More happenings in Newton

[msRB311]

Unfortunately people file restraining orders out of spite for each other as well, it's not just a fear thing. I'm sure it gets confusing for law enforcement to know which ones to take seriously at all times.

Based on this article it sounds like they attempted to serve him with the restraining order:

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...death/3092545/

Nancy Hanson obtained a restraining order two hours after Newton police responded to a verbal argument between the couple at their home. Officers first attempted to serve the restraining order at 7:26 p.m. that day, but Richard was not home. Officers found his vehicle nearby and a witness told them she had seen him get out of the vehicle within half an hour before police arrived, but she did not know which way he went.

Two hours later, police tried again to serve the restraining order but were unsuccessful.

It's unclear if there were other attempts before Nancy was killed and Richard was charged with her murder.

What did they do wrong? It sounds like they couldnt get to the guy, aka couldnt locate him but they tried.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Unfortunately people file restraining orders out of spite for each other as well, it's not just a fear thing. I'm sure it gets confusing for law enforcement to know which ones to take seriously at all times.

Based on this article it sounds like they attempted to serve him with the restraining order:

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...death/3092545/

Nancy Hanson obtained a restraining order two hours after Newton police responded to a verbal argument between the couple at their home. Officers first attempted to serve the restraining order at 7:26 p.m. that day, but Richard was not home. Officers found his vehicle nearby and a witness told them she had seen him get out of the vehicle within half an hour before police arrived, but she did not know which way he went.

Two hours later, police tried again to serve the restraining order but were unsuccessful.

It's unclear if there were other attempts before Nancy was killed and Richard was charged with her murder.

What did they do wrong? It sounds like they couldnt get to the guy, aka couldnt locate him but they tried.

As I said in post #75:



I understand that there are limitations, but from the minute I heard about this I thought the police didn't do enough. It seems to me that they could have parked a car outside the house until he showed up.

He could have still violated the restraining order after that, but I think the murder would have been less likely to have happened.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Wouldn’t that be more an indication that they’re really in favor of a more selective death penalty?

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

It's not the one exception. There needs to be absolutely zero question about guilt. And this was particularly egregious. And this was in the making for a long time. He intended to do it. He has tremendously harmed his own children and he doesn't even care.

So, yes. Here I would be ok with it.

I was more noting how so many typically warm up to that option, when the victims are a family from their own community and who look like themselves. Would the same people be making a "special case" for it were it some "faceless" victim from a 3 decker in Mattapan? Or would they throw out the usual talking points: "It's not going to make the victim any less dead"..."there's not better punishment than life in prison"..."the death penalty is so expensive"..."it's not going to bring any more justice to the families"..."there's always the chance that the suspect is innocent"..."he could have been set up or framed"....




Obviously (from our perspective as laypeople) there is more than convincing evidence that this guy is guilty, and had his own kids as witnesses. But would those facts get as much attention in my other scenario? Not necessarily looking for anybody to answer there.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by redplum33

As I said in post #75:



I understand that there are limitations, but from the minute I heard about this I thought the police didn't do enough. It seems to me that they could have parked a car outside the house until he showed up.

He could have still violated the restraining order after that, but I think the murder would have been less likely to have happened.

The problem with that is, how many times does kind of thing happen where the police try to serve a restraining order and can't locate the person right away? And can they realistically sit outside a person's house every single time this occurs, for possibly hours on end or more?

[msRB311]

I didn't see anyone here say the guy that killed the 3 elderly people in Newton should also get the death penalty. Some people seemed to feel bad for him in that he had mental illness and fell through the system.

Criminal Justice can be crazy.