Man kills his son, blames it on slavery

http://www.overlawyered.com ^ | June 1, 2004

[Georgia_Patriot_1973]

Blue-ribbon excuses: post-traumatic slavery syndrome

By reader acclaim, from Oregon: "A Portland lawyer says suffering by African Americans at the hands of slave owners is to blame in the death of a 2-year-old Beaverton boy. Randall Vogt is offering the untested theory, called post traumatic slave syndrome, in his defense of Isaac Cortez Bynum, who is charged with murder by abuse in the June 30 death of his son, Ryshawn Lamar Bynum. Vogt says he will argue -- 'in a general way' -- that masters beat slaves, so Bynum was justified in beating his son." However, attorney Vogt may find it a challenge to secure the admissibility of the slavery-trauma theory, which has been accepted by neither the courts nor the psychiatric profession. Washington County Circuit Judge Nancy W. Campbell threw out pretrial testimony by Joy DeGruy-Leary, an assistant professor in the Portland State University Graduate School of Social Work, to the effect that the brutality of slavery, together with continuing racism, oppression and societal inequality, helps explain self-destructive, violent or aggressive behavior in African-Americans. Judge Campbell said she would reconsider allowing the defense in Bynum's September trial, but only "if his lawyer can show the slave theory is an accepted mental disorder with a valid scientific basis and specifically applies to this case." (Holly Danks, "Judge rejects slave trauma as defense for killing", The Oregonian, May 31). According to David Bernstein, writing two years ago, the standards for admission of expert testimony in Oregon are not as tight as might be wished ("Disinterested in Daubert: State Courts Lag Behind In Opposing 'Junk' Science", Washington Legal Foundation (PDF) Legal Opinion Letter, Jun. 21, 2002)(search on "Oregon" or scroll to near end of piece).

Posted by Walter Olson at June 1, 2004 12:05 AM

[Georgia_Patriot_1973]

Just when you think you've heard it all.....

[11th Earl of Mar]

Randall Vogt is offering the untested theory, called post traumatic slave syndrome, in his defense of Isaac Cortez Bynum, who is charged with murder

So now these syndromes/disorders don't even have to be proven by science? Just a trial lawyer?

[cake_crumb]

Shades of F. Lee Baily

[SF Republican]

Not only not a science this guy wasn't a slave

[11th Earl of Mar]

BUt you have to understand...

The disorder skips a few generations before kicking in.

[subterfuge]

I wonder when it was that rYshawn first realized he killed his 2 year old son because of slavery that occured 135 years ago?

[coloradan]

Vogt says he will argue -- 'in a general way' -- that masters beat slaves, so Bynum was justified in beating his son."

This only follows if Bynum was, in fact, a slave. In which case, he should refund all the pay he has ever received from anyone. Sort of like reparations in reverse.

[Auntbee]

Yup. Unbelievable.

[nuffsenuff]

What the f....?

[Dead Corpse]

I think I may have Viking Raider Syndrome. An inter-generational stress disorder from not being allowed to carry out my cultural heritage of smashing people in the skull with large axes or burn monks who have been boarded up in their abby.

Or maybe my German heritage of invading Poland and getting the French to surrender?

Or my Ukranian heritage of raiding the Steppes for slaves and making Pierogi with vodka sauce.

Western civilisation is a sick beast these days...

[Old Sarge]

Absolut stupidity.

That's what we need, Absolut...

[Kate of Spice Island]

I am going to use my imagination and pretend I didn't ever read this!

[From The Deer Stand]

My great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather Ole was a rowing slave on the Viking ship. Think I'll go out and rob a bank. That post traumatic stress syndrome is getting to me, especially when I think of the misery poor old grandpa Ole had to go through.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

If this BS did exist, many races who were slaves in ancient times wouldn't be around today as they would have ceased to function long ago.

[LTCJ]

We'll, if this guy wasn't a victim before, he certainly is now - of his own lawyer. That being said, they BOTH need to go to jail for a long time. He for murder, his lawyer for criminal negligence.

[humblegunner]

I think I may have Viking Raider Syndrome.

By the same token, I think I may have Scots Sheepshagger Syndrome (SSS)
which periodically may cause me to get blind drunk and violate livestock.

It also is known to skip a generation or three.

[trebb]

Looks like the Jews should soon be getting a free pass for any way they decide to take care of the terrorists that they are plagued by - it seems that "Post-Traumatic-Holocost-Syndrome" should just about trump anything the world has to offer...

[Fintan]

Makes perfect sense to me.

After all, I drink because the English oppressed my Irish ancestors.

Consequently, I think I should get free drinks every time I set foot in a bar.

 

[brownsfan]

I am going to use my imagination and pretend I didn't ever read this!

Nice try, but I think we've all lost IQ points just for reading this garbage.

[Gefreiter]

Heh, not bad.

I had a distant cousin who was a missionary and killed by the Mohawks ca 1680.

I should be able to rob the nearest casino without fear of legal retribution.