Terpening Followers again seek arrest of web designer...did terpening wife and sister's lawyer provide the light to a defense?

May 27, 2013

When this website began what the Assistant Attorney General refers to the "Terpening Machine" swung into action. In the course of just a few days, 4 people made complaints to the Barry County Sheriff's Department about this website in an effort to have this writer arrested. Almost a year and a half later and nearly five months after Terpening got his 10-15 sentence for abusing kids, an effort to punish those who would speak out on this issue regurgitates from what is left of the Terpening Machine.

About 2 weeks ago I arrived home from my daily workout to find a business card in my door from the Barry County Sheriff's Department.  It was a surprise given I live just north of Grand Rapids and my police contacts tend to be with family rather than of an official nature.

Turns out another person in the group of cult like followers of Michael Terpening is complaining about the website. In reality, I see this as one more bizarre effort to intimidate your humble correspondent into silence.

Here we go again!  The First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States protects free speech and one would think Terpening and his supporters finally come recognize that one does not use law enforcement to review people's opinions in the hopes they can get someone prosecuted in a free society.

 Oddly enough even when Terpening sought the sources of this website by bringing me to court his counsel never challenged the accuracy of the content of this website. They wanted to know sources something they never got while I was on the stand.

I turn to none other than former Probate Court Judge and attorney for Michael Terpening's wife and sister, Stephanie Fekkes to defend my freedom of speech.

In a recent motion before the Barry County Family Court, Michael Terpening's sister Ryon Ann Keeler through her attorney's Stephanie Fekkes and Emily Rysberg stated, "Further, Defendant  and his acquaintances have publically disparaged the Plaintiff (Ryon Ann Keeler) by means of a website devoted to promoting negative propaganda regarding the criminal sexual acts of Plaintiff's brother which Plaintiff had no involvement whatsoever. (see links below Ryon Ann Keeler Coverage) As this court is aware, the community in which the Plaintiff and Defendant reside is intimate and such public disparagement is likely to have a negative impact on Plaintiff's social standing and may even negatively impact her employment."

Mrs. Keeler's motion continues, "While Plaintiff acknowledges Defendant's right to freedom of speech..." and goes on to claim the statements on this website are intended to disparage Terpening's sister,

The key point is the attorney for Michael Terpening's sister in an on going custody matter who also serves as the attorney for Michael Terpening's wife in their current divorce proceeding hasm through a filing on behalf of Terpening's sister Ryon Ann Keeler,  defended what is on the website is an exercise of freedom of speech.

Did you get all that?

What is also notable  is Keeler's motion acknowledges the right of freedom of speech even should the speech be false, as the motion claims. However, as I note above in court there was no challenge to the veracity of this website nor has anyone since, through counsel or otherwise, provided any information suggesting anything on this website is, in fact false. If fact, Keeler's allegations in the motion are, themselves, far more fact free. This motion, which had many more allegations unrelated to this website was later dropped by Keeler.

As for specific coverage of Ryon Ann Keeler, it is fact there was testimony in the trial in 2012 by a family member that following Michael Terpening's sexually assaulting her, Michael Terpening's sister's Keri Terpening and Ryon Ann Keeler beat up the then 13 year old victim. Neither sister took the stand to refute the testimony of the now nearly 30 year old woman who is the first known victim of Michael Terpening. The police were called in that incident, charges were never filed.

What I find amazing is the cult like Terpening Followers simply do not get the society they live in. Terpening was offered a deal. The evidence was huge and we now know the prosecutors had DNA evidence. He as offered a deal that would have had him out of prison in just over a year.

Was there no family member he respected who would tell he it was time to take a deal? Was this man so isolated and arrogant he thought he was going to win this case by stunts like taking people to his lawyer's office and getting them to recant under oath?

Instead of one year, his failure to respect that the Rule of Law is about getting to the truth and not subverting it he used people just as he used those kids; and it failed. It rightly failed.

However, this writer will not be intimidated into silence.

See previous stories:

This writer also notes in the event anyone has any information suggesting anything on this website is not factual or factually based, other than readers comments, they are welcome to email news@michaelterpening.com  to let me know what is in need of correction.