Keeping Murder in the Family
Justin Katz
Ancient mythology proves that parricide isn't anything new. Lizzie Borden proves that it isn't new to our region. But Joel Beaulieu's alleged patricide and attempted matricide in Tiverton has come mere months after the sentencing of James Soares across the bay in Warren for the same crime, and a mere two years after the act itself.
Both are men in their twenties still living with their parents. Both are described as showing little emotion. Soares's case involves drugs and a live-in girlfriend. Details on Beaulieu are still sparse. Two unusual murders of this sort does not necessarily a trend make, even when they occur in such proximity. But it is eerie and should make us wonder whether we're witnessing further evidence that something grievous in our culture needs correcting.
11:29 AM
Thing may be going wrong in our culture, we can agree on that but the sad thing is that kids killing their parents is nothing new. A girl named Lizzy Borden did it some years past in Fall River and there are hundreds of other case throughout history. I think that the recent case may be attributable to mental illness.
The guy in Tiverton looks to have mental health issues, or does that require to much faith in science for you to believe?
Cold blooded parricide seems to me to be prima facie evidence of mental illness. It's among the deformations of modern society, however, that we can't seem to integrate the concept of mental illness with culpability and evil.
"Both are described as showing little emotion."
I am not sure it can be considered an indicator, but "flat affect" is common among sociopaths.
Inheritance is a frequent motive in patricide, I wonder if hard times increase the motivation.
Killing one's parent(s) for money in cold blood is not attributable to mental illness.
Most patricides are due to mental illness however.
I have known people who truly feared their sons or daughters.
One friend of mine had a violently schizophrenic 10 year old who hit her over the head with a kitchen chair while on a home visit from a mental hospital-fortunately she survived with a fractured skull,but no permanent impairment-she was relieved that he hadn't killed his siblings.
This was a nice person and a good mother-the kid was just really disturbed.FWIW she didn't have any money to speak of-the causes of things like this are hard to define.
"Killing one's parent(s) for money in cold blood is not attributable to mental illness."
I suppose that is a matter of outlook. A sociopath/psychopath understands only what they want. Having no conscience, they are not troubled by what they have to do to obtain it. Lacking conscience, they can pass a polygraph test.
Is this "mental illness", I think so. But, we see it every day in belittling bosses, price gouging merchants and salesmen who will "do anything to make the sale". Then, it is "ambition".
Excuse me but Lizzie Borden was acquitted by a legal jury of her peers in a legal court of law over seen by a legal judge.
Why does her name even enter in this discussion about children killing parents without the introduction she was found innocent in a court of law unless Anchor Rising posters have firsthand knowledge otherwise?
"Excuse me but Lizzie Borden was acquitted by a legal jury of her peers"
True, our system only "mostly works". In our own time we have former football players killing their ex-wives and walking.
It may seem a philosophical stretch, but "not convicted" is not the same as "not guilty".
Police will never admit it, but frequently they develop a theory of the case, then look for evidence to support it. Sometimes the evidence isn't there. Sometimes, as appears to be the case in the Simpson matter, they manufacture it. This becomes apparent to the jury and the guilty walk. This doesn't mean they didn't do it.
Ken sometimes innocent people go to jail and sometimes the guilty go free. Read the evidence on OJ and Lizzie and tell me if you really think they are innocent.
Warrington-I consider psychpaths to be suffering from a personality disorder-they aren't irrational.
I was referring nainly so schizphrenics and bipolar individuals.
Psychopaths are the ultimate self-centered people.
Joe, you have a point. Psychopaths aren't irrational, they are simply self centered. What they want, they intend to get. They have no qualms about this and no irritated conscience, that is why the polygraph doesn't work on them. They have no emotional reaction to their activities.
Thing may be going wrong in our culture, we can agree on that but the sad thing is that kids killing their parents is nothing new. A girl named Lizzy Borden did it some years past in Fall River and there are hundreds of other case throughout history. I think that the recent case may be attributable to mental illness.
Posted by: triple richard at September 12, 2010 1:56 PMThe guy in Tiverton looks to have mental health issues, or does that require to much faith in science for you to believe?
Posted by: swazool at September 12, 2010 2:19 PMCold blooded parricide seems to me to be prima facie evidence of mental illness. It's among the deformations of modern society, however, that we can't seem to integrate the concept of mental illness with culpability and evil.
Posted by: Justin Katz at September 12, 2010 2:39 PM"Both are described as showing little emotion."
I am not sure it can be considered an indicator, but "flat affect" is common among sociopaths.
Inheritance is a frequent motive in patricide, I wonder if hard times increase the motivation.
Posted by: Warrington Faust at September 12, 2010 6:45 PMKilling one's parent(s) for money in cold blood is not attributable to mental illness.
Posted by: joe bernstein at September 12, 2010 8:45 PMMost patricides are due to mental illness however.
I have known people who truly feared their sons or daughters.
One friend of mine had a violently schizophrenic 10 year old who hit her over the head with a kitchen chair while on a home visit from a mental hospital-fortunately she survived with a fractured skull,but no permanent impairment-she was relieved that he hadn't killed his siblings.
This was a nice person and a good mother-the kid was just really disturbed.FWIW she didn't have any money to speak of-the causes of things like this are hard to define.
"Killing one's parent(s) for money in cold blood is not attributable to mental illness."
I suppose that is a matter of outlook. A sociopath/psychopath understands only what they want. Having no conscience, they are not troubled by what they have to do to obtain it. Lacking conscience, they can pass a polygraph test.
Is this "mental illness", I think so. But, we see it every day in belittling bosses, price gouging merchants and salesmen who will "do anything to make the sale". Then, it is "ambition".
Posted by: Warrington Faust at September 13, 2010 12:58 AMExcuse me but Lizzie Borden was acquitted by a legal jury of her peers in a legal court of law over seen by a legal judge.
Why does her name even enter in this discussion about children killing parents without the introduction she was found innocent in a court of law unless Anchor Rising posters have firsthand knowledge otherwise?
Posted by: Ken at September 13, 2010 2:17 AM"Excuse me but Lizzie Borden was acquitted by a legal jury of her peers"
True, our system only "mostly works". In our own time we have former football players killing their ex-wives and walking.
It may seem a philosophical stretch, but "not convicted" is not the same as "not guilty".
Police will never admit it, but frequently they develop a theory of the case, then look for evidence to support it. Sometimes the evidence isn't there. Sometimes, as appears to be the case in the Simpson matter, they manufacture it. This becomes apparent to the jury and the guilty walk. This doesn't mean they didn't do it.
Posted by: Warrington Faust at September 13, 2010 7:35 AMKen sometimes innocent people go to jail and sometimes the guilty go free. Read the evidence on OJ and Lizzie and tell me if you really think they are innocent.
Posted by: triplerichard at September 13, 2010 7:43 AMWarrington-I consider psychpaths to be suffering from a personality disorder-they aren't irrational.
Posted by: joe bernstein at September 13, 2010 7:48 AMI was referring nainly so schizphrenics and bipolar individuals.
Psychopaths are the ultimate self-centered people.
Joe, you have a point. Psychopaths aren't irrational, they are simply self centered. What they want, they intend to get. They have no qualms about this and no irritated conscience, that is why the polygraph doesn't work on them. They have no emotional reaction to their activities.
Posted by: Warrington Faust at September 13, 2010 8:45 PM