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Psychologist details Carr's troubled childhood [Wichita Massacre]
AP / Topeka Capital-Journal ^ | 11/08/02 | Roxana Hegeman

Posted on 11/08/2002 5:01:09 AM PST by KS Flyover

WICHITA -- A forensic psychologist testified Thursday that Reginald Carr began having sexual interaction with girls at age 6 and that he was devastated when his father abandoned the family.

"Father abandonment, any parent abandonment, is a major risk factor across every study and textbook you wanted to read," psychologist Thomas Reidy said. "In this instance, Mr. Carr had a strong positive feeling about his father."

Reidy's testimony came on the third day of the penalty phase of Reginald and Jonathan Carr's capital murder trial. The brothers were convicted Monday on murder, robbery and sex crimes charges stemming from a nine-day rampage in December 2000. A total of five people were killed. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

The psychologist, who was testifying on Reginald Carr's behalf, told jurors that when Carr was 6 years old he began fondling girls his mother babysat at their home. By age 7, Carr said he had frequent sexual intercourse with a female cousin. Reidy said there also were allegations Carr and his siblings were sexually abused, but he couldn't verify those allegations.

Reidy, who acknowledged Reginald Carr knew what he was doing was wrong, said he based his testimony on interviews with Reginald Carr and other family members during the past two months. He also cited studies showing risk factors -- such as a dysfunctional family, abuse, violence and drugs -- will increase the probabilities a child will develop problems later in life.

He said Reginald Carr's moral development was stunted, and testified that children exposed to early sexual activity often have impaired sexual control and are aroused by deviant sexual behavior.

"We know deviance begins at home," Reidy said.

Drug use and violence also were prevalent in the Carr family, including marijuana and cocaine use by Reginald and Jonathan's mother, Reidy said. He said he was told the mother obtained some of her drugs from Reginald. By age 11, Reginald Carr was holding drugs for drug dealers and by age 13 he was selling them himself. At age 16, he was using alcohol heavily, Reidy said.

Violence also was prevalent in the family. As a punishment, the Carr children were made to strip naked for whippings by their mother while their siblings held them down, he said.

Reginald Carr was often in fights in elementary school, and beat up a teacher in ninth grade. He was suspended for sexually harassing a teacher in eighth grade, Reidy said. By age 13, Reginald Carr became a gang member.

In one incident Reidy recounted, the Carr brothers shot BB guns at each other when they couldn't find animals to shoot. He said Reginald Carr still has a BB lodged in his head.

The brothers' aunt, Phyllis Harding, also took the stand Thursday and testified about her observations of her sister's family. She said Jonathan Carr lived with her for a year in Brownsville, Texas, when he was about 7 years old, and later her sister and her family moved to Dodge City.

Harding, who is a pediatrician in Dodge City, testified she never saw any evidence of physical or sexual abuse of the Carr children.

"They never told me about any abuse, they never looked neglected," Harding said, adding the children looked healthy, nourished and wore decent clothes.

But Harding acknowledged later she wasn't always around the family and said she was shocked by some of the testimony offered during the trial.

She also told defense attorneys that Reginald Carr may have something mentally wrong with him -- and may have fabricated some of the abuse allegations.

At that point, defense attorney Jay Greeno told her Reginald Carr told the psychologist he had seen pornographic photos of his mother. Greeno offered to show them to Harding if she doubted Reginald Carr was telling the truth.

"I don't want to see naked pictures of my sister," Harding told him.

Jurors returned capital murder verdicts in the Dec. 15, 2000, deaths of Aaron Sander, 29, Brad Heyka, 27, Jason Befort, 26; and Heather Muller, 25. All four were shot execution style in the back of the head as the knelt side-by-side in a snow-covered soccer field.

The brothers were also convicted of attempted first-degree murder of Befort's girlfriend, then a 25-year-old teacher, who also was shot in the head but survived to testify.

The brothers also were convicted of forcing the five friends to engage in sex acts with each other and repeatedly raping the women. The Carrs also were convicted of first-degree murder for the shooting of another woman, Ann Walenta, four days before the quadruple murder. She later died.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Kansas
KEYWORDS: carr; kansas; wichita; wichitamassacre
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To: Rightly Biased
I'm have no idea how long the process will take. Kansas hasn't executed anyone but then again we've only had a death penalty on the books for about 7 or 8 years. Your claim that Sebilius is opposed to the death penalty is news to me and is, I suspect, wrong. Regardless, the law is on the books and only a fool would pardon these two. Sebelius is no fool. I suspect it will be 8 or 10 years but it will happen. They're going to die for it.
21 posted on 11/08/2002 6:15:23 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: johnny7
I'll take that bet. Kansas is like almost every other state. Regardless of who pulled the trigger, if a murder is committed in the course of a criminal action then everyone involved in the action is liable for the murder. Besides, both have already been convicted on the murder charges.
22 posted on 11/08/2002 6:17:20 AM PST by Non-Sequitur
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To: KS Flyover
And Now It Begins!It's Someone Else's Fault That These Two"Creatures"Turned Out To Be MONSTERS!!If That's The Case,I Have No Objection To Executing Their Parents As Well!!!
23 posted on 11/08/2002 6:23:36 AM PST by bandleader
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To: conservativemusician
You Are RIGHT!I'd Take Them Out In The Woods,String Em' Up,And Use Them For Target-Practice!!I'm A Very Good Shot So I Would Neglect(Deliberately)To Wear My Contact-Lenses!!!!!!
24 posted on 11/08/2002 6:26:31 AM PST by bandleader
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To: KS Flyover
---(The psychologist) testified that children exposed to early sexual activity often have impaired sexual control and are aroused by deviant sexual behavior.---

Uh oh, that's bad news for everbody that played doctor when they were kids, little did they know they are really all closet serial rapist-murderers.
25 posted on 11/08/2002 6:53:21 AM PST by republicman
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To: KS Flyover
--"He may have just grown to see human relationships as insignificant and lives as disposable."---

And soon his life will be disposable too. How appropo!

26 posted on 11/08/2002 7:03:35 AM PST by republicman
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To: bandleader
--If That's The Case,I Have No Objection To Executing Their Parents As Well!!!---

Ditto that here too.
27 posted on 11/08/2002 7:04:59 AM PST by republicman
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To: KS Flyover
will increase the probabilities a child will develop problems later in life.

I'd say these two have a litte bit more than "problems." I feel no pity for them. Beat them with a golf club for a while, castrate them, take them out in a snowy field, tell them to kneel down, and then blow their heads off. Don't forget to run over them on the way out.

28 posted on 11/08/2002 7:10:26 AM PST by KansasGirl
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To: KS Flyover
I wish I'd read this article prior to jumping to negative conclusions about the brothers. There has got to be a way to atone for the pain and suffering these brothers have endured throughout their childhood. Instead of putting them on death row, there has got to be a competent counselor in Kansas that can cure them. Lets see to it that they at least get a chance. I would suggest, post counseling, that we let them give society another chance.

Even if they commit another massacre we'll all feel better knowing we tried.

29 posted on 11/08/2002 8:07:06 AM PST by Archie Bunker on steroids
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To: Archie Bunker on steroids
Even if they commit another massacre we'll all feel better knowing we tried.

Actually, if they committed that massacre against the Wichita Eagle Editorial board I might change into someone who advocates a little leniency for them.

Wichita Eagle Editorial Board Says--Hanging serial murderers in Effigy is racist and offensive, but hunting down, torturing, and murdering five whites is not

More liberals should have a chance to really get to know the monsters their PC idiocy helps create.

30 posted on 11/08/2002 8:34:13 AM PST by republicman
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To: republicman
The "early sexual exposure" referred to here is most likely way beyond the innocent curiosity-driven experiences of people like us. So I think your diagnosis of "us" is not relevant.

By no means, do I think this in removes any onus of personal responsibilty for this evil pair.
31 posted on 11/08/2002 8:35:16 AM PST by Bigg Red
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To: KS Flyover
If my dog got rabies I would feel really bad about it. I would still take it out and shoot it even though it wasn't my dog's fault.

I really don't give a damn why this piece of excrement got as screwed up as he did. Take him out and shoot him.

32 posted on 11/08/2002 8:40:47 AM PST by Bubba_Leroy
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Comment #33 Removed by Moderator

To: KS Flyover
My mother is a junkie,
My father wears a dress,
Gee, Officer Krupke -
no wonder I'm a mess!! (from "West Side Story")

It's amazing how the psychobabble proliferates. You know what's truly morally offensive? The thought of the victims' families paying out taxes year after year to pay for food, medical care, free cable TV, conjugal visits, etc. etc., for these two while they are either 1) awaiting execution (10 years minimum) or 2) serving a life term.

34 posted on 11/08/2002 9:12:45 AM PST by Bogolyubski
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To: Bigg Red
--The "early sexual exposure" referred to here is most likely way beyond the innocent curiosity-driven experiences of people like us.--

There was sepculation that something was incestuous. That of course would be as you say. However the only certainty was messing around with little girls when he was young, unusual, yes, but not particularly.

This psychologist is typical of liberals. Nobody can do something horrible unless they are a victim of something.
Maybe Carr was fondling girls because they were deparaved evil little boys from the get go, who only got worse along the way.

--So I think your diagnosis of "us" is not relevant.--

It was also sarcastic. I'm surprised you couldn't tell.
35 posted on 11/08/2002 9:43:05 AM PST by republicman
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To: Non-Sequitur
---"Your claim that Sebilius is opposed to the death penalty is news to me and is, I suspect, wrong. Regardless, the law is on the books"---

I read about her being soft on crime and the death penalty
in an earlier thread and in the HUTCH NEWS I am looking for a link now and will get back to you on that.
When did the law mean anything to a liberal? all the law is to a liberal is an inconvenience a speed bump if you will.

---"Sebelius is no fool"---

Is Sebelius a liberal democrat? then by association she is a fool!!!

8 or 10 years to wait to put these two down is way to long for a Kansas budget that is in the red already.


Regards
RB
36 posted on 11/08/2002 10:41:50 AM PST by Rightly Biased
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To: KS Flyover
Am I sorry for the killers? Sure, I am. They are God's children, too. Now send them to God.
37 posted on 11/08/2002 11:21:29 AM PST by JudyB1938
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To: Non-Sequitur
Sebelius voted against the death penalty. It was on Tim's Website, but since that's been taken down, I'm having to call people I know to get tangible proof.
38 posted on 11/08/2002 12:28:12 PM PST by axel f
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To: Non-Sequitur; johnny7
I might add that BOTH of the Carr brothers have each been convicted of four count of capital murder. The options are life with no parole or execution.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}
39 posted on 11/08/2002 1:30:19 PM PST by alfa6
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To: All
Oh, geez, I was wondering when they would get to the Carrs' childhood. < /sarcasm >

Now the NAACP wants to go after the homeowner that put up the effigies of the two and they want him to be charged (I think that's what I heard) of a "hate" crime. *eyes rolling*

I don't care how young these 2 pigs were when they started acting out. This had NOTHING to do with lust. This had to do with humiliation! For pete's sake; when they raped and sodomized these women, they were made to be on 'all fours' like an animal!

40 posted on 11/08/2002 2:41:00 PM PST by IamHD
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