Is depression an excuse for murder? Heck no

[pumpkinpie]

Pennsylvania Mother Who Tried To Poison Infant Son In Hospital
July 25, 2008
Washington (dbTechno) - A Pennsylvania mother who is accused of trying to poison her 4-month-old son by injecting him with salt water has been sent to a state mental hospital.

According to reports, it has been confirmed that the mother, 21-year old Amber Brewington from Duck River, Tennessee, suffers from severe depression.

She appeared in court on Thursday over a video feed to take part in a hearing.

She was sentenced by Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey Manning to go to the Mayview State Hospital for at least 90 days.

In the past, Brewington has stated that she has suicidal thoughts, and was charged with attempted homicide when she tried to poison her young son.

She told investigators that she tried to inject his feeding tube with salt water to speed up his death, and end his suffering.

The boy remains in critical condition following the poisoning attempt.

www.dbtechno.com/curiosity/2008/07/25/pennsylvania-mother-who-tried-to-poison-infant-son-in-hospital/

[pumpkinpie]

That is ridiculous. 90 days in a mental hospital for attempting murder on her son. If this were a man, he'd be going straight to prison. Now depression is an excuse for murder? Unbelievable...... What was this judge thinking? Great message this sends out huh?

[briseis]

Crazy. They should at least sterilise her while she's there. Horrible horrible!

[happyhaddock]

If she killed them because her arm broke you wouldn't condemn her. Why do you do this because her brain broke? That's even more reason to not condemn her.

[pumpkinpie]

Aug 4, 2008 13:29:54 GMT -5 happyhaddock said:

If she killed them because her arm broke you wouldn't condemn her. Why do you do this because her brain broke? That's even more reason to not condemn her.

I don't see how her brain broke. If that's the case then that should be the case with all murderers. 90 days in a mental hospital then out to kill again. Who doesn't get depression from time to time, and it can be severe. But depression doesn't make someone a killer. A killer is a killer. Most people with depression/mental illness are more inclined to want to harm themselves then harm another. With depression, a person knows better, it's not like schizophrenia where the person is out of touch with reality, as in Andrea Yate's case. She was psychotic, out of touch with reality- psychotic.

What if she were a man? Do you honestly think she'd get 90 days in a hospital then? This judge was a coward in my opinion and gave no justice to the child who she tried to kill. It's one thing to be against the death penalty, but those who try to kill or do kill and NO BETTER- need to be held accountable for their actions. That meaning prison time. How do you think this kid will feel if he survives and is told the story about how mommy tried to kill him because she had depression. Then- he just may inherit her depression gene, considering clinical depression is genetic, and he'll see that depression doesn't make a person feel like killing. But his mommy will be long released by then and free to kill again, if she chooses.