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News & ArtsFriday, September 18, 2009
News Headline of the Day
Posted by Dan Savage on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Insane killer escapes on field trip to county fair
Um... I'm not a lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the-key type generally, but should insane killers—"unstable and potentially dangerous" killers, killers who've already attempted to escape, killers on stop-killing-people meds—be taken on field trips to county fairs?
3
This gets a the heart of someone who is determined to be not guilty by reason of insanity. You see this guy could have been, and many feel he should have been, released back in 2003. Normally he would be spending most of his life in prison.
People that are even mildly insane have a get out of jail free card and can essentially do what they want, to whoever the want. This is the primary reason I do not ride the bus because many of these people are insane, verbally attack the passengers with incoherent talk and are just aching to strike back knowing they will be just sent back to the hospital. And don't give me that we need more treatment bullshit. They can have all the treatment they could want but choose to live in places like the I-5 jungle.
But this sort of thing will never change. The world agrees that prosecuting the insane is unethical therefore we remain prisoners to the whime of the loonies that roam among us.
People that are even mildly insane have a get out of jail free card and can essentially do what they want, to whoever the want. This is the primary reason I do not ride the bus because many of these people are insane, verbally attack the passengers with incoherent talk and are just aching to strike back knowing they will be just sent back to the hospital. And don't give me that we need more treatment bullshit. They can have all the treatment they could want but choose to live in places like the I-5 jungle.
But this sort of thing will never change. The world agrees that prosecuting the insane is unethical therefore we remain prisoners to the whime of the loonies that roam among us.
4
I was pretty disappointed to discover that the 'insane killer' did not have an ominous nickname starting with a definite article. Even one without a definite article would have been fine, maybe based on alliteration. The headline was so promising, and then it turns out to be some boring Phillip Paul who killed ONE person, 20 years ago, and she was OLD. Well maybe this opportunity will allow him to establish a pattern, hopefully. Cause frankly I'm getting bored as shit with this Yale graduate student story now that they have someone in custody. He might need a little encouragement though, so get your ass in gear and start leaving messages for him in your articles Seattle Times. Do your job. Entertain me.
-The Troll
-The Troll
5
Dan, the county fair is so epic that it would be cruel and unusual punishment to not let them go. Just think, he could volunteer to be one of the hypnotism victims.
7
Motherfucking idiots. If he attacks anyone, the victim or his/her survivors should sue the hospital for damages.
It was the second escape for Paul. In 1991, he walked away from custody during a day trip in Medical Lake
Motherfucking idiots. If he attacks anyone, the victim or his/her survivors should sue the hospital for damages.
8
sure he should do the fair. just make sure he brings his concealed weapons permit along with the gun in his ankle holster. 'cause ya never know!
10
Look, I don't see what the problem is, he probably just wanted to buy Guns and exercise his 2nd Amendment Rights ....
11
Sad to say, this is a totally typical "Spokane moment." (I live here but I grew up in Seattle, and this is one of those times when I am glad to be able to say that.)
12
I think a close second for headline of the day is the headline i've been seeing on cnn.com. something to the effect of:
"man eats airplane, ends up in record books"
WTF? Dude seems to be taken the whole 'fiber-rich diet' thing a bit far.
"man eats airplane, ends up in record books"
WTF? Dude seems to be taken the whole 'fiber-rich diet' thing a bit far.
13
How is this a "totally typical Spokane moment"? Do "insane killers" run wild in the streets? A "totally typical" Spokane moment would have happened if he ran off with a corndog and the cops tasered him to death.
DSHS runs Eastern State Hospital. They made the call and they lost him.
DSHS runs Eastern State Hospital. They made the call and they lost him.
15
@ 3- What point exactly are you trying to make? Your post is unclear and rambling. There is a reason for the "Preview Comment" button. Christ.
@ 10- You do not have 2nd amendment rights if you are declared mentally unstable.
At least he isn't stupid. I give him credit for escaping, for the second time! I agree with Troll, here's to hoping he enjoys his freedom this time.
@ 10- You do not have 2nd amendment rights if you are declared mentally unstable.
At least he isn't stupid. I give him credit for escaping, for the second time! I agree with Troll, here's to hoping he enjoys his freedom this time.
16
Well - THAT wasn't the headline-of-the-day in anything *I* read.
But I like it better. Nobody died or was tortured or had their life-savings stolen.
Three cheers for SLOG!
But I like it better. Nobody died or was tortured or had their life-savings stolen.
Three cheers for SLOG!
17
The insanity defense is very difficult to prove. The burden of proving not guilty by reason of insanity is on the accused (at one time, in federal court, the burden was on the prosecutor but after Reagan was shot and his assailant was acquitted, Congress changed it; it's always been on the defense in Washington). While acquittals in trials do happen, it's very rare; defense attorneys see it as a last ditch defense (got nothing else, so let's find a shrink; yes, there are a few psychologists out there who are prostitutes and will say what they're paid to say, but the prosecutor has a great arsenal of better ones to dispute). Now, the most common scenario is that all the shrinks agree the guy meets the insanity test; that's because he really is insane under the law, and the prosecutor, defense and judge agree to an acquittal by reason of insanity and, almost always, commitment for an indeterminate term (up to the max for the crime) to the state hospital. That's for treatment. So the shrinks at the hospital treat the guy and, if he's deemed no longer dangerous, he can be allowed more privileges, like going to a fair. Eventually, he may be conditionally released, akin to probation or parole, or even discharged. Just like a real criminal who completes his time. Many do more time in the hospital than they would in prison due to Washington's sentencing grid.
20
@17,
Don't forget the part that most shrinks find the criminally insane 'stable' enough to release after one year in confined in a state institution. There isn't enough money in the budget to treat them & keep them locked up forever. Institutions have to make room for the next batch of nut-bags. Which is one of the main reasons insanity defenses seldom work. The jury knows the violent nut-bag is going to be back on the street very soon if they're found 'not guilty by reason of insanity'. Since nobody wants these people on the street again, they find them 'guilty'. This is how Isaiah M. K. Kalebu's trial will go down. The defense will rightly point out that he's a loon who needs medication. Everyone in the damn city knows he's a loon who won't take his medication. The jury will deliberate on locking him up in a nut house but the idea that he'll have a chance to walk free and go off his meds once more will prevent them from giving the 'just' verdict. Instead they'll make sure he'll never gets out of prison or give him the death penalty.
Don't forget the part that most shrinks find the criminally insane 'stable' enough to release after one year in confined in a state institution. There isn't enough money in the budget to treat them & keep them locked up forever. Institutions have to make room for the next batch of nut-bags. Which is one of the main reasons insanity defenses seldom work. The jury knows the violent nut-bag is going to be back on the street very soon if they're found 'not guilty by reason of insanity'. Since nobody wants these people on the street again, they find them 'guilty'. This is how Isaiah M. K. Kalebu's trial will go down. The defense will rightly point out that he's a loon who needs medication. Everyone in the damn city knows he's a loon who won't take his medication. The jury will deliberate on locking him up in a nut house but the idea that he'll have a chance to walk free and go off his meds once more will prevent them from giving the 'just' verdict. Instead they'll make sure he'll never gets out of prison or give him the death penalty.
21
I don't see the problem. Wednesday was Military Appreciation Day, Thursday was Bring an Insane Murderer Day, and today ride tickets were 3-for-2. It's Spokane. That's how we do it.
22
Writing as a one of Ruth Motley's grandchildren (she's the nameless old lady who, before being murdered by Philip Paul, was known for her erudition, kindness, and excellent cinnamon rolls), it is surreal to see what has been a family tragedy for twenty years suddenly become a mid-sized scandal. After all, he's escaped before, not to mention killing my grandmother, and no one really noticed.
So I have to ask, why do you all care now? I mean, yes, SLOG mostly cares because it sounds ridiculous to take a psychopath to the fair and let him go, but why are people even talking about it? No one cared when he was released from an Idaho mental institution, just to kill Ruth a short time later. No one cared when he petitioned for release a year later - in the words of his defense attorney, he'd only killed one person after all - and an old person at that. No one cared when he escaped last time, no one cared when he attacked three deputies and injured one so badly that his shoulder will never recover. No one cared when he was living independently, taking classes and doing his artsy-craftsy thing. No one cared. If not for my mom's efforts, he would have been released after a few short months. (And that's why I'm personally freaked out that he's on the loose again - he's actually got a reason to kill her. Here's hoping that he won't settle on THAT pattern...)
Anyway, sorry about the long rant, it's been a really bizarre and disturbing couple of days, and I truly cannot figure out why he's getting all this attention now. I know this isn't the best place for serious comments, but readers of the Stranger - especially the sarcastic ones - are more likely to give an answer that I can relate to than the nutcases on Fox News.
Oh, and to the Troll - there are a few articles that call him the "Witch Killer," but with any luck that won't catch on.
More...
So I have to ask, why do you all care now? I mean, yes, SLOG mostly cares because it sounds ridiculous to take a psychopath to the fair and let him go, but why are people even talking about it? No one cared when he was released from an Idaho mental institution, just to kill Ruth a short time later. No one cared when he petitioned for release a year later - in the words of his defense attorney, he'd only killed one person after all - and an old person at that. No one cared when he escaped last time, no one cared when he attacked three deputies and injured one so badly that his shoulder will never recover. No one cared when he was living independently, taking classes and doing his artsy-craftsy thing. No one cared. If not for my mom's efforts, he would have been released after a few short months. (And that's why I'm personally freaked out that he's on the loose again - he's actually got a reason to kill her. Here's hoping that he won't settle on THAT pattern...)
Anyway, sorry about the long rant, it's been a really bizarre and disturbing couple of days, and I truly cannot figure out why he's getting all this attention now. I know this isn't the best place for serious comments, but readers of the Stranger - especially the sarcastic ones - are more likely to give an answer that I can relate to than the nutcases on Fox News.
Oh, and to the Troll - there are a few articles that call him the "Witch Killer," but with any luck that won't catch on.
23
There is so much more to the story. It turns out he was allowed to live in our Downtown and roam free throughout the metro. They say he had a 6-block zone but people who knew him confirmed that he went much farther. He didn't have an ankle bracelet and I seriously doubt the honor system carries much weight w/ him. I'm sure he rode our buses and went everywhere he wanted. But then ESH made him move back in. And also? These outings have been happening here in Spokane unbeknownst to the public at many high-traffic public events. And WE get to foot the bill. Awesome.
24
The mental health system is horribly under-funded. This demonstrates the result of such under-funding.
There are no facilities for the majority of the mentally ill, so we let them roam the streets.
There are no facilities for the majority of the mentally ill, so we let them roam the streets.
26
hmmm I always think that if someone is smart enough to escape, maybe they weren't insane in the first place...
27
he has been crazy most of his life but i dont think he was crazy when he murdered ruth montley... a crazy man would not have enouph sence to go back to that house and put her in the ground.. i knew phillip paul ..im not proud of that im also not proud that i and my brother saw him by montley's house durring the time that the murder took place.i was a young boy but i do remember seeing him..he stopped and talked to us and did not seem to insane to me....
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