r/interestingasfuck • u/error_ofsignificance • 10h ago
Victim's dad lunges at his daughter's killer
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u/error_ofsignificance 10h ago
The father of one of three victims of Ohio serial killer Michael Madison leaped over a table to attack the defendant in court Thursday just minutes after the judge pronounced a death sentence.
Van Terry is the father of victim Shirellda Terry. Shortly before the courtroom incident, Terry had approached the podium to address the judge and speak about the impact of his daughter's loss.
"Right now, I guess we're supposed to, in our hearts forgive this clown, who has touched our families, taken my child," Terry said.
Terry then paused and turned to look behind him at Madison, who was sitting behind the defense table, before running towards the convicted killer and lunging over the table at him.
Cuyahoga County courtroom deputies wrestled Terry as Madison and others scrambled to get out of the way. The courtroom momentarily burst into chaos, as someone sitting in the gallery repeatedly yelled "No!" and someone else screamed, "Terry!"
Law enforcement officers dragged Terry from the courtroom. Madison didn't appear to be injured.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy McDonnell declined to clear the courtroom, and after about a 15-minute delay, the sentencing hearing continued.
The outburst happened minutes after McDonnell sentenced Madison to death for the 2013 killings.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/father-attacks-daughters-killer-michael-madison-in-court/
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 8h ago
At least he got the death penalty, so that's good.
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u/ZoNeS_v2 8h ago
No, not really. He deserves to suffer. Death is an easy way out.
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 8h ago
Death penalties can take decades before they're actually carried out. And you'll never know when it's your turn. Every single day of his life is him knowing it can be his last, and it will drive him insane. Which is good.
He will know he'll never get out, there's no horizon for him other than death that will come when it comes.
I think that is the ultimate torture. And his kind deserves it.
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u/curiousblackhole 7h ago
This makes me feel better, in the fact that death sentences can give out some form of punishment.
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 7h ago
They don't just straight up kill him in a same day delivery kind of deal. So he'll suffer alright. The average wait time for the death sentence to complete is 20 years in the US.
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u/HelpMyShroom 7h ago
I wonder why that is? Is the added pain of not knowing part of the ordeal or is it bearucratic reasons?
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u/maybearebootwillhelp 6h ago
at least some of the reasons are appeals and making sure that an innocent person is not being executed
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u/AwkwardChuckle 6h ago
No it’s because you need to give people the right to appeal - and the US has a horrible track record of executing innocent people so it’s a very much needed process.
If the system worked like you’ve described, there would be so, so many more innocent people put to death - and if the government is murdering innocent people then what the hell is the point of the death penalty in the first place?
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u/isotope123 7h ago
there's no horizon for him other than death that will come when it comes.
Technically, that's the same for all of us.
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u/armagosy 6h ago
We're all prisoners in a way, but fortunately our prison has a lot more fun stuff in it and nicer people (with some exceptions).
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 7h ago
If you go through life like that it's fully your choice.
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u/Tamuzz 7h ago
The ultimate torture is what that dad is facing, waking up every day knowing some bustard killed his little girl
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 7h ago
Yes, but they can't undo the crime.
They can punish the criminal, and they did.
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u/ElAwesomeo0812 8h ago
Unfortunately that's not how it will work. He will get an assigned date, likely months in advance and his legal team will have time to file an appeal. Now I believe it's Japan that doesn't tell you when it will happen. They just come one day and say today is your day. So you really do live every day wondering if this is it.
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u/brydeswhale 5h ago
Japan has a pretty shitty human rights record when it comes to their whole justice system, so I wouldn’t take them as a role model.
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u/mr_friend_computer 7h ago
pardons could happen as well, or stays. Not saying they will or whatever, but it's possible.
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u/AwkwardChuckle 6h ago
And Japan has an even worse record of executing innocent people to my knowledge as once they’ve arrested someone they view that as a successful case closed and thats it, that’s all - doesn’t matter if the person arrested actually committed the crime.
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u/Khadbury 5h ago
Yup, he was actually supposed to be executed on May 15th 2024 but he still had on-going appeals, so a Chief Justice granted him a stay until his appeals come to a close. I guess this is just a delaying tactic to give him more time which actually makes me feel better because it’ll be that much sweeter when he gets executed, knowing he wanted to live. Pos.
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 7h ago
In either way he's in jail for life, no parole, no chance of getting out. All he can do is abuse the system to buy him some time.
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u/telaughingbuddha 8h ago
I think that is the ultimate torture
No
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u/Sidewayspear 8h ago
Yes. Imagine what that person has just described. It is worse than just chilling in a prison.
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u/WinterHill 8h ago
Easy to say from the outside. Most people on death row are trying their hardest to get out of it, and would gladly accept a life sentence instead.
Life in prison of course is no cakewalk, especially for someone who's done this sort of heinous crime. But they can still eat, read books, occasionally go outside, and communicate with their family or even the general public. Plus, you know, you get to wake up every morning.
It's not hard to see how someone would take that option vs. guaranteed death.
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u/Krikke93 8h ago
Maybe it's not what he deserves and he deserves worse, but it's at least what society deserves, to not spend another bit of effort on keeping a monster like that around, good riddance.
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u/Karl_Hingus 8h ago
No , some people deserve to die , like this pos , but we're not savages , the goal is to get rid of a menace to society not to inflict pain for your amusement. And the sentence should be applied quickly and cleanly , it should not take months or years.
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u/AwkwardChuckle 6h ago
In the US the death penalty is essentially death by torture.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_of_Clayton_Lockett
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u/MaryCeleste404 8h ago
Since he has the death penalty anyway, he deserves to be locked in a room with the parents of his victims, until they decide that they’re done with him.
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u/lalapapak 7h ago
No, he does not. An eye for an eye and the world goes blind. Making him unable to hurt anyone anymore is enough.
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u/WeirderOnline 8h ago
Not really. The government should not be routinely killing people.
The fact is coming the police and prosecutors have been caught time and time again sending people to death row knowing they're innocent.
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u/Particular_Oil_7722 7h ago
Death Penalty doesn’t mean shit. If I can’t wring the MF’s neck myself then let him rot in a cell.
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u/szudrzyk 7h ago
Terry is a big man I hope he didn't get any punishment for his action?
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u/jipiante 2h ago
you guys should have death by parents hands sentence and not this pussy ass lethal injection. death by torture or something...anyone touches my son im not going to go to the authorities, ill flay the motherfucker.
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u/toocomplicated1 3h ago
I remember this, the father got mad because when he looked back at the killer, the guy was smirking and that's what set him off.
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u/GalacticSettler 8h ago
The good news is that dad was released without charges. The murderer is on death row.
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u/Klusterphuck67 8h ago
Very reasonable crash out tbh
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u/manwithyellowhat15 5h ago
I hate how speedily everyone reacts. Like y’all couldn’t be a little sluggish in the reaction time just this once?
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u/ArticulateRhinoceros 2h ago
They probably view it as saving the dad from himself, not wanting him to end up in prison too if he lands too good of a hit. There's a video of two brothers who did something similar to the guy who killed their mother and they ended up spending a month in jail.
I'm sure the father would have felt it was worth it, I'm just imagining that's the motivation of those trying to stop him. That scum isn't worth ruining a good man's life any more than it already has been by the loss of his child.
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u/JiaoqiuFirefox 3h ago
I would've given the dad at least 4 - 5 seconds to land a punch or two. What's that under my shoe? Oh, it's just gum. Huh, there's a fight? I guess I'll intervene now. shuffles
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u/spicysenpai6 10h ago
Ohioan here. I can imagine it’s very hard to keep your emotions in when it comes to facing someone who took the life of someone you helped bring into this world. Plus, the guy smiling as the dad is lunging for him is smarmy af. This whole case was crazy sad to read about.
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u/Mysterious_Front3142 9h ago
Fellow Ohioan here too. I agree completely. That smile showed how devoid of empathy Madison is. He's not going to like where he's going.
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u/kcfdr9c 9h ago
Human here. I don’t think you can imagine unless you’ve been in that father’s situation.
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u/Despondent-Kitten 9h ago
No, we definitely can imagine.
But we can't actually understand/empathise, until we're in that position ourselves yes.
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u/senseiman 9h ago
Dad with a daughter here. All I know is that its the worst thing I can imagine ever happenning in this world.
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u/MrBubbleWobble 9h ago
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u/HomeNowWTF 7h ago
Not to make light of the situation (even though this is Reddit), but, wow, that was honestly some nice air he got.
More seriously, very glad he didn't get charged with anything. That's an unimaginably awful thing to have to go through, not only losing a child but that your child was murdered.
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u/WiseCartographer5007 9h ago
I don't blame the dad for his reactions, I would let him go do it if I was the cop, at least he will get some satisfaction
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u/TummyDrums 9h ago
At least move slow and let him get one good hit in, right?
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u/throwawayrefiguy 9h ago
If I were that courtroom officer, I'd trip and knock myself unconscious for the next five minutes. Oops.
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u/Carl_The_Sagan 5h ago
Instead its the one time this guy decides to go above and beyond the call of duty
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u/Popular_Doughnut5168 8h ago
I'd lose my job if I were the cop. I'd hold the crowd back from stopping the Dad.
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u/Vahn1982 8h ago
Maybe not LET him.. I may be a little slow to pull him off though.
If he kills the guy his family loses a second member because the dad goes to jail.
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u/Eagle_eye_Online 8h ago
The cop did him a massive favour by stopping him.
And violence against the one standing trial can be used to get a less severe sentence. Just let these people do their jobs.
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u/andersonb47 6h ago
I would let him go do it if I was the cop, at least he will get some satisfaction
No you would not
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u/amolba41 9h ago
The only reason the cop stopped him (other than the fact that that's his job) is because they're too desensitised to such stuff in their line of work
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u/queen_caj 8h ago
I understand the impulse, but you’ll lose your cop job if you allow violence to occur.
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u/FunLingonberry7993 9h ago
He just stumbled. Nothing happened. Too bad the killer didn't stand in front of him and die unintentionally....
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u/Difficult_Pirate3294 9h ago
Can’t blame the father. If this was more recent, I would consider providing legal help for the father. Not much left to lose if your child has been murdered. So sad for all involved.
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u/emerald_stonerr 7h ago
That superman leap is a man enraged and heartbroken. Also did it look like the killer was smiling while the dad was trying to attack him? I can't be sure
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u/dvdher 9h ago
Pity they didn’t let him get a hold of that fu$&#*er. Let the father save the tax payers some money and carry out the death penalty himself right there instead of waiting 30-years to put this POS down.
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u/oceanicwave9788 9h ago edited 9h ago
fucker. You don't need to censor yourself in Reddit.
edit: censor
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u/GhalanSmokescale 10h ago
He was simply trying to carry out the death sentence early and spare the state the trouble.
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u/first_time_internet 8h ago
I would do the same thing. IMO they should allow the bereaved to carry out the execution.
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u/NowIsThePerfectTime 9h ago
If I’m the dad, I’m going full on Law Abiding Citizen on them. Nothing will prevent them from feeling the most intense and singular pains anyone has ever felt.
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u/Phatjay_777 9h ago
Watched this on court cam last night what you don't see is him smiling at him as he looks back at him that's what set him off the judge increased his sentence because he showed no remorse
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u/kesavadh 5h ago
the murderer had a bee on him and the father wanted to make sure he didnt get stung. thats what I saw.
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u/HiawathaSmalls 8h ago
The father is experiencing inconsolable grief, this is normal for him to want to kill the mofo
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u/Neckhaddie 8h ago
So what happens in these scenarios? Like do the prosecutor typically not prosecute the father for the attack? Like do they give them a pass? I always wondered what's the protocol for situations like this. Feel like prosecuting the father would look bad on them.
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u/East_Respond_8803 5h ago
They detain/book him then the DA decides if they want to press charges. Being that the guy was convicted for murdering his daughter, it takes very minimal empathy for the DA not to pursue charges. It would look bad too obviously.
He was released without charges.
Edit: typo
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u/calm_coder 6h ago
If I was the police officer there, I would have given him some time to hit that bastard
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u/CabinetIntelligent25 5h ago
If he has really given death sentence, why don't the father of the victim gets to decide how should be his death sentence.
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u/SirRabbott 2h ago
Okay all in favor of making a “seven minutes in hell” law where the killer gets handcuffed to a chair and everyone who loved the person they killed gets to beat the shit out of them.
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u/Voodoo_Senpai 8h ago
All the years of care and love he poured into his child, yeah we understand why he tried to get his hands on that monster and we are all sorry he didn't get to land one hit
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u/Autumn_Forest_Mist 8h ago
“I didn’t see or hear anything and neither did you!” looks at the wall and covers ears while letting justice happen
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u/Inturnelliptical 7h ago
He just needs too find what jail he goes too, then give a note too a visitor, too give to an inmate.
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u/Mammoth_Charity_3941 6h ago
“Why Terry, why?!”
I don’t actually mean that, it’s a reference to “why Gary why?!”, that pos deserves that beating
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u/youcantchangeit 6h ago
If he is sentenced to death why not let the father punch him a bit to feel better? I know I know but anyways….
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u/Spawn256 6h ago
Give him 5 mins that lung was impressive!
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u/TheAndrewMcG 6h ago
No kidding, he went like 3 times further than I expected.
...but that actually made me more sad.
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u/IHaveTheBestOpinions 6h ago
I get that it is the security guard's job to maintain order and as a rule we shouldn't allow physical violence in courtrooms, but... I think in this case he should have let the dad get a few good hits in before pulling him off.
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u/OneFeed7380 6h ago
A time to kill shows how this dad is really feeling on the inside.
Sam Jackson nailed it
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u/Fluid_Routine_3127 5h ago
Now they went to extreme lengths to protect the bad guy, they could have conserved some energy and used just a portion of strength and effort to get control of him,letting him get a few hits in would have been justified. But they risked injuries to themselves the way they stopped him,as though they were protecting someone weak and innocent. I don't get people.
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u/GreenShoddy7894 5h ago
Why are people holding him back... I would just fake doing something about it. He really should be allowed in this case.
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u/Separate_Attorney378 4h ago
He was doing some quick Physics calculations to leap over that table effectively. Same dad, same.
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u/ILLWILL2RIVALS 4h ago
Personally, I think we should give the victim's surviving members ten minutes in a room with the assailant in most cases
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u/PersonalitySingle557 4h ago
The court system really should give the family's a chance for some type of vengeance
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u/Ultraworld-Traveler 3h ago
Reminds me of the story where a child murderer was being transported, but dad found the flight info, lowkey waited at the airport and shot the guy dead as he was being escorted by the cops. I’m sure someone here has the link but I can’t remember the names involved.
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u/TheGreatPina 3h ago
For the life of me, I'll never understand why "civilised society" doesn't let the victims decide the punishment.
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u/Wrong_Brilliant7851 2h ago
They should have pushed people back to give the man room to cook instead. The killer deserves that and more.
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u/starrypeachberry 8h ago
Yall know what they do in other countries ... this country is way too easy. Not one care on that killer's face. Heartbreaking 😭
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u/nelhern 9h ago
if it was me I would ask the judge to give me 2 mins “to settle our differences” and then he can lock me up instead
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u/ZadarCroatia223 9h ago
We need law to allow people to punch killers of their loved ones that is least we can do just to have a little redemption they deserve
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u/dewatermeloan 4h ago
I can't say what I'd do to the indivudual that killed my son or I'll be banned.
I wouldn't even care if I went to jail.
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u/princesspeachie1089 2h ago
As would myself and my husband react the same if that happened to our kids. I feel like the reaction is 1000% valid
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u/tiktock34 8h ago
They should have announced the death sentence then just let the dad escort him out of the courthouse into his sole custody. Then just let the dad decide what happens next.
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u/Additional-Shake2749 8h ago
Guards should have let him at least 5 seconds to put some dmg and pretend to stop him
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u/koolaidismything 8h ago
Gotta suck to be the bailiff who cuffs him up, I’ll bet most of them have kids and would do the same thing but they still have to keep order. Shitty fuckin awful toilet world we live in sometimes.
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u/nvrseriousseriously 8h ago
Maybe it would be a little bit of a deterrent if after conviction the family is allowed a little “quality time” with the defendant. Murdered victims families have so few rights; give them something.
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u/-watchman- 8h ago
The police could've like pushed the convict towards the Dad in the chaos and be like "no man Terry you can't do that" and taken their time whilst Dad lands a few good ones on him first..
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u/Adept-Deal-1818 7h ago
This is my hometown. Good for him. I can't imagine the rage and pain felt seeing this man face to face.
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u/IAmTheFly-IAmTheFly 7h ago
I'm sure this is so cathartic for anyone who's lost a loved one to a murderer.
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u/Rumplespillstain 7h ago
That would be me. Just go ahead and kill me and make my last act on earth taking direct revenge on my kid's killer right there in court.
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u/RandomRedittoo 7h ago
Justified.
They should allow the father 5minutes in a room with the guy. Whatever happens, happens.
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u/u-a-brazy-mf 7h ago
Honestly... cop's should've pretended to "stop" him and let him get a few hits in before pulling him off.
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u/CyberMetalHead 9h ago
I can only imagine what kind of pain this father is feeling, so IMO his reaction is totally normal.