Sunday, February 5, 2012

"Killers' Families Left to Confront Fear and Shame" by SERGE F. KOVALESKI
New York Times - February 05, 2012
"In a society where headlines of violence are almost commonplace, the families of the perpetrators are largely unheard from. But now some relatives have decided to share their stories".
VIDEO HERE:
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/02/04/us/100000001256060/the-murderers-shadow.html
FULL STORY HERE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/us/killers-families-left-to-confront-fear-and-shame.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&hp

Submitted by Starship!  Thanks Starship!!

35 comments:

Dilligaf said...

It is a sad reality that murderer's leave numerous victims, not just those they have killed, but the victim's family as well as their own. I have had some conversations with the families of convicts and the reactions is mixed, I have experienced hateful comments from the families of gang members who have been convicted, saying the victim desreved what they got. But I have also heard from parents that just could not understand why.

Survivor guilt is real, it is painful, and sometimes fatal. i have referred convicts families to Victim Services before to try to help them. Sometimes it helps, many times the guilt and shame is too great.

I even add Winnie Chapman to this list of victims. I have long maintained that that she died on the day of discovery, it just took years for it to take effect.

katie8753 said...

Thanks Starship! Interesting article.

It's amazing the impact that serial killers and mass murderers' actions has on family members who will forever be tied to the ugliness.

I remember when Charles Roberts took those Amish girls hostage and tried to kill them all. His wife was horrified and humiliated. She naturally blamed herself, although there were no signs to warn her that he would do something like that.

The Amish people were amazingly forgiving and offered to help her out. She was just another victim too.

katie8753 said...

Hi Mr. Dill. I agree that Winnie Chapman was indeed a victim. It really took a lot out of her that day and I don't think the abject fear and shock that she felt that day ever really left her.

Kimchi said...

Talk about innocent victims - sons ages 7 and 5... this is horrible...it happened today in Wash. State:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/kstu-powell-explosion-rescue-operation-at-steven-powell-home-in-puyallup-20120205,0,2033970.story

katie8753 said...

Hi Kimchi!

I'll look at that article in a bit. Watching the end of the Super Bowl. If it was a runaway I wouldn't care, but now I'm intrigued!!!

katie8753 said...

Kimchi that is horrible.

I may be generalizing, but for an absentee father to go ballistic because he didn't get custody rings false with me.

Most fathers (I'm generalizing, forgive me) don't care who gets custody of the kids, except for a control factor.

There are fathers out there who really want custody, so please don't take offense at that comment.

Anyway, what a shame that 2 little boys had to die because some asshole decided that it was time to die and he included his sons.

katie8753 said...

Well the Giants won.

I have to say that the quarterback for New England (Tony?) has an arm. That guy could throw a 1000 yards.

Hoooo-waahhhh. HAHA

leary7 said...

Patriots have broke my heart twice now. I will be in mourning a month.

I've related a few times how I was involved with Oswald's daughter. It has fueled a curiousity in me how people deal with infamy. You have to wonder, for example, what kind of life Ted Bundy's daughter has had. Or the children of the Boston Strangler, the name DeSalvo still well known in New England. We all know Charlie has a half-sister out there. It sure would be a kick to find out what kind of life she has led, though obviously not being burdened with the name Manson she probably has not been touched by his infamy to much. Of course all those people deserve their privacy, so unless they willingly go public all we are left with is speculation.

katie8753 said...

There are so many horrific murders that happen all the time.

Dr. William Petit is an example of a survivor that has been damaged forever.

He has had to sit thru 2 trials for 2 murderers and I'm sure he's done.

The fact that survivors of an attack have to sit thru all this crap is tragic. And sometimes more than once.

Which makes me think about the victims in the HTLB drama.

If Gary had survived...or Steve Parent, Gibby, Sharon, Jay, Voytek, Leno, Rosemary, Shorty, Zero or Pugh....

They would have had to testify. It's like going under the knife again.

Mary said...

Josh Powell wasn't an absentee father...he wanted and fought for his kids. Unfortunately, he MAY have killed their mother in front of the kids or with the kids present and kind of knowing what happened. The kids were starting to talk about the night their mother disappeared and he may have been just trying to end it all and prevent them from talking.

This is all just speculation...but I think he knew the jig was up and took matters into his own hands.

Either way, I hope he meets his maker and will suffer the consequences for his actions if not on earth then for eternity. Scumbag!!!!!!

katie8753 said...

Hi Mary. I saw that item on the news today. I knew that his wife disappeared I think in Utah and he claimed she left but the cops weren't buying it.

I think I saw in the news months ago that Josh's Dad was busted on child porno vids and that's why the kids went to live with the missing mom's parents because I believe that Josh and the kids had moved in with dirty old grandpa.

Yes I agree, this is just sickening. To kill those innocent kids is just a tragedy.

Mary said...

Starship - thanks for sharing this. I think many times family members of the accused are blamed and shunned. You have to feel for them also...they have the stigma of being related to the aggressor and the heartbreak of losing a family member from their lives - but you also think they must live with overwhelming guilt and if only's.

I hear alot about some of the relatives of the family members - but I don't think I have seen or heard anything about Tex Watson's family. Has anyone read or heard anything about how they are coping?

katie8753 said...

>>>Mary said: I hear alot about some of the relatives of the family members - but I don't think I have seen or heard anything about Tex Watson's family. Has anyone read or heard anything about how they are coping?>>>

Mary I don't know how his family is coping now. They were very supportive before he was extradited back to CA to stand trial.

I'm sure his family is very embarrassed by his behavior. He came from a prominent family in North Texas, and I believe Denton, Texas was named after one of his relatives.

His siblings don't seem to be involved in his parole hearings, but I don't know if they have contact with him or not.

katie8753 said...

I know that Doris Tate retreated into a depressive darkness for years and I don't think that she would ever have emerged if not for the fact that these monsters were coming up for parole.

We hear about the Tate family, and we know a little about the LaBianca family, but what about the Parent family? The Hinman family? The Shea family. Shorty had parents somewhere.

The Folger family evidently just clammed up and started hiding everything.

I know that some or all of them filed a civil wrongdoing suit against the killers, but the only one I know of that went to fruition is Voytek's son's suit.

And I can't help but wonder how the parents of these killers and would be killers felt. I know I would be so disappointed and wonder where I went wrong.

Hmmmm.....

LynyrdSkynyrdBand said...

Hi Mary!

CarolMR said...

Re Josh Powell: I can never understand suicidal people who want to take others down with them. Why didn't the guy just kill himself? Why kill his little boys, too? People ask what evil looks like. It looks like Josh Powell.

katie8753 said...

Hi Carol.

I saw on the news today that he cut their little necks with a hatchet before he burned them. He's a monster.

They speculate that since the kids had started talking about what really happened to their mother, that he was trying to make sure they couldn't finish telling what they knew.

I can't imagine how their grandparents feel. It's sickening.

CarolMR said...

katie, I just heard on the news that the autopsy report said they all died of carbon monoxide poisoning and that the hatchet wounds, while causing terrible pain, were not the cause of death. I feel sorry for the grandparents, also. First they lose their daughter (I think she's dead) and now they lose their grandsons.

CarolMR said...

Phil Vannatter, the lead detective in the OJ Simpson case and the man who arrested Roman Polanski at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in 1977 on statutory rape charges, died of cancer on January 23rd of this year. Please forgive if someone has already noted this.

axl805 said...

Hello there fellow riff raff!!!! I'm thinking and very close to pretty sure the Lynyrd will post my post, but realistically I'm using this as the proverbial litmus test. Le Paradoxes (the blog)will not post my posts. They seem to assume a lot and for some reason feel the need to try and give much p attention to something they despise. I respect Lynyrd for steering clear and running an amazing blog on a very difficult subject. Hello to all those that I know and also hello to those that I don't know. I love reading all that you all have to say, whether I agree or not. On this I think that victims should be represented, but more counseled to let things go. That may sound callous, but I think the best would be to try and live happily within reality. Maybe support groups. The justice system and correctional system is SO screwy. Its horrible about those two Powell boys. Tragedy.......HI KIMCHI!!!!!! PEACE & LOVE

katie8753 said...

Carol, one of the tragic parts of this scenario is that we now know that Josh killed his wife and buried her in the desert somewhere, and they will probably never find her.

Also, I was thinking today, with all of his e-mails to everyone saying he's sorry, etc., I'm wondering if he didn't stage this to look like he's dead. He could have put another man's body in the house to make it look like it's him, then beat feet out the back door before the explosion. Why cut the little boys before they died of smoke inhalation?

I sure hope they check the dental records on the dead guy.

I also heard on the news today that the little boys didn't want to go to the Dad's house for the visit, but their maternal grandmother encouraged them to see him.

I can't even imagine the shape she's in now.

I don't have grandchildren, but I can only imagine the pain I would be feeling if those were my grandchildren. Unbelievable!!!

katie8753 said...

I didn't hear about Phil Vannatter Carol. Thanks for the info!!

CarolMR said...

"Also, I was thinking today, with all of his e-mails to everyone saying he's sorry, etc., I'm wondering if he didn't stage this to look like he's dead." - katie

Interesting theory.

LynyrdSkynyrdBand said...

I apologize to anyone who tried to contact me today (via email)... or had to wait an extended time, to have their comment approved.

I dropped my cell phone in water today... and the rest of the day was just downhill from there. LOL

Cell phone is dead.

I'll be purchasing a new one tomorrow.

I'll tell ya...
Not being able to contact anyone by phone for an entire day, really, reallly, sucks! LOL

Thank Gawd for email, at least...

LynyrdSkynyrdBand said...

Venus...

I sent you an email about 12 days ago.

Check that email of yours, which never works, and is always filled with spam. LOLOL

LynyrdSkynyrdBand said...

Hello Axl805...

I don't recognize your screen name... and consequently, have no idea who you are (LOL)... but, none-the-less... welcome to the blog.

Any friend of Kimchi's, is a friend of mine.

axl805 said...

I originate from the Backporch....on fb I'm Josh.....friend to a few and friendly with everyone......good to be here Lynyrd......That man that exploded himself took the weakest path he could possibly choose.....so sad for those kids....this society needs to do more to raise the next generation in a productive manner.

LynyrdSkynyrdBand said...

JOSH!!!!!!

Now, I know who you are! LOL

What's up man?!

Great to have you on the blog!!

I agree.
Parents just aren't what they used to be...

katie8753 said...

Hi ax1805 = Josh.

Welcome! I agree with you completely. So sad for the little kiddos.....

There's nothing left to say....
sigh....

A time of silence for them.

axl805 said...

Thank you for posting my posts Lynyrd......good to see you buddy. Thank you for the welcome Katie...... X:)

Mrstormsurge said...

Hey Josh!!!!

/waving my baby rattle at my bro

Kimchi said...

>>>Hi Josh!!!<<<

Good to see you here!

katie8753 said...

>>>Stormy said: Hey Josh!!!!

/waving my baby rattle at my bro>>>

HA HA HA.

You know it's hard to think of the family members of these scumbag killers as victims, but they really are to a certain extent.

I don't think that Tex's family, or Leslie's, Pat's, Susan's, Squeaky's, Sandy's, Brenda's, Clem's, Mary's, Bruce's OR Charlie's, meant to inflict any damage on these people that would turn them into killers.

In Charlie's or Susan's case, the parents were either dead or just non-existent, but the others I think were just trying to do what they thought was best.

axl805 said...

Hello to all my friends.....PEACE & LOVE......seems no one else wants to post what I have to say.....lol.....on another note, the victims of this case seem to be the people that can't let go, as shallow as it may seem, letting go is probably the only way to get away from being a victim. The case and the personalities will never die, but those that feel victimized could turn the truth on it's head for healthier things. PEACE & LOVE

katie8753 said...

Hi Josh.

I really think that if these killers had been executed a long time ago, or even if they didn't come up for parole every few years, it would have been easier for the victims' families to heal over and forget.