Agh, RM95's punishment of not being able to post in D&D is more cruel than Yates' confinement in mental hospital.
http://www.rense.com/general63/dep.htm A "depravity rating" that measures evil and will help courts decide whether convicted murderers should face execution or just imprisonment has been drawn up by American psychiatrists. For decades, doctors shunned the use of the word "evil" on the grounds that it crossed the line between clinical and moral judgment. Now, however, two studies of the criminal personality have concluded that "evil" should be used to describe the most vicious criminals ñ and that it can be measured. In the first study, Dr Michael Stone, professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, examined the biographies of more than 500 killers in New York's Mid-Hudson Psychiatric Centre and developed a 22-level "gradations of evil" list. "After years of study, we have learned to recognise the traits of these people: what they do and why they do it," he said. "It is time to give them the proper appellation ñ evil." On Dr Stone's scale, the most evil killers, such as the Moors Murderers, Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, are classified as "psychopathic torture murderers, with torture their primary motive". At the other end of the scale, the least evil killers are those who have acted in self-defence. Dr Stone's scale also takes into account whether a killer has been abused, is a jealous lover of the victim, is a drug user, shows remorse or is power-hungry. In the second study, Dr Michael Welner, a forensic psychiatrist and professor at New York University, sought to draw up a scientific definition of the "aggravating" factors in crimes that would determine whether or not a judge and jury can impose the death penalty. Only one state, Florida, explicitly uses the word "evil" in its legislation. Dr Welner said that others used synonyms such as "heinous", "cruel" and "atrocious". He said: "Jurors are left to decide on the fate of criminals on the basis of mere emotions, and we want to define the term. "It might sound like parsing words to us, but it would not do so to the victim. We need a serious attempt to engage evil in the modern world: we have lost our compass of what is unacceptable. If there is a clear sense of what is beyond the pale, or evil, it is easier to promote good." On Dr Stone's scale, Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper", who was convicted in 1981 of murdering 13 women, would be put on level 17 ñ "sexually perverse serial murderers", only five levels below the most depraved killers ñ because he did not torture his victims as he killed them. Billy the Kid, the 19th-century teenage outlaw who is said to have killed between nine and 21 men, is classified as level 6 ("impetuous, hot-headed, without marked psychopathic features"), while Jean Harris, a school headmistress who in 1980 murdered her lover in a fit of jealousy, is deemed to be only level 2. Harris found a rival's underwear in the drawer of her lover, Dr Herman Tarnower, the man who launched the Scarsdale Diet, and killed him in rage. "It was the classic crime of passion, a single lifetime act of a person who, though immature and egocentric, otherwise shows no traits of evil," Dr Stone said. Dr Welner's scale of depravity was drawn up after taking into account the views of thousands of ordinary people who contributed to a website about their understanding of evil. It covers the intent, the action and the "attitude" of the criminal. According to Dr Welner, evil intent could describe the desire to carry out a crime for its excitement alone, to terrorise others, to traumatise the victim or to target a victim based on prejudice. Evil action would take into account whether a killer has prolonged the duration of a victim's suffering, inflicted an "exceptional degree of physical harm" or imposed such suffering on a victim that they demonstrate "panic, terror, and helplessness". Dr Welner said: "People say evil is like p*rnography: they know it when they see it, but can debate whether or when it is harmful. This is not true. We are finding widespread agreement about what is evil." He hopes to complete his research this year and expects the scale to be adopted by courts in the US soon. The scale is already in demand from public prosecutors and State Departments of Justice, and also from defence lawyers, who have read his academic papers. "It is already being used informally by these lawyers," he said. "But we want to submit it to legislatures for formal adoption into state criminal and civil (tort) law. "That will slow it down, but I do believe it will become part of our system of law within a few years." -- -- I think this is, if not directly applicable, parallel to the conversation. I couldn't put Yates on this list based on what I know about the case, and the graduations of "Evil" as suggested by the Stone Scale. I think you can be both evil, and mentally ill, but I don't think Yates is evil. I also don't think she knew what she was doing was wrong even if she was aware everyone else thought what she did was wrong. If you are detached enough from reality to hear God or Satan why on earth would you care what other people thought of your actions?
Wow...interesting thread. I don't know much about mental illness and how it impacts "guilt" when committing a crime. I do know that wherever she goes, she shouldn't be released into society ever again. Aren't mental hospitals pretty rough though? I don't think that would be a fun place to be.... On the black/white thing, I'm black and I also believe that if she were a black woman she would have been convicted. Every black person I know believes the same thing. I'm sure if ya honeslty asked any black person you knew, especially ones in the state of Texas, 90% or so would admit that they believe the same. I'm not saying it's justified and maybe it's something wrong with the way we think, but we do feel we get convicted quicker than most.
I do not think that this is the terms of Yates' detention. If she rehabs, she may be release back to "the streets". There is a nice thought. Yates loaded up with meds walking around my neighborhood, where my kid and other kids play. These are the kinda thoughts that lead me to believe that gun ownership may not be that bad of thing.
