Death Penalty Possible In Home Invasion Case

Death Penalty Possible In Home Invasion Case -- Social Issues, New Haven County -- Courant.com

http://www.courant.com/hc-homebox0401.artapr01,0,4175716.story

The states attorney's office has added Rape, kidnapping and capital murder charges in the Home invasion case in New Britain. I suspected that this was a sex crime once I learned of the abduction and subsequent murder of Mrs Welsh. Once again,violence against women is at the core of another "home invasion", committed by another repeat offender within our state.

The defendant, Leslie Williams was a convicted sex offender, having sexually assaulted a 5 yr old for which he served 8 years in a plea deal arrangement. The prosecutor in that case has since defended that deal which involved lowered charges and thus a more liberal sentence, declaring that the case had had"weaknesses". Here is a link to William's entire criminal history,
www.courant.com/hc-homebox0401.artapr01,0,4175716.story as you can see he is yet another career criminal who was consistently under-prosecuted except perhaps for the 8 year sentence for the sexual assault, which was relatively severe, especially for a plea deal.

Present at williams hearing this week was the family of murdered victim Mrs Welsh , as well as the half sister of the defendant, who offered explanation for her estranged brother's rape, murder and attempted murder rampage; His father was killed violently when he was a young boy by his own stepson, and Leslie reportedly "was never the same" after this.
She also mentioned that he was killing cats as a teenager and that this was obviously a cry for help-which she states he never got.

Knowing what we know about criminal sociopathology, the killing of cats sounds suspiciously like the beginnings of sociopathic behavior, the precursor of which is referred to as "conduct disorder" this, when the onset of symptoms begins prior to the age of 16, according to the Diagnostic statistical manual.
There are several red flags for early sociopathology in teens and children and two of the majors are cruelty towards and/or killing of animals, and fire setting. Another is physical aggression, fighting and a pattern of chronic disregard for rules, and violations of the rights of others.

As a teen develops into an adult, the diagnosis segue ways into anti-social personality disorder, also loosely referred to as a " psychopath".and sociopath which are one and the same. A profound lack of conscience and a highly deceitful and manipulative nature is another part of the constellation of symptoms.

Joshua komisarjevsky, one of the alleged Petit family assailant/killers was arrested for arson at a very young age. And his subsequent multiple break-ins to his neighbors homes starting as a teenager, would certainly qualify for a chronic disregard of rules and rights of others.
According to multiple sources, komisarjevsky was also very articulate, highly manipulative and often deceitful-again all hallmarks of the classic sociopath. This could be one reason that he managed to dupe our already permissive court system into lowered charges and lenient sentences, despite his incredibly high multitude of serious crimes, at such a young age.

As well perhaps how he also managed to ingratiate himself into an open relationship with, by all accounts a very conservative- minister's daughter who was also 6 yrs his junior. And this,despite their knowledge of his criminal past.

Anti-Social personality disorder is not insanity, nor is it a mental disease . It is however highly resistant, if not immune to psychiatric treatment/ and or cognitive therapy.
The level of manipulation which is a hallmark of the disorder, does not lend itself well to treatment. Control is of paramount importance to the sociopath and They have even been known to avail themselves of in depth study regarding psychiatric disorders, prior to any forced or expected- psychiatric evaluation. This in an effort to either draw attention away from, or towards, a more innocuous or more serious diagnosis, whichever benefits their needs and wants within that particular circumstance. They will use behaviors and verbiage that is likely to ensure a predictable and desired diagnosis . These are the more highly evolved and thus most dangerous types of sociopath. They are usually quite adept at avoiding detection, arrest or criminal prosecution, despite having committed many serious crimes against others. (Think of Ted bundy as a classic example of this at work.

This particular personality disorder has been referred to by some psychiatrists and criminal pro filers, as a "disease of the soul" as The normal human conscience that regulates decision and human behavior is overtly shallow- or completely absent, However, when put on the spot or when caught committing an offense, they are not above emulating what they perceive is the expected appropriate human reaction; ie guilt or remorse and or a feigned compassion-
again only if they believe that this will possibly gain them favor or personal benefit. But typically the only remorse that they are capable of, is a remorse over having gotten caught This often includes an open loathing and disdain for their victims, both for "allowing themselves" to become victims, and for causing them-the sociopath- all of this trouble.

It is for all of these reasons that the average human being, and even some experienced legal professionals often do not recognize the sociopath for what he is, as most people cannot fathom such...well, simply put- evil.

Psychologists do not believe that Sociopaths are "made" as the products of upbringing, as Leslie Williams sister alluded to within her statements regarding her brothers unfortunate childhood experiences-If anything this is a disorder more of nature, less of nurture.
A similar inference was made regarding Petit family co-killer Josh Komsarjevsky regarding his alleged sexual molestation as a teen and the discovery that he was adopted at opposed to his parents genetic son.
Tragically, according to statistics there are many children and teens experience sexual abuse within their lifetimes: I personally know many adults who have been so victimized, both through my work and my own circle of friends, As well there are many children who learn that they were adopted, And yet... they do not go out on a hunt at local supermarket stalking and following women and their children to their home, and return later to restrain, assault, and rape them- and then as a final act, murder them all in one of the cruelest, most terror- filled methods imaginable!

And remember that this young man and his accomplice walked among so-called evolved and educated people, and fooled most of them. This evil was brewing beneath the surface all along. Our judicial system had many many chances to diagnose ONE OR BOTH of these men, and keep each one locked away from civilized society for quite a long time. But they didn't.
Instead, they were given one tenth the sentence that the law allowed, and then with further insult they were both paroled- recklessly, with little to none of the essential documentation needed for such an important decision.

As a society of mostly decent people who would like to believe that evil behavior must be the result of hopelessness, lack of opportunity or education-we have an obligation to understand that while this may sometimes be the case, it is a far cry from always the case. That distinction must be made. There is a different type of criminal out there and this one doesn't play by any of the rules that we know and understand as human, and they cannot be "FIXED". This is a disease of core character, not mental illness.

This is why it is imperative that when our judicial system fairly obtains the opportunity to incarcerate this criminal offender for his crimes- hopefully before those crimes involve the loss of life/lives-This is when our courts need to act, not after the 4th or 5th or 20th felony.
Remember, as Voltaire said "Evil exists when Good men do nothing"