Posted on 10/09/2006 1:08:07 PM PDT by aculeus
A soldier who killed the father of a life-long friend in a frenzied attack after suffering a psychotic reaction to home grown cannabis has been jailed for 10 years.
Paratrooper Laurie Draper, 31, bludgeoned 53-year-old schoolteacher Paul Butterworth with a pair of garden shears after smoking the drug at his victim's home on March 7 this year.
Draper was jailed at St Alban's Crown Court today after admitting manslaughter on the grounds that his mental state had been affected by Mr Butterworth's home grown, high strength drug.
advertisementThe court heard that the Iraq War veteran, originally from Leicester but based at the Colchester Garrison was suffering from a cannabis-induced psychotic mental state when he smashed the three foot tree loppers into Mr Butterworth's head and body.
Jailing Draper, a lance corporal with more than eight years "exemplary" service, Judge Findlay Baker QC told him: "Your conduct became at first strange, then alarming, then delusional.
"Resisting attempts to calm you down, you attacked Paul Butterworth."
Draper, the judge added, also tried to attack Mr Butterworth's son Ashley when he tried to drag his now dead father's body away from the vicious onslaught.
Ashley was forced to flee to save his own life.
The judge added: "He did what he could to protect his father, no-one could have expected him to do more.
"Some of the blows landed on him and fearing for his life he desisted, leaving you to beat the brains out of his unfortunate father and eventually to drag his body, mutilated and barely recognisable to the living room sofa.
"This was an appalling attack of extreme and persistent violence. And I have no doubt it would not have happened if you had not consumed cannabis.
"Anyone who unlawfully takes a dangerous mind-altering controlled drug and who then finds that his mind is altered in unexpected and undesired ways must take responsibility for his subsequent actions."
Mr Butterworth, who would have celebrated his 54th birthday this week was described in court as a laid back man who loved animals and children and who smoked his home grown cannabis to relax.
In a statement read to the court Ashley Butterworth said telling his two children about their grandfather's death was "the hardest thing he had ever had to do."
Clearly, pot should be made illegal.
"This is complete BS."
People will eat it up anyway. Even if it is true, and I don't believe for a second that it is, that would be the fist case I have ever heard of out of the millions and millions who smoke it. That won't stop people claiming this as irrefutable "proof" that pot turns people into murderers.
The "pot defense" does sound pretty lame. However, this, I agree with:
"Anyone who unlawfully takes a dangerous mind-altering controlled drug and who then finds that his mind is altered in unexpected and undesired ways must take responsibility for his subsequent actions."
This sounds like some of the African pot that British soldiers encountered when fighting the Zulus. It gets one high but it also amps you up. It doesn't calm you down.
What a pathetic excuse. Nobody goes psychotic on pot if they weren't already there. This is like Foley saying he was an alcoholic and oh yeah molested by a priest as if he had no responsibility for his own actions.
I agree - this sounds like a PCP reaction. Seen people on that stuff and it's scary - scarier than crack.
Something about this story smells.. like skunk!
Oh yeah I believe this.
I am very strongly against smoking pot. But I don't think this is a normal reaction to it. I think there's something else we aren't being told about.
The issue is "dangerous". Pot is about the least dangerous drug there is.
Don't tell the Libertarians.
Back in the day, I had many friends who smoked large quantities of pot and the most violent thing that ever happened (so I’m told) were the attacks on cold Pizza late at night.
Not that I would know first hand.
dec...im...al...i...za...tion, like that? ;-}
Occassionally some one would fall out laughing and land on some one but that was about as violent as it got. Remember "Make Love not War"?
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