GUILTY NC - Kathy Taft, 62, Raleigh, 6 March 2010 - #6

[NCEast]

The reading of the verdict is here:

http://www.wral.com/news/video/11162751/#/vid11162751

Thank you for posting the link. It's still unnerving to watch/listen, even when the verdict that we have been praying for is read. I have a place in my heart for JW's family but I can't help but feel they are terribly relieved it's all over with and he will be somebody else's responsibility for the rest of his life.

 

[NCEast]

Probably later tonight on WRAL's website.

Hope you are feeling much better Glee. If not, maybe it's time to see a doctor. That cough has me worried.

 

[borndem]

Ok it's Friday and it's been a long week so excuse the humor but........

SIZZLE JW, SIZZLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, then, slooth, I'll add my little :twocents:.

Fact 1) He screwed up.

Fact 2) He's screwed-down for the rest of his life.


There will be a lot of folks sleeping better tonight. Our sweet no1 and her roomie and their neighbors. David Saacks and Jacobs. The defense attorneys as well, because I doubt they liked this man. It's not over for the two teams, but mostly it is. Kathy's family will begin to feel that they & Kathy can really rest, in their individual ways. Judge Gessner, too. Many other folks as well.

We were on the road to the beach, so I just got the news! Ahhhh. Justice.

 

[borndem]

Thank you for posting the link. It's still unnerving to watch/listen, even when the verdict that we have been praying for is read. I have a place in my heart for JW's family but I can't help but feel they are terribly relieved it's all over with and he will be somebody else's responsibility for the rest of his life.

I completely agree, East. For how many years did they receive and then fear that they would receive a call at 2 or 3 in the morning, and have it be JW or a LEO or a friend who said that JW was in trouble?

It will take a while, but they will finally realize that they should not get such a call until his death. And for that, I am glad for them. I'm glad their daughter is still close enuff to be a comfort to them. Another truly awful tragedy in this whole horrible mess.

 

[borndem]

Ok ladiesssss.... off I go to:

1. get my hair colored for the first time in years
2. evaluate aspiring roller derby team members
3. have awesome date with the best boyfriend EVER

I will see y'all on Monday! Hoot! :grouphug:

Go for it Roller-Chic!!!!!

May your wheels always be greased and your hair blowing in the breeze!!

 

[no1uknow]

My personal, overall feeling is a mix of relief and sadness. I imagine most of you feel the same way. Jason is guilty and I'm glad he'll never, ever get out of prison. This jury made the right decision. Kathy Taft's life was taken from her, her kids lost their mama, her grandchildren lost their grandma and the people of NC lost an exemplary citizen. Jason's parents have essentially lost their son, too, and his sister has lost her brother. To me, there are no winners in this at all.
While I'm glad that justice has prevailed and I don't feel sorry for Jason one bit, I don't revel in the idea of what his life is going to be like from now on. If he's sentenced to death, so be it. But Jason's future in prison, or potential demise by execution, is nothing I feel like I need to celebrate. Like I've said all along, no good has come of what Jason did or ever will. Relief, yes. Closure, hopefully. But, to me, those feelings will always be accompanied by a sense of sadness and loss for Kathy Taft, her family and Jason's family.

 

[borndem]

My personal, overall feeling is a mix of relief and sadness. I imagine most of you feel the same way. Jason is guilty and I'm glad he'll never, ever get out of prison. This jury made the right decision. Kathy Taft's life was taken from her, her kids lost their mama, her grandchildren lost their grandma and the people of NC lost an exemplary citizen. Jason's parents have essentially lost their son, too, and his sister has lost her brother. To me, there are no winners in this at all.
While I'm glad that justice has prevailed and I don't feel sorry for Jason one bit, I don't revel in the idea of what his life is going to be like from now on. If he's sentenced to death, so be it. But Jason's future in prison, or potential demise by execution, is nothing I feel like I need to celebrate. Like I've said all along, no good has come of what Jason did or ever will. Relief, yes. Closure, hopefully. But, to me, those feelings will always be accompanied by a sense of sadness and loss for Kathy Taft, her family and Jason's family.

Thanks, no1. I will be bold enuff to say that you've said it for all of us. Certainly for me.

JW had & acquired a lot of demons that he didn't understand & somehow couldn't fight alone. His parents tried, his doctors & counselors tried, and his better angels tried. But he gave in to the darker angels and his parents had no idea what they were all up against.

So, yes, the perfect storm occurred and a huge hurricane happened. Maybe he will be treated after he gets settled-in and be able to at least be a good inmate. We'll never know. It's not our fight or our duty to help or intrude.

Once this thing cools down, those with only good intentions will feel a wave of soothing and better be able to cope with whatever feelings they have when they think of Kathy or of JW. Sometimes you can't put things back the way they were but you can just put one foot in front of the other & remember the joy and goodness of those lost to us.

Again, go find your roomie, no1uknow, and get & give a big fat hug or three! That's your victory in this. You both are still standing and the air is much easier to breathe.

 

[NCEast]

Thanks, no1. I will be bold enuff to say that you've said it for all of us. Certainly for me.

JW had & acquired a lot of demons that he didn't understand & somehow couldn't fight alone. His parents tried, his doctors & counselors tried, and his better angels tried. But he gave in to the darker angels and his parents had no idea what they were all up against.

So, yes, the perfect storm occurred and a huge hurricane happened. Maybe he will be treated after he gets settled-in and be able to at least be a good inmate. We'll never know. It's not our fight or our duty to help or intrude.

Once this thing cools down, those with only good intentions will feel a wave of soothing and better be able to cope with whatever feelings they have when they think of Kathy or of JW. Sometimes you can't put things back the way they were but you can just put one foot in front of the other & remember the joy and goodness of those lost to us.

Again, go find your roomie, no1uknow, and get & give a big fat hug or three! That's your victory in this. You both are still standing and the air is much easier to breathe.

Well said, Dem.

 

[Madeleine74]

Whenever a predator/monster is successfully taken off the streets it's such a big relief for everyone in the community. Sadness for the Taft family, absolutely. Relief for the community is probably the dominant feeling at this point.

JW is not likely to die by execution even if he happens to get the DP. He'll still be in prison and he'll still be around for at least the next 20 to 30 years at a minimum. His family will be able to visit him if they desire. He won't be able to hurt anyone else and he won't have the kind of access to alcohol and drugs as he did during his days of freedom. He'll never have to figure out how to take care of himself...NC Dept of Corrections will be his guardians. He'll be fed, clothed, and housed. He'll have plenty of books to read. He'll be medicated based on his psych evaluations.

Most importantly, society will be safe from him.

 

[laces]

My personal, overall feeling is a mix of relief and sadness. I imagine most of you feel the same way. Jason is guilty and I'm glad he'll never, ever get out of prison. This jury made the right decision. Kathy Taft's life was taken from her, her kids lost their mama, her grandchildren lost their grandma and the people of NC lost an exemplary citizen. Jason's parents have essentially lost their son, too, and his sister has lost her brother. To me, there are no winners in this at all.
While I'm glad that justice has prevailed and I don't feel sorry for Jason one bit, I don't revel in the idea of what his life is going to be like from now on. If he's sentenced to death, so be it. But Jason's future in prison, or potential demise by execution, is nothing I feel like I need to celebrate. Like I've said all along, no good has come of what Jason did or ever will. Relief, yes. Closure, hopefully. But, to me, those feelings will always be accompanied by a sense of sadness and loss for Kathy Taft, her family and Jason's family.

Hear, hear! So right. Thank you. xo:goodpost:

 

[sloothseeker]

Whenever a predator/monster is successfully taken off the streets it's such a big relief for everyone in the community. Sadness for the Taft family, absolutely. Relief for the community is probably the dominant feeling at this point.

JW is not likely to die by execution even if he happens to get the DP. He'll still be in prison and he'll still be around for at least the next 20 to 30 years at a minimum. His family will be able to visit him if they desire. He won't be able to hurt anyone else and he won't have the kind of access to alcohol and drugs as he did during his days of freedom. He'll never have to figure out how to take care of himself...NC Dept of Corrections will be his guardians. He'll be fed, clothed, and housed. He'll have plenty of books to read. He'll be medicated based on his psych evaluations.

Most importantly, society will be safe from him.

This is the point it gets confusing for me and my emotions are mixed. JW goes to prison, maybe is offered the mental health and meds he needs so then what? Is he cured, ie, can function in prison society or whats to say he'll accept the mental help. It didn't work in the real world, will it work in prison? And if course, all at taxpayer expense. I guess bottom line - JW is in a hell of his own regardless.

 

[borndem]

Those are good questions, slooth.

I don't know if they have programs for "lifers" .... Certainly I can see, and hope that they have, programs for inmates who are going to get out in, say, 10 years or less. GED, some kind of trade, etc., so that those who want to try can lead a life away from crime. And certainly, if an inmate is sick in any way, they have that big and apparently first-rate medical center at Central now. So treatment s/be available for just about anything. And then there's Butner -- where Dr. Wolfe is -- for psyche problems.

Re JW -- his mother said he did best when he was on a regular schedule -- a structured environment. Well, he is now, or will be, in Structured City in the DOC, so his response to and willingness to follow therapy may succeed better than ever -- but, IMO, he should not receive it over someone who does not have a life sentence. Death Row inmates are in isolation and only allowed out one hour in 24 -- so if JW ends up there, he may not get a lot of extra medical help. No idea.

I just wonder how much they do beyond drugs to control moods, etc. and drugs that are prescribed for truly mentally ill inmates, for those who aren't expected to return to society. And there are appeals for those who might have a chance for a verdict overturn. And the money for all this is limited. I have no idea, but I would like to know what "the system" is really about in this regard. :waitasec:

 

[Madeleine74]

This is the point it gets confusing for me and my emotions are mixed. JW goes to prison, maybe is offered the mental health and meds he needs so then what? Is he cured, ie, can function in prison society or whats to say he'll accept the mental help. It didn't work in the real world, will it work in prison? And if course, all at taxpayer expense. I guess bottom line - JW is in a hell of his own regardless.

He'll never be cured, no. Whatever damage has been within him since he was very young will stay with him. Meds like he's on now (Lithium) will keep him on some sort of more even keel. But he'll never 'be right' which is what his own attorneys said. He won't be getting therapy like what someone would get in the outside world. He won't be laying on a couch, sharing his feelings, with some psychiatrist taking notes, once a week. The meds will stabilize him (or already have) so he can be managed in prison. Not cured, managed, just like every other prisoner. He won't have a choice in being evaluated. If the docs determine he needs certain meds they will be prescribed and given to him.

 

[gracielee]

Hope you are feeling much better Glee. If not, maybe it's time to see a doctor. That cough has me worried.

Waiting out the week-end. Usually I have to be bound and dragged into the doctors office. Cough is still mostly dry, but less *bark-like*, It appears I can get a bit more air into my lungs with the coughs. Between the tick bite three weeks ago, last week-end I got stung by a hornet or wasp. I'm allergic to stings. So this whole ordeal is really wearing me out.

 

[borndem]

Bless your tomato pickin' heart, glee. Your little bod was probably already ailing a bit with the sting, and then you got some mean ol' germ from somebody who got it from somebody. Keep resting, and maybe by Monday most of your feist will be back. Drink, drink, and chicken soup and TLC from us and your folks. ((hugs))




ps: I did not mention cucumbers....

 

[no1uknow]

Waiting out the week-end. Usually I have to be bound and dragged into the doctors office. Cough is still mostly dry, but less *bark-like*, It appears I can get a bit more air into my lungs with the coughs. Between the tick bite three weeks ago, last week-end I got stung by a hornet or wasp. I'm allergic to stings. So this whole ordeal is really wearing me out.

Gracie, you take care of yourself. What you're going through sounds absolutely miserable.

 

[no1uknow]

He'll never be cured, no. Whatever damage has been within him since he was very young will stay with him. Meds like he's on now (Lithium) will keep him on some sort of more even keel. But he'll never 'be right' which is what his own attorneys said. He won't be getting therapy like what someone would get in the outside world. He won't be laying on a couch, sharing his feelings, with some psychiatrist taking notes, once a week. The meds will stabilize him (or already have) so he can be managed in prison. Not cured, managed, just like every other prisoner. He won't have a choice in being evaluated. If the docs determine he needs certain meds they will be prescribed and given to him.

I spoke to a friend of mine today, who is a psychiatrist. He lives in this neighborhood and has been quite interested in the case, so he listened/read quite a bit of the testimony during the trial. He said, "I don't know that Jason was bipolar at all. He certainly didn't exhibit any of the characteristics of that disease. He never seemed to experience mania and when he experienced depression, it seemed to be mostly drug/alcohol induced. That's not bipolar. That's addiction. He abused alcohol and drugs, for sure, but I don't believe that he was mentally-ill to the degree that he was of diminished capacity. This kid was a self-centered, difficult child to begin with. He turned into being a selfish punk, naturally. His parents, unknowingly, nurtured that in him and inadvertently instilled in him the idea that no matter what he did, they'd take care of it. When he married Jessica, it changed, because she expected him to have a job and/or to be going to school. No more staying up playing loud music with your buddies. When she put the brakes on him, he got angry. Somebody, for the first time, was trying to make him change and he retaliated. He was arrogant to begin with and thought that since he never gave his DNA to the police, he couldn't be caught. He'd been saved every other time. Why not this time?"

 

[Madeleine74]

Excellent point and your psychiatrist friend pretty much confirmed what Dr. Wolfe said. She too said she doubted JW's previous diagnosis of bi-polar and talked about not seeing the mania aspects of the disease and also said Jason was neither insane nor suffered from diminished capacity.

But, addressing Slooth's concerns, I don't think JW will ever be cured of whatever else is wrong with him--he'll still have his underlying issues.

 

[borndem]

I spoke to a friend of mine today, who is a psychiatrist. He lives in this neighborhood and has been quite interested in the case, so he listened/read quite a bit of the testimony during the trial. He said, "I don't know that Jason was bipolar at all. He certainly didn't exhibit any of the characteristics of that disease. He never seemed to experience mania and when he experienced depression, it seemed to be mostly drug/alcohol induced. That's not bipolar. That's addiction. He abused alcohol and drugs, for sure, but I don't believe that he was mentally-ill to the degree that he was of diminished capacity. This kid was a self-centered, difficult child to begin with. He turned into being a selfish punk, naturally. His parents, unknowingly, nurtured that in him and inadvertently instilled in him the idea that no matter what he did, they'd take care of it. When he married Jessica, it changed, because she expected him to have a job and/or to be going to school. No more staying up playing loud music with your buddies. When she put the brakes on him, he got angry. Somebody, for the first time, was trying to make him change and he retaliated. He was arrogant to begin with and thought that since he never gave his DNA to the police, he couldn't be caught. He'd been saved every other time. Why not this time?"

Wow, no1 -- how 'bout that. Thanks for sharing that. Your neighbor laid it out very simply. Re the bi-polar, seems to me that Hilkey (sp?) also said he didn't see b/polar disorder working in him either, IIRC. He mentioned that he had not noted any manic episodes as well. It seems to me that b/p disorder is now thrown at persons so much more often now than it used to be.... And lithium is sometimes used as a general mood-disorder or impulse-control medication, not just for b/p/d:

"Other uses for this medicine

Lithium is also sometimes used to treat certain blood disorders, depression, schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions), disorders of impulse control (inability to resist the urge to perform a harmful action), and certain mental illnesses in children. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information...." (bbm)



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000531/


So if indeed that is the "prescription medicine" that JW testified to the Court, then it probably is what is helping him maintain control of himself. (I remember our friend, who was very probably correctly diagnosed with bi-polar disorder, said that it was a help, but it dulled all edges -- makes sense -- but it took the good feelings away, too. He missed being able to be truly happy about anything. He described it as "being in neutral."



It somehow goes to show how the DT, IMO, had to go pretty far afield to find qualified expert witnesses who gave the opinions that they did. This is strictly my limited and psyche-ignorant opinion.

Yes, Madeleine, I agree that JW will certainly get whatever meds he needs to be manageable and nothing more -- it's about all that they could do for him and similar inmates. And I feel sure that there's quite a few of those type inmates, especially in Central Prison. And the numbers certainly aren't getting smaller.

 

[laces]

Waiting out the week-end. Usually I have to be bound and dragged into the doctors office. Cough is still mostly dry, but less *bark-like*, It appears I can get a bit more air into my lungs with the coughs. Between the tick bite three weeks ago, last week-end I got stung by a hornet or wasp. I'm allergic to stings. So this whole ordeal is really wearing me out.

Glad you are going, though. You may need a steroid to get you through this rough patch. I will be waiting to hear that you are much better! xo