Sharee Miller
Encyclopedia
Sharee Paulette Kitley Miller (born October 13, 1971) is an American woman accused of plotting the murder of her husband with her online lover over the internet. Miller was convicted of the crime, but her conviction was overturned and she is currently free on bond while awaiting a new trial. She is living in the Greater Detroit area of Michigan.
would not have given her enough. After two days of deliberation, on December 22 the jury found Sharee Miller guilty on all charges. On Jan. 29, 2001, the Genesse County Circuit Court Judge Judith Fullerton sentenced Miller to life in prison for the conspiracy to murder charge, and 54 to 81 years for second-degree murder. She was serving her term at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Michigan and then the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Sharee still maintains her innocence and has filed an appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Her mother currently has custody
of one of her three children.
In August 2008, a federal court judge overturned her conviction and ordered that she receive a new trial. The judge found that the suicide note from Cassaday should have never been admitted into court and seen by the jurors because Cassaday was dead and could not be cross examined.
On July 16, 2009, a federal court judge ordered Sharee Miller's immediate release from prison on bond pending the new trial which was ordered in August 2008. In response, on July 17, 2009, Genessee County Prosecutor David Leyton ordered that Miller immediately be re-arrested from prison where she was taken to the Genessee County Jail and held without bond to await new charges. Sharee Miller was arraigned on July 22, 2009 again on charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder. The new trial was scheduled to begin on October 20, 2009. Miller's attorneys appealed this action. The retrial was put on hold pending the federal appeal.
On July 29, 2009, Sharee Miller was released from the Genesee County Jail on a $100,000 recognizance bond until her new trial begins.
In December 2009, Sharee Miller was found using the popular social networking site Facebook
. Miller’s lawyer, David Nickola, said that there was no reason for his client to be barred from using a computer, but Sharee's Facebook page was temporarily deactivated when it attracted publicity. “I don’t think there’s anything inappropriate about it,” Nickola said. He states that Sharee used Facebook to keep in touch with her family members and her son who is overseas in the military. “She’s an innocent person out in society and she’s doing positive things,” Nickola said, “Having a Facebook page to communicate with her son who is serving in the military overseas is nothing inappropriate whatsoever.” While having a Facebook page is not a violation of Miller’s bond, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said this is a perfect example of why people need to be careful when they’re online. “People have to be careful when they’re communicating with others who they don’t know on the Internet,” Leyton said.
On June 21, 2010, by a 2-1 margin, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the August 2008 federal ruling that the Cassaday suicide note was not admissible.
, Investigation Discovery's Deadly Women
and on the Oxygen Channel's true crime series Snapped
. The case was the subject of a book, Fatal Error, by Kansas City Star reporter Mark Morris and Paul Janczewski.
A television movie produced by Lifetime Television
called Fatal Desire
starring Eric Roberts
and Anne Heche
was also based on the Sharee Miller case.
Trial and incarceration
After her arrest in February 2000, she was held without bail until her trial. On December 12, 2000, the State of Michigan v. Sharee Miller trial began and her case made national headlines. According to the prosecution, Sharee wanted Bruce dead for his money and that a divorceDivorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
would not have given her enough. After two days of deliberation, on December 22 the jury found Sharee Miller guilty on all charges. On Jan. 29, 2001, the Genesse County Circuit Court Judge Judith Fullerton sentenced Miller to life in prison for the conspiracy to murder charge, and 54 to 81 years for second-degree murder. She was serving her term at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Michigan and then the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Sharee still maintains her innocence and has filed an appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Her mother currently has custody
Child custody
Child custody and guardianship are legal terms which are used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and his or her child, such as the right of the parent to make decisions for the child, and the parent's duty to care for the child.Following ratification of the United...
of one of her three children.
Recent events
She credits mental health staff at the prison. In 2007 while in prison she was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses. She also claims that she wants to give back to the people she had selfishly taken from.In August 2008, a federal court judge overturned her conviction and ordered that she receive a new trial. The judge found that the suicide note from Cassaday should have never been admitted into court and seen by the jurors because Cassaday was dead and could not be cross examined.
On July 16, 2009, a federal court judge ordered Sharee Miller's immediate release from prison on bond pending the new trial which was ordered in August 2008. In response, on July 17, 2009, Genessee County Prosecutor David Leyton ordered that Miller immediately be re-arrested from prison where she was taken to the Genessee County Jail and held without bond to await new charges. Sharee Miller was arraigned on July 22, 2009 again on charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit premeditated first-degree murder. The new trial was scheduled to begin on October 20, 2009. Miller's attorneys appealed this action. The retrial was put on hold pending the federal appeal.
On July 29, 2009, Sharee Miller was released from the Genesee County Jail on a $100,000 recognizance bond until her new trial begins.
In December 2009, Sharee Miller was found using the popular social networking site Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
. Miller’s lawyer, David Nickola, said that there was no reason for his client to be barred from using a computer, but Sharee's Facebook page was temporarily deactivated when it attracted publicity. “I don’t think there’s anything inappropriate about it,” Nickola said. He states that Sharee used Facebook to keep in touch with her family members and her son who is overseas in the military. “She’s an innocent person out in society and she’s doing positive things,” Nickola said, “Having a Facebook page to communicate with her son who is serving in the military overseas is nothing inappropriate whatsoever.” While having a Facebook page is not a violation of Miller’s bond, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said this is a perfect example of why people need to be careful when they’re online. “People have to be careful when they’re communicating with others who they don’t know on the Internet,” Leyton said.
On June 21, 2010, by a 2-1 margin, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the August 2008 federal ruling that the Cassaday suicide note was not admissible.
In popular culture
The trial made national headlines; Miller’s life was profiled on A&E American JusticeAmerican Justice
American Justice is an American criminal justice television program on the A&E Network, hosted by Bill Kurtis. The show features interesting or notable cases, such as the Selena Murder of a Star, Scarsdale Diet doctor murder, the Hillside Stranglers, Matthew Shepard, or the Wells Fargo heist, with...
, Investigation Discovery's Deadly Women
Deadly Women
Deadly Women is a television series first aired in 2005 on the Discovery Channel, focusing on female killers. It was originally a mini-series consisting of three episodes: "Obsession," "Greed" and "Revenge". After a 2 year hiatus, the show resumed production in 2008 and began airing on the...
and on the Oxygen Channel's true crime series Snapped
Snapped
Snapped is an American true crime television series that airs on the Oxygen Network. Snapped debuted on August 6, 2004 and is produced in conjunction with Jupiter Entertainment.-Synopsis:...
. The case was the subject of a book, Fatal Error, by Kansas City Star reporter Mark Morris and Paul Janczewski.
A television movie produced by Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
called Fatal Desire
Fatal Desire
Fatal Desire is a made-for-TV film produced by Lifetime Television. It premiered April 3, 2006 on the network and starred Eric Roberts as Joe, an ex-policeman turned casino pit boss in Atlantic City, and Anne Heche as Tanya Sullivan, a bored housewife with very manipulative ways...
starring Eric Roberts
Eric Roberts
Eric Anthony Roberts is an American actor. His career began with King of the Gypsies , earning a Golden Globe nomination for best actor debut. He starred as the protagonist in the 1980 dramatisation of Willa Cather's 1905 short story, Paul's Case...
and Anne Heche
Anne Heche
Anne Celeste Heche is an American actress, director, and screenwriter. She started her career on the daytime soap opera Another World, for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991. Heche gradually landed supporting roles in feature films, and in 1997 appeared in I Know What You Did Last Summer,...
was also based on the Sharee Miller case.