Family asks for help with legal bills
By Jim Keyworth
Gazette Blog Editor
A much more optimistic Pat Rollins, wife of Mike Voden, talked to the Rim Country Gazette Blog after Friday’s hearing at which Voden’s bail was reduced from $1,000,000 to $200,000. Voden, who is accused of shooting and killing Randy Burnett during an altercation in his yard, is expected to be released to house arrest within the week.
“It was very positive,” Rollins said. “They’re going to put a thing (monitoring device) on him and he’s restricted to our yard for now. But his attorney (Michael Bernays of Tempe) spent three or four hours with us here (Thursday) night and he said – boy he’s a Crackerjack; am I ever glad we got him – he said, ‘All of this is going to be cleared away – all of it.’ He said, ‘It might take a couple of years, but it will all be cleared away.’”
Rollins said the support from the community was overwhelming at the packed hearing – that only two people in the crowded courtroom opposed Voden.
A much more optimistic Pat Rollins, wife of Mike Voden, talked to the Rim Country Gazette Blog after Friday’s hearing at which Voden’s bail was reduced from $1,000,000 to $200,000. Voden, who is accused of shooting and killing Randy Burnett during an altercation in his yard, is expected to be released to house arrest within the week.
“It was very positive,” Rollins said. “They’re going to put a thing (monitoring device) on him and he’s restricted to our yard for now. But his attorney (Michael Bernays of Tempe) spent three or four hours with us here (Thursday) night and he said – boy he’s a Crackerjack; am I ever glad we got him – he said, ‘All of this is going to be cleared away – all of it.’ He said, ‘It might take a couple of years, but it will all be cleared away.’”
Rollins said the support from the community was overwhelming at the packed hearing – that only two people in the crowded courtroom opposed Voden.
“A number of people
sent letters in supporting Mike,” she added.
“Judge (Duber) said they were all nice, but the one that caught his eye
was one sent in by Miss Jenny Caster.
She took a paragraph to describe how after (PostNet) fired (Caster’s
late husband) Robert Lantry and they didn’t want to release Robert’s huge
equipment, they borrowed Mike’s trailer.
Mike was just sitting there waiting for that to happen and the owner
told his son to attack Mike. She said, ‘He
was very calm. He didn’t react.’
“In other words,” Rollins continued, “his life wasn’t in danger. He was carrying like he does all over. He didn’t pull his gun because his life wasn’t in danger. He just called the police. The judge said, ‘I’m really impressed by that.’”
Rollins singled out former Star Valley Mayor and Rim Country Gazette Publisher Bill Rappaport for his remarks to the judge on Voden’s behalf, but added that she was overwhelmed by the number of people who supported her husband.
“(Rappaport) spoke more than once, and many people were willing to stand up and speak,” she added. “It was remarkable.”
Voden’s release from jail is being held up by two factors, Rollins explained.
“In other words,” Rollins continued, “his life wasn’t in danger. He was carrying like he does all over. He didn’t pull his gun because his life wasn’t in danger. He just called the police. The judge said, ‘I’m really impressed by that.’”
Rollins singled out former Star Valley Mayor and Rim Country Gazette Publisher Bill Rappaport for his remarks to the judge on Voden’s behalf, but added that she was overwhelmed by the number of people who supported her husband.
“(Rappaport) spoke more than once, and many people were willing to stand up and speak,” she added. “It was remarkable.”
Voden’s release from jail is being held up by two factors, Rollins explained.
“They’re waiting for
the person that can put this thing around his ankle,” she explained. “It’s a special person who has to do
that. The other part is getting an
appraisal on the house for the bail, and I’ve been busy with that and I think
it’s underway now. It will be done
sometime on Monday."
Voden’s father, sister and son, in town for the hearing, visited Voden in the Globe jail on Friday.
Rollins said Bernays “ran circles around the state’s guy (at the hearing). He’s a lot of money, but he’s worth it.”
Because of the steep legal expenses, Rollins said the family will gratefully accept any help from the community.
“Anyway who wants to help Mike and I with legal expenses – any contribution no matter how small – will be appreciated.”
Contributions can be sent to Pat Rollins at PO Box 2573, Payson, AZ 85547.
(Gazette Blog Editor's note: The Gazette is pleased to provide an opportunity for the other side of this tragic story to be told. The local media's coverage does not include all the details that we believe deserve to be heard.)
Voden’s father, sister and son, in town for the hearing, visited Voden in the Globe jail on Friday.
Rollins said Bernays “ran circles around the state’s guy (at the hearing). He’s a lot of money, but he’s worth it.”
Because of the steep legal expenses, Rollins said the family will gratefully accept any help from the community.
“Anyway who wants to help Mike and I with legal expenses – any contribution no matter how small – will be appreciated.”
Contributions can be sent to Pat Rollins at PO Box 2573, Payson, AZ 85547.
(Gazette Blog Editor's note: The Gazette is pleased to provide an opportunity for the other side of this tragic story to be told. The local media's coverage does not include all the details that we believe deserve to be heard.)
18 comments:
Im sorry there wasnt more support for keeping him in jail.The judge listened to the wrong people not the evidence from authorities. Dont waste your money donating to mike vodens case donate to charity or mrs. burnett whose husband had been killed by this man. The truth will eventually come out and mike voden will spend life in prison .
YOU SAID IT RIGHT THE LOCAL MEDIA IS NOT REPRESENTING ALL THE FACTS AND THE NEWSPAPER BLOG WANTS MORE COMMENTS ON THE OTHER SIDE SO PLEASE PRINT THE OTHER OPINION OR SIDE. WITH MIKES PAST HISTORY BAIL SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REDUCED AND I BET THE MAJORITY OF PAYSON RESIDENTS DONT WANT MR. VODEN RELEASED AT ALL. IF WE KNEW BAIL WAS DECIDED IN THE COURT OF HEARSAY AND PUBLIC OPINION I BET THE COURT WOULD HAVE BEEN PACKED WITH OBJECTORS TO HIS RELEASE.
Jim please set up a article so people can donate to the wife of the man killed. I think she could better use the money as she no longer has a husband.I hope people know their donations are going to go directly to the lawyer. Mike pulled the trigger let him pay for his own lawyer. p.s. i hope we get alot more support for the other side. Im not afraid to give my name its Dave Golembewski if that helps getting the other side printed. Thanks Merry Christmas
someones been waiting a long time to show their true hate for dogs...
and now a dog lover is dead...
dog owners stay away from this guy, if he's able to beat the system
By the way you can donate to the wife of randy burnett at safeway if you would like to help someone who actually deserves and needs our help
MIKE IS OUT ON BAIL SO PLEASE GET ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE YOU DONATE TO HIS CAUSE. YOU MAY REGRET IT AFTER HE GETS CONVICTED AND SENT TO PRISON FOR LIFE. PLEASE KNOW THS CASE IS ABOUT A UNWARRANTED KILLING AND MIKE VODEN IS ALREADY FREE ON BAIL AT HIS HOME. SOUNDS LIKE IM CRUEL BUT KILLING A MAN IN COLD BLOOD TRYING TO GET HIS DOG IS MORE CRUEL. PS MERRY CHRISTMAS
save your donation. we can all send a care package next year to mike in prison . thats when he will need your support when he is in hard prison for life.
MIKE VODEN WILL MAKE ALOT FRIENDS IN PRISON AND ALL HIS SUPPORTERS IF ANY ARE LEFT WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT HIM IN PRISON. HIS FRIENDS HOPEFULLY WONT BE HOLDING HIS GUNS THE PD WILL HAVE THEM. SOMETIMES EVEN FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE TO DECIDE OVER RIGHT AND WRONG AND ITS WRONG TO KILL AN UNARMED MAN TRYING TO RETRIEVE HIS DOG IN YOUR YARD. I KNOW YOU ARE INNOCENT TILL PROVEN GUILTY BUT SHOULD A JUDGE GIVE BAIL TO SOMEONE WITH SUCH A PAST HISTORY??
I appreciate where you all are coming from. Here's where I'm coming from.
1. The Roundup has not fairly presented Mike Voden's side of the story. I am not saying there isn't another side, but Mike's deserves to be told too.
2. I do not like guns. Had a gun not been readily available, this never would have happened.
3. I do not like stand your ground laws. But George Zimmerman was acquitted by one such law in Florida. At least Mike was on his own property minding his own business when all of this started.
Jim Keyworth
Editor
Mike won't get aquitted. I'm no lawyer but. he has to prove he had no way out and was in danger . police were on way. he wasn't in danger he was the aggressor. Zimmerman probably didn't need to kill either but got away with it . mike voden won't be so lucky. Mike. was just itching to use his gun on someone.in this case unwarranted and life in prison is the example the court will set so anothet person doesn't make same mistake.
I can be on my own property and minding my own business and that doesn't give you right to kill someone. why jim do you want to give mike so much credit . is it because the other man can't talk . ill stand up for randy .
jim you have a right to stand up for mike. I feel an obligation to stand up for a man that was unarmed and cant talk. Another problem is do you want the message sent that you can shoot your unarmed neighbor for entering your yard. The law will prove mike didn't need to shoot his neighbor 4 times.Mikes life was not in any danger. He is a trigger happy man wanting to use his gun.You have a right to support mike but eventually you jim will look like a fool.I will always feel good supporting randy as I KNOW deep in my heart that mike didn't need to use his gun.I wont call people names for standing up for mike other than FOOLS as you are all fooled by mike voden. Again im not afraid to use my name Dave Golembewski
I hope Mike is able to mind his own buisness in prison . he won't have a. gun in there. He wouldn't be in so much trouble if he waited for police. hope they have a nice gardenin prison with a guard dog
Mr. Voden had a history of violence and this was grossly overlooked by Judge Duber. I find it interesting how Mrs. Voden (Rollins) is an advocate for her husband's freedom, but says nothing about the egregious violence that occurred in her backyard - violence that was obviously instigated by her husband. Just listen to the 9-11 recording. Mr. Voden took great pride in carrying his weapon, had displayed and threatened many people around Payson with it, and quite frankly (I believe) is a pathological liar. It is also in extremely bad taste how Mrs. Voden is grandstanding at a time when her next-door neighbor has been widowed and victimized by a heinous, criminal act. In the end, truth will prevail. Mr. Voden will not likely get life, but he will be found guilty and will be given a prison sentence. I hope you all have the guts to follow through with this story and report on the Vodens two years from now! Here's your headline: Geriatrics and Prison Life
Do not give a penny to this worthless killer. He murdered an unarmed man with cancer trying to get his little dog. I only hope the murderer Mike Voden dies of cancer in prison.
Thank you. My name is Brandi Burnett, and the gentle giant murdered in cold blood was my uncle. Mike deserves to rot in jail the rest of his pathetic existence. Donate to Randy's wife, not this piece of garbage.
Hmmmm......Jim, Reading your comment makes me NEVER to want to see another gazette again
I hope Voden dies painfully. I will not be coming back here.
Brandi, you have my support.
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