On January 17th, I wrote about Lisa Greene, the North Carolina woman who killed her children by setting their house on fire. New details were released on Friday at Greene's hearing...A judge in Cabarrus County, NC has ruled that 41-year old Lisa Greene, the mother who started a fire that killed her two children, could face the death penalty. On January 10th, her children, Daniel Macemore, 10, and Addison Macemore, 8, died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
It outrages me when I hear about parents killing their children. As a child, we rely on our parents for protection, food, shelter, etc. When a parent or caregiver abuses the trust of a child by abuse or otherwise, it should not be taken lightly. Lisa Greene went beyond abuse and resorted to murder and I agree with the judges ruling. Those children relied on her to get help and she didn't even try! I am more sickened to hear that Lisa Greene is not taking responsibility for her actions. She admitted to police that she set a blanket on fire, leaving it in front of the children's bedroom door and sitting in a recliner to watch the fire escalate. She is now claiming she was under the influence of drugs when she admitted to the murders. Her family is supporting her but I have to wonder if their positions have changed after hearing the evidence against her in court today. Over 20 members of Greene's family were in court Friday to support her.
According to News 14 Carolina, "Ashlie Shanley, Cabarrus County assistant district attorney, described Greene as a woman tired of raising her two children, and who started a fire at her Midland home to suffocate them with carbon monoxide." Based on the defendant's own admissions, she's the one who set it, said Shanley of the Cabarrus County District Attorney's Office. The children "died with their mother telling them: Get on the bed. I'll be back."The Independent Tribune reported: "Shanley stated that Greene told detectives she placed a blanket on fire outside the door to the children's bedroom. The blanket caught the bookcase on fire and she then closed the door. Shanley said, Greene then went to sit in her recliner chair as the smoke began to build and did nothing to help her children. Shanley said Greene then went outside and waited, not expecting her neighbors dogs to start barking, which alerted Greene's neighbor that was something was going on. The neighbor called 911. A witnesses will say she did not make one move to get up and save her kids, however, Greene did ask for her car to be moved so it wouldn't be burned in the fire."
In addition, The Independent Tribune gives some details of Lisa Greene's defense case.
"Lisa Dubs and Robert Campbell, Greene's court appointed attorneys claim the day she confessed was also the day she was preparing to attend her children's funeral as well as using tranquilizers to stabilize her emotions. Dubs said the statements Greene may have made were done so under duress. During the bond hearing, Dubs played the 911 call from the night of the fire at Greene's home. As the tape played, Dubs placed her arm over the shoulder of Greene, who sat crying in the courtroom wearing a green prisoner's uniform. Her relatives also cried as they listened to the tape of Greene screaming for help after a neighbor called 911.
Dubs said that the night of the fire, Greene fell asleep in her chair and that many witnesses could testify that Addison and Daniel liked to use candles in their room. Dubs said that a smoke alarm woke Greene up on the night of the fire and she tried to reacouldn't children, but couldn't. Dubs said that one report states that during the fire all Greene could say was, "Go get my kids" and "Where are my kids?" She said Greene was taken to NorthEast Medical Center where she was treated for smoke inhalation. She also said that Greene had a third-degree burn to her foot. (This was a discrepancy from the prosecution's records that showed Greene only had a minor burn.)Greene's mother, Dale Greene, testified Friday. She said Lisa Greene was a photographer who would travel to various schools and take yearbook photos. When Lisa Greene was gone, she would often watch the children. She said Lisa had a good support system. "I watched Daniel and Addison when she was at work." I put them on the bus and I'd watch them when they got off the bus," Dale Greene said. "I was there a lot with them."
Dubs also claims that the day of the fire, the children's bookbags were packed for school, they had snacks and signed papers ready for the next day. "Those are not the actions of a careless mother," Dubs said. "They are certainly not the actions of a mother planning to kill her children."
She said there was no motive for Greene to kill her children because there was no insurance policy on the children and there many family members who could aid with child care. "They were healthy, normal children without any signs of abuse," Dubs said.
She said she may file a motion to submit statements made by Greene the day she was arrested. Dubs said, "some of the statements Shanley was citing were made by Greene to deputies the same day she was arrested. "Dubs also said that when an attorney was contacted by Greene's family, he was not allowed to sit in on the interview." (The prosection says Greene never requested an attorney during the interview.) Those statements are very suspect, Dubs said. She was called to the sheriff's office the day that she was to start receiving (guests) for her children' s funeral.
Prosecutors argued that the murder was committed during an arson. The murder was especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel, they said. And the murder was part of Greene's course of violent conduct toward another person.
Greene, 40, of 10925 Candilara Lane, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree arson, and one count each of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Greene's motion for bail was denied. She has been held without bond in the Cabarrus County jail since her arrest Jan. 13th.
