COLDWATER, Michigan — Kathleen Rowe faces the possibility of a two-year prison sentence after being found guilty by a jury on all charges in the shooting of her daughter, Kasey Stringer, on January 26, 2023. The jury deliberated for just under an hour after hearing testimonies from Rowe and her 34-year-old daughter. The incident occurred at Rowe’s home on Pamela Drive, just north of the Coldwater city limits.
Rowe, a 66-year-old woman with multiple long-term illnesses, rejected a plea bargain in October for a four-year felonious assault charge with no jail or prison time. The prosecutor, Zack Stempien, made the offer considering Rowe’s health conditions. However, the jury did not find Rowe’s self-defense claims credible, even though she had called 911 to report the incident as such.
According to the testimonies, Rowe arrived home from grocery shopping to find Stringer in her locked bedroom. When Stringer refused to leave, Rowe grabbed a knife, and a physical altercation occurred. With Rowe claiming that Stringer pushed her down and injured her, she retrieved a .38 revolver from the bedroom safe out of concern for her daughter’s behavior.
In her defense, Rowe’s attorney, Justin Workman, argued that the shooting was an act of self-defense after enduring two years of verbal abuse from her daughter. However, Stempien contended that Rowe could have left the scene instead of escalating the situation by grabbing a weapon.
The jury ultimately found Rowe guilty on charges of discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, assault less than murder, felonious assault with a knife, and possession of a firearm during a felony. The respective penalties range from a two-year mandatory minimum prison term to a 20-year felony offense. Despite this, due to Rowe’s poor health and difficulties in walking, Judge Bill O’Grady allowed her to remain out on bond until the sentencing.
As of now, Rowe awaits her sentencing on March 25, where she could potentially face a minimum of two years behind bars. The verdict highlights the jurors’ disbelief in Rowe’s claims of self-defense and the serious consequences she now faces for her actions.
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Contact Don Reid: [email protected]