Father Kills Man That Molested His Daughter – Gets Away With It

Leila - I understand that there probably should be legal repercussions otherwise everyone will go around killing sex offenders. BUT, as someone who has professional experience in this realm, I do not think sex offenders are punished enough in some cases (and some places). I know damn well if someone were to lay a hand any either of my children – Heaven help them. And while local Sheriff may not be charging him, I’m sure on some other level (state or federal) he will get charged. At the same time though, self defense. He was defending his helpless little girl. I hope he doesn’t get charged because as a parent, you know as well as I do that you would do the same thing under those circumstances.
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Tracy Ames-Dennison - Every time I have read this story, it has been a little different. However, I feel that this was justified, he did go into that room to kill a man, it just happened. And if I or my husband had been in his shoes, the outcome would have been far from pretty! Once having been in that little girls shoes, and being the mom of 4 girls, I think he got what he had coming to him, right or wrong as it may be.

Jessica - I’m sorry, but I would not punish this man. No wait, I’m not sorry! Like Leila said, child molesters get off way to easy and I firmly believe they cannot be rehabilitated. That poor little girl will have to live with that for the rest of her life.

Ryan - No he should not be convicted. He did was right and protected his child. That’s what parents are supposed to do. If you can justify homicide by defending yourself, you can justify homicide by saving someone who cannot save themselves. The bastard got what he deserved. Not only did he save his own daughter he saved who knows how many other children.

Bill Myers - I’m going to be a bit of a contrarian here — not for it’s own sake, but simply because I have a different POV.

While I understand the impulse to say “the bastard got what he deserved,” I think we need to be careful to disentwine our emotions from our thoughts about the issue of using violence in self-defense, or in the defense of others. Think about this: if someone murdered my girlfriend (and it’s difficult to even type that phrase, because I deeply love her), I’d be enraged. If someone tied the perpetrator to a chair, led me into the room, and handed me a loaded gun… well, I’d be sorely tempted to circumvent the court system and take my revenge. That’s exactly why I wouldn’t want anyone to give me that opportunity. That’s why we have laws, law enforcement professionals, and a court system.

I do realize, by the way, that my example is markedly different from what we’re discussing here. I’m just asking people to consider the ramifications of letting our emotions overwhelm our thoughts.

I don’t know what the laws are pertaining to self-defense (or the defense of others) in Texas, so I can’t offer an intelligent opinion about the legality of this father’s actions. I’ll just say that I think we have to be careful with laws governing when and where we can use violence to defend ourselves and others. It’s a delicate balance: you want to give people the ability to protect life and limb, both their own and their family’s; on the other hand, you don’t want to give people the license to commit unnecessary violence.

So, in my own kind of rambling way, this leads me to this specific situation. I have no problem with the justice system giving this father a “pass.” If things truly went down as reported, then it’s clear he was simply trying to protect his daughter. He didn’t intend to kill anyone.

I would ask people to consider, however, that this situation is tragic on many levels. First, this poor young girl underwent a traumatic experience. Her father reportedly caught the perpetrator “in the act.” I used to know two women who were victims of molestation, and the pain can last a lifetime. Survivors of sexual abuse can of course get professional help and hopefully learn coping skills, but it’s like an incurable disease: you can treat it, but it never truly goes away.

As for the father being a “hero,” I doubt he feels like one. A good friend of mine is a police officer. He knows two cops who shot and killed suspects in the line of duty. In both cases, the internal investigations (which always take place after a cop discharges his/her weapon as a matter of procedure) proved that both officers were entirely justified in using lethal force. Nevertheless, both of them felt awful about what they did. One of them had to stop shaving — BECAUSE HE COULDN’T LOOK HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR. Seriously. The other had to leave the force, because he couldn’t cope with what he had done. I suspect this girl’s father is feeling much the same right now. Because if you’re a sane person with capability to empathize with others, the last thing you really want is to have to kill someone.

So, to sum up, I agree that the legal system should give this father a pass if they can. I certainly think he was morally justified in taking the actions that he did (again, assuming what has been reported is accurate). But I just can’t find it within myself to cheer about how a molester got his just desserts. Instead, I feel sad for both the father and his daughter, and I devoutly hope that both of them are able to find the strength to cope with this traumatic event in their lives.

Bill Myers - I’m going to have to disagree with you, Sadie. I don’t want anyone to die if it can be avoided. It’s not because I have sympathy for molesters, because I surely don’t. As I said, I knew two women who were survivors of sexual abuse, and I know just how deeply molesters hurt their victims. The scars never truly heal.

It’s just that I don’t believe in the death penalty or any kind of vigilante justice. Why? The justice system is ultimately made up of human beings, and people are fallible. If we make a mistake and incarcerate the wrong person, there’s a chance the case can be re-opened and that person can be freed. If we execute someone erroneously, well, you can’t undo that.

I also wouldn’t underestimate just how unpleasant prison is. Yes, prisoners get three squares and a gym and in some cases cable access. There’s also overcrowding, poor living conditions and the ever-present danger of being assaulted by another prisoner. I’m not saying criminals shouldn’t be punished, or that prison shouldn’t be unpleasant. I’m just saying — don’t believe some of the sensationalistic stories about prisons being club med. They aren’t.

To be clear: with respect to the situation we’re discussing here, I don’t think the world is any poorer for this man’s death. But do I want anyone to die? No, not if it can be avoided. Don’t misunderstand — I’m not a pacifist. Sometimes using violence, including lethal violence, is unavoidable and justifiable. It’s just something I think we should avoid whenever possible.

Yeah, aren’t you glad I showed up? I can just see you tearing out your hear and wondering where the [expletive deleted] this Bill Myers guy came from and how to get rid of him…

Drew - It’s hard to comment about the legality of it. I keep thinking of my own 6 yr old daughter and what I would do myself in the same situation. Fortunately I live in Texas so the outcome would likely be the same for me as it is for this guy, and I can’t help but say that the outcome for anyone that touches my daughter would be the same or close to it.

Had he not caught the guy in the act, and still did the same thing I think it would be different- more of a case of vigilante justice. But since he caught the guy doing it, this is more like self-defense or defense of his daughter. There was no forethought, just a knee-jerk reaction. He may or may not regret doing it, but I think he is certainly justified.