According to the AP (Minneapolis StarTribune Online, July 29, 2008): Michael Stoner of Spooner Wisconsin, “who was arrested for child abuse days after surviving the Twin Cities bridge collapse has pleaded no contest to criminal charges.
“Michael Stoner entered the plea to second-degree reckless endangerment and obstructing an officer in Washburn County Circuit Court on Monday.
I have written about this tragedy several times on this site. I have received dozens of very negative emails and commentaries in response to my comments. For those of you who haven’t read my commentaries on the matter, please refer to the search engine at the right of this page. By means of quick update, I quote the StarTribune article cited above.
“Stoner and his girlfriend were on their way to a
“Stoner was arrested days later and accused of abusing the child. Doctors determined her injuries were consistent with shaken-baby syndrome.”
According to WEAU.com (7/29/08) "’Extensive negotiations were able to result in a plea agreement where there's at least some acknowledgment on his part that these injuries were caused by other than accidental means,’ says D.A J. Michael Bitney.”
According to KARE11.com (7/29/08), Michael Stoner said that his no contest plea to “felony charges that he recklessly endangered his fiancée’s daughter…does not mean he hurt the girl.
“‘I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place on this situation,’ Stoner said in a Shell Lake, Wisconsin courtroom today. ‘I don't feel that any of these proceedings have been fair at all. I don't think the truth has been told.’
“But prosecutors say it's Michael Stoner who's untruthful, that he's lied all along about how Emma Manning was hurt. Stoner was home alone with the toddler August 1st, and claims the 2 year old fell down a flight of steps, but medical experts say her injuries were too severe.
"‘There's no way these injuries could have been caused by a fall down the stairs," said Washburn County District Attorney J. Michael Bitney.
“Doctors at Children's Hospital say the girl was comatose when she arrived, unresponsive with a blown pupil, bruises, and massive head trauma. But since Stoner's story never wavered, investigators say their case is tough to prove.
"‘Our witness is a 2 year old child who's severely mentally handicapped,’ Bitney said. ‘She's our only witness, and she can't tell us what happened to her.’
“Police believe Stoner not only hurt the girl, but also failed to help her, charging he waited to call a doctor, passed two hospitals before taking Emma to the emergency room, then later lying to detectives, all things they say made her condition worse.
"‘These are lifelong injuries that she'll have to suffer,’ Bitney said. ‘She'll have significant injuries for her life. It's a life sentence for this little girl. A lot less than what Mr. Stoner is facing.’
“Stoner's sentence with today's plea will be a maximum of 13 years, jail time prosecutors say is little justice for a little girl.
“Stoner also pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of obstructing an officer.
A third charge of physical abuse of a child was dropped in the plea agreement.
Stoner, his attorney, and his family all declined to talk with KARE 11 today.
“Manning was not charged in the case.”
This convicted child abuser has not been sentenced and no date for sentencing has been set.
Where are all the people that commented on this site and in my email about how Stoner is innocent? If he actually was innocent he would not have copped a plea. Given our justice system, he will probably end up with a “time served” sentence. His friends who commented on this site and in my email need to finally admit that they are wrong and that Stoner is a child abuser. They need to apologize for their comments. Not to me, but to the rest of the civilized world that is trying to rid the world of child abuse.
This man needs to serve major time…I mean life without parole. He needs to see pictures everyday of the damage he did to Emmaline Manning. And the mother, Chrystal Manning, needs to confront whatever demons she has that allowed her to connect with this human defect and which allowed her to lie, at least originally, about what happened.
I feel so sorry for Emmaline. She is an innocent whose future has been destroyed. All thanks to Michael Stoner. I said over and over that if Stoner is innocent, I hope that he has a fair trial and is able to prove his innocence. I also said that if he is guilty, I hope he rots in prison. He is now proven to be guilty. Let him rot in prison.
Everyone who supported Stoner shares the guilt. I feel sorry for you all!
