GUILTY MA - Lauren Astley, 18, Wayland, 3 July 2011

[eileenhawkeye]

I don't know what to think about this defense. What do you think? I'm just not buying it. You have to be sick to kill someone. Why should you be excused from punishment because of it? Although it seems Nate is in his own personal hell. He seems remorseful with all that crying he's doing.

But is he crying because he is remorseful...or because he might be going to jail for a very long time?

 

[joe jones]

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/newsnow/x898141940/LIVE-BLOG-Fujita-trial-March-3

state expert finds he is not mentally ill

 

[joe jones]

case expected to wrap up today, both sides have 1 hour to do closings

 

[Masterj]

He looks like an entirely different person now than in the picture on the first post of this thread. Does anyone else agree? Was he taking steroids?

 

[joe jones]

http://bostonglobe.com/metro/massac...der-charges/XSHOyOQpU5fTpvOL8dwlZM/story.html

closings

 

[joe jones]

jury has begun deliberations

 

[Joe Friday]

jury has begun deliberations

I don't think the deliberations should take very long. My mind was made up a long time ago.

Football injury, what will they come up with next? I think it's more of a case of Nathan was very jealous and became enraged when Lauren told him it was over.
JMO

 

[joe jones]

it was the only defence he could really use, the evidence that he murdered her was overwhelming, he and his attys knew the state would be telling the jury about how the relationship ended and how he behaved

so insanity was all he has, who knows if one or more juror will be convinced, if they think about it logically then he should be convicted,

 

[joe jones]

no verdict today, jury back tomorrow

 

[Joe Friday]

Jury convicts Nathaniel Fujita of first-degree murder in Wayland slaying



A jury of eight men and four women found Nathaniel Fujita guilty of first-degree murder in the slaying of his former high school girlfriend -


See more at: http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news...ts_nathaniel_fujita.html#sthash.HOb2V6sf.dpuf

 

[Joe Friday]

Guilty: Jury Convicts Fujita of First-Degree Murder

Nathaniel Fujita stood stoically with his head hung down as the jury foreman read the verdict Wednesday morning.

"Guilty" of first-degree murder.

Behind the defendant, his mother, Beth Fujita, began to weep.

(Snipped)


The foreman then read the verdicts for the other three charges Fujita faced:

Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon -- Guilty
Assault and battery with a dangerous weapon -- Guilty
Assault and battery -- Guilty


http://wayland.patch.com/articles/fujita-guilty-of-first-degree-murder

 

[fran]

Thanks for keeping on top of this Joe!

Glad to see he gets what he deserves!

JMHO
fran

 

[Joe Friday]

Nathaniel Fujita gets life in prison for Lauren Astley’s murder


Nathaniel Fujita has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after a jury today found him guilty of first-degree murder with premeditation and extreme atrocity in the death of his ex-girlfriend Lauren Astley, rejecting the defense argument that he was insane at the time of the killing.

In imposing the sentence, Judge Peter Lauriat called it a “sad and tragic case.”

Fujita was also sentenced to concurrent terms of up to 10 years in prison on two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon charges, and 2-and-a-half years for assault and battery.

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinio...ets_life_in_prison_for_lauren_astley_s_murder

 

[joe jones]

the verdict I expected, such a sad situation all round, a young woman on the cusp of her adult life murdered by her jealous ex boyfriend, 2 families utterly heartbroken,

his family will only ever know him in a prison setting from now on, it will be a long life of incarceration, but his family at least have him alive, Laurens family only have a grave to visit and the memories,

 

[joe jones]

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinio...ets_life_in_prison_for_lauren_astley_s_murder

the photos of Laurens father hugging Fujitas parents is very moving, It always gives me a good feeling when I see a family able to reach out to another family in such circumstances, the parents of Fujita did nothing wrong and today they will be devastated at the fact that there son is a murderer and will never be free again, not what they ever expected from there son

and the grace and humanity of Laurens family in such circumstances shows just what kind of a daughter they would have raised and now have to live without

 

[Harmony 2]

This case is heartbreaking and so tragic... such potential lost. I feel a deep visceral sadness maybe because they both resemble my own kids who are of a similar age...my heart goes out to the parents..

 

[danzn16]

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/25/living/bystander-education-dating-violence/index.html


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hoshizora]

I just watched the 48Hours episode on this, so I hope this is the place to post as I was directed to this thread from the Lauren Astley thread as I really would like to share my thoughts on it.

First of all, Lauren was murdered in such a horrible way so I hope she's at peace. Don't get me wrong, being murdered by strangers is horrible and being murdered by acquaintances is as well, but it's just incomprehensible when people are murdered by people they are close to like their friend or boyfriend. I know he was an ex but nothing gave her an impression that he would kill her, even if he had fallen into a depression of some sort. Stabbing and strangulation too is quite intimate and she had some other non-fatal marks, so it seems to me like he was mad at her for some reason.

I'm quite happy with the verdict in the case here and I think they got it very right.

I'm quite interested in the insanity defence in this case though. I'm not sure if someone could help me here as I don't know if people would read this thread but anyway, I'll give it a go.
The defence were going for the insanity defence, saying that he had committed the murder in some kind of "episode" that he had no control over but anyway, on 48Hours they claimed his mother had taken him to a therapist during the time where he had had a depressive episode before the murder (and I totally believe he had a depressive episode here) and the therapist diagnosed him with Manic Depressive Disorder (if I remember correctly) and offered him antidepressants and psychology sessions, but he refused, which is what I found odd and leads to my question.

Can they make an insanity defence for a defendant who has refused treatment?

I don't know a lot about mental disorders either but I'm pretty sure people with Manic Depressive Disorder aren't homicidal, but we all know the insanity defence isn't relevant here and his existing mental disorders had nothing to do with the cold-blooded murder of poor Lauren.