A federal jury in Idaho sentenced Joseph Duncan on Wednesday to death for shooting in the head at point blank range and killing a 9-year-old boy in front of his younger sister after kidnapping them and sexually abusing the boy back in 2005.
He videotaped the whole thing, replayed for the jurors' viewing pleasure, of him sexually abusing and torturing the boy Dylan Groene, hanging him from a wire noose and then eventually shooting him in the stomach before the fatal shot to the head, while little sister Shasta watched.
Duncan pleaded guilty, hard to deny one's own video evidence, I suppose. Also a guilty plea for having earlier on bludgeoned to death with a hammer Mom, boyfriend and older brother Slade.
This the same guy who also faces a first-degree murder charge in California (like it matters now, with the death penalty thing) for the 1997 kidnapping and murder of Anthony Martinez, who was 10 when he was forced into the car at knifepoint after being asked for help finding the man's cat, the boy later found dead hands and mouth bound, duct taped with Duncan's prints.
He confessed to that one, too. Also to killing in 1996 Carmen Cubias and Sammiejo White, 9 and 11 years old respectively, in Seattle. At least to his credit, he does seem to get that "honesty is the best policy" philosophy thing.
Whatever, all of that just background to this ...
The dude had a blog, though he understandably has fallen behind on updating. But still, I simply find it fascinating to read the day to day of these sorts of people. I mean, from his first post on January 2004 through his last in May 2005, it's just an amazing read.
He had already done prison time before he started the blog, but it's surreal almost to read and get acquainted with this person that is the bad guy on the news, however bad, getting to know the actual individual behind whatever evil curtain there.
Despite how fucked up and for whatever reason they might be, learning at least somewhat why for their screwed psyche is just weirdly interesting to me, and although it freaks me out kind of, it engrosses me even more so.
This from his first day of posting:
Maybe it's because after reading his blog, I wonder whatever happened to his cats, the ones whom he treated to special meals from time to time. And how he's coping now that I'm pretty sure he doesn't have the privilege these days of pressing that snooze button in the mornings like he used to do before heading off to work!
Evil folks, it seems, also have an everyday people side, too. That, I guess, is what I find to be both most intriguing and also more than just a little bit disturbing and frightening for some reason.
He videotaped the whole thing, replayed for the jurors' viewing pleasure, of him sexually abusing and torturing the boy Dylan Groene, hanging him from a wire noose and then eventually shooting him in the stomach before the fatal shot to the head, while little sister Shasta watched.
Duncan pleaded guilty, hard to deny one's own video evidence, I suppose. Also a guilty plea for having earlier on bludgeoned to death with a hammer Mom, boyfriend and older brother Slade.
This the same guy who also faces a first-degree murder charge in California (like it matters now, with the death penalty thing) for the 1997 kidnapping and murder of Anthony Martinez, who was 10 when he was forced into the car at knifepoint after being asked for help finding the man's cat, the boy later found dead hands and mouth bound, duct taped with Duncan's prints.
He confessed to that one, too. Also to killing in 1996 Carmen Cubias and Sammiejo White, 9 and 11 years old respectively, in Seattle. At least to his credit, he does seem to get that "honesty is the best policy" philosophy thing.
Whatever, all of that just background to this ...
The dude had a blog, though he understandably has fallen behind on updating. But still, I simply find it fascinating to read the day to day of these sorts of people. I mean, from his first post on January 2004 through his last in May 2005, it's just an amazing read.
He had already done prison time before he started the blog, but it's surreal almost to read and get acquainted with this person that is the bad guy on the news, however bad, getting to know the actual individual behind whatever evil curtain there.
Despite how fucked up and for whatever reason they might be, learning at least somewhat why for their screwed psyche is just weirdly interesting to me, and although it freaks me out kind of, it engrosses me even more so.
This from his first day of posting:
"I'm working on a web site that I hope will be a voice for oppressed "criminals." I'm not sticking up for their crimes; I'm sticking up for the human being inside, and trying to get people to see that punishing a scapegoat does only creates more vicitms, mostly innocent ones. I believe—I know—there are no bad people in this world, just people who do bad things. I was one once. I was ignorant. Now I know better, and the only reason I do is because I am not a bad person at heart. I care about people, and my only solace is in knowing that if I had understood how I was hurting my victim I would not have done it. Our society needs to understand this. You take any criminal, even the worst, and underneath all the crappy thinking is a battered and tortured heart that cares ... Every one of them is a human and a victim of their own messed up thinking. Every one of them is capable of remorse. Even if most hide from their remorse by denying it, or by burying it in the rage they feel toward society for denying their existence as a worthwhile human being."Two days later, due congrats!
"Just got a call from my oldest sister ... I'm a grand-uncle, agian! My Niece just had a healthy baby girl early this morning! Welcome to the world, little girl. Dispite appearances, it really is a wonderfull place to be and don't let anyone tell you different. Everything is exactly as it should be, because God doesn't make mistakes."Fast forward a year and some weeks to just a couple of days prior to his last post, after being found out the final of his misdeeds:
"As far as letting God take care of the Demons, too late. They've locked up the 'Happy Joe' person in the same dungeon that 'Happy Joe' kept them in for so many years. Now they are loose and I am very afraid. I have been asking God to help defeat the demons. In fact, last night I was on my knees begging him, crying out loud to him, to help me. He didn't answer, again."And from his ending post,
"Does anything matter? My mother is crying right now, because her son is in trouble again. She tried to raise a good son, and she knows her son has a good heart, so why does he do these things? She is probably more hurt and confused than me. Does it matter? It hurts me to know these things, but DOES IT MATTER??? A hundred years from now, all my mothers pain will be forgotten, and other mothers will cry for there sons. A million years from now there probably won't be any mothers."Why I find this terrible man so sad, and why I somehow actually feel sorry for him, I can't explain. It's wrong of me, but I do. I feel sorry for him. Nearly as much as I do for his victims' families really.
Maybe it's because after reading his blog, I wonder whatever happened to his cats, the ones whom he treated to special meals from time to time. And how he's coping now that I'm pretty sure he doesn't have the privilege these days of pressing that snooze button in the mornings like he used to do before heading off to work!
Evil folks, it seems, also have an everyday people side, too. That, I guess, is what I find to be both most intriguing and also more than just a little bit disturbing and frightening for some reason.
Well, I will be honest and say that I stopped reading at his blogs. The story, him and his history was enough. Chilling. I know I can't handle actually reading his writing. And believe me...whoa...I thought for a sec..."Yikes...never thought that far into who is behind the blog" as far as enjoying blogs...Good to know...VERY good to know.
ReplyDeleteTragic stuff...
Very tragic, and I think his blog shows how tragic his own story and his inner strife. Like I said, I'll admit to "bad me" but I feel sorry for him. He's a tortured soul.
ReplyDeleteIs this your way of persuading me to go for it? Well, it worked. This is a great post.
ReplyDeleteAfter following the link you gave and taking a quick glance over this poor, sick soul's writing, I read the following and realized I should never again feel bad when I've posted weakly while suffering through blogger's block:
ReplyDelete"I realized yesterday that many of the inventions that we take for granted (transistors, light bulbs, telephone, etc...) were invented by individuals such that if they had not come along we may not have ever known about their inventions and the world would be quite a different place. Then I realized, there must be thousands of inventions that have not been invented that could have had similar importance in our world. I wonder what they could have been?"
Doug R, I skimmed through this post, couldn't bring myself to read the whole thing. I'm glad the jury reached the decision they reached. This guy is pure evil and should rot in hell. I feel for the beautiful child that he killed and for the innocent child that will have to live with this hellish nightmare for the rest of her life. Her life will never be the same. What about the parents of the victims... OMG!
ReplyDeleteHey Doug! I just read about this yesterday for the first time and didn't get all the details til now. The other article talked about and showed the smile on his face as he was sentenced to death. He looked insane. I linked to his blog and was curious about the comments. Did you read some? (Especially the ones under the second to last post -the 300 comments one) There's current, angry remarks directed to the killer AND to the previous blog visitors, assigning blame to both. They even talk about a cop on the site who supposedly was reading and commenting. It seems like some of the murders could have been prevented had they put him under surveillance. The internet has really changed our ability to get first hand insight into the mind of a killer. You're right; it is surreal.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't have any sympathy for the killer. I find the psychology of a killer interesting, but even having the understanding or insight into the killer's mental makeup doesn't make me pity him. I think I'm very empathic naturally, but I'm also very unforgiving. I can't imagine being on the jury and having to watch the video of the murder. I'm against the death penalty in principle, but this case almost makes me change my mind.
I find it interesting that you feel sorry for him. Maybe you are ultra-forgiving, which is a good thing.
Erika - ultra-forgiving, maybe I am, but I can't help it, don't know if it's really a good thing but I like to think so. I do, really feel sorry for him, not that I don't feel even sorrier for and can't even understand, like Rain mentions, about the horror of the little girl or his victims' families. But really, I don't think I feel so much forgiving of this guy, as just fascinated with what was going on in his mind over the year that was his blog. Don't know how readable the screen cap post at the end, but it was in April, just a month before he murdered that boy, and you can tell he's begging for help. I find it sad.
ReplyDeleteRain - I know, I know. We've been there before. :-)
Doug B - Okay, I take it you're in the Rain column on this one, not so much the Doug R column. Yeah, he's a weirdo, though, we can all register as Independent on that.
And fan? Yay! Do it, that's all I'm sayin'. And thanks for being as twisted as myself.
I'm probably somewhere in between on this one. I think the man is certifiably sick, but his actions indeed were evil. And these are the types of things sick minds can do. But I have to tell you, I laughed until tears were streaming down my cheeks over "there must be thousands of inventions that have not been invented." If only he could have left it at flawed thinking.
ReplyDeleteCertifiably sick, no doubt. Never would even imply anything other than, particularly after watching his posted youtube videos. But yeah, I too thought the inventions not having yet been invented was funny, even though I didn't really pick up on that in reading his blog until you pointed it out. It made me laugh when I read your comment, though. Except for the tragic consequences sometimes, deranged people can be quite amusing!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, to think an act VS to DO an act---action VS thought, I wouldn't read his blog for a million dollars. We all suffer. I feel sorry for those that suffer UNTIL they release their pain on other living creatures. Then I no longer feel sorry for those few out of billions. What I feel for him has no word.
ReplyDelete