by Kevin Lilly
A Cass County judge has denied an ex-pastor’s petition to reduce his 100-year sentence for the 1991 attempt to bomb his lover’s husband.
On Friday in Cass Circuit Court, Senior Judge Julian Ridlen heard arguments from inmate Jerry C. Wilson and prosecutor Kevin Enyeart. The judge ordered that the 67-year-old prisoner serve the remainder of his sentence, which according to the Indiana Department of Correction runs until at least 2041.
In 1991, police arrested Wilson, the former pastor of Bible Tabernacle Church of Monticello, on the suspicion he planted a bomb on a car at Logan Roller Rink. The bomb was rigged to explode when Bill McKay, a church member, backed the vehicle over a wire attached to the bomb under the vehicle. The car also contained a 15-year-old girl.
A jury later that year found Wilson guilty of two counts of attempted murder, both class A felonies, and one class C felony count of possession of an explosive. A judge sentenced him to 108 years, the maximum permitted by Indiana law.
Since his conviction, Wilson has made repeated attempts to either receive another trial or reduce his sentence. The court denied most of his motions.
The Indiana Court of Appeals reduced Wilson’s prison term in 1993 by eight years, finding that his possession of explosives was part of the offense of attempted murder. The appeals court upheld the two 50-year sentences.
On Friday, Wilson argued that setting him free and allowing him to move out of state would save Indiana more than $300,000 based on the cost of $53.96 per day if he served just 15 more years in prison. Wilson also submitted 18 letters in support of his sentence modification.
Any reduction would have to be approved by the prosecutor, who objected.
Enyeart said the court should not even have granted the hearing for Wilson, who had to be transported from Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Enyeart argued Wilson’s request was “legally moot” because Cass Circuit Court lacked the authority to grant the petition.
Ridlen ruled in favor of the state.
The case received national media attention. According to Pharos-Tribune coverage, testimony during the trial revealed Wilson had an affair with McKay’s wife and that when she tried to break it off, Wilson threatened to tell the congregation about the affair.
McKay had gone to the roller rink to check it out for a possible church youth group outing.
Police found tape in Wilson’s garage that matched the tape under the car at the roller rink. Two women identified Wilson as the man they saw near McKay’s vehicle on the night the bomb was planted.
Since his conviction, Wilson has served nearly 20 years in prison, meaning he has at least 30 years to serve before becoming eligible for parole. By then, he will be nearly 100 years old.
• Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com.
