A Reexamination of Richard’s Crime

Abuse, both in principle and in the eyes of the law, is no longer confined to the physical realm. Indeed, one can be punished for crimes of a psychological nature, but to discern a crime of passion from one of premeditation, based solely on the psyche, requires slightly more finesse on behalf of the investigator. Richard, in these short clips, provides the viewer with a sense that he was both aware and simultaneously confused in regards to the death of his mother. From these samples, an argument can be made either in favor of a stricter sentence, perhaps first-degree murder given the apparent premeditation, second-degree murder if an attorney can prove self-defense, or a more lenient one that forgoes the traditional prison term in favor of psychiatric treatment.

The Dynamics of Richard’s Sentencing

Richard seems quite cognizant concerning the extent of his involvement in the death of his mother. Despite the fact that he was only seventeen when this crime took place, the sheer violence of the crime, as well as the fact that his psychological state was clearly not such as to warrant or impose a sentence of psychiatric rehabilitation, prosecutors would be well within the realm of good judgment to seek severe penalties. Whether it is simply the amount of time that has elapsed since this tragic event occurred or whether there is an authentic sociopathic element to Richard’s behavior, his lack of remorse for killing his mother is quite compelling when considering the appropriate penalty for such a crime. Interesting to note is how, around the two-minute mark of module 2 in the video clips, Richard states, “I had convinced myself it was a dream…but in the back of my mind I knew what happened” (Pbs400, 2013). This commentary seems to indicate that Richard had a certain degree of comprehension concerning the inherent right and wrong of the events that had transpired. Still, this case presents a number of facets that might warrant a lesser punishment.

In Richard’s Defense

Taking into consideration the age of the defendant, in conjunction with his overall mental state both at the time of the crime, as well as immediately following it, there are a number of reasons that could potentially lead to a severe reduction in his sentencing. To begin with, Richard’s crime was not particularly heinous so much as it was tragic. In the pivotal case of Roper vs. Simmons, few could argue with prosecutors seeking the death penalty due to the horrific manner in which Christopher Simmons and his accomplice, “broke into Ms. [Shirley] Crooks home…bound… her hands and feet with her purse strap, her bathrobe belt, and some electrical wire, covered her face with a towel and duct tape…[and] pushed Ms. Crook, alive and conscious, into the river” (Gerety, 2005). To be sure, a troubled young man taking the life of his mother is generally a crime of passion, not one of premeditation, and orders of magnitude less egregious than the actions of Christopher Simmons. Additionally, the lack of intervention on behalf of his mother, concerning the abuse from his father, does in no way recuse his act of murder but might serve as a source of sympathy when considering the severity of his sentence.

Conclusion

Richard's overall condition, coupled with his age and the simple, however unfortunate, nature of his crimes, should certainly have been grounds for a reduced sentence. Although it might seem that there was some premeditation in the crime, given the circumstances in which he disposed of his mother’s body, this is more likely the reaction of young boy coming to some semblance of a realization concerning the gravity of what he had done. Such reactions, of course, are indeed indicative of an individual who, despite having committed a crime, was not necessarily in full possession of their mental faculties at the time of that crime.

References

Gerety, C. D. (2005). Roper v. Simmons and the Role of International Laws, Practices and Opinions in United States Capital Punishment Jurisprudence. Chinese Journal of International Law, 4(2), 565-582

Pbs400 mod2 [Web]. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTiUG8OO6fo&feature=player_embedded