Her fear takes a break during hearing
Attack survivor Patricia Wells, testifying about a neo-Nazi mob's racial slurs, believes the leader committed a hate crime.
By JAMAL THALJI
Published October 7, 2006
NEW PORT RICHEY - Blocking her attacker's plunging knife left her right hand almost useless. Watching the masked man brutally stab Kristofer King left her with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Living next to the Teak Street neo-Nazis left Patricia Wells scarred in many ways. Yet when she confronted one of her accused tormentors in court Friday, she did not waver.
Wells survived the infamous March 23 stabbing attack in her home that killed King, her son's 17-year-old friend. Wells blamed the still-unsolved crime on the white supremacists next door, who were incensed that a black acquaintance was often at her home.
Next week their leader Brian "Zero" Buckley goes on trial for another alleged crime: leading a racist mob that tried to storm her house days before the murder.
"They told me I was signing my eviction notice," Well said.
What did that mean?
"Meaning, basically, that they were going to kill me," Wells said.
She testified in a Friday hearing about whether racist statements would be admitted in Buckley's burglary trial. Her testimony was calm, cool, matter of fact. It was also just a warmup.
Later this month, Wells said, she will testify before a grand jury about King's murder. That grand jury could then hand up a first-degree murder indictment, publicly identifying for the first time the person that authorities think is responsible for King's death.
That's also why it didn't matter to Wells that Buckley's defense attorney may have won him a favorable ruling. Circuit Judge Stanley Mills said he might not let jurors in Buckley's burglary trial hear the specific racial slurs shouted by the mob that tried to storm Wells' home March 7.
There's no evidence that Buckley, accused of punching his fist through her front door, used slurs. Defense attorney Grady Irvin Jr., the prominent black lawyer appointed to defend the neo-Nazi leader, argued that such racist language could inflame the jury.
"Did you convict him on the slur?" Irvin said. "Or did you convict him on the evidence?"
To prove the burglary charge, the state needs to prove Buckley tried to break into Wells' home intending to commit another crime.
"The crime we're going to allege is battery," said Assistant State Attorney Mary Handsel, "and that comes from the overtly hostile statements."
The judge said jurors will hear that racist language was used. A final ruling will be made Monday, when jury selection starts. The trial is Tuesday.
Neither side would discuss the prospects of a plea deal. Buckley faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, and his criminal record could double that sentence.
It doesn't matter to Wells whether a jury next week hears about all the hatred she was subjected to on Teak Street. What's important to her is that the grand jury hear about it.
"The grand jury is going to hear about what happened to my son's best friend," she said. "I think it should be considered as a hate crime."
Wells, 44, said the neo-Nazis started harassing her the first day she moved into her new home last December. A black acquaintance helped her.
It got so bad Wells sold the home hours before the fatal stabbing - but lost thousands in the deal. She used to clean homes but can't work anymore. She now lives with a friend in an undisclosed part of Pasco County. Family members help her get by.
Wells said the authorities gave her the number of a psychiatrist who could help her - but her calls don't get returned.
Her son, Brandon Wininger, fled Florida after his friend's death. He's terrified of Pasco County, the mother said, and she is, too.
But she can't afford to leave.
"I've lost everything," she said.