A convicted cop killer is scheduled to be released from prison two weeks from this Friday. Peter Bard was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but is scheduled to walk out of prison on December 30th. It all brings back painful memories for the family of the officer he killed.
"They rushed me down to University where I was told on the way that he was there and they didn't know whether he was dead or alive and then when I got there I found out he was dead," says Teresa Cheeks, widow of Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputy Floyd Cheeks.
It has been nearly 20 years and Cheeks has still never fully recovered from her husband's murder, and neither have her children.
"My son has never been right ever since. He has drinking problems, he has to take medication for nerves, my daughter has nerve problems. It seems like it was never ending for me," says Cheeks.
In October of 1993, Jefferson County Sheriff's Deputy Floyd Cheeks was shot and killed by Bard while trying to serve a warrant on Bard's brother. Cheeks says: "I just don't understand someone getting out after killing an officer."
Bard was not cleared to stand trial for several years after the murder. That's mainly because of questions about his sanity. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison, however, with time served and credit for good behavior, he's scheduled to be released in two weeks. "He gets to go home and spend Christmas with his family; my husband don't get that choice," says Cheeks.
Word of Bard's release is disturbing news to some in community and law enforcement, which might explain this rare interview by Sheriff John Aubrey. "Anytime a killer of a law enforcement officer is released from prison for whatever reason it's cause for concern for those of us that serve in law enforcement but just as important for the community at large," says Sheriff John Aubrey.
"Many people think that 20 years is not long enough. And yes it went fast, but a lot of people think he should never get out," says Eric Johnson, Executive Director of Supporting Our Heroes.
If and when it does actually happen, Teresa Cheeks has another concern. "Makes me nervous to think that I could run into him somewhere," says Cheeks.
This is not the first time the Cheeks family has had to go through this. Bard was mistakenly released in 2008, but eventually sent back to prison.