Accomplice in Venus Stewart murder, 'needs a lot more' jail time, protesters say

[Sara Huizenga]

• Ricky Spencer, the accomplice in the murder of Venus Stewart, is not expected to serve more than a year in jail under plea agreement. That’s appalling to a group of protesters, including Venus Stewart family members, who aired that opinion during a protest staged outside the St. Joseph County Courthouse Monday, the Sturgis Journal reported. Spencer's sentencing is scheduled for next Friday. Venus Stewart disappeared last year and her husband, Doug Stewart, was convicted in March of killing her. Last month, Spencer pleaded no contest to a felony manslaughter charge in connection with her death. At Monday's protest a woman described as Stewart's great aunt held a sign saying, "Ricky needs a lot more time." [Sturgis Journal]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2011/07/southwest_mic...

[Mary Ellen Hopkins]

My friends and I have spent many months searching for Venus' remains. Maybe Ricky should be sentenced to help us look for Venus, for the rest of his life!

[Jesse 'Opie' Ross]

Plea bargains are insane and they are a crutch for le and prosecutors who don't do their jobs.

[Mary Ellen Hopkins]

They caught Ricky, he didn't come forward on his own. The law enforcement spent thier own $ to go to Viginia and Delaware. The Michigan State Troopers were awesome. They got a full confession from Ricky recorded. Then, they get back only to have an inexperienced prosecutor, youngest ever elected in the state of Michigan, give Ricky a deal like that? If there was anything Ricky knows and won't say, we'll never know. We don't have anything left with to deal with him.

 

[Sara Huizenga]

He could have saved her ... I don't know how he can live with that knowledge ...

[Mary Ellen Hopkins]

Ricky is just playing innocent and sheltered. There is nothing good about this man. Ricky knew for 3 weeks!

 

[Sara Huizenga]

That's so sick - the press also seems to have done him a bit of a favor in how they portrayed him in the past ...

[Mary Ellen Hopkins]

Don't forget to watch Dateline tonight. It's just keeping her alive a little longer, to me anyway. I have to keep her name and story out there. Venus has to be found. I have a 5 mile radius of Doug's last phone call to ricky. Doug told him, "It's done. I can't believe I did it. She only screamed once. A drop of blood came from her nose and hit the sidewalk."

I don't want to get too graphic about her death. I want everyone to know how truley evil these 2 men were.This is too real for all that loved Venus. We will keep looking for her, IWe've been out 3 times this week already.I wish there was justice, not just lawyers playing a game in court.

[Sara Huizenga]

Will be watching tonight! http://peace4missing.ning.com/photo/dateline-nbc-to-air-story

[Jan Smolinski]

I know each state is different but I was told by the FBI in Connecticut if you help dispose of a body the statute of Limitations is two years...then nothing can be done...THIS IS INSANE!!
Laws need to be changed !!! What ever happened to the value of human life ! In my  opinion you take a life or help dispose of someone then you should get life....

[Christine Crandle]

So sad....where is the justice?  Why does it feel like the laws are so in favor of these criminals???????

[Mary Ellen Hopkins]

The criminals have more rights than the victims do. We have been activley prtesting the courthouse with posters. The judge can still give Ricky up to 15 yrs in prision. I don't think the judge will go against the prosecutor's recommendation of less than 1 yr in county jail. What is really sad is that 2 little girls are left without a mom. A mom that never left them for a second alone. Venus did indeed die for her girls. She would and did give her life for them. Where is thier mommy?