Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 22, 1990 TAG: 9006220912
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: VICTORIA RATCLIFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Edgar Lee Fisher Jr., 36, was ordered held without bond after a Roanoke County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judge heard testimony that Fisher had been sentenced in 1977 to five years in prison for unlawful wounding in the child-abuse death of his daughter, Melanie Ann.
Judge Joe Clarke said he also was concerned that Fisher might be a danger to himself after hearing testimony that he had shot himself in the chest on June 11 after agreeing to turn himself in to authorities to be charged with sexually abusing the 6-year-old daughter of an acquaintance.
Roanoke County Detective Chris Nielsen testified today that he had interviewed Fisher on June 11 about allegations that he had sexually abused the 6-year-old girl on June 6. Fisher acknowledged fondling the child, but denied a charge that he had sexually assaulted her with an inanimate object, Nielsen testified.
Authorities were notified of the offense on June 11 after the child's mother took her to be examined at a hospital.
According to a search warrant filed in Roanoke County Circuit Court, authorities searched Fisher's home in the 4100 block of Bugle Lane in the Bradshaw area and confiscated a hand-lotion bottle, ropes and a Freddy Krueger costume and mask.
The search warrant states that the 6-year-old girl claimed Fisher "had worn a mask and/or costume to scare her."
In today's hearing, Nielsen testified that after conducting the search at Fisher's home on June 11, he told Fisher he was going to obtain warrants against him. Fisher agreed that he would turn himself in at the magistrate's office after the warrants were issued, Nielsen said.
The detective said he called Fisher at home at 6:58 that evening and told him he had gotten the warrants. When Fisher still had not shown up at the magistrate's office at 7:20 p.m., Nielsen called his home again and received no answer.
At 7:21 p.m., Roanoke County dispatchers received a 911 rescue call from Fisher, who said he had just shot himself and needed a rescue squad, Nielsen testified.
The detective said he was notified of the call and went to Fisher's home, where Fisher was lying in the front yard with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Later, at the hospital, Fisher told the detective that he had shot himself "due to everything coming to a head. . . . The circumstances overtook him," Nielsen testified.
Fisher and his wife at the time, 21-year-old Dorothy Annette, were charged in Salem with the 1976 beating death of their daughter, but both were convicted of unlawful wounding.
Then-Salem Commonwealth's Attorney Charles Phillips dropped the murder charge because medical evidence could not show how the death blow to the child's head was delivered.
Testimony in that case showed the Fisher child was the victim of continuous beating, burnings and abuse. Testimony showed that when she was taken unconscious to Lewis-Gale Hospital on Aug. 6, 1976, there were numerous bruises on her body, an untreated laceration on her chin and month-old burns on her back and feet.
The child died two days later of a head injury. Dr. David W. Oxley, deputy chief medical examiner for Western Virginia, testified then that he found numerous bruises and burns on the body when he performed the autopsy.
An injury to the head caused the child's death, Oxley said. However, he said he could not determine whether she had been struck or if she had fallen.
Fisher testified then that most of the wounds suffered by the child were inflicted by the child's mother and that he did little to abuse the child.
But his explanation of how the burns on her back occurred contradicted the explanation he gave to then-Salem Police Sgt. F.L. Crockett shortly after the child's death.
Crockett read in court a statement by Fisher in which Fisher said he placed the child in "very hot" water as a "corrective" measure.
"I knew it was wrong," Crockett quoted Fisher as saying.
He also admitted in statements to police that at times he burned Melanie with cigarettes.
Fisher said he was aware that his wife had abused the child, but he didn't contact authorities because "she threatened to leave and take both the children."
Phillips said that during the two months the child was abused, Fisher was caring for the child during the day while the mother worked. He said testimony showed that the parents tried to cover up the child's injuries with clothing and cosmetics.
Nielsen testified today that Fisher had told him he served about two years of his five-year prison sentence for his daughter's death.
He testified that Fisher also has been convicted in 1975 of obtaining money under false pretenses and was declared an habitual offender in 1985.
Roanoke County Chief Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Randy Leach asked Clarke today to hold Fisher without bond. Leach said he was concerned that Fisher would be a danger to himself or others if he were released from jail.
Clarke said he also was concerned about protecting the 6-year-old girl from any potential future abuse.
The child has been temporarily removed from her mother's custody, and a hearing will be held next week to determine whether the child should be placed in foster care.
Clarke told Fisher's attorney, Jack Gregory, that he would agree to reconsider Fisher's request for bond after he learns the outcome of next week's hearing involving the child.
by CNB