The family of Mary Jean Wilson is having to relive the nightmare of her slaying 30 years ago as her murderer seeks clemency from his life sentence.
Careleen Jones of Van Buren Township said her sister was shot in the face and killed by Carl Works, now 51, who was sentenced to life by a Monroe County jury in 1981.
Mary Jean was 20 years old and the mother of two. Her body was left in an Exeter Township ditch by Works and his girlfriend Sheila Royster, then 19, of Belleville who served time for also shooting Mary Jean in the face. Works’ shot was the killer, however.
Works has requested clemency from Governor Jennifer Granholm and on Sept. 7 the Michigan Department of Corrections Parole and Commutation Board will hear testimony in Ionia.
“Life should mean life,” said Jones, who will be at the hearing with other family members to give testimony as to why the governor should not release Works.
“He was diagnosed in prison as being a psychopath, or with an anti-social disorder,” Jones said. “He should not be free. He killed my sister.”
Reportedly Works, who currently is serving time at the Kinross facility in the Upper Peninsula, has had seven major misconduct violations while in prison, including disobeying direct orders and using cocaine.
Assistant Monroe County Prosecutor Michael C. Brown said he is fighting to keep Works in prison because he believes Works still is a threat to society.
Brown also plans to attend the Sept. 7 meeting in Ionia to do all he can to keep Works in prison.
“If he’s released, he’s probably going to hurt someone,” Brown is reported as saying. “We want him to stay where he is.”
Jones said she hopes people in the community will write to Gov. Granholm to protest the release of her sister’s murderer.
The clemency hearing will hear testimony and then give a recommendation to the governor, who will make the final decision.
In the last two years the governor has allowed release of at least 106 Michigan prisoners, including 31 convicted of first-degree murder.