The time is near.....

Alright, everyone. The next two weeks will bring the culmination of what we all have been praying for this last year and a half........giant steps towards healing for Kensi and Grace. For the Dulins, this has never been about winning or "getting the girls." It has always been about having their granddaughters live in a healthy environment where they are safe to love all of their family, including their father. It is about truth, love and healing.

Tuesday, July 5th will start off with jury selection. I'm guessing that will take most of that day, maybe even run into Wednesday morning some. Not sure. So the actual trial should start July 6th, Wednesday, sometime and run through the beginning to middle of next week. I will be there the entire time but I will not be able to put anything on the blog during the trial. I will share what I can after the trial is over and I am back home. However, I do believe that the WacoTrib.com will have some coverage. If any of you see/read/hear news reports and want to share them here, just leave a link in the comments on this post for others to check out.

Most of all.........please continue (and increase) your prayers for the Dulin family and Kensi and Grace. Pray for the Judge and jury. Pray for the attorneys and witnesses. Pray God's will be done. Amen.

Custody Trial Update

I've had quite a few emails from concerned people about the custody trial so I thought I'd take a second and update.

The custody trial has been moved back to April 5.

Matt now has a court appointed attorney (taxpayers everywhere are delighted @@) and "he needs time to prepare."

But all that said, it's alright! God is leading this journey to save the girls. This rescue mission is right on track. Just as God triumphed in the murder trial, so shall He triumph in this one.

Keep up the prayers, everyone! They are soooooo working!!

Judge reversals his dismissal of custody case

The words I left you with last week after Judge's dismissal of the custody case....

"God has a plan. He is in control. Our faith is strong."

Wow! How amazingly has God rewarded his faithful and steadfast children! A huge blessing of wonderful news came yesterday. Judge Emerson has reversed his dismissal of the case and the custody case is back on track....with no delays stemming from last week's events!

Judge reinstates Dulins' case in custody battle for Matt Baker's children
WacoTrib.com
Tommy Witherspoon

"A Kerrville judge Friday reversed his ruling from last week that dismissed a lawsuit in which Kari Baker’s parents were seeking primary custody of their two granddaughters.

The new order, issued by 198th State District Judge M. Rex Emerson, reinstates the custody lawsuit between Jim and Linda Dulin, of Waco, and Oscar and Barbara Baker, of Kerrville, parents of former Baptist minister Matt Baker." (read more)

I will try to find out more about the mysteries surrounding all of this dismissal/reversal of dismissal. If anyone has anything to share or help explain any of this, please feel free to email me at JusticeForKari@gmail.com. In the article, it says that when the Dulins were contacted about this yesterday afternoon, they already knew but could not give comment because of the gag order. When Barbara was contacted about this, she didn't know yet. The Dulins are so very blessed with top notch attorneys that keep them so informed and up to date.

The trial is still on for January. The Judge has also ordered that the children and parties timely initiate counseling and testing as recommended previously. The Dulins have always been in favor of counseling and welcomed any and all studies to help determine the the best, healthiest and healing environment for the girls. Their first court appearance after Kari's death was for a court order for counseling because Matt refused to get them any. After one session, Matt moved the girls to Kerrville and that was the end of that. Adults going through the kinds of ongoing trama the girls have been through would need counseling. Children deserve no less.

Please continue to pray for Kensi and Grace. Also keep the prayers going for wisdom and strength for the Judge and the lawyers involved. And prayers for Linda and Jim and their family......prayers for continued amazing faith, strength and peace.

Custody Venue

Court dispute over custody of Matt Baker's daughters moves to Kerrville
Erin Quinn
WacoTrib.com

“We have traveled much tougher roads these four years than the road to Kerrville,” Dulin said. “We love our granddaughters with all that we are.

. . . We are committed to helping our granddaughters heal, and we will do what is required of us to reach this goal.” (read more)

Amen, Sister!

Custody: Gentry & Baker

Unlike in Baker case, custody of children left after Gentry murder conviction appears settled
Tommy Witherspoon
WacoTrib.com

Once again, Matt not following proper procedure. If he'd finally admit his attorney knows more about the law that he does, he might get more of what he wants. But he continues to insist on doing it his way:

"Former Central Texas minister Matt Baker tried this week to file a motion to transfer venue of the custody fight between his parents and his wife’s parents from Waco to Kerrville.

But, Baker did not submit a filing fee or proper affidavit alleging his indigence, so McLennan County District Clerk Karen Matkin was unable to file his motion." (read more)

Gracious, Darlene and Matt do have quite a bit in common. She still won't accept her guilt and punishment three years after being found guilty and sentenced to 60 years.

"Gentry was caught on videotape trying to retrieve the pistol she threw into a pond near Axtell after shooting her husband as he slept. Their three sons were asleep down the hall.

She filed a state motion for writ of habeas corpus Tuesday, alleging she was wrongfully convicted, did not receive a fair trial and is unlawfully imprisoned." (read more)

I think Gentry's attorney, Damon Reed, gets a little ahead of himself with this quote:

“In comparing our case to the Baker situation, I believe that the parent and grandparents involved put the children ahead of their own personal issues to get the matter settled and to keep the matter out of court,” Reed said. “They should
all be commended for it. At this point, it is a grandchild issue. It is not a murder case.” (read more)

Darlene was sentenced over 3 years ago, and that was 5 years after the murder. What part of it taking 3+ years to work out a custody arrangement is to be applauded? What has happened in the 3+ years getting to this point? Also, Mr. Reed, if you don't know the parties and circumstances involved, I don't think it prudent to take the "high horse" stance. I'm open to more info. But this bit sounds braggy.....without warrant.

Custody

Baker loses bid for new attorney as maternal grandparents of daughters file for custody
Tommy Witherspoon
WacoTrib.com

"Baker, 38, was sentenced to 65 years in prison last month in the April 2006 suffocation and drugging death of Kari Baker, the girls’ mother. He remains in the McLennan County Jail awaiting transfer to prison.

The Dulins pledged to seek custody of the girls and make them their first priority at the completion of Baker’s trial." (read more)

Below are two more quotes from Tommy's article and my comments are bolded.

“They have a good set of friends that they have had for nearly four years now in school, and they are in good classes with good friends,” Barbara Baker said. “They are involved in sports, community activities, church activities, and the thought of changing all that terrifies them.”
Well, three and a half years ago the girls were uprooted from where they had been living, pulled out of good classes and away from good friends. In Hewitt and Waco, they were involved in sports, community activities, church activities. After killing their mother, Matt uprooted the girls' world and moved them to Kerrville. And you know what, that's okay with me. There were other grown-up issues the girls weren't old enough to understand. Matt wanted to be with his family for help. Moving happens all the time. Adults have to decide what is best. There are reasons that children don't make such huge family decisions.

The girls are convinced that their mother committed suicide and that their father has been wrongfully convicted, she said.
This is HUGE. We can't know at this point in time know what the girls would want if they were allowed to know the truth, work through it, heal and grow from it. Barbara Baker will not allow the truth in that household. She says it adamantly, wholly, time and time again. TRUTH IS NOT AN OPTION in the Baker household. And even if there is that seed in the girls hearts and minds that they do believe Kari didn't leave them of her own choosing, they would not be allowed to show it, verbalize it, question it. TRUTH IS NOT AN OPTION in the Baker household. I could live with moving and uprooting. It sucks for kids. Sucks for kids all around the world that are moving for the family's (and their) best interest and wellbeing. What I can't stand is a murdered woman's children being force-fed lies for years and years and even in the face of the truth and conviction of their mother's murderer, can't embrace the truth and begin to finally heal. How can they be free to express their true feelings and thoughts in a household that simply will not allow it. Without truth, there can be no healing. I don't care if you show up to every basketball game, school play, church on Sunday, etc; if truth is barred from your home and harmful, disgusting lies piled upon these girls year in and year out ON TOP OF the complete desecration of their sweet Mother's memory and continual murder of her spirit year after year, you are not spiritually and emotionally fit to raise these two girls. Period. Without truth, what do you have? The absence of truth raises what?

I will close with a comment from the article that is left by "hb." It is worth sharing wherever it can be shared:

"This whole situation is tragic. These girls have had their lives shaped by the tragedy of the loss of their mother and now the loss of their father. The main issue must be the ultimate welfare of the girls - not just for today, this school year, but for their entire lives. The only way they can begin to heal is to honestly face the tragedies that have occurred. Living in Kerrville, I know that the girls have many good friends and are secure in their lives. My niece is one of their good friends. However, I do not believe that the Baker's will give them the counseling that is needed for the healing to occur. They still refuse to admit that Matt did anything wrong. At this point, that shows not only mindful ignorance, but neglect as well. While it may be hard to uproot them, it is better than leaving them to grow in a toxic household. That is not to say the Baker's are evil people, I am sure they are not, but there is line between support of your children and indulence [indolence] in harmful behavior. I think they have crossed that line. And looking at this from the perspective of the Dulin's, would any of you be willing to let your grandchildren stay with the family that was responsible for killing your daughter? As a parent, I would never do that and neither will Linda and Jim."