Anyone else think our Judicial System is Screwy?

[e²Studios]

Sometimes the Judicial system in the US really amazes me...

Man Who Killed Girlfriend, Gouged Her Eyes Out, Goes Free (http://www.thekcrachannel.com/news/4536611/detail.html)

*sigh*

Ed

[MongoTheGeek]

Sometimes the Judicial system in the US really amazes me...

Man Who Killed Girlfriend, Gouged Her Eyes Out, Goes Free (http://www.thekcrachannel.com/news/4536611/detail.html)

*sigh*

Ed

No real surprise to me. The whole insanity plea concept struck me as a bad idea. Perhaps sentences should be of a more therapeutic nature for some individuals but some crimes demand death (either through execution or lifelong confinement)

Consider though he spent almost 20 years in government custody and an actual murder conviction would like have net the same.

[virividox]

well no legal system is perfect...in this case it may be that a dangerous man is set free...but the insanity plea also keeps those who cannot be held culpable for their actiosn out of jail which is good. i guess sometimes is a lesser of two evils

[SFVCyclone]

well no legal system is perfect...in this case it may be that a dangerous man is set free...but the insanity plea also keeps those who cannot be held culpable for their actiosn out of jail which is good. i guess sometimes is a lesser of two evils


but there also should be limitations to it, like killing some one. but then this thread will go off some where else.

[wdlove]

I doubt that he has received any psychiatric treatment. It is also unlikely that with treatment he could be cured. The chances are very great that he will be a repeat offender. Wonder how that jury will feel when he injuries or kills someone else. If i were his family I would be afraid to be alone with him.

Lionel Tate is an example of judicial problems. At sixteen his killed eighth year old Tiffany. A judge let him out after a number a years. Now in an armed robbery his has injured another person, they are lucky to still be alive. :( :o

[emw]

I call it's less than 6 months before he does something else violent. It didn't say in the article if he had actually received any treatment, but "in custody" sounds a lot different than "in treatment."

I'm guessing he's had 20 years to stew about this and will soon go off on somebody else.

[emw]

well no legal system is perfect...in this case it may be that a dangerous man is set free...but the insanity plea also keeps those who cannot be held culpable for their actiosn out of jail which is good. i guess sometimes is a lesser of two evils
If someone is truly insane, then they should receive treatment for that illness in a certified facility. I'm no expert, but how are you "cured" from insanity? I know you can be medicated, but once you leave a treatment facility, there's no guarantee you're taking the meds.

I don't understand the "temporary insanity" plea since it always seems like it's more of a "I got really mad and did something bad, but don't want to go to jail" plea. "I thought she was the devil." Right.

People who kill, insane or not, need to be kept off the streets.

[PlaceofDis]

People who kill, insane or not, need to be kept off the streets.

i agree, and some people who are insane should be kept off the streets too, because of what they might do, depending on the individual of course though

[e²Studios]

i agree, and some people who are insane should be kept off the streets too, because of what they might do, depending on the individual of course though

I always thought that if you "got sane" that you would be moved to a prison or re-tried as sane, maybe i watch too much Law & Order..

I feel bad for the family of the woman he murdered. When he comits a violent crime again (yes i said when, not if) what poor excuse the law will have for releasing a murderer back in to society.

Ed

[alex_ant]

A lot of states have been / are doing away with psychiatric treatment facilities because of funding shortages. The new nuthouse is the jail, which does not and is not intended to serve as a replacement. A lot of crazies whose behavior could be moderated or even rectified by mandatory therapy or medication instead get solitary confinement for continued mental deviance - which of course often makes them even more nutty. Of course there is no guarantee that a loon would become stable under even the most ideal system, funded by all the money in the world, but I would imagine the reason we haven't gone all out and declared open hunting season on the criminally mentally ill yet is that we feel a little bit of collective responsibility to help them.

[RandomDeadHead]

If you think that ridiculous do a little research into this countries marijuana policy. If he had been busted growing a couple plants in his back yard he would never again see the light of day. Murder and rape is ok as long as you are insane, but cultivate pot, heaven help the fool. But growing marijuana is a terrorist act didn't ya know.

[tzibo]

The man has spent 20 years in custody for his crime. He's be tried against a jury for his crime, and they've found him not guilty. For a society that believes in forgiveness and not judging people, you guys are pretty harsh on the man.

I'm not commenting on whether he did it, or whether he'll do it again. I'm just concerned by comments like "people who are insane should be kept off the streets too". Would you rather they just execute mentally ill people too?

(note my editing of what PlaceofDis said)

[emw]

Would you rather they just execute mentally ill people too?Only if they kill somebody. Execution without cause, no.

As for him "doing his time." Perhaps, but if someone's defense is insanity, then that means they suffer from a permanent condition, not one that goes away after some pre-defined period of time.

[MongoTheGeek]

I always thought that if you "got sane" that you would be moved to a prison or re-tried as sane, maybe i watch too much Law & Order..


Nope. Not-guilty by insanity means once you are declared sane (sometimes before the end of the trial...) you are let go. John Hinkley Jr. The man who killed a secret service agent, permanently crippled and likely caused the eventual demise of Press Secretary Brady and let us not forget shot and nearly killed a president of the United States of America, is walking the streets a free man.

As for forgiveness... I do my best to let go after someone has served the time alloted by law. My true anger is at the law and its often inadequacies.

[mpw]

The man has spent 20 years in custody for his crime. He's be tried against a jury for his crime, and they've found him not guilty. For a society that believes in forgiveness and not judging people, you guys are pretty harsh on the man.

I'm not commenting on whether he did it, or whether he'll do it again. I'm just concerned by comments like "people who are insane should be kept off the streets too". Would you rather they just execute mentally ill people too?

(note my editing of what PlaceofDis said)

Speaking generally if he was proved insane then surely he can’t be held accountable for his actions. If he’s not accountable could it not be said that there is no crime to answer? For there to be a crime someone has to do something they know, or should know, to be wrong. Therefore he’s not spent 20years in custody for his crime he’s spent 20years in custody because he’s insane and needs to be kept in custody for others and possibly his, safety.

Who said society, UK or US, believes in forgiveness and not judging people? I agree the society like to be forgiving but I think we still judge. What you mean I guess is we don’t judge on certain issues ie I’ll employ either man for a job whether gay or straight because to judge otherwise would be wrong. However, if either guy is also certified insane and has previously killed people that I’ll judge him on.

Comments like “people who are insane should be kept off the streets too" don’t worry me because they make sense. Obviously someone or a system of people needs to be in place to judge whether a persons insanity is ‘gouge out their victims eyes and wear their skin dangerous’ or just ‘grow their nails and piss in bottles and save in the fridge’ harmless-but-needs-help. What really worries me is the implied view that insane people have an absolute right to be returned to the community with no real proof that these people are capable of controlling themselves. I don’t advocate execution for someone with a medical condition just appropriate treatment, if someone presents at ER with ebola they would rightly be kept isolated for the safety of all why should the insane get any different treatment?

[stubeeef]

There are so many inconsistantcies in the US system.

One good one....

A 13 yr old school child needs parental permission to be given an aspirin.

A 13 yr old school child can have an abortion without parental notification.

There are probably thousands of others that make little to no sense.

I only pray that family members (or anyone else for that matter) of this monster don't end up dead like the little girls in Zion, Ill.

tzibo; would you feel ok living next door to him? How about family or loved ones of yours? Your children?

[gwuMACaddict]

i'd still prefer our justice system to most of the ones you find overseas

[Onizuka]

I'd prefer if convicted rapists, child molesters, murderers, and fans of MArtha Stewart, Reality TV, and the WWF all be put to death.

[SFVCyclone]

I'd prefer if convicted rapists, child molesters, murderers, and fans of MArtha Stewart, Reality TV, and the WWF all be put to death.

DUDE why do you hate MARTHA? martha is so tight. she did time, she now could have a spider web tattoo on her elbow, she earned it. lol, but for reals martha stewart is cool. :)

[strider42]

There are so many inconsistantcies in the US system.

One good one....

A 13 yr old school child needs parental permission to be given an aspirin.

A 13 yr old school child can have an abortion without parental notification.

There are probably thousands of others that make little to no sense.




Well, that's a legislative inconsistency not a judicial one. And its obviously not as simple as that either. I've heard some very compelling arguments for justifying why a minor can get an abortion without parental consent. it depends on your point of view.