Judge Terrence Van Oss ruled that Kelly Lau, 31, can write to her four young children, and her husband Michael Schumacher, 35, can write to the three youngest, his biological children.
The children, all minors, are in protective custody.
Van Oss set a pre-trial hearing for May 3 before the Oct. 12 trial date in Stockton.
Lau, Schumacher, Caren Ramirez, 45 and Anthony Waiters, 30, face 13 felony counts for allegedly torturing a 16-year-old boy while he was held captive in Lau and Schumacher’s Tennis Lane home.
The four are awaiting an Oct. 12 trail while held in San Joaquin County without bail.
Van Oss said the letters must not mention the trial or be designed to influence the children, who could testify.
A gag order issued in December 2008 prevents prosecutors, defense attorneys and witnesses from talking about the case outside of court.
Child Protective Services and jail officials will review the letters before they reach the children, Deputy District Attorney Angela Hayes said.
“I don’t want any of these tear-jerking letters trying to get sympathy,” Van Oss said.
Lau’s lawyer, deputy public defender Jennifer Perkins, requested Lau be allowed to write to her children, two of whom are old enough to read.
Doug Jacobsen represents Ramirez but today asked Schumacher be granted the same privileges while standing in for John Casaneve, Schumacher’s lawyer.
Attorney Allen Jose represents Waiters.
The four allegedly kept the victim, called Kyle R. in court papers, chained to a fireplace, where they beat him with a baseball bat and burned, cut, drugged and starved him, prosecutors say.
In Dec. 2008, the then 17-year-old boy escaped the home when he climbed a back-yard wall that abutted In-Shape City. He ran into the office of the gym bloody, frantic and with a shackle on his ankle, curled up in a ball on the floor, and cried.
Contact Tracy Press reporter Cassie Tomlin at 830-4225 or ctomlin@tracypress.com.
Let prison rules prevail!
Where is justice for Kyle?
CN
I don't think it appropriate to have the kids maintain "toxic" relationship with their toxic parents!
Until they are given approval by a psychologists that the parents are "clean in the heads" they shouldn't write any letters to any children.
(Didn't the judge talk to the panel of psychologists first.. before deciding on such liberal decision?)
They need normalcy more than ever and maintaining toxic emotional ties with their parents may prevent them from ever finding sense of normalcy within their emotional/mental development.
That is just my opinion.
CN
No doubt the judge met with pshycologists and the such to determine contact from their parents would be in the best interest of the kids. Personally, I feel the parents gave up their "parent card" when they tortured Kyle and exposed their children to the horror.
Kyle and all 4 of the kids should be able to live thier lifes without being mentaly fooled again by these monsters
I meant that it may be sad and depressing for the kids to receive letters from their parents who are criminals. I think they may be too young to actually know how severe the crimes are(and they viewed it). Maybe I am wrong? If they believe the treatment was 'normal' they would welcome the letters. If they thought the opposite, the letters may go in the fireplace.
I think it's an embarrasment to our judicial system and the CPS is now waterd down to the PPS (parent protection system).
How sad!
These ANIMALS have been locked up for nearly a year the kids are getting along fine better than being raised by ANIMALS that believe in torturing another human. I don’t feel sorry for these ANIMALS and Prey they get the Maximum that’s allowed .
The only one that is out of this Topic is the 17 year old boy he is the victim Here.
This entire case leaves a sick pit in my stomach for all involved.