American Sniper, guy accused of Chris Kyle's murder found guilty

[Independent voter]

Apparently this guy, Eddie Ray Routh had a history of mental troubles.

Routh told a reporter, "It tore my (expletive) heart out when I did it," later adding, "I guess you live and you learn, you know."

After 9/11 happened, there was a surplus of recruits. That dropped off over time and the military needing a lot of recruits they started to drop standards, a recruit didn't need a high school diploma for example, felony convictions were waived, mental issues were waived.

Pretty interesting read. Not sure why he didn't get off due to mental illness.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AMERICAN_SNIPER_TRIAL

The verdict capped an emotional trial in which prosecutors painted the 27-year-old as a troubled drug user who knew right from wrong, despite any mental illnesses. Defense attorneys said he suffered from schizophrenia and was suffering a psychotic episode at the time of the shootings. While trial testimony and evidence often included Routh making odd statements and referring to insanity, he also confessed several times, apologized for the crimes and tried to evade police after the crime.

Kyle and Littlefield had taken Routh to the shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge and Resort on Feb. 2, 2013, after Routh's mother asked Kyle to help her troubled son. Family members say Routh suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from serving in Iraq and in Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

However, Richardson told Routh that Routh's PTSD claims "have been an insult to every veteran who served with honor."

Routh's mother, Jodi Routh, who was questioned by prosecutors about why she didn't warn Kyle of her son's mental troubles, sat expressionless in the courtroom as the verdict was read.

Routh's defense team said they would appeal the conviction.

Asked by a reporter for The New Yorker magazine in a jailhouse call if he thought about the day he shot the men, Routh replied, "It tore my (expletive) heart out when I did it," later adding, "I guess you live and you learn, you know."

A resort employee discovered the bodies of Kyle and Littlefield about 5 p.m.; each had been shot several times. About 45 minutes later, authorities say Routh pulled up to his sister's home in Kyle's truck and told her he had killed two people.

She called police, who later located Routh sitting in front of his home in the truck. A police video shown by prosecutors showed officers trying to coax him from the truck while he makes comments including: "I don't know if I'm going insane," and, "Is this about hell walking on earth right now?"

"He told us he'd taken a couple of souls and he had more souls to take," Lancaster police Lt. Michael Smith testified.

[Gumboy]

Just because you have mental problems does not mean you don't understand your actions.

[Gumboy]

Let this be a lesson to you: If you do something horrible during a psychotic break, don't show remorse after you come back down to Earth.

Or perhaps, if you are having mental issues, see a doctor instead of shooting people?

[grimsanta]

Or perhaps, if you are having mental issues, see a doctor instead of shooting people?

A bit more complicated than that. From his perspective, everyone else may seem nuts.

I'm bi-polar for example. Now, I've been on meds for several years, but back in the day when I would go manic, it was extremely apparent that I was out of my mind to everyone else. But I had absolutely no idea.

[Rabblexthree]

Or don't take people with PTSD to a gun range.

Kind of my thoughts on the issue.

[Mentia]

Glad to see this guy is getting what he deserved.

[Sickjen]

schizophrenia and PTSD

i can't believe that here's the definition

a long-term mental disorder of a type involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior, leading to faulty perception, inappropriate actions and feelings, withdrawal from reality and personal relationships into fantasy and delusion, and a sense of mental fragmentation.

So he would of had to of had this before he went into the army?

[Gumboy]

A bit more complicated than that. From his perspective, everyone else may seem nuts.

I'm bi-polar for example. Now, I've been on meds for several years, but back in the day when I would go manic, it was extremely apparent that I was out of my mind to everyone else. But I had absolutely no idea.

I have been on medication my entire life for certain things. I take full responsibility for my actions, this guy attempted to elude the police, and "Hid" his supposed mental troubles; those are the actions of someone not taking responsibiility for their life.

[Gumboy]

It's amazing how quickly people will jump on the dehumanization train depending on what "side" they're on in these situations.

Frankly, I don't care one lick about the american sniper guy. Haven't seen the movie, from what I've read about it, he sounds like a fucked up guy. But so does the guy who murdered him.

[Rabblexthree]

No. Schizophrenia develops and PTSD is the result of a traumatic effect. They're long term in that they don't wear off after a few months on their own. Schizophrenia usually shows up from around 15-30 in men, if I remember psych correctly, and PTSD is something a lot of people get from going off to war, or suffering other traumas.


Apparently the death penalty was taken off the table before the trial started and I really feel that's the only reason he got life in prison.

Do you think if it was still called Shell Shock it might be taken a bit more seriously?

[grimsanta]

I have been on medication my entire life for certain things. I take full responsibility for my actions, this guy attempted to elude the police, and "Hid" his supposed mental troubles; those are the actions of someone not taking responsibiility for their life.

Good point, though I don't know how I would have reacted if I came out of a manic "black-out" finding out that I had killed someone. I'd probably just kill myself, but that's just me.

[Gumboy]

Do you have a psychotic illness?

Yes, but I have never, a single time in my life, been violent. And I live on my own (Well I used to, have a roomate now) and have had girlfriends/boyfriends/friends/jobs.

Perhaps his was more severe. but to say "I have mental problems, thus I am not responsible for murder" is an outright travesty, regardless of who it is.

[Nola Saint 504]

Routh told a reporter, "It tore my (expletive) heart out when I did it," later adding, "I guess you live and you learn, you know."

Sounds like he knew right from wrong to me

[Sickjen]

No. Schizophrenia develops and PTSD is the result of a traumatic effect. They're long term in that they don't wear off after a few months on their own. Schizophrenia usually shows up from around 15-30 in men, if I remember psych correctly, and PTSD is something a lot of people get from going off to war, or suffering other traumas.


Apparently the death penalty was taken off the table before the trial started and I really feel that's the only reason he got life in prison.

Yeah i can understand that a bit, Now the best question yet with all of these issues why go to a gun range? Seems kind of sketch. I'm really curious as to his thoughts and what happened leading up to this, what exactly was said.

[Gumboy]

I don't think he ever said that.

Sure sounds like that is what his lawyer is trying to say

[Rabblexthree]

As far as I know, it was taken even less seriously then, like it was something that you'd just get over in a couple of weeks, but I'm hardly a historian.

Personally I would take something called Shell Shock more serious than something called PTSD even though they are the same thing.

I assume it was changed to PTSD to encompass more than just war related issues.

[Gumboy]

Yeah i can understand that a bit, Now the best question yet with all of these issues why go to a gun range? Seems kind of sketch. I'm really curious as to his thoughts and what happened leading up to this, what exactly was said.

Apparently his mom was there, and knew about the issues, but said nothing....


If you have a kid that has "Physcotic episodes" And PTSD, and someone is like "We are going shooting at the range!"....you don't say anything?

[Gumboy]

It's literally something we recognize as being sufficient to make a person not responsible for their actions and have upheld multiple times. The mental health care system in this country is an absolute piece of shit and not everyone gets the help they need. If at the time of the crime he wasn't attached to reality, then there's no good reason to hold him accountable, regardless of what he was like after the fact.

Except if he was not attached to reality, why elude the police? Wouldn't you turn yourself in when you realize what you did?

[Mentia]

Except if he was not attached to reality, why elude the police? Wouldn't you turn yourself in when you realize what you did?

He knew exactly what he did and now he is paying for his actions. Case closed.

[Doctor Amadeus]

The verdict sounds right. Too bad remorse can't bring back the life taken.