Parents of suspected Tampa serial killer refuse to testify against him, lawyer says

Fox News ^ | December 6 | Lucia I. Suarez Sang

[PghBaldy]

The parents of the 24-year-old man accused of killing four people over a 51-day period of terror in Tampa say they will not testify against him even if it means they will face criminal charges.

[PghBaldy]

They are saying it is a religious issue.

[BykrBayb]

There’s nothing about this at the link.

[ColdOne]

Is that the correct link to this story?

[SubMareener]

http://video.foxnews.com/v/5672234066001/?#sp=show-clips

[jonno]

Is this normal - that a parent be forced to testify against a child - even if he is a killer?

[AppyPappy]

What religion?

[BykrBayb]

Thanks.

I couldn’t testify against my own son.

[AppyPappy]

Only spouses have protection

[nickcarraway]

Why do authorities need the parents’ testimony?

[SubMareener]

According to the video, the Prosecutor is required by Florida Law to find mitigating reasons to NOT seek the death penalty. Either the parents don’t understand this, or they knew he was the killer all the time and didn’t do anything.

[PghBaldy]

I assume Christianity, as they mention Bible.

[PghBaldy]

Sorry... Cut wrong Earl. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/12/06/parents-suspected-tampa-serial-killer-refuse-to-testify-against-him-lawyer-says.html#

[Nifster]

Ain’t nothing there

[jonno]

Or (just a WAG)... the parents are sadists who don’t want to admit under oath that they turned their son into a sociopath?

[bgill]

I sure could in a minute. A monster is a monster no matter what. You know if your kid tortured little animals when he was young. You know something isn’t right with him. He didn’t wake up one morning as a killer.

[BykrBayb]

I didn’t cover for my son whenever he got in trouble. So, to some extent, yes I could testify against him. But not to the extent that it could cost him his life. I don’t know how this guy became a monster, and what role his parents played in that. But just speaking to the very narrow circumstance of being ordered to testify against my son in a capital murder case, I just couldn’t do it.

[shotgun]

I could, they made their choices and have to live with the consequences. I did every thing so could to teach them and if they choose a different path then that’s their fault. Also if thst ever happened I would not visit them in jail or prison.

[shotgun]

Dexter...

[ExpatGator]

If my son was killing innocent people I could.

[RJS1950]

They do not fall under the spousal category or any religious category.

They put themselves in jeopardy if the authorities discover that they had any knowledge of any of the murders in relation to their son and then covered it up or sheltered him. They would become an accessory to the murder(s).