Do you Care if James Holmes is "Insane"

Legally insane or not, our country is founded on equal rights, and fair trials (Or at least as fair as a person can get these days ) While I agree that what he did was beyond reproach, he still has a right to a fair trial, and to be evaluated for mental instability. I think what disturbs me the most is the number of people here, and in the general public who will claim to be Christians, yet all they can do is think about killing the man. The legal system is by far perfect, but there is a reason we have it, and that is to prevent vigilanty justice, and make sure a person is tried fairly. I had a father in law with my first wife who was accused by his youngest daughter of molesting him. He was arrested, beaten in jail, and was put in protective custody where he still had "accidents". Everyone said he was a monster and deserved to die. Then later on the daughter recanted to us that she was just angry at him because he wouldn't let her date at 14. even at trial this was brought out, and the jury still convicted him, saying that her testimony was changed because she wanted to protect him.

Now no, this is NOT anywhere NEAR the same thing. But the point I am trying to make here is that people deserve a fair trial regardless of the circumstances. I am a firm believer in our justice system. Even with the flaws, it does work better than most other countries. (Note the word "most" being used)

Do I think the man is guilty? Yes, I do. Do I think he should be put to death? I really don't know, because I don't know all of the facts, and personally I think mentally deficient people should be treated and studied so that perhaps we can more easily identify possible traits. The idea is to do our best to prevent things like this from happening. No, we can't always prevent them, but if a study of one person gives us enough information to save one person's life in the future, then it is worth it to me.

Again this is my opinion, and I really don't care if others agree with me or not. I will now be donning my flame retardant suit. I think I am going to need it.

 

So where do you get your truth? Just curious. The mainstream media isn't perfect, but it's still generally better than random websites or chatrooms on the internet.

 

I don't see anyone here seriously talking about taking away his rights to a fair trial or due process, Bill. As far as I know, none here could do that even if they wanted to. He'll get his day in court, and we'll exercise our right to discuss that and related issues.

Once again, if found guilty, I see no reason to keep him alive to study. Our prisons are literally filled with wacko murderers to study, and that's been done for a very long time (little new at this point). While it might seem mean or cold-hearted, most murderers richly deserve to die. I see no reason to keep them alive while their victims turn to maggot-food, their lives, futures, and potentials, entirely snuffed out.

 

I will gladly pay a few bucks for the bullets to put that piece of shit down. Fuck that guy I don't care if he is crazy or not. He killed a ton of people, he should be taken out of this world. Im so sick of hearing the insanity plea because someone fucked up.

edit: and giving him the death penalty would be too nice compared to what he did to all those people... but people these days suck and have to be humane about the death penalty. I say throw him to the general population and let them have their way with him. That would be far better. I think we need to bring back the days of public stonings, chopping hands off of those who steal, and making your day a royal hell if you did something wrong.... of course, after we determine you actually did it.

 

I think this post exemplifies exactly what I was getting at Stewart. Though I agree what he did was evil, wrong, and has no excuse whatsoever, he still has his right to a fair trial.

 

Personal opinion = truth for a lot of people. Anyone not agreeing is obviously a sheep that doesn't think outside the box lol.

I certainly don't trust mainstream media to give us the 100% unmolested truths on any given topic. However I also don't trust some random opinion (or conspiracy theory depending on what the topic is) just because there's a YouTube video or some biased website posted something on it without any substantiated facts to back it up. That's just as stupid as taking the mainstream media's reporting as 100% accurate.

 

Exactly. Can't pick and choose who gets to have a trial and who doesn't. He certainly seems guilty and the POS should rot in a cell somewhere but that doesn't mean he shouldn't have the rights of everyone else. There are plenty of countries where a mere accusation will get you executed. Thankfully we are not one of them.

 

Didn't have to point it out, Bill. I know what you're talking about, but is it, what he said, seriously going to happen? Holmes is in jail and will get his day in court. Anything beyond that here is just hyperbole and rhetoric.

However, I do think a good many are getting tired of the justice system's apparent inability to deal with murderers quickly and effectively. In many states, most on death row will never be put to death - with a backlog of hundreds, only only a handful (sometimes none) are put to death each year. That's vastly disproportionate to the number of their victims now long buried and gone.

By the way, one of those victims was my brother - shot twice in the back of the head, assassination-style, during a robbery of the store where he worked. Nearly two decades later, his killers are still sitting in prison, watching television, socializing with others, and bitching about the food, recreation facilities, and other such nonsense. Knowing the family my brother left behind (wife, kids, etc), I have very little tolerance for those saying these animals should be kept alive (to study or whatever).

 

Ok, here's the deal for me. I'm a little shocked still at your ignorance but that's ok we can move past it.

"in an effort to prove that, changed the subject to teens committing suicide, drugs, alcohol, and more. Perhaps you can explain how teens committing suicide (etc) has anything whatsoever to do with murderers being studied."

My point is simple. Maybe if we invested more time treating, diagnosing and helping teens we wouldn't have to study quite as many murderers. I'm sorry you didn't see the line I was drawing between the two. You have an egg problem and want to ignore the fact that these two chicken fucked. Is that simple enough?

"I have no desire to talk about mental health care in this country. This thread is about a murderer now claiming to be insane."

Again, same line .. rather straight being drawn. The mental health care in this country is partly to blame for specifically these events. Mass murder.

"In my opinion, this murderer does not meet the definition of that." (insanity)

Please elaborate how you could come to such a decision having never once in your life spoken to the accused? You must have then spoken to his counselors? The ones who saw all kinds of warning signs that Holmes was extremely mentally unstable? One who even went as far as to write a letter saying she was very concerned he was going to do harm to himself or others.

 

When you are insane, you eat your own shit. If you can wipe your ass, you are sane.

 

I'm sure that's the main factor officials go by when judging someone's sanity.

 

First off, I am sorry you and your family had to go through something like that. When I was in high school one of my dear friends was killed by a drunk driver, and he went on to college and when I saw him at our 10 year anniversary he was quite successful. I wanted to punch the SOB in the face personally.

Either way we go about this, we will just disagree. The fact that you find "very little tolerance" for me since I fall into that group of people is sad. I still feel that prevention is more important than punishment. While this is not directly involved, look at things this way: There is no 100% cure for cancer, but we still spend billions every year researching it to still try and find one. Should we give up because after years and years of study and research, we have not found a cure yet? I mean think where that money could go to help other things....But no, research goes on to try and find a cure, or even a way to prevent it. Same thing goes for other subjects as well. It would be nice if we could find a way to figure out how peoples minds break and allow themselves to do something as crazy as murdering a bunch of people in a crowded theatre. Then perhaps there could eventually be a way to treat this mental condition. Am I in a dream world? Maybe, but still, there can always be hope. There can be no future in study if the general populous just decides to go around and put to death every criminal that kills someone immediately after trial. Hell look at all the innocent people revealed after DNA testing showed they didn't do it. we can't be selective in prosecution. Everything has to be equal for everyone, or we are failing in what our country is supposed to stand for.

 

Enough of this, and your insults. I've already answered that earlier in this thread. Not going to keep repeating it just because you can't read.

 

Of course, I have very little tolerance for your opinion in this single regard, not you personally. And I'm all for prevention as well. I just don't see how keeping these murderers alive (to study) is going to accomplish that. They've been studied for a very long time, with no such results. We're still studying them (the many in prisons), with the same lack of results. And those studies will continue without this particular murderer.

Further, while I don't want to get into a long side discussion about DNA testing, I will point out that DNA testing has not proven anyone to be innocent. Instead, it has been used to undermined evidence once used in a trial, causing convictions to be overturned pending a retrial based on the remaining evidence still pointing to guilt (few are convicted using only a single piece of evidence). Sadly, most of these cases are so old, a retrial is virtually impossible (evidence has decayed, witnesses have moved or died, etc). The result could just as easily be murderers walking free.

Anyway, there's not doubt about the guilt of James Holmes. The evidence is overwhelming. If we're not willing to put this man on death row, we're not willing to put anyone on death row.

 

So much for discussion

 

OK he will be locked in prison for the rest of his life and be raped by some big named Rock OK so that's worse than getting the death penalty

 

Hate to break it to you, but being given the death penalty and getting locked up in jail for the rest of his life is the same damn thing these days. Government is nucking futs.

 

Not to me, my tax dollars feed him for the rest of his life. But then again, death row costs twice as much and he could appeal for ever. Just wish it was quick like the good old days.

 

How about we forget about him and focus on defending our rights

 

You my friend are spot on. Brilliant and well done. I'm guessing you have personal or familial experience with bipolar. Because you speak with authority.