There was a comment stating that we were ignoring the hard questions, my response is that go ahead and keep asking your questions. We will answer them as truthfully and as quick as we possibly can.
If you have questions please comment on this post with them and we will respond the best we can. We are not hiding anything, all questions are welcome. Thank you.
I grew up in Joliet. First, I'm very sorry and my deepest condolences to see a fellow parent going through this ordeal. I truly hope, if nothing else, this convoluted case serves as a lesson to those who find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time and do not know how to deal with it. The outcome would have been different if Bethany had stayed with her father to call the police. Unfortunately during a horrible situation like this, and nerves and tensions so high, the decisions made during that kind of duress arent always the best.
ReplyDeletePlease keep this blog up even as an informant to avoid this happening again. People need to care about this and pay attention, because anybody can land in the middle of a crime and be overcharged with the responsibility. No one thinks about this or cares until it happens to them, and they have to put up their house and possessions for a qualified attorney to fight tooth and nail for their life and freedom for something they didn't do or was overcharged.
I was wondering why she didn't opt for a jury trial (was that an option)? Was it because the media infiltrated the public already?
She was advised by Chuck Bretz to have a bench trial, they felt that because the media had already filled the publics mind with half truths and the public had already made their mind up about her, they didn't believe they could get an unbias jury. So yes, you are correct, it was because the media had already infiltrated the public.
Deletethank you for your comments, God Bless
Me again. This is a very long article that goes into detail of how the outcome of so many trials are unjust, because an overzealous prosecutor with votes to tally is driven to win as opposed to protecting the public.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't only about Bethany being unfairly convicted, this is about our rights and one of them being a right to a fair trial. These laws were originally set in place by our fore fathers to protect the system from convicting innocent people. If anything the public should be outraged, however with a manipulative media and their government bedmates (police) no one cares until it happens to them.
http://gideonspromise.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Who-is-Guarding-the-Henhouse.pdf
Thank you, God Bless
DeleteHello, I've been keeping up with this murder case since it started, I lived only a block away from where the murders took place. I feel sorry for Bethany's family and what all of this has put them through I hope when you pray for your daughter that you also pray for the victim's families as they were the ones who have lost the most during this trial. I can tell you are a loving dad who just wants his baby girl back, keep your head up!
ReplyDeleteI would like to ask some questions and hopefully you can answer them for me..
1) Were the families of Alisa and Josh at their trials? and why have they not spoken about any of this like you have?
2) Were you (Bethany's family) at every single trial date?
3) Has Bethany and Alisa spoken to each other since they are both incarcerated together in the same facility?
4) if your granddaughter was at the time of the crime how was Bethany able to leave without Josh knowing she had left since he threatened to kill her?
5) were all 4 (josh, alisa, bethany, adam) captured the same day of the crime or the following day? what time were they captured?
Thank you for being so public and giving us the side of your story. Helps the public see two sides to the story.
Our condolences and prayers go out to the families of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins, thank you for your comment, I apologize for the late response, I was not aware of your comment because it went to spam, to answer your questions 1. Alisa did not have a trial, she took a plea deal, Josh's family was not at his trial. No one has spoken about this like my family has because of the politics, people only want a story, not the truth. 2. Yes, we were at every single trial date for Bethany. 3. No, they have not spoken since. 4. Alisa testified that Josh sent her (Alisa) and Bethany to go buy cigarettes, at that time Alisa testified that they took my granddaughter to a friends house. Josh wanted Bethany to get me to help dispose of the bodies, that is why she was able to leave. 5. No, the crime took place the night before they were captured. They were captured the next afternoon.
DeleteThank you for your comments and questions, God Bless
I hope I can ask this without seeming rude. I'm helping my neighbor, who wants to get into border patrol, with a school research paper for an Introduction to Corrections class. We do not want to falsely report anything. The first task is to write a one page report of the crime and the case(s) against it. While trying to do so, one quote of Bethany's was perplexing. She stated, "I figured my dad has been through things like this and he would know what to do." Here goes...What basis did Bethany have to suspect that you would have dismemberment knowledge? That being said, my apologies for the bluntness. (An empathetic side note: my brother, who is no longer with us as he was in a coma for 17 years and died as a result of a drunk driver, was of an impressive stature. Growing up, I used to feel that I could go to him and ask him to do anything for me. He made me feel--not untouchable, but--protected more than the average person.) As you pointed out, the court system has let Bethany down (twice, now). [As a side note, the court system let us down, too, as the drunk driver got a $350 fine as my brother didn't die within the first 2 years; then it would have been involuntarily manslaughter.] My query is, while I'm not placing blame on you, do you think that Bethany had an inordinate sense of impunity? I know my perceptions were my own and not of my brother's doing; I made him out to be my savior. Do you think the others involved intended to use her relationship with you to their benefit? Your posting about Kinney's criticism of the state's sentencing guidelines is going to be the crux of the paper. While I believe most would agree that Bethany deserves punishment for a serious lapse in judgment, I think her young mind thought robbery was going to be robbery--wrong, but not murder. Mob mentality and fear of Josh Miner could surely be seen as contributing factors to her lack of judgment after the fact. If you choose to address my inquiries, I thank you very much! We're not trying to be voyeuristic, here; we're trying to analyze, what appears to be, a broken-down legal system. While I'm no legal expert, I am curious about one thing...According to Miner's defense, if he could have been held responsible to only 1 count of murder, he would have been eligible for 20-60. His Illinois Department of Corrections profile reads 2 counts. Bethany's profile reads 1 count. Why was she not eligible for 20-60 if she has been found guilty of 1 count? It was the same judge trying both cases, and sentencing guidelines are sentencing guidelines. I don't know if you have the possibility of appeal, but I thought I'd bring it to your attention. Best of luck to you and your family, especially the little one, getting through this!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all thank you for posting, I am deeply saddened by the loss of your brother I pray that you become stronger through this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThrough my childrens lives I have always told them that if ever in trouble come to me and I will help you. Through Bethany knowing Alisa most of her life Alisa knew this, I do believe that Alisa used this information to help resolve hers (Alisa) and Josh's
scheme. I know also that Josh had threatened Bethany and her daughters life if she had called the police. Bethany stated in her interview that if she would have notified the police there would have been three dead instead of two.
Even Bethany stated that she could have and probably should have been charged and convicted of other crimes than murder and she would have accepted this fact, But what I believe is the law was taken out of this case and replaced with politics, not only through the judge and the state nut also with Bethany's attorney Chuck Bretz. Through the court transcripts I have recently found that Alisa when making this deal in front of Judge Kinney admitted that she called terrance Rankins to lure him to the house, this is backed up by the fact through phone records of Bethany and Terrance neither of the two ever called or texted each other. Both Alisa and her dad Phillip testified under oath that Bethany never said a word when Phillip asked Alisa what that noise was. Chuck Bretz seemed to loose interest in defending Bethany after he realised that the case with Joe Hosey was not going to be a good outcome for him. I believe that the Hosey case was going to be Chucks big day, showing that either the state or the JPD leaked out the case info. Chuck was pushing Bethany, my wife and I to be the first one to go to trial and do this as a bench trial knowing that Judge Kinney was to retire soon and because of his views on the accountabilty law. We were not given any other options. The attorney knows best. If Chuck was so worried about getting a fair trial do to the reports being leaked the why would he want to be the first one to do so. He may have talked to Bethany a total of 30 minutes during the whole 18 months. He would only talk to my wife and I only after having to be persistent with a meeting. During any and all meetings Chuck and Neil would talk for about a half hour but never really say anything. We (Bethany, my wife and I) wanted to fire him and find another law firm but due to the fact that we already put down a sizable retainer and was contracted to pay the remainder of the bill, we new because of our financial situation that we would not be able to pay his firm and then put another retainer down and pay for another attorney at the same time. Our hands were tied. When Bethany was convicted Chuck Bretz looked us in the eves and said, "I will be here to the end, The appeals attorney will put together everything and Neil and I will argue the case" Not only did I find out that this is not how it works but just recently Neil called my wife and I into the office and informed us that they are no loner Bethany's attorney. Chuck was in the office and wouldn't even tell us this. To this day their law firm has never notified Bethany to this fact. Its funny that they dropped us just after the appeals court handed down there ruling on Joe Hosey. Chuck lost. I believe it was about Hosey and not Bethany. Politics.
Bethany was convicted on the capital murder and the felony murder, Please excuse me, I will have to get back to you, I am having another emotional overload.
First of all thank you for posting, I am deeply saddened by the loss of your brother I pray that you become stronger through this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThrough my childrens lives I have always told them that if ever in trouble come to me and I will help you. Through Bethany knowing Alisa most of her life Alisa knew this, I do believe that Alisa used this information to help resolve hers (Alisa) and Josh's
scheme. I know also that Josh had threatened Bethany and her daughters life if she had called the police. Bethany stated in her interview that if she would have notified the police there would have been three dead instead of two.
Even Bethany stated that she could have and probably should have been charged and convicted of other crimes than murder and she would have accepted this fact, But what I believe is the law was taken out of this case and replaced with politics, not only through the judge and the state nut also with Bethany's attorney Chuck Bretz. Through the court transcripts I have recently found that Alisa when making this deal in front of Judge Kinney admitted that she called terrance Rankins to lure him to the house, this is backed up by the fact through phone records of Bethany and Terrance neither of the two ever called or texted each other. Both Alisa and her dad Phillip testified under oath that Bethany never said a word when Phillip asked Alisa what that noise was. Chuck Bretz seemed to loose interest in defending Bethany after he realised that the case with Joe Hosey was not going to be a good outcome for him. I believe that the Hosey case was going to be Chucks big day, showing that either the state or the JPD leaked out the case info. Chuck was pushing Bethany, my wife and I to be the first one to go to trial and do this as a bench trial knowing that Judge Kinney was to retire soon and because of his views on the accountabilty law. We were not given any other options. The attorney knows best. If Chuck was so worried about getting a fair trial do to the reports being leaked the why would he want to be the first one to do so. He may have talked to Bethany a total of 30 minutes during the whole 18 months. He would only talk to my wife and I only after having to be persistent with a meeting. During any and all meetings Chuck and Neil would talk for about a half hour but never really say anything. We (Bethany, my wife and I) wanted to fire him and find another law firm but due to the fact that we already put down a sizable retainer and was contracted to pay the remainder of the bill, we new because of our financial situation that we would not be able to pay his firm and then put another retainer down and pay for another attorney at the same time. Our hands were tied. When Bethany was convicted Chuck Bretz looked us in the eves and said, "I will be here to the end, The appeals attorney will put together everything and Neil and I will argue the case" Not only did I find out that this is not how it works but just recently Neil called my wife and I into the office and informed us that they are no loner Bethany's attorney. Chuck was in the office and wouldn't even tell us this. To this day their law firm has never notified Bethany to this fact. Its funny that they dropped us just after the appeals court handed down there ruling on Joe Hosey. Chuck lost. I believe it was about Hosey and not Bethany. Politics.
Bethany was convicted on the capital murder and the felony murder, Please excuse me, I will have to get back to you, I am having another emotional overload.