Chapter Two
(Getting Released)
Bill Wiley was a next door neighbor to the Short family and he and his wife Bev
were close friends of the Shorts. Three years prior to Jackie's arrest, Bev
Wiley had died of cancer and Bill had become somewhat of a recluse. He was a
retired electrical engineer who had been very successful in developing a number
of innovative applications of technology to the security industry. One such
development had been the electronic tracker. It was a wristband that was locked
on an individual which broadcast a signal to a receiver when it passed through a
special field set up around an area. It allowed the release into the community
of certain individuals while keeping track of their whereabouts. Bill had also
done substantial remodeling on his home after his wife's death and had added a
small studio apartment in his basement with the only exit being through the main
part of the house. He had also installed a security system that included
cameras inside and outside the home.
Bill had known Jackie all her life and she considered him her "Uncle Bill".
When he came forward and offered to be the "third party guardian", Jackie and
her folks were elated. Before signing any formal papers, Bill wanted to meet
with the Shorts and Jackie to make sure everyone understood the parameters he
would insist on before he would make the commitment.
Bill met with the Jackie's parents and explained that Jackie would have to live
at his house but that she would be using the basement apartment. He also
explained that he had taken out the phone and had created an interference screen
around the apartment so Jackie would not be able to contact anyone via the
computer network in his home.
In other words, Jackie would essentially be in isolation when in the apartment
and could only communicate with Bill via an intercom system. She would not be
able to leave the apartment without Bill's permission and he would have to open
the door to let her out as he had removed the standard door and had installed a
steel door which could only be opened from his side of the door without a key.
From the apartment side it took a special electronic key coded only to Bill's
fingerprint. He also explained that Jackie would be subject to the rules of his
home and that if she violated any of the provisions of her bail requirements or
was unwilling to follow the rules of his house, he would immediately report her
and have her sent back to jail thereby causing the Shorts to lose the cash
deposit as well as their home.
Although the Shorts had some reservations about these arrangements they were so
anxious to get Jackie out of jail that they agreed and signed a document Bill
had prepared to that effect. They didn't pay real close attention to all the
provisions of the document so didn't pick up on the fact that Bill could punish
Jackie as he saw fit for any violations of his rules including restricting her
contact with her parents. Bill told them that he would take good care of Jackie
and that they shouldn't worry. He wouldn't let her fail in performing all the
necessary requirements. Bill then met with Jackie and went over the same things
with her and made sure she understood that he was totally responsible for her
behavior when she got out. He made sure she understood that he would report any
infractions of her bail release provisions and would have her sent back to jail.
He also explained that if she didn't obey his house rules she would be punished
by Bill. Jackie agreed and signed the same document, including the punishment
provision that her parents had signed. The release hearing was then scheduled
for the next morning.
