Our justice system often goes far too easy on some of society’s worst criminals.
Meanwhile, innocent law-abiding citizens too often find themselves caught up in the justice system.
And parents are outraged at what the justice system is doing to this father.
Dad arrested for protecting his daughter
Aaron Spencer and his family faced unimaginable horror due to the actions of a sick child predator.
His 14-year-old daughter was stalked and raped by 67-year-old Michael Fosler.
Fosler was facing several felony counts and was free on bail.
The family had a no-contact order on file against him.
The 14-year-old daughter was set to testify against him.
She went missing and the parents contacted the police.
Spencer found Fosler in a vehicle with his daughter, and shot Fosler during the ensuing confrontation.
This should have been an open and shut case of using lethal force in defense of others during a kidnapping in progress, but Spencer was arrested on first degree murder charges.
Spencer’s wife noted that they had called 911 and were working with police when Spencer found the two in the vehicle.
“We absolutely called 911 during the entire event,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “We had no idea this man was in contact with our child again. He was waiting 6-9 felonies for what he did, not 2. He was looking at the rest of his pathetic life in jail, and our daughter was the only witness.”
“Some things we will never know, but we know that the police department afforded this predator privacy they did not give our family,” she continued. “Including posting our home address. I’m deeply offended by the way this was handled by the county [sheriff’s] office.”
According to Sheriff John Staley, Spencer has been released and hasn’t been officially charged.
“I absolutely do not support predators,” the Sheriff said. “I’m a daddy. I have three daughters. I know she’s hurt right now, but there’s absolutely nobody I would put ahead of our children, their children, my children.”
“When we get on scene and there’s a homicide, it means one person took the life of another,” Staley continued. “It’s either justified or not justified. That’s what the fact finding, that’s what the investigation is going to find out.”
GoFundMe shuts down fundraiser
The mother set up a GoFundMe to pay for her husband’s legal defense, but it was removed.
GoFundMe has a policy against raising money for those accused of violent crimes, which has been selectively enforced in the past.
The mother is now accepting donations through Venmo and Cash App.
On another Facebook post, the mother noted that other victims have come out against Fosler, and that Fosler was a former police chief.
“We have gotten a clear picture of a predator who continuously worked with children and preyed on young girls,” the post says. “This man was Chief of police in Indiana and resource officer, giving us a better idea of why the Lonoke County courts have been protecting him and going after my husband.”
Fosler never should have been out on bail in the first place while facing such serious allegations and posing a danger to the victim.
Hopefully the courts ultimately do the right thing and drop the charges against Spencer.
Political Animal News will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.