GUILTY PA - Tom, 51, Lisa, 47, & Kevin Haines, 16, murdered, Manheim Twp, 12 May 2007

[southcitymom]

Can you post a link to Huff's crime blog please luthersmama?

Thanks
Tricia

http://crimeblog.us/archives/482

I dream of a world so accepting of homosexuality that no one would ever feel the shame and terror this young man obviously did.

 

[PSUfan]

This is looking more and more like a 'made for tv movie'.

Steve Huff mentioned about the area being so conservative, etc... IMO, the highschoolers, the younger generation, are accepting of gays.. at least my daughter has always been, without me even telling her to be that way. I cant imagine that "coming out" in Lancaster County, PA would be any different than coming out in any other small town. Sure, it might be easier in NYC, or the other large cities.

 

[southcitymom]

This is looking more and more like a 'made for tv movie'.

Steve Huff mentioned about the area being so conservative, etc... IMO, the highschoolers, the younger generation, are accepting of gays.. at least my daughter has always been, without me even telling her to be that way. I cant imagine that "coming out" in Lancaster County, PA would be any different than coming out in any other small town. Sure, it might be easier in NYC, or the other large cities.

There is more negative stigma attached to homosexuality in small town settings. And it's not just the highschoolers, younger generation that you come out to....it's the elder guard as well.

Regardless of where you live, I do not think "coming out" in America is easy for anyone. You are basically agreeing to not hide your true self to a society that is not accepting of your true self. What a terrible situation to be in - especially when the you heap on the already-troubling emotional landscape of a teenager. It's one of the reasons gay teenagers are more likely to commit suicide than heterosexual teenagers.

I do believe that we as a society are changing for the better (witness your own daughter) in this regard, but we are by no means out of the woods.

It repulses me that we care how or who people love. As long as no one is being harmed, we should only care that they are able to.

 

[nanandjim]

...
Steve Huff mentioned about the area being so conservative, etc... IMO, the highschoolers, the younger generation, are accepting of gays.. at least my daughter has always been, without me even telling her to be that way. I cant imagine that "coming out" in Lancaster County, PA would be any different than coming out in any other small town. Sure, it might be easier in NYC, or the other large cities.

I agree. Kids today are more accepting of all sorts of diversity, IMO. I think that the kid is very disturbed. Police probably know what the trigger was. I guess that it could be that somehow he thought that he was going to get into trouble or he felt that Kevin betrayed some confidence of his. I guess that we might find out in time.

 

[PSUfan]

I agree. Kids today are more accepting of all sorts of diversity, IMO. I think that the kid is very disturbed. Police probably know what the trigger was. I guess that it could be that somehow he thought that he was going to get into trouble or he felt that Kevin betrayed some confidence of his. I guess that we might find out in time.

From what I have read about both families, they were not "fundies", or ultra religious. I cant imagine that either boy wouldve been disowned for coming out.

 

[Pinkhammer]

Lancaster, PA., is hardly a small town, with a population of 56,000+. It is a very diverse city. 30% of thepopulation is Hispanic.

There is a very vibrant gay community in Lancaster. I have an antique dealer friend who is a part of it.

"Coming out" would not be that big a deal there.

I don't know where Huff gets his quaint ideas about Lancaster. He must think it's all Amish folk tooling around in their buggies and selling tomatoes at roadside stands.

 

[CatMama3]

Has anyone else had a problem getting onto CrimeBlog? I just tried and got an error message that said the site had exceeded its CPU quota. I'm not real computer savvy--what does that mean? TIA.

 

[txsvicki]

No offense to Huff's crime blog at all, but I'll believe it when it's announced at the trial, if we ever hear about it. The boy, or both boys may have been gay but that's no reason to murder. There could be more to it that might have happened even if the murderer was straight.

 

[southcitymom]

Lancaster, PA., is hardly a small town, with a population of 56,000+. It is a very diverse city. 30% of thepopulation is Hispanic.

There is a very vibrant gay community in Lancaster. I have an antique dealer friend who is a part of it.

"Coming out" would not be that big a deal there.

I don't know where Huff gets his quaint ideas about Lancaster. He must think it's all Amish folk tooling around in their buggies and selling tomatoes at roadside stands.

Atlanta, GA is vibrantly gay as well and I know two gay teenagers here who, in the last 5 years, committed suicide over the issues surrounding their homosexuality (ie -their desire to live as who they were vs. how marginalized who they were is in our society).

It's not easy for any teenager who is gay to "come out" - no matter where you live. Even if you have supportive parents and friends, "coming out" exposes you to all sorts of people who are going to be shocked, disgusted, angry, etc...

I think this motive (as detailed on Steve's blog) perfectly fits what I know of the crime. I thought there was a sexual element at play the minute his closest freind was arrested.

 

[luthersmama]

Lancaster, PA., is hardly a small town, with a population of 56,000+. It is a very diverse city. 30% of thepopulation is Hispanic.

There is a very vibrant gay community in Lancaster. I have an antique dealer friend who is a part of it.

"Coming out" would not be that big a deal there.

I don't know where Huff gets his quaint ideas about Lancaster. He must think it's all Amish folk tooling around in their buggies and selling tomatoes at roadside stands.

The Haines family lived in Manheim Township, not Lancaster City. Big difference.

 

[luthersmama]

Can you post a link to Huff's crime blog please luthersmama?

Thanks
Tricia

Just got this message. I'll try, but Steve's site has been overloading.

http://crimeblog.us/archives/482

 

[luthersmama]

Steve Huff's Crime Blog is experiencing technical difficulties. Between the Haines, Vaughn and Davis cases, the "hot" sites are all getting fried. I can't get at the comments that have been posted over the past couple of days. Must be patient until the cybertherpists fix the problem.

 

[raisincharlie]

Bumping this up to see if anyone has heard anything new. Trial date etc.

 

[luthersmama]

There's this article about the reward:

http://local.lancasteronline.com/4/206090

Make sure you read the readers' comments. Mr. Kreider's attorney says that he has no intention of asking for the reward.

 

[luthersmama]

I checked the docket. Nothing is scheduled. Not much has happened on the record. I suspect that the police are still investigating and that Alec is undergoing psych evaluations.

 

[raisincharlie]

I checked the docket. Nothing is scheduled. Not much has happened on the record. I suspect that the police are still investigating and that Alec is undergoing psych evaluations.

Thank you Luthersmama - its hit or miss with Huffs blog and I am trying to keep up with this one because the boy is so young. Appreciate it !

 

[southcitymom]

I checked the docket. Nothing is scheduled. Not much has happened on the record. I suspect that the police are still investigating and that Alec is undergoing psych evaluations.

I think you're right. I am really interested in hearing more. It was also interesting to find out that his father did not accept the reward. I wonder if Alec has been appointed Counsel by the Court or if his family has obtained representation for him.

 

[luthersmama]

I'm pretty sure he has private counsel right now. The case has not be formally transferred from the Magisterial District Justice to the Court of Common Pleas yet, according to the docket. Of course, the online info tends to be somewhat behind what has been filed on paper.

 

[PSUfan]

I think you're right. I am really interested in hearing more. It was also interesting to find out that his father did not accept the reward. I wonder if Alec has been appointed Counsel by the Court or if his family has obtained representation for him.

My mind has been changed here on this. I think the father/mother should have been quietly given the reward. The reward money being given should not be public knowledge. The press should not even know if it had been handed out. He was entitled to it, and God bless him, he and his exwife might need some extra money for therapy. They did the honorable thing, and they are entitled to it.

 

[concernedperson]

My mind has been changed here on this. I think the father/mother should have been quietly given the reward. The reward money being given should not be public knowledge. The press should not even know if it had been handed out. He was entitled to it, and God bless him, he and his exwife might need some extra money for therapy. They did the honorable thing, and they are entitled to it.

You are a very compassionate person. I am sure that it was very difficult for his father to do but he did the right thing. He should not be penalized further as his heart will break until the day he dies.