Kanawha family law judge threatened twice
Smallridge
CHARLESTON Similar to a Parkersburg dentist, two people in Kanawha County stood accused of making threats on a family law judge only to have their cases result in different outcomes.
Recently, The West Virginia Record reported on the trial of Dr. Dale E. Brum. In 2007, Brum was indicted by a Wood grand jury for making alleged threats on not only the life of Wood Family Law Judge Annette Fantasia, but also Parkersburg Police Officer John Pelfrey and C. Blaine Myers, a Parkersburg attorney.
In presenting the state's case against Brum in June, Wood County Prosecutor Ginny Conley said she intended to prove that Brum made viable treats against all three on Feb. 25, 2006. It was on this day that Brum received a letter from the state Supreme Court denying his motion to have Fantasia recused in his divorce from his ex-wife, Debra.
According to Conley, after receiving the letter, Brum's children reportedly overhead him saying "they should all be killed." As further evidence of Brum's desire to harm Fantasia, Pelfrey and Myers, Conley alleged Brum not only drove by the houses of all three, making threatening comments, but also stopped by a gun show.
In taking the stand in his defense, Brum admitted he acted "inappropriately" that day. Though he also admitted to uttering the phrase "the only solution was to kill them all" it was directed toward attorneys in general because, in his opinion, they are "moneysuckers."
Also, though he did drive by Fantasia's house later that afternoon, Brum said it was along the route to where his sister lived where he and his children where heading for dinner. Brum testified at no time did he make any threatening comments about Fantasia.
After deliberating...
