Melee Breaks Out In Courtroom

BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) _ A man accused of shooting his former brother-in-law to death in front of the victim's children was ordered held without bail in an arraignment that ended with a courtroom melee

Tuesday, August 28th 2007, 7:13 am

By: News On 6

BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) _ A man accused of shooting his former brother-in-law to death in front of the victim's children was ordered held without bail in an arraignment that ended with a courtroom melee involving family members.

Michael Christmas, 40, of Shaftsbury, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the killing Saturday of Ronald Wilkins, 36, of North Bennington. Christmas also is charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault.

After his arraignment Monday, the Vermont District Court chamber erupted in chaos, with friends and relatives of the two men screaming, cursing and shoving benches as they tried to get at each other. Some were knocked to the floor before Vermont State Police troopers, sheriff's deputies and others hustled them outside.

The incident began when Wilkins' girlfriend, Pam Conley, swore at Christmas, calling him ``gutless'' and an expletive.

``You stole my kid's father. You stole a good man. You are a worthless piece of (expletive),'' she said.

``He's a good man, too,'' one of Christmas's relatives shouted back.

Christmas, 40, pleaded not guilty. Each of the four charges against him carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Court documents say that late Saturday afternoon, Christmas _ riding a bicycle _ went to the Shaftsbury home of former father-in-law Ron Harrington, pulled out a 9 millimeter pistol and shot Wilkins five times on a patio.

A family friend, identified in court papers as C.L., told police he saw Christmas ride up on his bicycle and approach Wilkins.

``Don't shoot, don't shoot,'' Wilkins said, according to the friend.

``How do you like me now?'' Christmas said after he shot Wilkins, according to the affidavit.

The killing was witnessed by Wilkins' children _ ages 9, 12 and 14. Christmas, who got back on his bicycle afterward and rode home, was arrested without incident there by State Police, authorities said.

``I'm the one who did it, I shot the guy,'' Christmas told the trooper who arrested him, according to a police affidavit released Monday.

The pistol used to shoot Wilkins was found in the master bedroom of Christmas's home, according to the affidavit.

Court documents said Christmas and Wilkins _ who married sisters _ never got along.

Interviewed by police, Christmas admitted sexually molesting his own daughter, now 22, when she was between 8 and 13, according to the affidavit, although he is not charged with that.

The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual assault.

Christmas' daughter's baby girl lives with Christmas and his wife, Tina.

On Saturday, Christmas saw his daughter at a street party and she told him she planned to take the baby back.

``Christmas felt that his daughter was going to talk about the previous molestation,'' said an affidavit signed by Vermont State Police Detective Reg Trayah. ``Christmas, believing his life was going to be turned upside down, decided he was going to kill the person who was his biggest pain.''

Christmas told another investigator that he had molested one of Wilkins' children, and that that also prompted him to shoot Wilkins.

While investigating the shooting, police spoke with a 12-year-old daughter of Wilkins who said she had been molested by Christmas more than 30 times. A 9-year-old boy, identified in court documents by his initials only, told police Christmas had sexually molested him on three separate occasions while Christmas was baby-sitting him at Christmas' home.