# Trial comes for Marine accused of killing 'American Sniper'.....



## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

Trial comes for Marine accused of killing 'American Sniper' - AOL.com


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## hks95134 (Feb 13, 2015)

It will be interesting to see if this wacko gets away with it due to being certifiably wacko.

My personal philosophy has always been that if you murder then you die, wacko or not.


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## BigCityChief (Jan 2, 2013)

I really feel for CPO Kyle's family, particularly his wife and children who'll be reliving the horror of his murder. Of course, I have the same concern for Mr. Littlefield's loved ones as well.


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## hks95134 (Feb 13, 2015)

A trial is never pretty, and neither is crime, nor mental illness.

The question at law will become whether the severely mentally ill should be imprisoned and/or executed or permanently incarcerated in a mental facility?

Kyle's wife wants revenge -- her opening statements were to this effect.

The victims' families usually always want revenge and are justly entitled to it.

The village fathers (Judge, Jury, Executioners) are entrusted with meeting out that revenge in the manner of justice.

The culprits' families always want mercy. No question there. "He was such a nice boy when he was young ... ."

Justice belongs to the victims' families.

This trial is not going to be a who done it?

It will be all about why?


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## hks95134 (Feb 13, 2015)

I'm not sure why Kyle was taking troubled vets to the shooting range? Seems obviously volatile to me.

I suppose for those who view shooting as recreation, it can be a fun time.

For me shooting is only one of 3 things -- (1) hard work practicing right; (2) hunting for food; or (3) self defense.

For me, shooting is not recreation. Hunting is recreation, but not the shooting part.

Kyle was a deer hunter and should have known all about that as taught by his dad. Or maybe he forgot.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

From what I had heard, while they were on the way to the shooting range, Kyle texted his buddy that was sitting alongside him in in the front seat, that the guy they were taking shooting, "was straight up nuts". 

Kyle's buddy texted back to him to "watch his 6". 

I don't understand why they went ahead and took him shooting. I don't shoot with strangers at all. I don't go to public ranges and never will. 

If I had any idea that I was in the company of someone that I thought was nuts, no way am I going to place myself anywhere in the vicinity of that person, especially if that person is armed. 

And.....it might just be me, but I don't consider shooting as appropriate therapy for PTSD.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

I have a 'relationship', and maybe Kyle had one, with guns. They have been Special Objects to me since I was maybe 7 Y.O. Shooting is part of the relationship. So is the handling, and the cleaning, and the smell of them. Maybe Kyle thought that recreational shooting would 'take the guy out of himself', and that would be a good thing. Plus, from reading his book I get the notion that Kyle had a strong ego. That lessens the import of the saying "Different strokes for different folks".


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## SailDesign (Jul 17, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> From what I had heard,
> 
> <snip!>
> 
> And.....it might just be me, but I don't consider shooting as appropriate therapy for PTSD.


Not just you - totally behind that. Unless they were working on the "Man up and deal with it" therapy.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I don't know what Kyle and his buddy had in mind. 

I don't know how long they had been at the range, or if they even had a chance to do any shooting. And, from what I have heard, both had pistols tucked into their waist when the authorities arrived and found them. 

I think Kyle was shot 6 times, and his buddy 7 times. That in and of itself, is another issue that is odd.

It's just a very strange situation all around.


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## hks95134 (Feb 13, 2015)

paratrooper said:


> I don't know what Kyle and his buddy had in mind.
> 
> I don't know how long they had been at the range, or if they even had a chance to do any shooting. And, from what I have heard, both had pistols tucked into their waist when the authorities arrived and found them.
> 
> ...


I myself have not heard any of the details. That sounds awfully brutal though.

If I were on the jury, besides keeping an open mind, I would be wondering right about now what was this shooter thinking to gun down two other vets?

Was it a moment of rage?

Did he preplan it?

Or is his mind so completely deranged that he should not have been around guns in the first place?

Opening arguments must be over already because Kyle's wife already took the stand and gave her own emotional testimony.

This puts the jurors on notice that there is a grieving family member who wants revenge.

It all comes back to WHY did this happen?

It is not easy or fun being a juror.

This will be draining for the jury while they weather through this storm.

Then with such a national audience to the trial, they will be burdened with their verdict for the rest of their lives.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

According to a deputy who over-heard the suspect speaking, the reason he shot the two was because they didn't talk to him while on the way to the range and that enraged him.


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## hillman (Jul 27, 2014)

paratrooper said:


> According to a deputy who over-heard the suspect speaking, the reason he shot the two was because they didn't talk to him while on the way to the range and that enraged him.


The deputy couldn't keep that - probably not admissible - story to himself until after the trial?


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## hks95134 (Feb 13, 2015)

paratrooper said:


> According to a deputy who over-heard the suspect speaking, the reason he shot the two was because they didn't talk to him while on the way to the range and that enraged him.


Ok then it was a moment of rage. Normally that qualifies as 2nd degree murder.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

There's also some speculation about the suspect having been drinking and doing drugs before Kyle and his buddy arrived to pick him up.


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## hks95134 (Feb 13, 2015)

Jeeze !!! What on Earth was Kyle thinking then ???

Divert the car to a bar and have a few beers.

I would certainly never bring a bozo like this to the gun range.


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## RA9 (Nov 12, 2014)

hillman said:


> I have a 'relationship', and maybe Kyle had one, with guns. They have been Special Objects to me since I was maybe 7 Y.O. Shooting is part of the relationship. So is the handling, and the cleaning, and the smell of them. Maybe Kyle thought that recreational shooting would 'take the guy out of himself', and that would be a good thing. Plus, from reading his book I get the notion that Kyle had a strong ego. That lessens the import of the saying "Different strokes for different folks".


 'take the guy out of himself'

That's what I think, too. Kyle wanted to give him a non-stressed pleasant experience with guns to shift out the shooting stuff that was bothering him. Get rid of the bad thoughts by putting some good ones in.

It's going to be hard to prove he was anything but nuts. The only motive was what was in his deranged head. Everybody loses.


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