VA - Shooting Rampage, Appomattox, Christopher Speight, 17-19 Jan 2010

Suspect in Appomattox Shootings Not Competent to Stand Trial

Christopher Speight, charged with the deaths of eight people, has been ordered to be held in a state psychiatric hospital.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/breaking/wb/251926

__________________________________________________________________

Autopsy reports show Appomattox victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds

Shot his sister 11 times, shot the 4 year old child four times.

http://www2.newsadvance.com/lna/new...ctims_suffered_multiple_gunshot_wounds/28213/
 
I don't know how to react to this. Most know that I'm a pacifist but I certainly believe in humane punitive measures for crimes. Speight is obviously mentally ill. He was mentally ill when he killed. He will always be mentally ill. It is only through intensive and in-patient care that he has achieved some level of stability. No doubt he is receiving therapy and medication. He's most likely benefiting from the routine of hospital life and the lack of choices required of him....very different than real life.

So, just who is the real Christopher Speight? Would we put a man on trial who killed while having an epileptic seizure or with a growing brain tumor or with Alzheimer's? I doubt it.

I do not argue that this man must be supervised for the rest of his life. I just think a trial is unnecessary as now that he is lucid, he knows full well what he did. He might have no memory of the murders but I'm sure he's now aware that he killed his loved ones.

That, is a punishment worse than death. JMO
 
IDK. I think the difference is between being mentally ill and insane.
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
170
Guests online
2,171
Total visitors
2,341

Forum statistics

Threads
590,025
Messages
17,929,153
Members
228,041
Latest member
Rainydaze17
Back
Top