Chicagoist: Man Forced Daughter to Kill Cat

Dig

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:46:42 -0600

I don't think prison teaches people to not be cruel. Our prison system doesn't fulfill the role of rehabilitation in many situations. It's hard to find appopriate punishments to fit crimes such as torture, animal abuse, child abuse, rape, pedophilia, hate crimes, serial killing etc. This is MY list but I think these are bred from psychological and cultural forces that are ongoing and are arguably incurable. I can't believe in the death penalty though, as there is no reason to believe corruption and innacuracy are not rife and would create many an execution of innocent people. People who commit the above crimes should not be let back into the population. I'd say ever, but I am open to the possibility of overcoming what made them this way, but not after they are merely thrown into prison without time spent in therapy or it's equivalent.

Spook

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:41:43 -0600

I agree with vit, just insert "girl" when she said "guy" p.s I too am a heathen so back up off Mary Sunshine, and heck I'm tortured too, I mean I thought nails on a chalk board or being sentenced to two days in a sweat box with a life insurance salesman was bad untill Matlida crashed into Chicagoist on her broom! Thats some Edgar Allen Poe mid eveil torture!

vit

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:44:24 -0600

While I adamantly oppose the death penalty and torture, there are some people the baser part of me wouldn't mind seeing dead and/or tortured, and this guy is one of them. I can't believe he's using being drunk as an excuse, I've had a few too many before, and the worst I've done was kiss a guy I probably wouldn't have kissed had I been sober.

Ingrid

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 11:04:39 -0600

Right on Smussy. Someone very close to me got a DUI conviction and then violated probation. Nothing serious...this is a college educated girl who works hard and just goofed. She spent 2 weeks in jail for that and it was the worst. Some of the stories she told me horrified me, and this was just a local jail, NOT prison. (One thing I gave her huge credit for though was that, even though the judge was an asshole -and this judge has since been censured for his behavior on the bench - and the punishment for what she did was way over the top...she never once complained. She knew she fucked up, she paid her price, she learned her lesson and moved on). This was a bit before Paris Hilton made the news with her jail drama. But you are so right...being locked up is not a picnic. Having your freedom taken away from you and then having to worry about your physical safety when you're inside 24/7, in my opinion, is a fate worse than death.

smussy

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 10:17:08 -0600

the idea that jail or prison is some cakewalk is way overstated, imo. i've never been, but i have quite a few friends who have. i'd rather not take the chance that i end up there to have their stories replicated.

happyfunball

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 21:41:31 -0600

Thanks everyone. I think I could guess Mary Sunshine. But she's probably a heartbreaker.

Mary_Sunshine

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:12:51 -0600

I never claimed to have dignity or to be civilized. In fact, I'm a total heathen. Hugs for HappyFunBall! (Awkward caveman hugs)

Albanyparkour

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:55:58 -0600

You'd never guess me. I'm quiet reserved and so beautiful I would melt your eyeballs in the sockets. Like so... http://www.b12partners.net/mt/images/lawyers_melting.jpg

Ingrid

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:03:22 -0600

I can see what you're saying happyfunball. I do the same thing. And I'm sending a big hug your way. :)

happyfunball

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:28:37 -0600

I'd love to get every commenter on here in a big room and see if everyone could guess who the other one is... And then let the boxing matches begin. In related news, this cat thing is sick as all hell, but then again, think of all sick, evil, dastardly things going on everyday that no one finds out about till much later, if ever. Places like Sudan, Myanmar, or some random pedophile's van. This is what I think about when I'm laying awake some nights. I need a hug.

matilda

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:54:20 -0600

Mary: Sometimes there is no answer. Sometimes there is no justice. It sucks. But desiring for revenge and all but calling for torture demeans you and makes you uncivilized. Sometimes one must accept that life is unfair, that only a relativey short term in the pokey will happen, and move on. How long have you lived on this earth? Have you not realized that? I am not suggesting one should just shrug and accept this evil act, but what would you do without losing your dignity and civilized tendencies? Would you, to paraphrase, give up your soul to gain emotional satisfaction? And, FYI, were I to think you were really stupid, be sure I would have no problem saying so. Please don't be so sensitive; nor think I care enough about you, someone from the Internet, to really go through the trouble of disliking you or thinking you stupid. I just think your ideas on this matter are, to say to the least, misguided.

Mary_Sunshine

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:37:23 -0600

There is no humane revenge. Exactly. But again, what is the answer? I get really frustrated thinking about the fact that people who have committed heinous crimes live better than "free" citizens in this country. But, capital punishment is not exactly the solution to that problem. We also can't exactly throw people in a dungeon and throw away the key to let them waste away. And just to clarify, I do think that rehabilitation can work for some people, but we're kidding ourselves if we seriously believe that every single person who gets thrown in jail is going to change for the better.

jjlthree

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:37:02 -0600

I still think people should have to pass a test in order to have children.

Albanyparkour

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:28:06 -0600

When you boil it down, it's really just people taking revenge in a "humane" way. There is no humane revenge. It's a base pursuit that lessens you and makes your enemy all that much more powerful. The bravado of monsters on the gallows is proof of this to me really. "See what I made you do? I made you as bad as me." This loathesome man should spend a good long chunk of his life in jail, followed by careful observation and a good deal of distance from his, or anyone's, children. As for being a dick, I have the genitalia but not the inclination to embody it luv.

Mary_Sunshine

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:17:27 -0600

Oh for godssakes people, do I really think torture is the right thing to answer a crime like this? No, but I'm with Shannon, jail is not exactly a tough situation for most criminals. I just think it's really shitty that these two kids will no doubt be fucked up for the rest of their lives and this guy will end up serving time where he gets three meals a day, a gym, etc. There's not an easy answer to something like this I wish there was. Shame...I agree that capital punishment prevents those from killing again but it certainly doesn't stop people from killing. When you boil it down, it's really just people taking revenge in a "humane" way. And Albany, no need to be a dick sweetie.

Albanyparkour

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:59:10 -0600

Wow. Matilda implying someone's stupid again. Knock me over with a feather. No need to imply my dear. You're not exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer. But don't fret, the world needs ditch-diggers and buffoons as much as preisdents and pontiffs.

shameshameboy

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:54:34 -0600

I don't endorse capital punishment, but it is a pretty effective means for ensuring a convicted murderer doesn't kill again. Torture, on the other hand, is just likely to beget more torture -- possibly manifesting in some even more horrific manner. After all, this vile miscreant still has some kids to strangle. We have specific proscriptions against cruel and unusual punishment to prevent us from yielding to understandable but nonetheless ugly impulses toward retribution. There's a reason we use terms like "civil" rights: We're supposed to be better than the criminals.

Shannon

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:37:25 -0600

what's the right recourse then? "you tortured and killed an animal, made your children watch, and forced them to try to kill the animal themselves. as punishment, you must sit in this comfy chair for 5 to 10 years." i'm not a Hell subscriber, but if there was one, this motherfucker would have a special ring all to himself.

Natalia1979

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:28:48 -0600

And when this story first reared its ugly henious head, it said the dad worked for an IN state prison or something. I definitely know he was in law enforcement somehow. I hope this guy got fired, but I doubt it considering the unions and stuff. Ah, he will be back treating prisoners like this cat soon enough I am sure.

Mary_Sunshine

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:16:40 -0600

Wow. Matilda implying someone's stupid again. Knock me over with a feather.

matilda

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:13:53 -0600

Mary, if you don't see the sick irony in your statement, there is nothing anyone can say to help you. Good luck.

BeeRockafeller

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:12:15 -0600

Oops, I was so shocked by the middle description I didn't even go back to see that he already plead guilty to charges. Sorry. Very tragic.

BeeRockafeller

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:06:26 -0600

That's some sick twisted crap. Daddy's gonna get charged with some hardcore felonies on that one, multiple counts, not only on the animal cruelty but also with child endangerment and who knows what else. Hopefully he'll get sentenced to 5 years, maybe longer if he has priors, which he probably does. So it's pretty safe to say this guy will be behind bars for a few years at least.

rhoswhen

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:53:59 -0600

AHHHHHHHHHHH! First a random decapitation in Canada and then THIS? Today is not a fun day to read the news.

Albanyparkour

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:46:39 -0600

It's stories like these that make me wonder why we did away with things like torture chambers. The circular reasoning in this statement is simply beautiful. "You monster, you tortured a living thing. To the torture chamber with you! That'll learn him." We can do better than bastards.

Mary_Sunshine

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:46:33 -0600

Well we kill those who kill, which is just as sick and pointless, so why the hell not?

matilda

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:44:09 -0600

It's stories like these that make me wonder why we did away with things like torture chambers. Sick fuck. Are you saying to punish torture, you would torture those who have tortured? If so, that's pretty sick and pointless.

Ingrid

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:38:31 -0600

This was the Bill Cosby quote: I said to a guy, "Tell me, what is it about cocaine that makes it so wonderful," and he said, "Because it intensifies your personality." I said, "Yes, but what if you're an asshole?"

Mary_Sunshine

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:37:47 -0600

It's stories like these that make me wonder why we did away with things like torture chambers. Sick fuck.

smussy

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:25:09 -0600

wasn't it bill cosby? who said that alcohol just enhances your personality so if you're an asshole you're a bigger asshole? was it carlin? this is horrible. sometimes i wish you wouldn't even report on this stuff, chicagoist, cause it really gets me. children AND pets. blah.

Albanyparkour

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:18:26 -0600

When I get drunk, I begin to think that everyone, including the gay, the dead and inanimate objects have taken a fancy to me and/or are flirting with me. It's...often a depressing experience.

Mycubehas3sides

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:15:34 -0600

When completely blotto-ed, the closest I've ever come to this was wanting to "choke my chicken." Seriously, though, what a sad and tragic story, for all involved!

ropesack

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:11:30 -0600

well that quote html didn't work.

ropesack

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:10:09 -0600

blockquote {"muncie makes national news for some of the MOST DISTURBING shit."}

poptart

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:57:06 -0600

That is just sick. What's wrong with this guy?? Does anyone know if Child services can get invovled? Those poor kids are probably going to be totally screwed up. I'm sure this isn't the first time he's done something that awful. Like Albany said, people don't just get drunk and decied to torture and kill at cat out of the blue.

Ingrid

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:49:43 -0600

Albany took the words right out of my mouth. I've been drunk and never got the urge to torture animals. But that's just an excuse. Being drunk doesn't make you do things that you weren't already capable of doing in the first place. One can only imagine what the rest of his life is like. This is no choir boy who happened to get drunk one night and tortured a living being to death as an aberration. That poor cat...and those poor, unfortunate kids growing up with a dad like that.

Albanyparkour

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:44:40 -0600

Oh God. My cat was clearly mistreated, as a very small kitten, before I got him. He seemed almost surprised that people were petting him, feeding him and giving him treats as opposed to whatever horrors his previous owners had visited on him. Today he's the perfect lap cat and an attention fiend. Why tell this story? I dunno, antidote to the horrible images and sadness of the news perhaps? That man should not be allowed near those children again. I've been DRUNK in my life but murdering animals in front of children never came up as a way to pass the time. Sick bastard.

DROOO

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:39:29 -0600

muncie makes national news for some of the weirdest shit.