told jurors Monday.
Geralyn confined the 4-year-old foster girl to a small laundry room in their Kendall home, sometimes for days. At night, Geralyn kept Rilya tied to her bed by the wrists to keep her from climbing on furniture.
To punish the girl for wetting the bed, Geralyn once even dipped the girl into scalding bathtub water, Pamela Graham told jurors Monday.
And through it all, Pamela — the girl’s legal custodian — testified tearfully that she did nothing to help the girl, cowed by the domineering personality of a woman 18 years her senior. In the end, Pamela spent years repeating lies Geralyn spun about how Rilya vanished in 2000, she said.
“It’s not something I’m proud of, but at that point in my life, I was weak,” said Pamela Graham, who is not related to Geralyn.
“I just did not like confrontation. I knew the defendant. She just controlled every aspect of my life. It wasn’t that Rilya wasn’t worth it.”
Pamela’s testimony Monday against her former domestic partner was highly anticipated. On the stand, Pamela, 48, appeared a scared and pathetic figure, sobbing frequently in explaining how she felt “like a child” in trying to stand up to Geralyn.
Geralyn, 66, is on trial for the death of the foster child whose disappearance a decade ago roiled the state’s child welfare agency and led to a series of reforms. Rilya’s body has never been found.
Charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, Geralyn Graham faces life in prison if convicted.
Born to a drug-addicted woman, Rilya was under the supervision of the Florida Department of Children and Families nearly her entire life. In 2000, the agency placed her in the Grahams’ home.
Because a case worker failed to properly supervise the child for more than a year, DCF did not realize Rilya was missing until April 2002. Geralyn has long insisted that a DCF employee, in January 2001, whisked Rilya away for mental health treatment, never to return.
Graham was not indicted for murder until 2005 after she allegedly confessed to a cellmate that she smothered the girl and dumped her body in a South Miami-Dade waterway. The cellmate, Robin Lunceford, may testify this week.
With no body, eyewitnesses to the slaying or confession, Miami-Dade prosecutors have spent weeks weaving a circumstantial case portraying Geralyn as a manipulative caregiver who gave multiple stories of how Rilya disappeared and appeared unconcerned that DCF supposedly took the child and never returned her.
Defense lawyers have laid blame on the DCF case worker who failed to properly supervise the child, and pointed to a lack of forensic evidence and questioned whether the child is even dead. On Monday, defense attorney Scott Sakin sought to poke holes in Pamela’s credibility, saying in cross examination she had embarked on a “road to lies.”
Pamela Graham agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, pleading guilty to child neglect and child abuse with no harm. She has yet to be sentenced.
On Monday, Pamela laid out her relationship with Geralyn from the beginning. They met in Arkansas in 1994, when Geralyn was running a restaurant.
Unable to marry legally, they held a “commitment” ceremony and soon moved to Miami so Geralyn could get treatment for breast cancer. Usually, they referred to themselves as “sisters” to hide their lesbian relationship.
By the late 1990s, the two met Rilya’s mother, Gloria Wilson, a pregnant homeless drug addict. The couple agreed to take in her baby, Rodericka.
After a visit to Rilya’s foster home, Pamela testified that she was appalled by the messy house. Geralyn eventually called DCF and a supervisor, unexpectedly, placed Rilya with the couple.
The first couple months went smooth. Pamela — an accountant — worked during the day. Geralyn stayed home with Rodericka and Rilya.
But Geralyn soon grew frustrated with the girl’s defiant behavior, exaggerating stories of Rilya’s conduct to friends, Pamela said.
Geralyn soon relegated Rilya to the laundry room, without toys or TV. Once, the girl surfaced with a nasty burn on her face. Geralyn claimed it came from the room’s water heater.
Despite urging from Pamela, Geralyn refused to call a doctor, she testified. Geralyn also refused to seek medical attention on another occasion when Rilya supposedly drank Clorox bleach.
The punishments grew outlandish.
The couple borrowed a dog cage from a friend. Geralyn said it was to keep Rilya from climbing atop the refrigerator to steal snacks.
Pamela claimed she warned Geralyn against putting the girl inside the cage, but acknowledged that she was not home during the day to see how the woman punished Rilya.
The climbing continued. So Geralyn began using plastic “flex-cuffs” to tie Rilya to her bed, sometimes every night, despite the girl’s tears.
Still, Pamela never went against Geralyn, usually checking on the restrained girl in the morning before work.
“I would just kiss her and tell her I would see her later,” Pamela said.
“Would you cut the restraints off?” prosecutor Sally Weintraub said.
“No,” she replied.
The abuse, Pamela said, culminated in December 2000. That day, Geralyn called her to say she and the girls were going out for an unspecified errand.
When Pamela returned home that night, Rilya was gone. Geralyn said the girl was OK, but that they would not see her anymore.
The couple argued for hours. Geralyn would not budge on an explanation, even when Pamela threatened to call authorities.
“The defendant threatened me with a hammer, told me to put the phone down,” Pamela said.
Geralyn told Pamela to say DCF took the child away. For months, Pamela kept quiet. When Rilya’s disappearance was noticed more than a year later, Pamela played along.
“I was scared. I knew that I was the one who had legal custody of her and I was afraid that whatever happened to her, I would be blamed for it,” Pamela said.
It was not until 2004, when approached by a Miami-Dade homicide detective, that Pamela agreed to cooperate, she said.
“I was tired of carrying the lies,” she said.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/17/v-fullstory/3145893/rilya-wilson-legal-guardian-to.html#storylink=cpy
Legal guardian: Lover tied up Rilya, confined her to laundry room
Pamela Graham testified that she saw her longtime lover repeatedly punish Rilya Wilson but did nothing to stop it.
Rilya Wilson in an undated handout photo. Credit: Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
At first, Geralyn Graham had nothing but hugs and affection for chubby cheeked foster child Rilya Wilson.
But within a few weeks, Geralyn grew increasingly exasperated with the child’s unruly behavior, the woman’s emotional ex-lover told jurors Monday.
Geralyn confined the 4-year-old foster girl to a small laundry room in their Kendall home, sometimes for days. At night, Geralyn kept Rilya tied to her bed by the wrists to keep her from climbing on furniture.
To punish the girl for wetting the bed, Geralyn once even dipped the girl into scalding bathtub water, Pamela Graham told jurors Monday.
And through it all, Pamela — the girl’s legal custodian — testified tearfully that she did nothing to help the girl, cowed by the domineering personality of a woman 18 years her senior. In the end, Pamela spent years repeating lies Geralyn spun about how Rilya vanished in 2000, she said.
“It’s not something I’m proud of, but at that point in my life, I was weak,” said Pamela Graham, who is not related to Geralyn.
“I just did not like confrontation. I knew the defendant. She just controlled every aspect of my life. It wasn’t that Rilya wasn’t worth it.”
Pamela’s testimony Monday against her former domestic partner was highly anticipated. On the stand, Pamela, 48, appeared a scared and pathetic figure, sobbing frequently in explaining how she felt “like a child” in trying to stand up to Geralyn.
Geralyn, 66, is on trial for the death of the foster child whose disappearance a decade ago roiled the state’s child welfare agency and led to a series of reforms. Rilya’s body has never been found.
Charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, Geralyn Graham faces life in prison if convicted.
Born to a drug-addicted woman, Rilya was under the supervision of the Florida Department of Children and Families nearly her entire life. In 2000, the agency placed her in the Grahams’ home.
Because a case worker failed to properly supervise the child for more than a year, DCF did not realize Rilya was missing until April 2002. Geralyn has long insisted that a DCF employee, in January 2001, whisked Rilya away for mental health treatment, never to return.
Graham was not indicted for murder until 2005 after she allegedly confessed to a cellmate that she smothered the girl and dumped her body in a South Miami-Dade waterway. The cellmate, Robin Lunceford, may testify this week.
With no body, eyewitnesses to the slaying or confession, Miami-Dade prosecutors have spent weeks weaving a circumstantial case portraying Geralyn as a manipulative caregiver who gave multiple stories of how Rilya disappeared and appeared unconcerned that DCF supposedly took the child and never returned her.
Defense lawyers have laid blame on the DCF case worker who failed to properly supervise the child, and pointed to a lack of forensic evidence and questioned whether the child is even dead. On Monday, defense attorney Scott Sakin sought to poke holes in Pamela’s credibility, saying in cross examination she had embarked on a “road to lies.”
Pamela Graham agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, pleading guilty to child neglect and child abuse with no harm. She has yet to be sentenced.
On Monday, Pamela laid out her relationship with Geralyn from the beginning. They met in Arkansas in 1994, when Geralyn was running a restaurant.
Unable to marry legally, they held a “commitment” ceremony and soon moved to Miami so Geralyn could get treatment for breast cancer. Usually, they referred to themselves as “sisters” to hide their lesbian relationship.
By the late 1990s, the two met Rilya’s mother, Gloria Wilson, a pregnant homeless drug addict. The couple agreed to take in her baby, Rodericka.
After a visit to Rilya’s foster home, Pamela testified that she was appalled by the messy house. Geralyn eventually called DCF and a supervisor, unexpectedly, placed Rilya with the couple.
The first couple months went smooth. Pamela — an accountant — worked during the day. Geralyn stayed home with Rodericka and Rilya.
But Geralyn soon grew frustrated with the girl’s defiant behavior, exaggerating stories of Rilya’s conduct to friends, Pamela said.
Geralyn soon relegated Rilya to the laundry room, without toys or TV. Once, the girl surfaced with a nasty burn on her face. Geralyn claimed it came from the room’s water heater.
Despite urging from Pamela, Geralyn refused to call a doctor, she testified. Geralyn also refused to seek medical attention on another occasion when Rilya supposedly drank Clorox bleach.
The punishments grew outlandish.
The couple borrowed a dog cage from a friend. Geralyn said it was to keep Rilya from climbing atop the refrigerator to steal snacks.
Pamela claimed she warned Geralyn against putting the girl inside the cage, but acknowledged that she was not home during the day to see how the woman punished Rilya.
The climbing continued. So Geralyn began using plastic “flex-cuffs” to tie Rilya to her bed, sometimes every night, despite the girl’s tears.
Still, Pamela never went against Geralyn, usually checking on the restrained girl in the morning before work.
“I would just kiss her and tell her I would see her later,” Pamela said.
“Would you cut the restraints off?” prosecutor Sally Weintraub said.
“No,” she replied.
The abuse, Pamela said, culminated in December 2000. That day, Geralyn called her to say she and the girls were going out for an unspecified errand.
When Pamela returned home that night, Rilya was gone. Geralyn said the girl was OK, but that they would not see her anymore.
The couple argued for hours. Geralyn would not budge on an explanation, even when Pamela threatened to call authorities.
“The defendant threatened me with a hammer, told me to put the phone down,” Pamela said.
Geralyn told Pamela to say DCF took the child away. For months, Pamela kept quiet. When Rilya’s disappearance was noticed more than a year later, Pamela played along.
“I was scared. I knew that I was the one who had legal custody of her and I was afraid that whatever happened to her, I would be blamed for it,” Pamela said.
It was not until 2004, when approached by a Miami-Dade homicide detective, that Pamela agreed to cooperate, she said.
“I was tired of carrying the lies,” she said.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/17/v-fullstory/3145893/rilya-wilson-legal-guardian-to.html#storylink=cpy
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:12 am
This woman is not innocent, even if she is turning state evidence.
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by cindmo Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:52 am
What happened to the other child?
cindmo- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:13 am
I don't think there was another child. I only recall the one little girl.
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Mon Jan 07, 2013 8:14 pm
Sharp Exchanges Between Defense Lawyer, Star Prosecution Witness in Geralyn Graham Trial
When Michael Matters asked "What are you smiling at?" Robin Lunceford replied "You"
By Ari Odzer
Wednesday, Jan 2, 2013
Updated 10:52 PM EST
Geralyn Graham's jury saw a jousting match between defense attorney Michael Matters and star prosecution witness Robin Lunceford on Wednesday.
"Are you done with that answer?" Matters asked. Lunceford replied, "Yes. Are you done with that question?"
At another point Graham’s lawyer asked, “What are you smiling at?" Her answer: “You.”
Lunceford seemed determined to give no ground. She is the state's star witness, and has already told the jury Graham confessed to her behind bars, saying that Graham told her she murdered 4-year-old Rilya Wilson because she thought Rilya was possessed by demons.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted of the first-degree murder of the foster child, whose body was never found. Graham is also charged with kidnapping and child abuse.
When Matters asked Lunceford about whether Graham said that authorities had no case against her, she replied, “No body, no murder.” When he pressed her on the point, Lunceford agreed that Graham had said that they had no case.
The defense brought that point up because although Lunceford said she wrote down everything, her notes never mentioned Graham saying "No body, no murder."
As he tried to show inconsistencies, Matters also asked Lunceford about another conversation involving Graham talking about her housemate, Pamela Graham.
"I can't remember which one broke up with who, but Pam put a block on the phone, and that Pam had wrote her some poems and that Pam better be careful, she could go down also, something to that effect,” Lunceford testified.
The issue of testifying in exchange for personal benefit also came up.
"I'm not ashamed of being a voice for Rilya Wilson,” Lunceford said.
Matters said she brags about it.
"It's not bragging, it is what it is,” she told him.
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Sharp-Exchanges-Between-Defense-Lawyer-Star-Prosecution-Witness-in-Geralyn-Graham-Trial-185494251.html
When Michael Matters asked "What are you smiling at?" Robin Lunceford replied "You"
By Ari Odzer
Wednesday, Jan 2, 2013
Updated 10:52 PM EST
Geralyn Graham's jury saw a jousting match between defense attorney Michael Matters and star prosecution witness Robin Lunceford on Wednesday.
"Are you done with that answer?" Matters asked. Lunceford replied, "Yes. Are you done with that question?"
At another point Graham’s lawyer asked, “What are you smiling at?" Her answer: “You.”
Lunceford seemed determined to give no ground. She is the state's star witness, and has already told the jury Graham confessed to her behind bars, saying that Graham told her she murdered 4-year-old Rilya Wilson because she thought Rilya was possessed by demons.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted of the first-degree murder of the foster child, whose body was never found. Graham is also charged with kidnapping and child abuse.
When Matters asked Lunceford about whether Graham said that authorities had no case against her, she replied, “No body, no murder.” When he pressed her on the point, Lunceford agreed that Graham had said that they had no case.
The defense brought that point up because although Lunceford said she wrote down everything, her notes never mentioned Graham saying "No body, no murder."
As he tried to show inconsistencies, Matters also asked Lunceford about another conversation involving Graham talking about her housemate, Pamela Graham.
"I can't remember which one broke up with who, but Pam put a block on the phone, and that Pam had wrote her some poems and that Pam better be careful, she could go down also, something to that effect,” Lunceford testified.
The issue of testifying in exchange for personal benefit also came up.
"I'm not ashamed of being a voice for Rilya Wilson,” Lunceford said.
Matters said she brags about it.
"It's not bragging, it is what it is,” she told him.
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Sharp-Exchanges-Between-Defense-Lawyer-Star-Prosecution-Witness-in-Geralyn-Graham-Trial-185494251.html
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Wed Jan 09, 2013 8:16 pm
State rests case in Rilya Wilson murder trial
Posted on Tuesday, 01.08.13
BY DAVID OVALLE, DOVALLE@MIAMIHERALD.COM
When inmate Ramona Tavia first met Gerayln Graham, the sweet older woman insisted to Tavia that she was innocent of the charges that had landed her in jail
An unknown “white man” from the state’s child welfare agency, Graham claimed, spirited away foster child Rilya Wilson. Now, Graham said, she was being blamed for the girl’s murder.
But Tavia, who took the witness stand Tuesday to conclude the state’s murder case against Graham, said the woman changed her story one night during a sobbing cell confession.
“She said she was doing it for [her live-in lover] Pam,” Tavia, 41, told jurors. “She had to protect Pam. She’s sick, she’s weak so she killed the baby for Pam.”
Tavia, a convicted murderer, was the third jail inmate to testify against Graham in a trial that began in late November.
Graham, 66, is accused of abusing, kidnapping and killing 4-year-old Rilya sometime about December 2000. The Florida Department of Children & Families had placed Rilya in the home of Pamela and Geralyn Graham, who are not related.
But the agency did not notice Rilya had been missing for some 18 months, a failure that shocked South Florida and caused massive reform.
A grand jury indicted Graham in 2005 after she allegedly confessed to an inmate that she smothered the girl and buried the body near water. That inmate, Robin Lunceford, spent four days on the witness stand.
Another inmate, convicted murderer Maggie Carr, also testified that Graham suggested to her that she disposed of the little girl’s body near a body of water in South Miami-Dade.
The defense will begin its case on Wednesday, calling witnesses to refute testimony presented by the prosecution.
Tavia was convicted of murder in 1994. Police said Tavia urged her husband, Modesto Silva Gonzalez, to shoot and kill a man during a brawl at a North Miami-Dade flea market. Tavia was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
In November 2003, Tavia had been moved from state prison to the Miami-Dade Women’s Detention Center while a judge considered an appeal. At the time, Graham was serving a two-year sentence for grand theft and welfare fraud.
Tavia testified that Graham plied her with gifts while insisting she had nothing to do with the girl’s demise.
But one night, Tavia saw Graham become extremely agitated after making a phone call. That night, with the jail filling up because of an influx of inmates, Tavia had to sleep on a mattress on the floor of Graham’s cell. Tavia said she heard Graham stifle cries.
When Tavia asked Graham if she was OK, the woman repeatedly said she had killed the baby because Pam — whom she identified as her sister — “was weak.”
Tavia said she eventually agreed to cooperate years later with authorities because she is a mother of three and a grandmother.
“I feel like the lady lied to me,” Tavia said. “She kept telling [prosecutors had] been lying on her, she did none of those things.”
In cross examination, defense attorney Michael Matters suggested Tavia was telling the story only so that prosecutors might vouch for her at a possible parole hearing in upcoming years.
“They no promise me that,” Tavia said in heavily-accented English.
“Aren’t you hoping they don’t object to your being placed on parole?” Matters pressed.
“If they doing it, it’s OK," she replied. “If they don’t, what can I do about it?”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/08/3173564/state-rests-case-in-rilya-wilson.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
Posted on Tuesday, 01.08.13
BY DAVID OVALLE, DOVALLE@MIAMIHERALD.COM
When inmate Ramona Tavia first met Gerayln Graham, the sweet older woman insisted to Tavia that she was innocent of the charges that had landed her in jail
An unknown “white man” from the state’s child welfare agency, Graham claimed, spirited away foster child Rilya Wilson. Now, Graham said, she was being blamed for the girl’s murder.
But Tavia, who took the witness stand Tuesday to conclude the state’s murder case against Graham, said the woman changed her story one night during a sobbing cell confession.
“She said she was doing it for [her live-in lover] Pam,” Tavia, 41, told jurors. “She had to protect Pam. She’s sick, she’s weak so she killed the baby for Pam.”
Tavia, a convicted murderer, was the third jail inmate to testify against Graham in a trial that began in late November.
Graham, 66, is accused of abusing, kidnapping and killing 4-year-old Rilya sometime about December 2000. The Florida Department of Children & Families had placed Rilya in the home of Pamela and Geralyn Graham, who are not related.
But the agency did not notice Rilya had been missing for some 18 months, a failure that shocked South Florida and caused massive reform.
A grand jury indicted Graham in 2005 after she allegedly confessed to an inmate that she smothered the girl and buried the body near water. That inmate, Robin Lunceford, spent four days on the witness stand.
Another inmate, convicted murderer Maggie Carr, also testified that Graham suggested to her that she disposed of the little girl’s body near a body of water in South Miami-Dade.
The defense will begin its case on Wednesday, calling witnesses to refute testimony presented by the prosecution.
Tavia was convicted of murder in 1994. Police said Tavia urged her husband, Modesto Silva Gonzalez, to shoot and kill a man during a brawl at a North Miami-Dade flea market. Tavia was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
In November 2003, Tavia had been moved from state prison to the Miami-Dade Women’s Detention Center while a judge considered an appeal. At the time, Graham was serving a two-year sentence for grand theft and welfare fraud.
Tavia testified that Graham plied her with gifts while insisting she had nothing to do with the girl’s demise.
But one night, Tavia saw Graham become extremely agitated after making a phone call. That night, with the jail filling up because of an influx of inmates, Tavia had to sleep on a mattress on the floor of Graham’s cell. Tavia said she heard Graham stifle cries.
When Tavia asked Graham if she was OK, the woman repeatedly said she had killed the baby because Pam — whom she identified as her sister — “was weak.”
Tavia said she eventually agreed to cooperate years later with authorities because she is a mother of three and a grandmother.
“I feel like the lady lied to me,” Tavia said. “She kept telling [prosecutors had] been lying on her, she did none of those things.”
In cross examination, defense attorney Michael Matters suggested Tavia was telling the story only so that prosecutors might vouch for her at a possible parole hearing in upcoming years.
“They no promise me that,” Tavia said in heavily-accented English.
“Aren’t you hoping they don’t object to your being placed on parole?” Matters pressed.
“If they doing it, it’s OK," she replied. “If they don’t, what can I do about it?”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/08/3173564/state-rests-case-in-rilya-wilson.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:06 pm
It’s all lies’: Ex-inmate talks about confession in Rilya case
Posted on Thursday, 01.10.13
BY DAVID OVALLE, dovalle@MiamiHerald.com
Robin Lunceford, the state’s star witness in the Rilya Wilson murder case, admitted to lying about hearing a key confession while in prison, an ex-inmate testified Thursday.
“You know it’s all lies. All of it,” Cindy McCloud, testifying for the defense, recalled Lunceford telling her.
Lunceford is the colorful, sharp-tongued felon who claims that Geralyn Graham confessed to her in jail that she smothered foster child Rilya Wilson, burying the body near a canal or lake in South Miami-Dade.
Graham, 66, is on trial for the murder of 4-year-old Rilya, a foster child whose disappearance rocked the Florida Department of Children and Families. Rilya’s body has never been found.
Graham was indicted for murder after Lunceford came forward to authorities in 2005.
Lunceford, who got a life-prison term for armed robbery reduced to 10 years for her cooperation, told jurors her story over four days of testimony.
The platinum-blonde McCloud was Lunceford’s former roommate at Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala.
Convicted of possessing methamphetamines, McCloud was released from prison in June after serving four years. With 27 felonies on her rap sheet, she now lives in Lakeland.
The defense called McCloud on Thursday to chip away at Lunceford’s credibility.
McCloud characterized Lunceford as frequently bragging about her cooperation with the state.
She claimed she witnessed Lunceford and another inmate, Maggie Carr, concocted a scheme to get Carr involved in the case as a snitch. Last week, Carr testified that Graham suggested to her that she disposed of the little girl’s body.
Carr is serving 25 years to life in prison for murder. She is eligible for parole but has no deal with prosecutors. A third inmate also testified that Graham confessed to killing the child.
As for McCloud, she insisted that she did not want to testify, although she admitted she reached out to defense attorneys, not prosecutors to expose Lunceford.
“I’d hate to be on trial and convicted because of someone else’s lies,” McCloud said.
Prosecutor Joshua Weintraub has called McCloud, 41, a “spurned lover.”
“You’re here because Robin Lunceford got you and some friends … arrested in state prison, isn’t that correct?” Weintraub barked “That’s why you’re here — to get even with Robin.”
McCloud denied being Lunceford’s lover.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/10/3176608/its-all-lies-ex-inmate-talks-about.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
Posted on Thursday, 01.10.13
BY DAVID OVALLE, dovalle@MiamiHerald.com
Robin Lunceford, the state’s star witness in the Rilya Wilson murder case, admitted to lying about hearing a key confession while in prison, an ex-inmate testified Thursday.
“You know it’s all lies. All of it,” Cindy McCloud, testifying for the defense, recalled Lunceford telling her.
Lunceford is the colorful, sharp-tongued felon who claims that Geralyn Graham confessed to her in jail that she smothered foster child Rilya Wilson, burying the body near a canal or lake in South Miami-Dade.
Graham, 66, is on trial for the murder of 4-year-old Rilya, a foster child whose disappearance rocked the Florida Department of Children and Families. Rilya’s body has never been found.
Graham was indicted for murder after Lunceford came forward to authorities in 2005.
Lunceford, who got a life-prison term for armed robbery reduced to 10 years for her cooperation, told jurors her story over four days of testimony.
The platinum-blonde McCloud was Lunceford’s former roommate at Lowell Correctional Institution in Ocala.
Convicted of possessing methamphetamines, McCloud was released from prison in June after serving four years. With 27 felonies on her rap sheet, she now lives in Lakeland.
The defense called McCloud on Thursday to chip away at Lunceford’s credibility.
McCloud characterized Lunceford as frequently bragging about her cooperation with the state.
She claimed she witnessed Lunceford and another inmate, Maggie Carr, concocted a scheme to get Carr involved in the case as a snitch. Last week, Carr testified that Graham suggested to her that she disposed of the little girl’s body.
Carr is serving 25 years to life in prison for murder. She is eligible for parole but has no deal with prosecutors. A third inmate also testified that Graham confessed to killing the child.
As for McCloud, she insisted that she did not want to testify, although she admitted she reached out to defense attorneys, not prosecutors to expose Lunceford.
“I’d hate to be on trial and convicted because of someone else’s lies,” McCloud said.
Prosecutor Joshua Weintraub has called McCloud, 41, a “spurned lover.”
“You’re here because Robin Lunceford got you and some friends … arrested in state prison, isn’t that correct?” Weintraub barked “That’s why you’re here — to get even with Robin.”
McCloud denied being Lunceford’s lover.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/10/3176608/its-all-lies-ex-inmate-talks-about.html#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:07 pm
The same "Robin Lunceford" that was involved in the Casey Anthony case ...
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/07/casey-anthony-robin-lunceford-sent-letters-to-central-florida-news-13.html
Excerpt:
Lunceford alleges Maya Derkovic, her former cellmate at Lowell, and Robyn Adams conspired to make up stories about Anthony. Derkovic, Adams and Anthony had been pen pals at the Orange County Jail. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2010/07/casey-anthony-robin-lunceford-sent-letters-to-central-florida-news-13.html
Excerpt:
Lunceford alleges Maya Derkovic, her former cellmate at Lowell, and Robyn Adams conspired to make up stories about Anthony. Derkovic, Adams and Anthony had been pen pals at the Orange County Jail. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:43 pm
Bombshell In Defense Of Child Murder Suspect Geralyn Graham
January 10, 2013 3:50 PM
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – In bombshell testimony for the defense, a former inmate testified Thursday that two of the state’s key witnesses worked together to make up stories about Geralyn Graham’s alleged confessions.
Cindy McCloud, who was serving time for drug-related charges, said that during her time in prison she befriended Robin Lunceford and Maggie Carr. McCloud told jurors that Lunceford, an inmate and the state’s star witness, had told her that her testimony was “all lies.”
Lunceford testified for the state and said Graham had confessed to killing Rilya Wilson by suffocating her with a pillow then burying her by a body of water.
“She said, ‘You know, it’s all lies. All of it. It’s all lies,’ ” McCloud said Lunceford told her.
At times, Graham, who is accused of killing missing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, smiled during McCloud’s testimony. Rilya Wilson’s body has never been found. The case against Graham is based on the testimony of three jailhouse informants. No physical evidence has linked Graham to Rilya’s murder.
McCloud also implicated Carr who also testified against Graham. She said Carr had asked Lunceford, who is in prison for multiple violent armed robberies, to bring her in on her plea deal. Lunceford’s life sentence was reduced to 10 years in exchange for her testimony.
Carr who was convicted for her role in a 1991 murder of a wealthy English man, is serving a life sentence, but is eligible for parole in 2016. McCloud testified that Carr told her she would receive favorable reviews from the State Attorney’s Office for her cooperation.
Carr told authorities that Graham had broken down and confessed to her. Carr, who was the second jailhouse informant to testify against Graham, said that the conversations she had with Graham sounded incriminating.
Carr received training as a law clerk while in jail and Graham turned to her for legal advice.
“She told me that they were trying to get her for murder,” Carr said in her testimony earlier in the week. “And that no one would care because it was a crack addict child.
Carr also testified that Graham repeatedly told her that if there was no body, there was no murder.
When Carr asked more questions, Graham allegedly replied that “the critters” would have taken care of the body.
A day earlier, the defense attempted to discredit the state’s third jailhouse informant.
Miami-Dade Corrections Sgt. Rene Vila took the stand for the defense Wednesday. Defense attorneys called into question the credibility of jailhouse snitch Ramona Tavia who claimed she shared a cell where Graham allegedly confessed to killing Rilya. Tavia testified that Graham told her she killed Rilya to protect her live-in lover, Pamela Graham.
Defense attorneys presented jail records that showed Tavia and Geralyn Graham never shared a cell in November 2003 when the confession allegedly took place. But on cross-examination, Vila said the records are not always perfectly accurate and Tavia could be telling the truth.
“If it was a temporary matter, no cell change would have taken place in the system,” Vila said.
It’s not clear if Graham herself will testify. She has maintained in the past that Rilya was taken from her home by an unknown child welfare worker for mental tests and never returned. Investigators, however, have found no evidence to support that claim. She faces life in prison if convicted of murder, kidnapping and child abuse charges.
Rilya’s disappearance was not discovered by state officials for some 15 months. That failure led to a high-level shakeup at the state Department of Children and Families and passage of several foster child reform laws, including tighter case worker reporting rules and better tracking of children.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/01/10/new-testimony-thursday-in-geralyn-graham-child-murder-case/
January 10, 2013 3:50 PM
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – In bombshell testimony for the defense, a former inmate testified Thursday that two of the state’s key witnesses worked together to make up stories about Geralyn Graham’s alleged confessions.
Cindy McCloud, who was serving time for drug-related charges, said that during her time in prison she befriended Robin Lunceford and Maggie Carr. McCloud told jurors that Lunceford, an inmate and the state’s star witness, had told her that her testimony was “all lies.”
Lunceford testified for the state and said Graham had confessed to killing Rilya Wilson by suffocating her with a pillow then burying her by a body of water.
“She said, ‘You know, it’s all lies. All of it. It’s all lies,’ ” McCloud said Lunceford told her.
At times, Graham, who is accused of killing missing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, smiled during McCloud’s testimony. Rilya Wilson’s body has never been found. The case against Graham is based on the testimony of three jailhouse informants. No physical evidence has linked Graham to Rilya’s murder.
McCloud also implicated Carr who also testified against Graham. She said Carr had asked Lunceford, who is in prison for multiple violent armed robberies, to bring her in on her plea deal. Lunceford’s life sentence was reduced to 10 years in exchange for her testimony.
Carr who was convicted for her role in a 1991 murder of a wealthy English man, is serving a life sentence, but is eligible for parole in 2016. McCloud testified that Carr told her she would receive favorable reviews from the State Attorney’s Office for her cooperation.
Carr told authorities that Graham had broken down and confessed to her. Carr, who was the second jailhouse informant to testify against Graham, said that the conversations she had with Graham sounded incriminating.
Carr received training as a law clerk while in jail and Graham turned to her for legal advice.
“She told me that they were trying to get her for murder,” Carr said in her testimony earlier in the week. “And that no one would care because it was a crack addict child.
Carr also testified that Graham repeatedly told her that if there was no body, there was no murder.
When Carr asked more questions, Graham allegedly replied that “the critters” would have taken care of the body.
A day earlier, the defense attempted to discredit the state’s third jailhouse informant.
Miami-Dade Corrections Sgt. Rene Vila took the stand for the defense Wednesday. Defense attorneys called into question the credibility of jailhouse snitch Ramona Tavia who claimed she shared a cell where Graham allegedly confessed to killing Rilya. Tavia testified that Graham told her she killed Rilya to protect her live-in lover, Pamela Graham.
Defense attorneys presented jail records that showed Tavia and Geralyn Graham never shared a cell in November 2003 when the confession allegedly took place. But on cross-examination, Vila said the records are not always perfectly accurate and Tavia could be telling the truth.
“If it was a temporary matter, no cell change would have taken place in the system,” Vila said.
It’s not clear if Graham herself will testify. She has maintained in the past that Rilya was taken from her home by an unknown child welfare worker for mental tests and never returned. Investigators, however, have found no evidence to support that claim. She faces life in prison if convicted of murder, kidnapping and child abuse charges.
Rilya’s disappearance was not discovered by state officials for some 15 months. That failure led to a high-level shakeup at the state Department of Children and Families and passage of several foster child reform laws, including tighter case worker reporting rules and better tracking of children.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/01/10/new-testimony-thursday-in-geralyn-graham-child-murder-case/
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Tue Jan 15, 2013 3:11 pm
State rests in missing Fla. foster child case
Posted: Jan 08, 2013 2:05 AM CST
Updated: Jan 08, 2013 2:45 PM CST
By CURT ANDERSON, AP Legal Affairs Writer
MIAMI (AP) - The prosecution has rested in the murder trial of a South Florida woman accused of killing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, whose body has never been found.
The final witness Tuesday against 66-year-old Geralyn Graham was a jail inmate who testified that Graham admitted killing a child while the two shared a cell in 2003. Two other inmates also said Graham confessed to the crime while in jail.
Graham's defense will begin Wednesday with investigators who never recovered Rilya's remains or found any forensic evidence. It's unclear if Graham herself will take the stand.
Graham has insisted that Rilya was taken for mental tests by a state child welfare worker and never returned. Detectives have found no evidence to back up that story.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted.
http://www.wflx.com/story/20527587/states-case-winding-up-in-fla-missing-girl-trial
Posted: Jan 08, 2013 2:05 AM CST
Updated: Jan 08, 2013 2:45 PM CST
By CURT ANDERSON, AP Legal Affairs Writer
MIAMI (AP) - The prosecution has rested in the murder trial of a South Florida woman accused of killing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson, whose body has never been found.
The final witness Tuesday against 66-year-old Geralyn Graham was a jail inmate who testified that Graham admitted killing a child while the two shared a cell in 2003. Two other inmates also said Graham confessed to the crime while in jail.
Graham's defense will begin Wednesday with investigators who never recovered Rilya's remains or found any forensic evidence. It's unclear if Graham herself will take the stand.
Graham has insisted that Rilya was taken for mental tests by a state child welfare worker and never returned. Detectives have found no evidence to back up that story.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted.
http://www.wflx.com/story/20527587/states-case-winding-up-in-fla-missing-girl-trial
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Wed Jan 16, 2013 4:55 pm
Defense rests in Rilya Wilson case
Geralyn Graham accused of killing foster child Rilya Wilson
Published On: Jan 15 2013 04:33:03 PM EST
Updated On: Jan 16 2013 11:19:01 AM EST
MIAMI -
The defense has rested in the case of a South Florida woman accused of killing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson more than 10 years ago.
Before resting Tuesday, lawyers for 67-year-old Geralyn Graham focused on attacking the credibility of three jailhouse informants who implicated Graham in the girl's killing. Also testifying for the defense were corrections officials who say star prosecution witness Robin Lunceford was given preferential treatment behind bars.
"I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place, as they say," said Norman Jenkins, the former warden of Homestead Correctional Institution.
Jenkins said state prosecutors requested Lunceford receive special treatment.
"Was there a request for job placement for Ms. Lunceford?" asked asked defense attorney Scott Sakin.
"Yes," said Jenkins.
"Eventually, did you release her from confinement?" said Sakin.
"Yes," replied Jenkins.
"Was there a request by the prosecutor, Mr. Weintraub, to restore telephone privileges to Robin Lunceford?" said Sakin.
"Yes, sir," answered Jenkins.
Lunceford also got a life prison sentence reduced to just 10 years in exchange for her testimony that Graham confessed.
Graham did not testify in her own defense but has insisted on her innocence. Rilya's body has never been found.
Prosecutors now have the chance to put on a brief rebuttal case. Closing arguments are expected next Tuesday.
http://www.local10.com/news/Defense-rests-in-Rilya-Wilson-case/-/1717324/18141766/-/o11g0x/-/index.html
Geralyn Graham accused of killing foster child Rilya Wilson
Published On: Jan 15 2013 04:33:03 PM EST
Updated On: Jan 16 2013 11:19:01 AM EST
MIAMI -
The defense has rested in the case of a South Florida woman accused of killing 4-year-old foster child Rilya Wilson more than 10 years ago.
Before resting Tuesday, lawyers for 67-year-old Geralyn Graham focused on attacking the credibility of three jailhouse informants who implicated Graham in the girl's killing. Also testifying for the defense were corrections officials who say star prosecution witness Robin Lunceford was given preferential treatment behind bars.
"I felt like I was between a rock and a hard place, as they say," said Norman Jenkins, the former warden of Homestead Correctional Institution.
Jenkins said state prosecutors requested Lunceford receive special treatment.
"Was there a request for job placement for Ms. Lunceford?" asked asked defense attorney Scott Sakin.
"Yes," said Jenkins.
"Eventually, did you release her from confinement?" said Sakin.
"Yes," replied Jenkins.
"Was there a request by the prosecutor, Mr. Weintraub, to restore telephone privileges to Robin Lunceford?" said Sakin.
"Yes, sir," answered Jenkins.
Lunceford also got a life prison sentence reduced to just 10 years in exchange for her testimony that Graham confessed.
Graham did not testify in her own defense but has insisted on her innocence. Rilya's body has never been found.
Prosecutors now have the chance to put on a brief rebuttal case. Closing arguments are expected next Tuesday.
http://www.local10.com/news/Defense-rests-in-Rilya-Wilson-case/-/1717324/18141766/-/o11g0x/-/index.html
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:12 am
Mistrial On Murder Charge In Geralyn Graham Case, Other Charges Guilty
January 25, 2013 11:14 PM
MIAMI (CBSMiami) — After nearly 14 hours of deliberations, jurors
remained deadlocked on a first-degree murder charge against accused
child killer Geralyn Graham, which led the judge to declare a mistrial
on that charge. Jurors did, however, reach a unanimous decision on the
four remaining charges in the case of 4-year-old foster child Rilya
Wilson.
On Count 2, jurors decided that Graham is guilty of kidnapping.
On Count 3, she was found guilty of aggravated child abuse.
On Count 4, she was found guilty of child abuse.
On Count 5, she was found guilty of aggravated child abuse. Graham
could be sentenced to life in prison on the kidnapping verdict alone.
Earlier in the day the 12-person jury disclosed they were deadlocked
11-1 on the murder charge. The verdict must be unanimous. When jurors
were unable to resolve their 11-1 split on the murder count, the judge
declared a mistrial.
Over the phone, one juror, who asked us not to use his name, said he’s ready to put the trial behind him.
“We looked at the evidence and we saw what we saw,” he said. “Every one of us was fulfilled with the decision individually.”
The lack of a verdict on the first degree murder charge drew strong
reaction from observers. Among the courtroom observers Friday were
Geralyn Graham’s adult children including her daughter Angelique Mathis.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/01/25/deliberations-to-resume-in-graham-child-murder-trial/
January 25, 2013 11:14 PM
MIAMI (CBSMiami) — After nearly 14 hours of deliberations, jurors
remained deadlocked on a first-degree murder charge against accused
child killer Geralyn Graham, which led the judge to declare a mistrial
on that charge. Jurors did, however, reach a unanimous decision on the
four remaining charges in the case of 4-year-old foster child Rilya
Wilson.
On Count 2, jurors decided that Graham is guilty of kidnapping.
On Count 3, she was found guilty of aggravated child abuse.
On Count 4, she was found guilty of child abuse.
On Count 5, she was found guilty of aggravated child abuse. Graham
could be sentenced to life in prison on the kidnapping verdict alone.
Earlier in the day the 12-person jury disclosed they were deadlocked
11-1 on the murder charge. The verdict must be unanimous. When jurors
were unable to resolve their 11-1 split on the murder count, the judge
declared a mistrial.
Over the phone, one juror, who asked us not to use his name, said he’s ready to put the trial behind him.
“We looked at the evidence and we saw what we saw,” he said. “Every one of us was fulfilled with the decision individually.”
The lack of a verdict on the first degree murder charge drew strong
reaction from observers. Among the courtroom observers Friday were
Geralyn Graham’s adult children including her daughter Angelique Mathis.
http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/01/25/deliberations-to-resume-in-graham-child-murder-trial/
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:51 am
I wonder who the holdout was and why s/he voted not guilty.
I wonder if it was because of the death penalty.
I wonder if it was because of the death penalty.
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by mom_in_il Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:57 pm
Woman gets 55 years in Rilya Wilson foster child abuse case
Posted on Tuesday, 02.12.13
By DAVID OVALLE
Geralyn Graham was sentenced to 55 years in prison Tuesday in the Rilya Wilson kidnapping and abuse case.
The Kendall woman, 67, was convicted by jury last month in a case that roiled Florida’s child welfare agency, which was supposed to monitor the child. The body of Rilya, who was 4 years old when she vanished, has never been found.
Graham got 30 years for kidnapping and 25 years for aggravated child abuse.
"One can only be inherently evil to inflict that type of pain and torment on an innocent child,” Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez said. “Rilya Wilson deserved nothing less than a loving, caring, nurturing environment. Instead she lived in fear and suffered in a house of torture, torment and abuse."
Tinkler Mendez could have sentenced Graham to as much as life in prison.
Prosecutors believe Graham 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. Jurors, by an 11-1 vote, deadlocked on a count of first-degree murder.
The jury convicted her of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated child abuse and one of child abuse.
The case was significant for the Florida Department of Children & Families, which did not notice the girl was missing for 15 months. Graham told investigators that a mystery DCF worker whisked the child away for mental health treatment.
Graham was later arrested for and convicted of fraud. Based on incriminating statements from her domestic partner, Graham was then charged with aggravated child abuse of Rilya.
Her partner, Pamela Graham, no relation, agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of child neglect.
Pamela Graham, a meek shell of a woman, testified at trial that Geralyn Graham would bind the child’s hands to the bed railing with plastic “flex cuffs” and confine Rilya in a laundry room for hours.
A friend of the pair told police that Graham borrowed a dog cage to put Rilya in when she misbehaved, although no could say they saw the child in there as punishment.
Acquaintances also testified that Graham gave conflicting stories about what happened to the girl — to some, she claimed the girl was on a road trip with a “Spanish lady” friend.
A grand jury indicted Geralyn Graham in 2005 after she allegedly confessed in detail to inmate Robin Lunceford, who testified at trial over four days. Two other inmates also testified that Graham, while behind bars, suggested she killed the child.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/12/3229869/woman-to-be-sentenced-in-rilya.html#.URpIOLOzFBQ.twitter#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
Posted on Tuesday, 02.12.13
By DAVID OVALLE
Geralyn Graham was sentenced to 55 years in prison Tuesday in the Rilya Wilson kidnapping and abuse case.
The Kendall woman, 67, was convicted by jury last month in a case that roiled Florida’s child welfare agency, which was supposed to monitor the child. The body of Rilya, who was 4 years old when she vanished, has never been found.
Graham got 30 years for kidnapping and 25 years for aggravated child abuse.
"One can only be inherently evil to inflict that type of pain and torment on an innocent child,” Circuit Court Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez said. “Rilya Wilson deserved nothing less than a loving, caring, nurturing environment. Instead she lived in fear and suffered in a house of torture, torment and abuse."
Tinkler Mendez could have sentenced Graham to as much as life in prison.
Prosecutors believe Graham 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. Jurors, by an 11-1 vote, deadlocked on a count of first-degree murder.
The jury convicted her of kidnapping, two counts of aggravated child abuse and one of child abuse.
The case was significant for the Florida Department of Children & Families, which did not notice the girl was missing for 15 months. Graham told investigators that a mystery DCF worker whisked the child away for mental health treatment.
Graham was later arrested for and convicted of fraud. Based on incriminating statements from her domestic partner, Graham was then charged with aggravated child abuse of Rilya.
Her partner, Pamela Graham, no relation, agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of child neglect.
Pamela Graham, a meek shell of a woman, testified at trial that Geralyn Graham would bind the child’s hands to the bed railing with plastic “flex cuffs” and confine Rilya in a laundry room for hours.
A friend of the pair told police that Graham borrowed a dog cage to put Rilya in when she misbehaved, although no could say they saw the child in there as punishment.
Acquaintances also testified that Graham gave conflicting stories about what happened to the girl — to some, she claimed the girl was on a road trip with a “Spanish lady” friend.
A grand jury indicted Geralyn Graham in 2005 after she allegedly confessed in detail to inmate Robin Lunceford, who testified at trial over four days. Two other inmates also testified that Graham, while behind bars, suggested she killed the child.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/02/12/3229869/woman-to-be-sentenced-in-rilya.html#.URpIOLOzFBQ.twitter#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy
mom_in_il- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
Re: RILYA WILSON - 4 yo (2000) - Miami FL
by twinkletoes Mon Mar 18, 2013 7:41 am
Posted on Friday, 03.15.13
Prosecutors to retry woman in Rilya Wilson foster child slaying
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.
She was indicted in 2005 after police said she confessed to a cellmate that she murdered the child. The inmate, Robin Lunceford, an eccentric longtime convict who got a plea deal for her testimony, was one of the star witnesses in the trial.
Graham’s ex-lover, Pamela Graham, no relation, also testified that the woman kept Rilya locked in a laundry room, tied her to a bed and secured a dog cage to keep the child from climbing on furniture.
Prosecutor Sally Weintraub said Friday that the state is confident it can convict Graham for the girl’s murder.
“Obviously, it’s doable. The [last] jury was very close to convicting,” Weintraub said.
Graham’s defense attorneys said they were surprised by the decision.
“Geralyn is looking forward to being vindicated by a jury of her peers,” lawyer Scott Sakin said.
Judge Tinkler Mendez said she is planning for a trial in September. She also floated the possibility the trial could be moved to another city because the extensive publicity may make it difficult to find an impartial jury.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted for the murder.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/15/3287841/prosecutors-to-retry-woman-in.html#emlnl=News_Alert
Prosecutors to retry woman in Rilya Wilson foster child slaying
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.
She was indicted in 2005 after police said she confessed to a cellmate that she murdered the child. The inmate, Robin Lunceford, an eccentric longtime convict who got a plea deal for her testimony, was one of the star witnesses in the trial.
Graham’s ex-lover, Pamela Graham, no relation, also testified that the woman kept Rilya locked in a laundry room, tied her to a bed and secured a dog cage to keep the child from climbing on furniture.
Prosecutor Sally Weintraub said Friday that the state is confident it can convict Graham for the girl’s murder.
“Obviously, it’s doable. The [last] jury was very close to convicting,” Weintraub said.
Graham’s defense attorneys said they were surprised by the decision.
“Geralyn is looking forward to being vindicated by a jury of her peers,” lawyer Scott Sakin said.
Judge Tinkler Mendez said she is planning for a trial in September. She also floated the possibility the trial could be moved to another city because the extensive publicity may make it difficult to find an impartial jury.
Graham faces life in prison if convicted for the murder.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/15/3287841/prosecutors-to-retry-woman-in.html#emlnl=News_Alert
twinkletoes- Supreme Commander of the Universe With Cape AND Tights AND Fancy Headgear
- Job/hobbies : Trying to keep my sanity. Trying to accept that which I cannot change. It's hard.
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