RI - Michael Woodmansee, killer of Jason Foreman, 5, released 12 years early

[southcitymom]

Here's the thing I have a hard time accepting from those who think Foreman wants to kill Woodmansee to protect other innocent children -

Check out this passage from the second article posted on this thread:

"John Foreman said in an interview Monday with WPRO-AM radio that he will kill convicted murderer Michael Woodmansee "as aggressively and as painfully" as he killed his son if Woodmansee is released from prison early."

BBM

And in another article I read (that I can't find now), Foreman talks about torturing Woodmansee.

If you decide to put down a rabid dog to keep it from attacking others and spreading more pain, you don't torture the dog first - that's cruel and unnecessary.

Mr. Foreman wants to kill out of revenge. He wants to kill Woodmansee because the situation is very personal to him.

So his premeditated torture/murder plans aren't spurred by altruism and the desire to save kids. They are spurred by the desire to avenge his son's death.

What a world it would be if we all decided it was okay to torture and kill people who do us wrong..... I know an "eye for an eye" is a popular concept in some countries and cultures, but it's barbaric and it's wrong. It turns people into the exact thing they are claiming to be against. Fighting violence with violence is lose/lose.

 

[Soulmagent]

Anyone remember that case where the grandmother killed the person who abused her grandchild?

 

[southcitymom]

Anyone remember that case where the grandmother killed the person who abused her grandchild?

I do, sm, but only vaguely. I clearly remember the case where a CT attorney stabbed to death a neighbor after the attorney's wife told him that their 2-year-old had told her that the man molested her.

 

[believe09]

I understand the rage and frustration, I have it myself. But I dont want Mr Foreman to murder his son's killer. I dont want him to suffer more and take another life and find out that it isnt the solution to all he has lost.

Imagine how much Mr. Foreman will be missed by those who have loved and supported him all of this time? Woodmansee will never ever have that kind of love. I dont know Woodmansee's father, of course, but I dont know how you reconcile what your child has done...I dont. Perhaps he loves him anyway-but Woodmansee lives and breathes in a world that is not a civilized one. Perhaps love doesnt touch him at all. I dont know.

I am not willing to take a chance that he will walk out the door and murder someone else, and I think that there may be a few ways to prevent it.

Mr. Foreman doesnt need to sacrifice himself. JMVHO.

 

[concentric]

What a world it would be if we all decided it was okay to torture and kill people who do us wrong.
-----------------------

This is more than an instance of: people who do us wrong

IMO

 

[MsRyber]

What a world it would be if we all decided it was okay to torture and kill people who do us wrong.
-----------------------

This is more than an instance of: people who do us wrong

IMO

Why do other countries have such lower homicide rates?

I would like to know how to stop these crimes from occurring in the first place.

Whether I like to admit it or not, lashes in and lashes out seemed to deter people before. Barbaric, yes...

Seems the more rights the prisoner has over the victim, and the more seemingly "fair" the justice system is, the less "fair" is actually is for the victim.

I don't really agree with vigilante justice. But why can someone take a LIFE and be allowed to continue living their life years later? Take a life? Lose yours forever in prison. FOREVER.

 

[outlandishone]

The sister of the victim is now speaking out. She wants them to release the contents of the journal so everyone will realize just how depraved this animal is.

So sad to hear about the mom, the daughter said she became a crossing guard for little school kids and was constantly worried about them, bought them mittens and hats.

She died at 50 of lymphoma

http://www.projo.com/news/content/FOREMAN_FOLO_10_03-10-11_FPMTU80_v15.1bd4d95.html

 

[Tricia]

Killing this monster wouldn't be an option for me.

It would be a necessity.

When I was a child my parents told me a story. I don't remember the details but I do remember the basic outline and it applies here.

There was a killer about to go free. It might have been in England where my mother was from or here in the U.S. So long ago can't remember.

My parents told me that the parent of the murdered person ( I am assuming it was a child) stood up in a large group of people just like Jason's father has done and said, "If this man is set free I will kill him."

At that moment a voice spoke up from the crowd and said, "If he misses then I will kill him." Then another voice, "and if he misses then I will kill him."

This went on for a few moments with everyone speaking up saying they would do the killing if the person before them missed.

The point of the story IIRC was the police couldn't arrest all the people who said they were going to kill this guy. He was kept in prison and never let out.

Vigilante justice is not right. But we have to ask ourselves this; Is it vigilante justice to protect our children from a person who leaves no doubt he will kill again? Is it vigilante justice to protect our kids when the legal arm of our own government won't or can't.

There is the logical and law abiding side of me that says no way should anyone kill this killer. He needs to be watched closely when let out and never be out of law enforcement's eyesight for the rest of his life.

Then there is the mother in me that says, "If Mr. Foremen misses then I will kill him."

There is no way I would convict Jason's dad if he killed him. Never.

 

[Tricia]

I understand the rage and frustration, I have it myself. But I dont want Mr Foreman to murder his son's killer. I dont want him to suffer more and take another life and find out that it isnt the solution to all he has lost.

Imagine how much Mr. Foreman will be missed by those who have loved and supported him all of this time? Woodmansee will never ever have that kind of love. I dont know Woodmansee's father, of course, but I dont know how you reconcile what your child has done...I dont. Perhaps he loves him anyway-but Woodmansee lives and breathes in a world that is not a civilized one. Perhaps love doesnt touch him at all. I dont know.

I am not willing to take a chance that he will walk out the door and murder someone else, and I think that there may be a few ways to prevent it.

Mr. Foreman doesnt need to sacrifice himself. JMVHO.

What should happen is Woodmansee should be kept behind bars like they do violent rapists who are about to be paroled. They deem them mentally unfit to be let out and are transferred to a lock down mental institution.

I have to have faith that something will be done to keep him behind bars. Something.

 

[believe09]

What should happen is Woodmansee should be kept behind bars like they do violent rapists who are about to be paroled. They deem them mentally unfit to be let out and are transferred to a lock down mental institution.

I have to have faith that something will be done to keep him behind bars. Something.

They need the same law that is in FL, I believe, which allows for an indefinite psychiatric hold for someone who has done their time but is still a danger. I dont know if RI has this-my guess is no if they have a law from 1870, modified in 1960 that allows for the mandatory shaving of sentences due to good behavior.

I know my needle is stuck, but if Sherman's case was not included in the plea deal, they can still prosecute Woodmansee for attempted murder and start the clock all over again. He will undoubtedly take a plea on the charge because I would think his prior murder of little Jason would make it unlikely he would get less than life. JMO.

 

[Tricia]

They need the same law that is in FL, I believe, which allows for an indefinite psychiatric hold for someone who has done their time but is still a danger. I dont know if RI has this-my guess is no if they have a law from 1870, modified in 1960 that allows for the mandatory shaving of sentences due to good behavior.

I know my needle is stuck, but if Sherman's case was not included in the plea deal, they can still prosecute Woodmansee for attempted murder and start the clock all over again. He will undoubtedly take a plea on the charge because I would think his prior murder of little Jason would make it unlikely he would get less than life. JMO.

I would like to nominate you the person who fixes the worlds problems. I swear Believe09 you know so much and have so much common sense.

Let's hope the people in charge do just what you suggested.

 

[not_my_kids]

Well, in reference to Tricia's statement, if Mr. Foreman misses, I have 5 reasons to take a shot at Woodmansee myself. And I support anyone that has the guts to do it.

Once again, I don't believe that Mr. Foreman will find peace, but at least Woodmansee wouldn't find more children, either.

 

[southcitymom]

What a world it would be if we all decided it was okay to torture and kill people who do us wrong.
-----------------------

This is more than an instance of: people who do us wrong

IMO

Woodsmansee did Foreman wrong - the wrongest of wrong.

If everyone tortured and murdered those they felt had done them the wrongest of wrong, the world wouldn't be a better place.

 

[southcitymom]

Why do other countries have such lower homicide rates?

I would like to know how to stop these crimes from occurring in the first place.

Whether I like to admit it or not, lashes in and lashes out seemed to deter people before. Barbaric, yes...

Seems the more rights the prisoner has over the victim, and the more seemingly "fair" the justice system is, the less "fair" is actually is for the victim.

I don't really agree with vigilante justice. But why can someone take a LIFE and be allowed to continue living their life years later? Take a life? Lose yours forever in prison. FOREVER.

I really don't know anything concrete about crime rates in different countries. I do know that regardless of crime rates in different countries, people who live in "eye for an eye" places seem miserable and terrified. Those are not places I would want to live. They are not places many people I know would want to live. In my opinion, many people who live in those places are desperate to get the hell out. Small wonder.

Maybe lashes in and lashes out would seem good to you until you got accused of a crime you didn't commit...and believe me, those places do NOT have an innocent until proven guilty system of sorting out the truth.

We do not have the power to stop anyone from killing anyone else - to stop anyone other than ourselves from doing anything, really. All we can do is make judgments and decisions after the fact.

We allow people who take a life to continue living because we are not like those people. We think what they did was wrong, so why would we want to act like them?

I have no problem keeping people we consider too dangerous or too ill away from the rest of society. I certainly have grave doubts that Woodmansee is safe to loose upon the world again. And personally, I feel like someone with the power to do so will stop his release from happening.

 

[Concerned Papa]

Woodsmansee did Foreman wrong - the wrongest of wrong.

If everyone tortured and murdered those they felt had done them the wrongest of wrong, the world wouldn't be a better place.

BBM

Mine would.

 

[believe09]

SCM, you are a better person than most when it comes processing a crime and criminal like this, and your are always the voice of reason.

I struggle with the wrong done to Mr. Foreman, but I do not believe he should kill Mr Woodmansee. Given the rallys being planned, he may feel better that the world wants to show their support for leaving Woodmansee to rot.

 

[matou]

In First Nations culture, a person who kills and eats another is deemed to suffer from 'windigo'. In the past, the shaman would try many attempts at curing the person. If the attempts failed, the 'ill' person would be placed inside of a type of tent and ropes are tied around the persons neck. The ropes would lead to the top of the tent around to the outside. Witnesses would stand outside of the tent and each person would hold onto a rope. The sufferer would then be killed by the people. No one would know whose rope would be the actual killing rope since they were all connected. This story was told to me by a teacher I had from North Ontario. I think this guy is sick and should never leave jail. I would never trust him to be cured. Tricia's post reminded me of this story. Windigo is one the worst bad spirits out there. JMO

 

[suzyq211]

Petition to keep Woodmansee behind bars for life (at link)

Superior Court Judge Susan E. McGuirl, the former state prosecutor who agreed to the plea bargain, did not immediately return calls for comment from AOL News today. Speaking with the Journal, she said news of Woodmansee's pending release was "shocking."

"Certainly there would not have been any anticipation of him getting out in 28 years," she told the newspaper. copyrite AOL NEWS

*PLEASE LETS STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING....THIS MAN SHOULD DIE IN JAIL!!!*

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rebeccacucca2011/

Thanks LCoastmom, I signed it! This is outrageous!

 

[The Farm]

This whole situation is just disgusting. I work in RI and live in MA. I remember very well when this happened and it was terrible. For years no one knew what happened to Jason and of course everyone figured he was kidnapped. And then to find out his demise 7 years later was shocking.
Let me only say that if Woodmansee ever gets out, John Foreman will not have to worry about killing him as I am sure it will be taken care of should he come back to the state of RI. People are in an uproar and he is as good as dead.
And should he move to any other state I pity anyone who does not know who he is.
The guy is one sick animal and should remain behind bars for the rest of his life seeing as there was no death penalty which should have been the road he went down.

 

[southcitymom]

SCM, you are a better person than most when it comes processing a crime and criminal like this, and your are always the voice of reason.

I struggle with the wrong done to Mr. Foreman, but I do not believe he should kill Mr Woodmansee. Given the rallys being planned, he may feel better that the world wants to show their support for leaving Woodmansee to rot.

BBM

Of course he shouldn't kill him. But, as someone said earlier in the thread, I personally think if murder was truly Foreman's intention, he wouldn't be yammering about it in public.

Still, I'm not gonna lie to you - I find the irony fascinating - a bunch of us hanging out on a website devoted to crime and punishment (and perhaps even justice) delightedly supporting someone who is premeditating torture and murder.

The truth really is stranger than fiction.