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The Life and Career of Steven Farese Prosecutor

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published May 14, 2007

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( 294 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
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Criminal defense attorney Steven Farese just wrapped up one of the most shocking and talked-about cases to hit the South this year. The notorious case of Mary Winkler, the Christian mother of three and wife of a Tennessee preacher who shot and killed her husband, spanned the screens of millions of televisions and the pages of numerous magazines and newspapers. Now, almost a month after Winkler's conviction, Farese looks back on the experience as the court prepares to sentence Winkler on May 18, 2007.

Farese's mother and father were huge inspirations to him as he developed as a person. His mother, Orene, and his father, John, served together in the House of Representatives in the 1950s. Growing up watching his lawyer father's selfless and dedicated example, Farese was inspired to go into the legal field at a young age.

His father, John B. Farese, also known as "Big John," was notorious for representing all people who needed legal representation, regardless of race, circumstance, or color. For a lawyer in Mississippi in the 1950s, this was unheard of. Farese's father's kindness and equitability toward underprivileged people made Farese want to embrace a similar role in law.

"I think that that turned my personality to being a fighter for the underdogs," he said.

Farese attended the University of Mississippi as an undergraduate and for law school, earning his J.D. in 1977. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the university's basketball team. Farese and his father even helped recruit the first African-American athlete to play for the University of Mississippi. In 1970, Coolidge Ball became the first African-American athlete to sign a basketball scholarship at the university.

<<Once he graduated from law school, Farese was given the opportunity to practice at his father's firm, Farese, Farese & Farese. Farese's father took him under his wing yet gave him the room he needed to grow as an attorney.

"He threw us in and let us swim," Farese said. "He was always there with a life preserver, but he didn't interfere. If we needed help, he was always there."

Having been with the same firm in the same location for his entire career, Farese has also learned from other elders around him in the legal community of Mississippi.

"I was privileged to practice in front of a lot of great judges and prosecutors," he said. "Prosecutors here in Mississippi make prosecutors in other places look like lambs, so I was baptized in fire."

<<Farese's latest and most-talked-about case is that of "the preacher's wife," Mary Winkler. Winkler was accused of shooting and killing her husband, Tennessee preacher Matthew Winkler, on March 22, 2006, after years of supposed verbal and physical abuse. When Farese's good friend, attorney Mike Cook, called on him to represent his second cousin's daughter (Winkler), he did not hesitate to take on the case.

Winkler was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter on April 19, 2007, but she faces only three to six years in prison, as opposed to life. Why did she do so well, considering things could have been much worse? Her testimony was strong.

Winkler, who initially came off as very reserved, quiet, and stoic to Farese, testified in front of the court, a decision that could have backfired but ended up helping Winkler's case.

"It took me numerous visits to get her out of her shell and to get her to talk about what her life had been like," Farese said.

<<During her testimony, Winkler had to explain, in detail, the sexual and physical abuse she had endured during her 10-year marriage—a humiliating experience for any woman. She even exhibited the white platform shoes and black wig her husband made her wear against her will during sex. To this day, Farese remains adamant that Winkler's testimony, which "brought the jury into her life and what her life was like," was probably the most substantial piece of supportive "evidence."

"She was segregated from society and had nowhere to turn. There was abuse that happened inside the home. She was the only one who could tell that," Farese said.

Farese and his fellow attorneys are content with the verdict that was announced last month.

"I can see how they got the verdict that they got, and I'm not disappointed," he said.

The case has also further boosted Farese's faith in the judicial system.

"It invigorates me that the jury system really is the best system, and it really does work if everyone does their jobs," he said.

<<When attorneys walk away from controversial, high-profile cases like Winkler's, they usually take with them a lesson or two about humanity.

"It [the case] brought to light the fact that a lot of abuse goes on, and it's not only physical, it's not only sexual, but sometimes verbal abuse can be just as deadly to a relationship as physical and sexual abuse. I think I've learned a lot personally, and hopefully the world has," he said.

Farese's technique as a lawyer is very focused and direct, as he usually is "dead to the world" during the trials for his cases.

"I call it flying to the target," he said. "You've got to be totally involved. You can't be distracted. I keep a notepad by my bed at night, when I do sleep, to write things down."


 
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
A. Sorry, what was that word? Spare time? That doesn't exist, but what I would really like to do is get on a tracker and Bush Hog a hundred-acre field. You're out there by yourself, no phones are ringing, and you can turn around and look behind you and see what you've accomplished. I ride four-wheelers, work out, swim, and read Dr. Seuss to schools.
Q. What CD is in your CD player right now?
A. "Hurricane" by Bob Dylan.
Q. What was the last magazine you read?
A. People. I was in it.
Q. What is your favorite TV show?
A. Right now, I don't have a favorite TV show. I watch a lot of documentaries, the Military Channel—I'm a World War II buff.
Q. Who is your role model?
A. My father. That's easy.

<<Even though he practices law in Mississippi, Farese knows that high-profile cases can be lurking anywhere at any time. He has represented a number of celebrities and high-profile people—usually when they "g[ot] into trouble" in Mississippi.

"You're only a heartbeat away from a high-profile client walking into your office. The secret is to be able to recognize it," he said.

Farese also emphasized the importance of maintaining a sense of confidence as a lawyer. Preparation and dedication must coincide with an air of coolness and self-assurance.

"If you walk in there [the courtroom], and you don't think you're the smartest guy in the room, you're already beat," he said.
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published May 14, 2007

( 294 votes, average: 4.7 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

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