Rape And Molestation Charges Filed

[QNA]

Disturbing but very revealing. Incredible that she could do these things, be convicted and walk out of jail nineteen years later. I'm curious to know what prompted her reduced sentence from life without parole to eighteen years in her second trial?

 

[daisy.faithfull]

WARNING: Not for the squeamish...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Baniszewski

I noticed that during her prison sentence GB took on the role of "den mother" to the women that she was incarcerated with and was called "Mom". Sounds like she used that mom-identity to manipulate and possibly abuse the women she was imprisoned with. I don't think she ever changed. As she was released after 18 years I think that the parole board bought into as well.

GBs words upon her release ring familiar to me to: "I'm not sure what role I had in it... because I was on drugs. I never really knew her... I take full responsibility for whatever happened to Sylvia." Sounds like the same "I take full responsibility but I'm not guilty" bullsh!t MH is trying to pull with the whole confessing to police but pleading not guilty. :rage:

 

[daisy.faithfull]

Disturbing but very revealing. Incredible that she could do these things, be convicted and walk out of jail nineteen years later. I'm curious to know what prompted her reduced sentence from life without parole to eighteen years in her second trial?

An Excerpt rom TruTV.com's Crime Library entry on the Likens/ Baniszewski Case:
When the verdicts, came back, only Gertrude Baniszewski was convicted of first-degree murder. To the surprise and consternation of many observers, the jury did not sentence her to death. She appealed and was granted a new trial in which she was again convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
(http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/young/likens/16.html)

This site says that she was sentenced to life is prison at both trials. However, the description of the trial may be more accurate and is absent from the Wikipedia entry. In the account of the trial given by TruTV.com the defense put her young daughter on the stand, possibly to garner sympathy with the jury. The young girl's testimony may have been used to diffuse responsibility among her mother and her other siblings that participated in the abuse. The defense also "relied on the only possible mitigating factor in Mrs. Baniszewski's defense — mental incompetence — even though her official plea was a simple Not Guilty. "I condemn her for being a murderess, that's what I do," Erbecker said, "but I say she's not responsible because she's not all here!" He pointed to his head"

As to her parol, Tru.TV reports, "[a]ccording to the Chicago Tribune, prison psychiatrists "termed Baniszewski a 'healthy, stable, pleasant and agreeable' person who wants 'to try to make up for the past and leave the world a little better.'" At the hearing, Baniszewski teared up frequently and expressed remorse but claimed amnesia about the crime. Indeed, her statement of remorse was enigmatic: "I'm not sure what role I had in it . . . because I was on drugs. I never really knew her. [But] I take full responsibility for whatever happened to Sylvia." She left prison December 4, 1985. (from the website http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/young/likens/17.html)

Sounds to me like the gender bias in pedophilia/murder was even greater in the '80's than it is today.

(the first post I did on GB was deleted. Sometimes they do that if too many quotes from the Wikipedia entry are use-- sorry mods .)

 

[QNA]

Ok apparently Baniszewski was sentenced to life again in her second trial but was released in 1985 on parole. She died five years later of lung cancer in Iowa.

Picture of Sylvia Marie Likens a year before the ordeal.

Picture of Gertrude Baniszewski at the the time of the trial in 1966

The bed where Sylvia Likens was found dead on.

Picture of Gertrude Baniszewski in 1985 at the time of her release.

 

[QNA]

I just came across this video report on ABC News entitled "Woman Who Kill" which aired back on 4.14.09, so I'm sure many of you have seen it but if not it is a very interesting and insightful look into this subject.

The report briefly touches on Melissa Huckaby's past with a short interview from her father, Brian Lawless, Tracy Press Reporter Jennifer Wadsworth and her best friend from high school, Emily Fontes . The bulk of the report is a very revealing interview with Forensic Psychologist Dr. Michael Welner from the NYU School of Medicine. Check it out if you haven't already seen it.

The link to this video report is the underlined program title at the top of this post.

 

[JoeFromLB]

There was a movie made about the Baniszewski case in 2007, starring the young actress Ellen Page.
Here's a story about it, from the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/movies/14broes.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

 

[Columbo]

She had a date very recently with CSinclair, right?

Scandi: Respectfully asking, where did you get this information? thanks! I may have missed out on news regarding her social life.

 

[nursebeeme]

Columbo... there really was no "verification' of the date other than a reporter asked her father about it when he was walking out from visiting her in the jail (I think the raw video may have been cbs13... it may be in the media thread). Of course the Father had no idea as he lives five hours away and did not seem to even talk all that often with his daughter.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I was just reading back thru Sheneman's quote above... and echo him!

"After this case, I'll never say never again" ~

Maybe this case will open our eyes too.

And what better way to support the victims than to believe them if they come forward and say they have been raped or molested by a female they trusted.

If we keep thinking women cant do this then they will know they can get away with it and not be suspected or detected.

imo

 

[oceanblueeyes]

She had a date very recently with CSinclair, right?

I am not sure they ever nailed it down when she had a date with him. They seem to phrase it as one date though, imo.

imo

 

[Brattigirle]

IMO, there is another person, a man.........a look out or the guy to have fun.
MH is so messed up that MH did this for her man........I cannot shake this gut feeling.
She is guilty as HE!! and she did this..........but I still feel she met a guy and had their kick and MH is keeping quiet about the secret. I feel MH will squeel soon...........OMOO
I'll eat my words if I am wrong!

I have the same feeling, that there is a guy in the background, well if she chooses to cover for a man than it's her funeral. I do believe that she is involved but it feels like there is also someone else.

 

[SuziQ]

Ater hearing Sheneman's statements, I'm further convinced that alot of unsolved child murders and disappearances could be solved by incorporating the thought that females do commit sexual assaults and related murders.

I'm beginning to think that the stats that say crimes like MH's is rare, is terribly flawed and innacurate.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

I am not sure they ever nailed it down when she had a date with him. They seem to phrase it as one date though, imo.

imo

Yes, they did say she went out with him on Monday night. It only mentioned the single date tho.

 

[yellowlab]

She had a date very recently with CSinclair, right?

Would any of you know if the Sinclair guy is the one that used to take Sandra bowling ?

 

[aprilshowers]

I am with you on the fence sitting. If it turns out filming was the motive than I definitely believe that someone else was involved. But I know the evidence is pointing to her and her alone right now.

What about her filming to sell said film/cd/dvds and make money via internet and mail order? A snuff movie brings in LOTS of big bucks!

I wonder if they've found any cd's, dvd's or other such stuff?

She could have been showing her actions via a web cam also, and charging, or just for the thrill of it. When you're depressed and have borderline PD, you get bored with life easily, and NEED to make things happen. You crave attention, and will do anything to get it.

 

[arielilane]

Ater hearing Sheneman's statements, I'm further convinced that alot of unsolved child murders and disappearances could be solved by incorporating the thought that females do commit sexual assaults and related murders.

I'm beginning to think that the stats that say crimes like MH's is rare, is terribly flawed and innacurate.

Unfortunately, exactly.

 

[MCDRAW]

What about her filming to sell said film/cd/dvds and make money via internet and mail order? A snuff movie brings in LOTS of big bucks!

I wonder if they've found any cd's, dvd's or other such stuff?

She could have been showing her actions via a web cam also, and charging, or just for the thrill of it. When you're depressed and have borderline PD, you get bored with life easily, and NEED to make things happen. You crave attention, and will do anything to get it.

I just don't know if she is smart enough to think up this on her own. If so, I'm not sure she would have been living with her Grandparents.

 

[aprilshowers]

Geesh! Why don't these people just buy a DOLL! :furious::furious::furious::furious::furious:

 

[Kat]

I have given this a lot of thought since yesterday. I apologize, sometimes it takes me a while to process thoughts completely and fully, and to take into consideration all points of view.

I agree with the other posters that we only know that MH has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, murder and rape. I aknowledge that there very well could be other possible suspect(s) that LE are looking at right now and have not informed the media at this time. Even if LE has stated that they have no other suspects at this time, there may very well could be, and it would compromise the investigation to reveal this information.

I, personally, believe that this investigation is still active.

I, however, don't know of any other suspects that could be involved. I only know of the men that had SW served on their homes and property and given those are the only SW's we know about from the media, it's hard to say for sure who would have been involved if there was someone(s) else involved. There were a great many search warrants, IIRC and those are sealed IIRC.

I do think this~ TPD wants justice for Sandra. I have no reason to doubt that, and I have no reason to doubt that they will not arrest anyone else if it means they were involved.

They have arrested and charged MH. Now if there proves to be others involved, it by no means lessons MH's reponsiblity in this crime when this case is brought before court.

It boils down to CA law.(I have not read the definitions yet or the penal code and I really don't look forward to it to be honest) Say for example, in the state of FL ~ 3 ppl walk into a drug store to commit robbery. One of those ppl are carrying a gun, that person shoots and kills the drug store owner, all three go down for 1st degree murder. All three. Not just the one that carries the gun.

This is a tricky case. It's going to get very ugly before it's resolved and as always my continued prayers are for the Cantu family.

So we don't know how much of involvement that MH had in these crimes at this time (I say that for those who do believe that more will come out later) because we haven't seen any docs except the complaint. But I trust that LE has done their job and time will tell as to if MH commited these crimes and exactly what her role was in them.

Sorry to ramble but wanted to share my thoughts. I have made my personal stance here known many times, but wanted to be fair and consider all possiblities.

disclaimer: yes I am aware the crimes she has been charged with are alleged

 

[daisy.faithfull]

There was a movie made about the Baniszewski case in 2007, starring the young actress Ellen Page.
Here's a story about it, from the NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/14/movies/14broes.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

Also starring Katherine Keener, I don't think that she ever gets the kudo she deserves. It sounds like it was a difficult decision to accept the role. Brave woman, its a history most would rather forget, let alone become. In the article she indicates that it was all the more reason for her to take the role.