- April 20, 2024
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A three-day hearing is in its second day today, Tuesday, April 21, with regard to the murder trial of Willam Gregory. Gregory's mother, Lynda Wilson, took the stand to help in the appeal of the 2011 death penalty sentence Gregory was given after he was convicted of murdering Skyler Meekins and Daniel Dyer Aug. 20, 2007. Later, Skyler's step-mother, Sherri Meekins, took the stand.
The goal of Gregory's attorneys is to show that Gregory had mitigating circumstances that should have been considered when Gregory was originally on trial. For example, Gregory sustained injuries as a child, and he also had been abused sexually. The attorneys also want to show that the relationship between Gregory and Skyler Meekins was amicable leading up to the murders.
The goal of the state is to show that the original trial in 2011 was fair and accurate, and that the conviction should stand. Therefore, ironically, the state is arguing that the defense team did a good job in defending him against the state in 2011.
Lynda Wilson
On the stand this morning is Lynda Wilson, the mother of William "Billy" Gregory. With questioning from Gregory's attorney, Julie Morley, Wilson has been relating details of injuries her son sustained as a child. For example, Gregory was pulled off a kitchen table by his sibling when Gregory was 19 months old. He was in intensive care for three days.
A second injury occurred when Gregory was 6. A garden hoe was dropped on his head. A third injury: Gregory was attacked by a pit bull after the dog's tail was pulled. The dog "almost took his eye out," Wilson recalled. Gregory was in the hospital for 20 hours for reconstructive surgery.
Wilson also recounted ear infections Gregory sustained as a child. He had tubes put in his ears and at 12 or 13 years old, Gregory had his ear drum reconstructed.
Gregory was also sexually abused as a child, according to testimony given April 20 by a sister, Leigha Furmanek. Tony Holt, of the Daytona Beach News-Journal, reported on the testimony yesterday.
Wilson said she was not aware of the sexual abuse, which continued when Gregory was 15. He was living in a facility when he was 15, and a much older woman (Holt reported she was 34) named Natalie had a sexual relationship with him. She was later fired from the facility, but not charged with a crime.
Morley also asked Wilson (Gregory's mother) how well she knew Skyler Meekins, who was 17 at the time she was murdered. Wilson said she thought Skyler was 16 at the time when Gregory started dating her — Gregory was 20 at the time. It turned out that Skyler was only 14.
Gregory and Skyler Meekins had a child, Kyla, in 2006; she was 1 at the time Skyler was killed. Wilson said she met Skyler's father, Hap Meekins, in 2002.
Morley has entered several items into evidence, labeled by number. We are now up to item Z, so there have been 26 items so far.
In 2007, before the murders, Gregory and Skyler Meekins had joint custody of the baby, Kyla. On some Sundays during the summer of that year, Wilson said, they all had dinner togeter at Wilson's Flagler Beach home. Wilson wasn't clear as to whether Gregory and Skyler were still together as a couple. Kyla's first birthday was July 30, 2007, and Wilson recalled Gregory and Skyler planning out the birthday party.
"We had a party at the park," Wilson said. "It was awesome. ... They loved their daughter."
Morley is also presenting photos of the birthday party as evidence. Wilson is looking at the photos and weeping.
Lynda Wilson said she attended hearings in court in 2007 when Gregory was charged with previous crimes. She said she brought Skyler Meekins to court for the hearings and also helped them talk on the phone together while Gregory was in jail.
Morley continued questioning Wilson about Skyler's relationship with Gregory.
"On Thursday or Friday before the incident (presumably meaning the murder), Billy had went there, stayed and spent the night, and we picked him up at Hap's house the next morning," Wilson said. "Also, the Sunday after that Thursday, she had come to pick Billy up becuase they were going to Daytona for school supplies and medicine for a dog they had."
Morley said she is trying to show that Gregory and Skyler Meekins had an "amicable relationship, even a few days before the incident."
Gregory's attorney says there are no further questions, and cross examination of Wilson by the State Attorney's Office, led by Assistant State Attorney Mitchell D. Bishop, begins at 10:15 a.m.
Gregory was six years old her than Skyler Meekins was. Their daughter was named after the city of a similar spelling, Kila, Montana, where Gregory grew up.
Sometimes Gregory would ride his skateboard to visit Skyler Meekins.
After further cross examination, Lynda Wilson was excused from the stand, and the judge called for a recess in the hearing at about 10:30 a.m.
Sherri Sue Meekins
The next witness will be 48-year-old Sherri Sue Meekins, step-mother of Skyler Meekins, who is one of the two victims of the 2007 murders. She was present at the house, at 710 John Anderson Drive, when the murders occurred. She was not called as a witness in the previous trial, although she did give a deposition.
She said she takes mental health medications for major depression, and has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was taking the meds at the time of her 2010 deposition, as well.
Sherri Meekins said Gregory used to shoot guns recreationally with the other men in the Meekins family. They would shoot target practice, she said.
Morley is no longer asking the questions. Taking over now is attorney Mark Gruber, and he has asked many questions that Sherri Meekins doesn't know the answer to. For example: What type of guns were in the closet? Who did most of the vacuuming in the home?
Gruber said he was going to show Sherri Meekins a copy of her 2010 deposition, but instead he showed her an excerpt in the motion that he had filed. Assistant State Attorney Mitchell Bishop objected, and Judge Walsh agreed that it would more appropriate to show the actual deposition, not a motion prepared by the attorney. Gruber then attempted to locate the deposition and couldn't find it, so he said, "Let's move on."
Sherri Meekins said she had called police about drinking and drug use at the "compound," referring to a cluster of two or three homes at 710 and 712 John Anderson Drive, where the extended Meekins family lived. She was upset and concerned about underage drinking.
Gruber has asked for time to consult with Morley. This is the third time in about 30 minutes when the attorney has taken a pause to collect his thoughts or consult.
Gruber now has produced the deposition from 2010, and has shown it to Sherri Meekins. She said she told the truth at the deposition. But Gruber wants to know if she said anything that now she realizes wasn't true, or if she made a mistake. She said she didn't understand the question.
This is the first time Sherri Meekins has appeared in court with regard to this case. Gregory's attorney ended his questioning.
In cross examination, Bishop asked Sherri Meekins questions, and she said she has heard voices in the past when she was grieving or under other stress.
Bishop asked about the six-year age difference between Gregory and Skyler. Sherri Meekins agreed that Gregory was about 21 when he was participating in parties, which included substance abuse, with other kids who were in high school, including Skyler Meekins.
Sherri Meekins said she doesn't know the difference between a rifle and a shotgun.
She was asked whether anything bothered her about Gregory's relationship with Skyler.
"After the baby was born they would fight a lot — Billy and Skyler," Sherri Meekins said. "He would hit Skyler, and she would hit him back, and it would end up terirble screaming and fighting. It was horrible."
She said Gregory came to the compound, the homes on John Anderson Drive, uninvited.
Dr. Mary Elizabeth Kasper
A psychologist, Dr. Elizabeth Kasper, was called next, at 11:38 a.m. Her specialities are in clinical and neuropsychology. She was asked to examine Gregory's life to see if there are any mitigating circumstances that previously had been overlooked in the 2011 trial.
She met with Gregory for five hours previously, at state prison, and he was cooperative. She learned his life story, up until the date of "the event." She also spoke with several other members of Gregory's family by phone or video.
She said she is looking to see if the story the defendant told her is consistent with what others told her. "I'm looking for the weight of the evidence showing me what his life was really like," she said.
