Powell family statements addressing the murder/suicide*merged*

[believe09]

To be more specific, Thought-I would like to lay responsibility at the door of Steve, which does not mean that I do.

Yes, JOSH was the one who killed the children and himself. Josh killed Susan imo-perhaps he had some help from his father but who knows.

The subject of the thread is Leach's statements regarding cyber bullying contributing...discounting the effect of cyber bullying pretty much knocks the bullying/suicide threads on the forum out of the park if the determination is that cyberbullying shouldnt or wouldnt have affected Josh. IMO.

Where Leach's statements go awry for me is that he concedes that the Powell's cyberbullied the Cox's.

Hate begets hate begets hate begets hate. The kids were the pawns imo-Josh's ultimate act of bullying back. His revenge.

I think the dialogue we should consider is whether or not cyberbullying is justified in some cases and not in others. Again, JMO.

 

[Jacie Estes]

If it is a cause and effect issue then someone needs to keep matches/gas away from Scott/Drew Petersen, Jeremy Irwin and Deborah Bradley and many others who are in the public eye/media for having a family member disappear. This was a choice not the effect of bullying. IMHO

 

[Pensfan]

Assuming he's a decent person since I really know nothing about him, I empathize with the cousin. He's hurt and confused, and his anger is misdirected, but he can't see that yet.

Sometimes I feel more sorryfor the families of the perps who die than the victims' families. There's no outpouring of love for the perp's family. No one comes forward to support you.

It is much easier to feel empathy for the family of the perp when they made appropriate efforts to help the perp. Threatening, whining, lying about others via Facebook, internet news' comments, and blogs wasn't useful to alleviate Josh's problems and may have fed his pathological anger and narcissism.

 

[TexasCharm]

Ok ... which one of you was cyberbullying Josh????

Out with it!

 

[TexasCharm]

I especially like how Mr. Leach (who actually doesn't live too far from me) says that he hasn't spoken to JP in years... I wonder why that is?

He sure seems to be taking up his cause now.

I really don't think Mr. Leach had any idea of who his cousin really was? How could he? How could anyone??

I kinda feel sorry for the family, trying to place some kind of reason, or blame if you will, on someone or something else for the actions of another family member. Nobody wants to believe there wasn't a better reason than "If I can't have them, nobody will."

They are trying to process this too ... I guess.

imo

 

[2goldfish]

Ok ... which one of you was cyberbullying Josh????

Out with it!

if only I'd known where he was on the internets, I could be raising my hand right now.

 

[MsFacetious]

Ben Winslow

Just tried to talk to #JoshPowell's sister. "YOU caused this!" she said before slamming the gate. @fox13now #findsusan

BenWinslow Ben Winslow

Obviously, there is grief on all sides here. @fox13now #findsusan


http://twitter.com/#!/BenWinslow

 

[jjenny]

Actually, I can see how online hate and harassment can be a contributing factor to someone's actions in cases like this. I have always felt that many of the nasty things said online about people involved (including POIs and suspects) hurt more than they help. They can have an impact on someone's behavior, even though it's in an indirect way. I don't think that hateful statements made on the internet can be blamed for what someone does, or used as an excuse, but I do see how they can be part of the whole picture of what happens. After all, face-to-face comments affect what people do; why not comments made on the internet?

In this specific case, though, I think the end result would have been the same even if there was no such thing as the internet. And I think that the family's comments are quick reactions being made in the immediate aftermath and might not be the same thing they'd say down the road.

People do have freedom of expression in this country. If a man's wife goes missing while he is on the camping trip with two little kids people are going to express their feelings. I don't see why they shouldn't.

 

[stilettos]

Ben Winslow

Just tried to talk to #JoshPowell's sister. "YOU caused this!" she said before slamming the gate. @fox13now #findsusan

BenWinslow Ben Winslow

Obviously, there is grief on all sides here. @fox13now #findsusan


http://twitter.com/#!/BenWinslow

No..JOSH caused this...Steve videotaped *advertiser censored*. Enabling them only made it continue to this horrible conclusion. get that straight.

 

[cocomod]

I do not think that Josh was cyberbullied as much as others I have watched. Nobody had his personal FB page to comment on. Nobody sent him threatening emails. The FB page that I followed discussed case developments and did claim often that of course Josh was guilty. However, nobody went up to WA and picketed his house. Nobody tried to get him fired. Nobody said that he shoul kill himself.

I think that Leach hit the nail on the head that Josh cyberbullied the Cox family. But worse, he slandered Susan when she was not here to defend herself. Josh and Steve's campaign was cruel. They would stir up crap when things would actually quiet down.

Again, I just don't see the reason for trying to claim this now and use it as "part" of the excuse for his actions. If Josh had a claim$ for cyberbullying, he should have brought it forward. I do not think that an estranged cousin is the one that should be trying to bring this complaint.

 

[stilettos]

Actually, I can see how online hate and harassment can be a contributing factor to someone's actions in cases like this. I have always felt that many of the nasty things said online about people involved (including POIs and suspects) hurt more than they help. They can have an impact on someone's behavior, even though it's in an indirect way. I don't think that hateful statements made on the internet can be blamed for what someone does, or used as an excuse, but I do see how they can be part of the whole picture of what happens. After all, face-to-face comments affect what people do; why not comments made on the internet?

In this specific case, though, I think the end result would have been the same even if there was no such thing as the internet. And I think that the family's comments are quick reactions being made in the immediate aftermath and might not be the same thing they'd say down the road.

Actions and behaviors are always a choice. Using the reasoning in the above post...child abuse victims and those verbally abused would have mitigating circumstances to the crime of killing their children. NO, they don't get that. It is a choice.

 

[T4Tide]

No one "online" knew Josh Powell before he murdered his wife. What's her excuse for that?

 

[Velouria]

The Powell family are victims. They are. No question. They are collateral damage in all of this. Can you imagine what it must be like to be carrying that name and association? Everyone in that family has been tainted by the same brush.

It isnt fair. I think Josh's dad is the root of this evil, but that is because the only way I can deal with this is to imagine that someone is responsible for this seed planted in Josh.

BBM

Sorry believe , but I strongly disagree.I see the Powell clan as aiders, abetters, and cheerleaders to the ongoing depravity we've seen in this case. Sorry, but I don't have an ounce of sympathy for any of them except Jennifer.

MOO.

 

[Apples2Apples]

How many siblings did Josh have?

 

[SilkySifaka]

No one "online" knew Josh Powell before he murdered his wife. What's her excuse for that?

She may believe he is innocent of that and this horrific end was solely due to the public harassment in her eyes of an innocent man.

Remember, he is her brother. If anyone is going to believe in his innocence of Susan's murder it would be her.

Not excusing it just saying from her pov, she just lost her brother and her nephews due to a horrific choice he made. She needs to explain it to herself and blaming her family is probably to much for her to do right now.

 

[elmomom]

His sister may still love him, regardless of how evil he was. Loe is funny that way. Reading horrible, hurtful things spoken against someone you love is painful. You all are criticizing someone for lashing out while you all afford yourselves the luxury of lashing out yourselves. To me, she is a victim, and her statements are as emotional and illogical as many I have read here.

 

[Cubby]

She may believe he is innocent of that and this horrific end was solely due to the public harassment in her eyes of an innocent man.

Remember, he is her brother. If anyone is going to believe in his innocence of Susan's murder it would be her.

Not excusing it just saying from her pov, she just lost her brother and her nephews due to a horrific choice he made. She needs to explain it to herself and blaming her family is probably to much for her to do right now.

Even if she believed her brother was innocent, how does she excuse her fathers behavior? How does she excuse her brothers choice of moving her nephews into the environment grandpa provided? Does she see no wrong in her own fathers behavior and contribution to those children being removed from her brothers home?

Sometimes people can't see past the take what I want at any cost or get revenge at all costs mentality.

I need to stop there. Don't want to let this case earn me a time out here.

 

[Kimster]

:fence:

I'm a fence sitter on this topic. On one hand, I think the power of family runs deep and it's nearly impossible to see the forest for the trees. On the other hand, Jennifer was able to view the forest so I wonder why she was able to tear herself away and the others couldn't?

I guess the main issue I have is that they know Susan is missing. It is suspicious. And they know there was *advertiser censored*. There is proof. And now Josh killed himself and the boys and that can be excused due to bullying and the media?

I just don't know which way to go here, but I do have some sympathy for the blindness they seem to be experiencing. I just don't understand it.

 

[fran]

I think the media needs to just stay clear of the Powell family. They're grieving like the rest of the country, world for that matter. They see JP as something different, they're too close to the situation.

I honestly feel sorry for them, in that in a month or year, they're going to look back on this and see everything differently. They may even regret many things they've said, and are going to say.

Right now, this family is at the lowest point in their life. I know Susan has been missing for quite some time, but now this family tragedy had multiplied, 10 fold!

No one left living, other than perhaps the one behind bars, in this family is guilty of anything, other than loving someone who, for all intents and purposes had a black heart. They're color blind right now. They can't and possibly don't want to see that now. But when the truth comes out, ................well, just say, I would NOT want to be them. No way.

At the end of the day, I think this case will haunt 1000's, if not 100's of 1000s of people. I'm not going to say it couldn't get worse, because just as I say that, there would be something even more horrific than we've seen the past few days and time since Susan has been missing.

I do want to see what they have to say, but maybe I shouldn't. I don't want to say something I'll regret writing. I wish them no ill will. But I do wish they could see this a year down the road as it will undoubtedly progress, so that they can see what they're saying isn't doing Josh any good, nor their father. As a matter of fact, they're being seen as a family that wants to blame everyone else in the world for the horrific decision of their own brother, to murder his own children, and most likely had murdered the mother of his children as well.

Just some thoughts,
fran

 

[SilkySifaka]

:fence:

I'm a fence sitter on this topic. On one hand, I think the power of family runs deep and it's nearly impossible to see the forest for the trees. On the other hand, Jennifer was able to view the forest so I wonder why she was able to tear herself away and the others couldn't?

I guess the main issue I have is that they know Susan is missing. It is suspicious. And they know there was *advertiser censored*. There is proof. And now Josh killed himself and the boys and that can be excused due to bullying and the media?

I just don't know which way to go here, but I do have some sympathy for the blindness they seem to be experiencing. I just don't understand it.

I figure i won't understand it because I haven't gone through it. We also need to remember that it was in many ways a cult like atmosphere. It takes time to deprogram. One sister escaped but she could have had a mentor or someone to show her a different way of family life while growing up. Or just genetics, she had a strong enough set of genes she could break away.

I don't blame people for faith..not if they are brainwashed and unable to see things differently. The leader has been taken away and their brother murdered his sons and killed himself.

Thats a lot for a normal family to take in, let alone one with the major issues that I think members of the Powell family have. And I don't mean criminal ones, just..brought up in a way that is sure to screw someone up.