MSNBC: 'Matrix’ was influence on Malvo (1 Viewer)

[Eric_E]

http://msnbc.com/news/980078.asp?0cv=CB10

*sigh* :rolleyes

 

[Ricky Hustle]

I'm speachless.

 

[Max Leung]

It's a testiment to the movie's greatness that it would have such a profound effect on this young person's mind.

Uh. Yeah.

The guy is insane. Pure and simple.

 

[RolandDeschain]

The guy is insane. Pure and simple.

So you fell for the bait huh?

That's exactly what the defense wants you to believe. The real truth is that he's perfectly sane but is using this excuse to get a reduced sentence by using an insanity defense that's (regrettably) worked in the past.

 

[Michael Reuben]

If there's "bait" anywhere, it's in the title of this thread. The Matrix is not a critical part of Malvo's defense, and the linked article expressly says so:

There is no indication in Malvo’s case that “The Matrix” is a core issue of the insanity defense.

M.

 

[Max Leung]

I think his actions alone are enough to say he is insane. I mean, isn't murder insane? Why is there a distinction between "sane" murder and "insane" murder? Either way, the person has demonstrated his threat to society.

I'd prefer something like: "This guy couldn't help it because a remote-control device was implanted in his brain. There was nothing he could do to stop his actions." It should be very easy to prove if the defendant had such an implant in his brain or not, unlike what the courts consider sanity or insanity, which cannot be directly measured by their definition - uh, whatever the hell that is.

 

[JamesHl]

I mean, isn't murder insane? Why is there a distinction between "sane" murder and "insane" murder?

Do you see a distinction between someone with a corrupt value system and someone who is insane? If you don't, there isn't a difference, I guess.

 

[Francis Collins]

Is spending more than $10,000 on home theater "insane"?

 

[Stacy Huff]

"Insanity" is a legal term. If Malvo is insane, then that would mean that he did not understand right from wrong, and hence, he is not responsible for the killings. That is the crux of the insanity defense. A sane person knows that murder is wrong, but chooses to do it anyway. That, in general terms, is the difference between sane murder and insane murder.

Is murder insane? No. Reprehensible? Yes.

 

[Max Leung]

When there is a choice between the legal definition and the scientific definition, I always choose the scientific one.

Thankfully, it seems the scientific community has abandoned the term "insanity".

(Insert smart-ass remark about lawyers here)

 

[Robert_Gaither]

I look at it this way, I don't care if he was insane or plain evil I think he deserves to die, and personally I think the victims families wouldn't feel more comforted that he was insane when he did this.

 

[Lee L]

Personally, I don;t like the fact that the Matrix thing is just one tiny data point in this case, it is mentioned that the Matrix is not a key point in the defense, yet half of the article is spent talking about the Matrix and the link that was on the front page of MSN mentioned the MAtrix, yet the headline of the article did not.

 

[Rob Speicher]

is the only response.

 

[Eric_E]

Michael:

The title of the thread was a verbatim copy-and-paste job of a headline on MSNBC's home page a few days ago. No bait for anything was intended. I was just sharing the news item with the forum.

 

[Ted Lee]

I look at it this way, I don't care if he was insane or plain evil I think he deserves to die, and personally I think the victims families wouldn't feel more comforted that he was insane when he did this.

i personally agree with this, but i've seen cases where victim's families actually pushed against capital punishment for the perp. unreal ... if someone hurt my family, i'd be diggin' two graves.

it's hard to say what's going on inside malvo's head. i believe he may have been (in some sense) "brain-washed". the only contact malvo had was with muhammad. he depended on him for everything. we've seen that kind of dependency create strong emotional bonds between the two parties.

either way, i'm not excusing malvo's behavior...just trying to understand it.

 

[Michael Reuben]

The title of the thread was a verbatim copy-and-paste job of a headline on MSNBC's home page a few days ago.

Regardless of who wrote it, it's still grossly misleading. Headline writers are some of the worst offenders.

BTW, the link now leads to a different article.

M.

 

[Francis Collins]

Not to get into the politics of capital punishment, but there are people for a matter of reason are against it for moral and religious purposes.

 

[Ted Lee]

that's their choice and i totally respect it. heck, i just about admire them for being able to think that way.