Michael Schumacher, his wife Kelly Lau, their houseguest Carén Ramirez and their neighbor Anthony Waiters appeared in court today before San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Terrence Van Oss, who gave their lawyers until mid-August to file the motions challenging the indictment on grounds of insufficient evidence.
Schumacher today pleaded not guilty to charges that he had a hand in torturing the boy called Kyle Ramirez in court papers. The three other defendants already pleaded not guilty a month ago at their last hearing.
The court on Friday unsealed nearly 1,000 pages from the grand jury hearing that led to the 17-count indictment handed down on March 23.
Prosecutors accuse the four of burning, bludgeoning, choking, shackling and starving the boy, who escaped in December from the Tennis Lane home.
Kyle told jurors in March that the defendants would chain him to a fireplace and would beat him for forgetting to feed the dog or for not taking care of Lau and Schumacher’s young children.
He said he finally got a hold of the key to the chain that tethered him, and unlocked himself on the day of his escape. He said the four openly plotted to kill him, so he felt he had to get away as soon as possible, according to grand jury transcripts.
Kyle rushed into the backyard, used a trampoline to vault over the wall into an adjacent parking lot and frantically ran into the foyer of a nearby health club. Witnesses said he was covered in soot and blood. He wore only a pair of boxer shorts and had some “goopy” stuff in his haphazardly shaved hair.
Police arrested Schumacher, Lau and Ramirez the week of Kyle’s escape. Waiters was arrested a week later. The four have appeared in court several times since their December arrest. They’re due back in Dept. 21 in Stockton on Aug. 21 at 8:30 a.m. for their attorneys to present oral arguments against the indictment.
•Contact Tracy Press reporter Jennifer Wadsworth at 830-4225 or jwadsworth@tracypress.com.
As Shakespear would say, "But all them crooked lawyers in the line of fire!!"
wink!
Gee, I really hope that the PD checked it out and it doesn't happen. SCARY!
Anyway, the Tennis Lane Quads will pay their dues. I really think there is no way they can get away with it. I really don't. From what has been reported, if it is correct, they'll do some time.
I am inclined to go along with CN's idea....What about an island? Something small and isolated. They could all be together until the very end.
What a bunch of idiots these perps are....mean and stupid.
They will do their time.
On the subject...I don't understand the not guilty plea. I do understand that it is Kyle's word against their's, but his injuries would speak for him. Nobody ever said these four are sane, though.
Is Tracy contaminated with mercury? It must be. Tinfoil must be the pride of Tracy’s education system. Long live America! Someone please get that kid some help and the rest of Tracy some teeth.