Posted on 07/27/2004 10:15:01 AM PDT by Bonaparte
I agree. Unless Hacking accepts a plea bargain before trial is in full swing, everything about his background will be fair game for prosecution. Goes to character, as they say. If he does cop a plea, then we'll be spared the ugliness. We'll also have Lori's body and a confession, since I don't believe any plea will be possible without those.
BTW, it's also going to be ugly for Athay. Can you imagine what a nightmare it is for a lawyer whose client tells him nothing but lies?
Lol, reminds me of my ex. There was a switch of attorneys mid stream on his side. I found out a year later what he told his co workers about the reason for the divorce. This would account for his attorney quitting. Why would you file first and give your lying, cheating wife sole custody of the minor children???
His next lawyer was an elderly man who promised, when asked by the judge about the QDRO, that they would take care of it. It still hasn't been taken care of. That's okay, we're moving back up to the court's jurisdiction area. When things settle down, I'll take care of it.
Like my Grandma said, "a liar is worse than a thief, because a liar can cause an innocent man to hang".
I hope Mr. Athay can convince his client to finally do the right thing.
direct appeals to conscience, etc. will do no good, not at any stage of this drama. Athay's first opportunity will come with an arrest and capital charges. If Athay understands his client's personality, he will have already set the stage for a plea arrangement acceptable to his client. At every step along way, Hacking must be made to believe that he is manipulating Athay and the prosecution and that the plea deal was all his idea, accepted reluctantly by the prosecutor after some haggling and resistance.
His desire to cheat the hangman is a given, as it is with almost any other capital defendant, but he cannot be approached in the same way as most of them are. If Athay is not shrewd enough to do this, if either he or the prosecutor bungles it, there may never be a plea deal, not even when that last window of opportunity opens, as the verdict is handed up.
(you have mail)
I'm wondering when LE is going to arrest him? That is when Athay can start working with MH. I'm sure he and the professionals at the hospital know what's up with him. Those outrageous lies cannot be ignored. Athay needs to consult with independent psychiatrists in order to deal with his client. I'm sure he has a lot of experience in the legal field, but dealing with this guy is going to be the mental equivalent of catching a greased pig.
Mabelkitty mentioned the possibility that he is homosexual. I'd love to find out why he was supposedly shipped home early from that mission.
The obvious stance would be that he "wasn't himself, something inexplicably took hold of him," and he blacked out on the essential facts of the killing and its aftermath, ie. what triggered it, how it was accomplished, and much of what he thought and did afterward, except suddenly where that body is and perhaps how he got to that location. So he's now able to give them the body and at least an implicit confession only because of this delayed and unexpected "flashback."
Jekyll and Hide ring a bell?
This way he not only side-steps death row, but most importantly, does not have to admit to any of his lies about Lori and does not have to give up his sense of being in control of others. IOW, he gets to represent himself as a hapless victim who simply got caught up in the relentless grip of something he couldn't resist or even remember, thus preserving his identity of deceiver and manipulator, while also "defeating" the prosecutor and the hangman alike -- and, of course, it was all his own brilliant plan. I believe Hacking could accept that outcome if the gravity of the case against him appeared to warrant it. But Athay and the prosecutor must condition him for all this well in advance, starting now.
I can't speak to the conjecture about his sexuality.
Jekyll and Hide ring a bell?
I'll bet he wasn't himself the whole time he pretended to be in school, right down to sending out all those graduation announcements.
They could try and say he has a split personality...Jeckyl and Hyde insanity plea. I don't think a jury will buy it, unless they move the trial to San Francisco.
This way he not only side-steps death row, but most importantly, does not have to admit to any of his lies about Lori and does not have to give up his sense of being in control of others. IOW, he gets to represent himself as a hapless victim who simply got caught up in the relentless grip of something he couldn't resist or even remember, thus preserving his identity of deceiver and manipulator, while also "defeating" the prosecutor and the hangman alike -- and, of course, it was all his own brilliant plan.
We can know for almost certain that Hacking is going to prison for this, the most important thing right now is finding Lori. Whatever it takes. LE is hopefully looking up other agencies who have had sucess with this kind of technique.
I did read a news account in which one of his fellow missionaries stated he was recalled because he spent his time seducing a new convert, indulging in a variety of other vices (such as alcohol) and attempting to corrupt other missionaries.
I can't speak to the conjecture about his sexuality.
It's the convenience store clerk who said MH smoked cigarettes, that really got me. It's all verboten. Caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, not to mention the standard no no's in American society. He seduced a new convert? Boy or girl? If you look at his life, it would be pretty damn awful for a young man who had homosexual feelings, or was decidedly homosexual. It actually could have caused him to "split", so to speak.
How is this for pure speculation. He is gay. He's been gay for years, but can't stand the pressure and turns into either a sociopath or a narcissist. He goes through the motions to maintain support and identity in completely uptight SLC. (no offense anyone, but I'd hate to be a gay Mormon, or gay anything)He marries a girl whose family is close with his. He has absolutely no interest in higher education, family or babies. He drops out of college, but keeps up the charade. He's so good, they believe him without question.
This gives him not only an ego boost, but emboldens him to further lie and manipulate everyone. Did he have a gay lover in SLC? What about Chapel Hill? He went at least once to Chapel Hill to "scout the area". The problem with this is, if his lover is hiding in the closet, no one will ever know. I'm not saying if a person did exist, that he had anything to do with the murder. Chances are, this person would be revolted and horrified.
What if MH had a lover, and didn't mention he was married, but was looking to move into a more accepting enviroment. You have to realize that people like this juggle lies like some parents juggle soccer practices and play dates. All he had to do was tie up loose ends, and he would be out there. There lies the flaw in my suppositions. Oh well I'm not going to delete it. Some parts may have some merit.
Something LE might be doing is running MH through their unsolved crimes data base. I hope they are, anyway. I don't have the data, but many serial killers have had "unresolved homosexual desires". Or however you want to put it.
To all: I am not bashing homosexuals in general, nor am I insulting the Mormon Church.
What did Hacking say that caused the family and police to call off the search outside the dump? The only thing I can think of is that Hacking told them he put her remains in a dumpster, which, if true, would mean they also have a confession by now.
Hope I'm right about that but I'm prepared to find out I'm wrong. It's hard to believe Hacking would flip over his only ace, toss away his only bargaining chip.
What an awful thing, to have dogs digging through a pile of garbage to retrieve what's left of your baby girl so you can bury her.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.