Judge sentences accessory in 2008 home invasion

A Saltville woman Friday pleaded guilty to charges related to a December 2008 home invasion that left one dead and three injured.

[saddened]

This whole case is so sad I am torn between everything that has happened-no one really knows the truth about what really conspired, all that is trully known is....THREE families have been ripped apart and no amount of glue can ever fix that!! May god bless all and give the victims some peace, and may GOD forgive those who are guilty..

[bubba]

saddened wrote:

This whole case is so sad I am torn between everything that has happened-no one really knows the truth about what really conspired, all that is trully known is....THREE families have been ripped apart and no amount of glue can ever fix that!! May god bless all and give the victims some peace, and may GOD forgive those who are guilty..

hang in there, i know how it feels to have someone in jail.and i even know how it feels to have have someone break in my house. god bless all of you.

[Long since friend]

Mike Bishop seems to have missed clarification regarding Ms Curtis’ motive, if any, before the fact. He also seems to have missed the potential motive after the fact of threats by Betts against Curtis’ family.
I don’t condone any of this. But it seems that the prosecution didn’t have anything but misdemeanor after the fact evidence on Ms Curtis. Seems like Betts was working overtime and Bishop wasn’t getting his job done. Unless that was his job.
Mr. Gilbert, Am I wrong? Did I miss your reports regarding testimony of sufficient motive before the fact going to knowledge and complicity? Or could Ms Curtis have been afraid for her life and that of her family?

Is there evidence that Ms Curtis was made aware by Bishop of the difference between felony and misdemeanor potential in not making waves about the difference between her after the fact bad judgment and allegations of foreknowledge or intimidation?

[LibertyFelix]

Topix Story Summary wrote:

A Saltville woman Friday pleaded guilty to charges related to a December 2008 home invasion that left one dead and three injured.

This isn't accurate. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but rather -like- a guilty plea, wherein the defendant essentially throws up their hands with a conclusion that they will not have a reasonable shot at challenging the evidence and prosecution with a strong defense.

[herstory]

LibertyFelix wrote:

<quoted text>
This isn't accurate. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but rather -like- a guilty plea, wherein the defendant essentially throws up their hands with a conclusion that they will not have a reasonable shot at challenging the evidence and prosecution with a strong defense.

So right. Sickening too.
Part of the problem with criminals of today....they are given way too many options..unlike their VICTIMS.

In an Alford Plea, the criminal defendant does not admit the act but admits that the prosecution could likely prove the charge. The court will pronounce the defendant guilty. Acceptance of an Alford plea is in the court's discretion.

Bishop is no fool, neither is Mithrellas.

Have fun in the big house girl!

God Bless you and your family, Mrs. Brown.



I want to know if she will be eligible for parole? If so, when?

[Not a Good Lawyer]

herstory wrote:

<quoted text>
So right. Sickening too.
Part of the problem with criminals of today....they are given way too many options..unlike their VICTIMS.
In an Alford Plea, the criminal defendant does not admit the act but admits that the prosecution could likely prove the charge. The court will pronounce the defendant guilty. Acceptance of an Alford plea is in the court's discretion.
Bishop is no fool, neither is Mithrellas.
Have fun in the big house girl!
Parole was abolished in 1995. She will serve 85% of her twenty year sentence.
God Bless you and your family, Mrs. Brown.
I want to know if she will be eligible for parole? If so, when?

Parole was abolished in 1995 in Virginia. She will serve 85% of her twenty year sentence. And no, Mike Bishop is definitely no fool.

[herstory]

Not a Good Lawyer wrote:

<quoted text>
Parole was abolished in 1995 in Virginia. She will serve 85% of her twenty year sentence. And no, Mike Bishop is definitely no fool.

Thank you for the info.

[depressed]

Mike Bishop was not a good lawyer for Rellie she prolly could have gotten little to nothing considering they had no proof beyond a reasonale doubt that she was infact invovled in any way. The reason she took that crazy plea is b/c she nor her family realized that it would have done her justice to get a decent lawyer and go to trial. If you weren't in the court room then you have no idea what evidence was submitted, it WAS WEAK!! It's just so darn sad any of this had to happen, The Brown family will live as victims for the rest of their lives and be haunted each day, So I'm not saying Rellie should have gotten no punishment but I'm almost positive that she should have had her day in court so to speak. May god bless all those invovled!!!

[drugs]

I FEEL ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF DRUGS. THEY ARE KILLING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. GOD HELP US

[crazy ppl]

drugs wrote:

I FEEL ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF DRUGS. THEY ARE KILLING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. GOD HELP US

Actually from what I took in Betts was suppose to Rob the place, and yes there was some pills invovled but really those would not have influenced killing ppl DRUGS was a lame excuse! Betts had it planned all along atleast that's my take on the whole situation and he ruined the Browm family, his family and the Curtis' all in one dumb act, he is trully.They sent him on up the road so may god help them all!

[herstory]

depressed wrote:

Mike Bishop was not a good lawyer for Rellie she prolly could have gotten little to nothing considering they had no proof beyond a reasonale doubt that she was infact invovled in any way. The reason she took that crazy plea is b/c she nor her family realized that it would have done her justice to get a decent lawyer and go to trial. If you weren't in the court room then you have no idea what evidence was submitted, it WAS WEAK!! It's just so darn sad any of this had to happen, The Brown family will live as victims for the rest of their lives and be haunted each day, So I'm not saying Rellie should have gotten no punishment but I'm almost positive that she should have had her day in court so to speak. May god bless all those invovled!!!

I'll let you in on a little secret; M's family was NEVER threatened by Jason. Jason wasn't feared in the least. A few may have been convinced by M that he did, but when dealing with a sociopath wanna-be what else would you expect to come from her lips? All to get the sympathy that so many are quick to give. She's a victim?? Bishop a bad lawyer?? B.S. That girl's been nothing but trouble her whole life. She was given so many chances, and she just pi**ed them away. She could careless about you or anyone else as long as she got what she wanted.(free ride to Florida?)
I know this because I AM A FAMILY MEMBER. I've kept it to myself this past year, and if you re-read some of my older posts you'll see that I trusted my gut from the get go.
I've seen with my own eyes how hard her mother worked to keep them together and not one of her kids gave a crap, actions speak louder than words.
And the vision that will stick with me till I die is the M that was shown on the news after capture in San Antonio. Sweetheart that is the REAL DEAL, not the sad eyed little victim you saw in court.
As for Roy Evans, what a p-word. He's all gun ho at the begining and then what? Cold feet? He thought the jury would be sympathetic? Well then he should've filed a motion for a change of venue. How pathetic.

[Just Some Girl]

It's pretty f*ing funny how u have changed ur song there "herstory", when this all happened, u were all about Rellie not being guilty and shocked that she ever did anything like this... Some family u are!

[saddened]

Yea "her story" wtf happened? In the begining you were on Rellie's side so whats up w/ that?? FAMILY if you're infact family then it would have served you better to keep that last post to ur self..it doesn't make you sound like much of a family member. You know as well as I they had little evidence against Rellie if she would have had a better lawyer I feel that she would have gotten less time, the last time I spoke with her she stated she just wanted to save the Brown family along with her own the horror of going through a trial.

[herstory]

Guilty of emotional flip flops. Guilty for listening to hearsay, gossip and rumors. Guilty for hoping. Guilty for researching. Guilty for trying to understand. Guilty for praying. Guilty for revealing feelings.
Is society morally responsible to support a person because of shared DNA?
You can pray for someone even if you don't believe them.
This topic is over.

[Nosey]

It will never be over,If you are family you would know that.For the Browns ,Don't you think that think hell probably even dream of what happened everyday.Her real family don't you think they worry about her.She will possible get to come home someday.Then what,she will know nothing but prison life.As for the Betts Family,He better off where he at,Same thing goes on in prison as the boy seen in his on family life.It will never be over not for the Betts ,the Curtis and worst of all the Browns.Sure glad your not in my family.

[herstory]

"This topic is over." was meant as in "beating a dead horse". What's done is done, justice was served.
I'm out.

[mystory2]

I thought the evidence that prosecution was bringing that ramped her charges from misdemeanor after the fact to felony before the fact was from her own brother-in-law and the deal Betts made ... at least that is what I read... I also thought that the plea was only an admission on her part that she was not guilty, but that she agreed that the evidence was enough for a conviction. I doubt that the full weight of evidence was ever presented for the pre-trial motions ... the prosecutor's office admitted there was no evidence of MC in the house ... there must've been more weight that was not readily disclosed...

I wouldn't throw MC's attorney under the bus, though ... he was chosen as someone with experience in death penalty/capital murder cases, and I think there are always nuances that go beyond what is publicized. I wonder how much MC just "gave up" before she ever went to trial. She knew there were bad things in her life that she didn't want to be brought out to the shame of her family.

I think there was some confusion on parole or probation ... she does not have any chance at parole because of the law changes in VA... but there is "good time" - which is kinda sick in my book to offer a criminal convicted - time off for good behavior as long as certain milestones are met during incarceration.(someone with more legal ease on this - please step in...) I also believe that the probationary period must be completed intact or the person will be forced to serve the remainder of original sentence - not sure if that is adding the probation time or just the initial 20 years to be served.

Mrs. Brown felt that (20 years) was just a slap on the wrist ... When you take into account the initial sentence (77 years , 57 suspended), and knowing she could be out in twelve... that has to sting. This one has just been too weird for me.

[mystory2]

Saddened and Just Some Girl ... seems like you guys are more for the convicted criminal and some romanticized ideal of honor, than someone that gave benefit of the doubt over benefit of the doubt over and over... and did nothing to harm any person in Smyth Co. If she is saddened (and maybe a bit relieved this is over) that is her right. To excoriate her for honesty shows how small you really are.

I know herstory ... she has been there and has stood by and done what she felt was right even when Mithrellas' family wanted to bury their heads. I took the "This topic is over" remark more of a sad end to the tale and in no wise changes the heart pain herstory feels for the three families. Since she is definitely in the family, her road isn't finished. There will always be sadness in this.

My family is affected on both sides. Still nauseating to me - but I can understand wanted to just close that chapter. There are more family members in need that can actually be helped. Never spent a second in fear of Betts, either. Just didn't happen. That was a fantasy spin that came up in December.

[Just Some Girl]

The point that I was getting at is the fact in the previous topic about this was how herstory seemed shocked that Rellie could be a part of this, how she was so close to her and nothing could make her say otherwise... yet all of a sudden here she is saying that Rellie was always a bad person, always doing bad stuff and then even goes to say that none of Kathy's kids gave a crap about her...

Rellie wasn't always a bad person... I don't care what anyone says. And in my heart, I doubt seriously that she premeditated any murder. She may have been a lot of things, but she was not a violent person... not to that extreme. I still feel she got in over her head and didn't know what else to do.

I am in no way saying that what she did was right, because it isn't and she deserves to be punished. But I am not going to get on here and say that she has always been nothing but trouble and that she planned on being a part of all this. Which is what herstory has done. I just don't understand how someone can go from one extreme to another... especially if she is really a family member.

[herstory]

I have never claimed to be so close to M. Never ever mentioned premeditated murder. Was and still am shocked at what happened. I entered this forum anonymously to see if I could get some answers and insight. As for going from one extreme to another, well I believe in innocent until proven guilty. So many were quick to jump on the "Fry 'Em" bandwagon and I responded like so many others with a wait till the facts are in attitude. Innocent until proven guilty.
Knowing what I know of M's history, I pushed those memories aside and attempted to support and defend her until the evidence was in. It became obviously over the past year, that I and others in the family, basically wasted our time in hoping that her stories of what transpired that night were true. The stories kept changing. Too many lies were told. The human memory can not remember a lie exactly as it was first told.
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive.”- Sir Francis Scott
By the time her actual court date came we had a mythical quilt store!
Truth has prevailed, no matter how the story gets passed around. She is in prison because she is guilty, not because of some Smyth County conspiracy.

I will end this my final post on this particular subject as I have ended many posts, with peace in my heart.
God Bless the Brown Family, The Curtis Family & The Betts Family.