Pastor's wife says she snapped

On our local news here in Jackson TN tonight they said she shot him and fled to the beach with her kids to play with them until she was caught. She knew she would be caught.
It was also brought out today that this was over financial troubles that she had mostly brought on to the family. She had gotten caught up in some scam via the internet and cost the family a lot of $$.
I have defended her until now...until today. I thought possibly some type of abuse was going on. I know this can be classified as mental abuse or verbal abuse. But, there's no need to kill her husband. I'm guessing she felt trapped since they were/are Church of Christ and he was the preacher at the 4th street COC in Selmer, TN.
Also said today that she planned it....from her confession to the police in Alabama. I'm not sure if the confession will be admissable???? I haven't heard that yet..guessing that it is since it's all over TV.
Sad, very sad...:tear: raying:

 

She knowingly picked up a gun and killed her husband. People who do this are not always mentaly ill and she most certainly isnt. She anticipated the sound of the gun. She is guilty of premeditated murder. In America that gets a prison sentence.

 

What about King David? He was a murderer--he had Bathsheba's husband Uriah killed. (2 Samuel 11). Nathan confronted David and David repented. That did not erase the consequences of David's sin--the baby that was conceived in that adulterous affair with Bathsheba, died. His own son Absalom was murdered by Joab (2 Samuel 18:33). David lived with the consequences of that sin for the rest of his life.

It's not a legalist attitude--it's biblical that a for every action, there is a consequence. (Gal. 6:9-10) We are to obey the laws of the land (Romans 13). When we break those laws, there are penalties to pay. That's why we have a justice system.

 

Here's the latest in our local newspaper. We are located about 45 minutes north of Selmer, TN...where this occurred.

http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs....EWS01/60630001

 

For the death penalty, there has to be aggravating circumstances, such as another felony committed at the same time (as in robbery and murder), the victim being tortured or some form of extreme cruelty to the vicitim, the killing of a member of law enforcement, or killing for money or financial gain. There might be a few others, but those are the ones I recall from being a paralegal on criminal capital offense cases on appeal in the GA Atty General's office.

I agree there are consequences - this was murder and if convicted, she should get a sentence. But I see the point made by Gina L, for example, and by Jim. While we can support the legal consequences for actions like this, we should not be out to get blood or be callous about it. I think what Jim was talking about was attitudes.

 

No attitudes. People have been pretty much matter of fact. Maybe we shouldnt try to read into peoples attitudes on a meesage board. Not very effective.

 

And of course, after the baby died, David was killed on the spot. No? He wasn't? So the consequence isn't always jail time?

Now, I'm not for just letting her go and acting as if this didn't happen at all. But whether she gets life in prison, death penalty, 15 years or acquitted, she already has consequences in her life. She would be forced to raise those kids by herself.

I think gb said up above that we'd be suprised how many minstry wives feel trapped. I think we would, and not that feeling trapped is worse than killing someone, but we shouldn't be acting as if this lady was hiding out in the bushes with a loaded gun for husband to get out of the car.

It is a sad, sad case in so many ways. If her husband was on her case like she said, I can only imagine what pressure that would have created. She's got 3 kids to raise, living in a glass house, her husband is this "rising star" in the CoC, he's riding her case all the time and she can talk to NOBODY because he's the pastor, and perfect.

Now, was it still a sin, absolutely, but I think we need to consider everything going on, not to mitigate the sin, but so that we can be more empathic and understanding.

 

[pure speculation]
Almost any pastor's wife who has her husband criticizing her is under more pressure than a lay wife who's husband criticizes her. Because he is a pastor and therefore, looked at as perfect by the community (even inside the church.) So he gets up and preaches about love, joy, peace patience etc, and then jumps on his wife's case immediately because the laundry wasn't done. She feels utterly trapped, because who is going to believe a pastor's wife who says that he's being mean to her?

The typical response is to think she's the problem. Conversations would be something like this "She's just got an unsubmissive spirit in her. Besides he just preached a moving series on love a few months ago, he's clearly loving his wife. Just look at them when they're at church functions. They've got a nice parsonage, and 3 lovely daughters. They've got nice clothes, and cars. Why is she so hard on her husband? She needs to just be thankful for what she has."

Yet, if the husband was just Joe Schmoe, regular Sunday school attender, people would probably be more apt to see his failures.
[/pure speculation]

You ask a good question about would this be the same conversation if the husband shot the wife...I think the conversation would be different, because whether they intend to or not, husband tend to set the atmosphere in the house. Even if the wife is combative, I think it is usually a situation where the husband has failed, and not just that the wife was naturally combative. Men are often less likely to feel trapped than women.

Again, keep in mind, that for all of us, this is speculation. Nobody here knew the family before this incident. And nobody really knows them now. And nobody but those two know what was going on in their house. I could be completely wrong, she could be a total homicidal maniac just waiting to kill her husband. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

A question to everyone: If it was your husband/wife that shot you, what would you want to happen to them?

 

Latest in the Newspapter in Jackson, TN

Here's today's latest headline in the Jackson Sun. Everyone needs to read this....

http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060701/NEWS01/607010306/1002

 

After reading that, this case seems to be first, not second, degree murder.

The death penalty should therefore be considered.

 

"Hang her hang her high" doesn't sound like an attitude to you?

 

Uh, 'cause she might snap again?

At least life without parole. Anyone that can pick up a shotgun and shoot it without knowing they shot is dangerous. Anyone that would leave someone dying is sadistic. Even if you hate the person - call 911 or put them out of their misery.

IMHO.

 

Multiple bank accounts in foreign countries....hmmm.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't rule out mental illness as a mitigating factor.

If Mr. Daisy shot me I'd like him checked for brain tumors - he's simply not like that. Something would have to be seriously wrong with either him or me (mercy killing).

 

Actually it's not a red herring. I haven't been debating whether or not she's guilty. She said she did it, and in most cases, that's enough for me. I've been debating how we approach the situation. And we need to approach it with as much understanding as possible. You bring up a good point that acquiting her would be dangerous to her kids. Amazingly though, I don't think anyone has advocated aqcuital.

The evidence looks worse and worse for her, but I still say that it is a sad case for many reasons.

oh, and my previous post wasn't pure speculation. Those situations really do happen. I've talked to the wives who have felt that trapped, and read about others. What was speculation was if that is what happened here or not.

 

And who said that? Please attach a name to that exact quote.

I bet you cant do it. And the attitude seems to be yours. as a matter of fact.