Opinion ID: 767895
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Fletcher's Trial and Skelton's Continuing Relationship with Fletcher

Text: 18 Meanwhile, Fletcher prepared for her trial with her attorney Jim Skelton. Prior to trial, the state offered to let Fletcher plead guilty to non-capital murder. Skelton declined the plea offer on Fletcher's behalf. Eventually, the state reindicted Fletcher on two counts of aggravated robbery and dismissed the capital murder indictment. Fletcher proceeded to trial on the two aggravated robbery counts in October 1980. 19 At Fletcher's trial, Skelton's strategy was to demonstrate Fletcher's innocence by placing all the blame on Perillo and Briddle. Skelton argued that Fletcher came from a good background and was a fundamentally different type of person than either Briddle or Perillo. Skelton emphasized, for example, that Fletcher's family was well-educated, and that Fletcher's relationship with Briddle began as the result of some sort of misguided sociological experiment. Skelton emphasized that both Perillo and Briddle came from mean circumstances, and that both Perillo and Briddle had prior criminal records. During closing argument, Fletcher's jury was presented with large photographs intended to dramatically illustrate the difference between the clean-cut and wholesome Fletcher, on the one hand, and the evil and hardened Perillo and Briddle, on the otherhand. Fletcher did not testify at her own trial, and the state did not call either Perillo, whose appeal was pending, or Briddle, who was still resisting extradition from Colorado. The jury convicted Fletcher on both counts of aggravated robbery, but Fletcher was sentenced to only five years probation. Shortly thereafter, Fletcher returned to her home in California to serve out her probation and obtained an annulment of her marriage to Briddle. 20 After Fletcher's trial, Fletcher and her attorney, Skelton, stayed in contact with each other by written correspondence and with telephone calls. Skelton also developed a close relationship with Fletcher's mother. In July 1981, when Fletcher planned to remarry, Skelton was asked to come to California and give the bride away. Skelton agreed, and traveled to California to spend several days participating in the wedding festivities with Fletcher's family. 21