Ex-cop terrorized her; afraid she'd die - slay wife's lawyerNew York Daily News
BY Patrice O'Shaughnessy
February 25th 2008
Barbara Sheehan suffered horrible abuse at the hands of her cop husband for 18 years, her lawyer says. And as she sits in jail after killing him, she is relieved yet remorseful and calls the outcome "tragic" and "terrible," attorney Michael Dowd told the Daily News. Sheehan is charged with murder for shooting retired NYPD crime scene unit Sgt. Raymond Sheehan 11 times with his own guns in their Howard Beach, Queens, home a week ago. "No question, the abuse was substantial, violent," said Dowd, a lawyer well-known for defending suspects who kill their abusers. "He terrorized her"... Raymond Sheehan had responded to murders, domestic violence assaults and all manner of mayhem in 20 years with the NYPD. His former cop colleagues said the "nice guy" and family man whose wife called him several times a day at work gave no signal there was trouble at home. Neighbors say Raymond Sheehan was a kids' sports coach and active in his church. Cops have no record of prior domestic violence... One former colleague said he was torn between attending Sheehan's funeral Saturday, and "paying respects to a possible wife beater"...
Wife in ex-cop's killing granted $1M bail
ReplyDeleteNew York Daily News, NY - 15 hours ago
By NICOLE BODE
Thursday, February 28th 2008, 8:43 AM
The Queens mom charged with killing her ex-cop husband with his own guns was granted $1 million bail Wednesday - as her lawyer claimed she acted in self-defense.
Barbara Sheehan, 46, was initially denied bail, but that was reversed Wednesday during an emotional hearing packed with her children, Raymond, 18, and Jennifer, 21; her parents, and friends.
"For 18 years, this woman put herself, time and time again, between her husband and his attempts to hurt her children," her attorney Michael Dowd said. "Is she going to run from her children now?"
"No question in my mind she acted in self-defense," he added. "The deceased was armed."
"It's the court's feeling she does not pose a threat to society beyond what she's accused of having done," Queens Supreme Court Justice John Latella said in permitting bail.
The school secretary is charged with murder in the shooting death of her husband, retired NYPD Sgt. Raymond Sheehan, 49, in their Howard Beach home Feb. 18.
Dowd said relatives will leverage their houses and obtain donations from the Howard Beach community to post the bail.
Prosecutors had argued that Sheehan was emotionally fragile and needed to stay in jail for treatment. Sheehan, who had to surrender her passport, is due back in court Thursday.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/02/28/2008-02-28_wife_in_excops_killing_granted_1m_bail-1.html
I JUST WATCHED BARBARA SHEEHAN ON THE OPRAH SHOW. HOW MY HEART GOES OUT TO THIS WOMAN. HOW SHE ENDURED SO MANY TRAGIC AND FREIGHTFUL YEARS AT THE HAND OF THIS AWFUL MAN. SHE AND HER FAMILY WILL BE IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. AMONGST ALL OF THE PAST AND PRESENT VICTIMS WHO HAD AND HAVE ARE ENDURING THIS FORM OF TORTURE. ONCE WAS A FEELING OF LOVE. NOW ITS A DESPERATION OF SURVIVAL!!! MY HEART GOES OUT TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU. GOD BLESS!
ReplyDeleteI also just watched the oprah show...it was shown on Dutch television.
ReplyDeleteI was living Barbaras's life for almost 20 years, until i had the courage to go, with two children, and just a suitcase.
I believe that if i had not left, it would have been me who was murdered or i would have murdered him, as the thought crossed my mind continuously.
He hounded me for years and i left England to start a new life in Holland,,where i live to this day............alone but happy!!!!
So glad you made your move and claimed your life - that you were able to do that successfully. Peace RULES! :)
ReplyDeleteI feel so sorry for Barbara and her family. The trauma she has experienced all these years is continuing. No one can possibly understand how difficult a life of domestic violence is unless they have lived under this constant cloud of fear and domination. I empathize with this family especially as I too am the daughter of a domestic abuser. My father was known to the outside the world as helpful and a good family man but the truth behind closed doors was completely different. I would often put myself in harms way to protect my mother from his beatings. When I got to be a teenager this action often saw me in the firing line. One night at aged 15 and mum was at work, I was so badly beaten on my legs with a belt that the welts took a week to go down. He was always careful to leave brusing where clothes would be able to cover the wounds up. After 24 years of marriage and yet another beating, my mother fled as my father chased me around the house. My mother often cries not about leaving him, but the fact that she didn't leave him sooner. Her regret is for her children being brought up in such an unhealthy environment. I don't hate my father, but our relationship has never been good. It is hard to love a human being who acts in such an inhuman way. To this day he does not believe he ever did anything wrong. Although I cannot change my father, I owe it to my family to break this cycle. My advise to others in a similar situation is to be strong, make a plan and leave. I cannot promise life will be easy but I and my mother can swear it is so much better.
ReplyDeleteThat's powerful. Thank you. I was raised that way too, with my mother always planning and promising to leave - and apologizing years later. We can all break the cycle if we make the decision.
ReplyDeleteBarbara advises get out early as you can. You say leaping into the unknown is well worth it.
I hope folks on the line and confused find both your and Barbara's words.
my heart goes out to this woman,i feel havin watched her interview she acted in self defence.she does not deserve to go to prison.god bless her and her family x
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that Barbara should be going to jail or even going into a court room. After suffering abuse from my ex husband for 6 years, i understand what she went through, i found a way to get myself and my children out even though it was hard, it took 18months to properly get out. I was watching Oprah and it emulates my life of what my ex did. He did not just abuse me but i found also our kids. I wanted to do what Barbara did to save myself, our children and our family. God bless you Barbara and your family. When you go through this, it is hard to get out even though you try and try. I support you full hearteningly. If you have this sort of issue, tell someone, get out, do it. I know it is hard but do it.
ReplyDelete