Roof-sitting husband on strike admits to 1995 sex crime conviction
Redford man getting unwanted attention now
BY JULIE HINDS
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERMarch 31, 2006
James Wilson, the Redford roof-sitting husband whose story about his strike for more time with his wife was featured Tuesday in the Free Press, got attention across the country this week for his humorous protest.
Now he’s getting attention he didn’t want – as someone on the Michigan sex offender roster.
In 1995, Wilson, now 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct, an aspect of his life he didn’t disclose in dozens of interviews with media outlets this week.
“I just felt people would judge me on who I am today, not snoop around and expose a guy,” Wilson said by phone Friday.
Wilson is listed on Michigan’s public sex offender registry and acknowledged that he faced multiple charges in an assault and pled guilty to a lesser charge and served five years probation.
A check of court computer files confirmed his plea and sentence. The complete case file was not immediately available Friday.
Thursday night, his past was revealed on the comments section of his Web site, Husbandonstrike.com. Wilson has shut the Web site down.
“I’m not a criminal,” said Wilson. “That was from a life when I was a hurt and confused young man.”
Wilson said he’s changed his life, becoming a born-again Christian. He said he started his strike last week to help other husbands.
“I feel like, wow, in 24 hours, I was a king, helping families and inspiring men and now I’m the scum of the earth,” he said.
His wife, Valentina, 32, said Friday that he told her about his conviction in 2000, the year before they married.
“I was surprised, only because he’s a very nice person, very good person, very loving,” she said. “But I understand everybody in their youth makes mistakes. I felt that was in his past. He was a new person.”
She said she still supports her husband: “I just think if people have committed crimes in the past, they should be allowed to move on with their lives.”
Wilson, who has a son who’s nearly two and a daughter who’s almost three months, said he’s not sorry he started the protest, even though it brought his conviction to light.
He sounded distraught Friday afternoon, saying, “I don’t regret it, because I felt I was really on a mission to help families. Now my family is in turmoil.”
Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc.
Y’know….I’m starting to think that the absolute best place for him is on the roof on strike. At least that way he won’t reproduce again.
On this day..
- On the list of things you don't want to hear: - 2008
- Update: I regained a plugin. - 2008
- Day late! - 2004
- Take yer pants off! - 2004
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