“American Sniper" Trial Blasts Holes in Insanity Defense

Townhall.com ^ | February 20, 2015 | Mark Davis

[Gay State Conservative]

Never having served in (or near) combat and not being a trained psychiatrist/psychologist my opinion on this may not mean much.However,I have little difficulty accepting that serving in combat can be an absolute nightmare and that that nightmare might not end when the combat ends.

That's all I have to say on the matter at the moment.

[TexasCajun]

[1Old Pro]

I’m convinced that mental illness is pervasive in society, however 99% of these “nuts” still know right from wrong.

THis murderer should be put in jail for life without parole.

[chatham]

He killed two People, Period. What would they want ,keep him in prison for 30 years ??? Capital Punishment is the cure!!

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Considering that the defendant never served in combat what is your point?

[Bubba_Leroy]

What exactly are Eddie Ray Routh’s attorneys trying to pull with this jury, and thus with a nation that has come to know of the tragedy of February 2013, when their client blew away this American hero and his close friend?

The insanity defense is the only possible defense they can try. It is not like they can raise a reasonable doubt over whether or not he did it.

[Gay State Conservative]

Considering that the defendant never served in combat what is your point?

I could swear that I read that this guy was a friend,or at least an acquaintance,of Kyle's who had,in fact,served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan.

[Guenevere]

Bttt

[Jane Long]

He served, but according to reports/records, he never saw combat. I read that the assignments he had were pretty cushy, for the most part.

[Envisioning]

Insane or not, he should be executed, but he won’t be.....

[Pearls Before Swine]

He’s crazier than a shit-house rat. But... crazy AND guilty.

[Bubba_Leroy]

I have long believed that the insanity defense should only be used to determine whether or not the perp will serve his life sentence in a straight jacket.

[Guenevere]

I think Routh’s mother should take a huge responsibility for her son’s actions.....
She supposedly begged the VA to keep him......she knew he was evil....and then she turns around and asks Kyle to spend time with him.

I don’t think she warned Kyle.....and I think he was responding to a mother’s request, because he was that kind of guy.

[Tea Party Terrorist]

He served over there, but according to everything I have read, never saw combat.

He only started to “lose it” in Haiti, in the aftermath of the earthquake.

[Bubba_Leroy]

He’s crazier than a shit-house rat.

If my dog got rabies I would feel bad for it. It's not the dog's fault.

I would still shoot it, because it is a danger to everyone so long as it lives. But I would feel really bad about it.

I feel bad that this guy is crazier than a shit-house rat. Regardless of how he got that way, he still needs to be shot or locked up for life.

[waterhill]

The county where the trial is did not seek the death penalty. I believe the Texas penal code requires the county to pony up for the execution, though I may be wrong. This county just doesn’t have the bread.

[jonno]

Yep...

[PIF]

Texas insanity is based on either a physical defect or disease. Every other definition is not applicable to the insanity defense under Texas law, according to a TV lawyer.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

He did serve in Iraq. But he remained on base and was never in combat.

Being deployed to a combat zone (possibility of combat) and being in combat are two very different things.