FAYETTEVILLE - Money inherited by a woman convicted of killing five family members 30 years ago must pay her room and board in prison, a judge decided Friday.
Shirley Marie Curry, 71, received $58,666 from an estate. Washington County Circuit Judge William Storey agreed the state is entitled to the money as reimbursement for Curry's incarceration. Storey said he'll award her attorney, Katherine Platt, a reasonable fee from the money for representing Curry.
The Arkansas Attorney General's Office sued Curry in August, saying the prison system has spent more than $270,000 to care for Curry while she's been in custody. Platt argued the state shouldn't be allowed to go after Curry's inheritance because they don't go after the money each time an inmate receives some.
Curry lost custody of her oldest son July 19, 1974, to her exhusband, Jimmy Lee Curry, after all three of her children testified against her during a hearing. Prosecutors said Curry reacted by fatally shooting her two sons, 14-year-old Richard and 11-yearold Jesse, at her home in Lowell. She then reportedly shot her exhusband and her daughter, Sabrina, 17, before driving to Springdale and killing her husband's half sister, JoAnn Brophy.
James Dodson, her sister's exhusband, survived the attack.
Curry was arrested after Fayetteville police stopped her pickup truck and found a .38 revolver - with one live round in the chamber - on the passenger's seat.
She initially was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic and sent to the State Hospital. After her release, and a 1978 mistrial, she was convicted in 1979 of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Curry wrote more than 15threatening letters to judicial officials while in prison. She often referred to herself as "Thee" or "Thee of God." At one point, she threatened a plague of ice if her demands were not met.
Arkansas, Pages 12 on 10/31/2007