gail

(ex-New England Patriots star player convicted of 1st degree murder, acquitted in 2 others - has now committed suicide in prison)

Story makes me ponder good and evil. I have been accused of being a chronic apologist for everyone and everything. I believe strongly in redemption on this earth and that people can turn themselves around. I have difficulty with the concept that some people are at their core evil, preferring instead to look at unfortunate life circumstances, mental health issues and just bad luck that create monsters.

But cases like this make me question my own basic beliefs. How does someone murder another person over a spilled drink (the murders for which he was acquitted), kill someone for snitching (the conviction) and throw away incredible athletic potential and $millions for gangs, drugs, weapons and violence.

So do you believe people are born or made good or evil? Can murderers become decent people? Are some people just wired wrong, fully responsible or some combination. And what goes on in the mind of someone who can commit such crimes. (Or should I just go back to watching giraffe videos since these are unanswerable questions)

socaltraveler

I cannot begin to answer your questions, but this is just a really sad thing, for everyone involved.

janisj

Did you intend to post this in the Lounge? I wouldn't think it is really a topic for the travel boards . . . Just IMHO.

MmePerdu

I suspect there are some that believe that with talent, money, privilege there is the implication that basic rules of society do not apply to them. Hence the behaviors that most of us cannot imagine. And presumably being held accountable was beyond anything HE could imagine.

I'm currently reading a good deal about the artist Lucian Freud of whom I'm a great fan. He was another who considered himself one to whom the rules did not apply by virtue of talent and hired thugs to threaten those who annoyed him. As far as I know none were killed but I don't think it beyond possibility. And he was allowed by everyone, encouraged because he was amusing.

It seems to be human nature to forgive those who amuse us sufficiently but Hernandez simply wasn't smart enough, apparently, to know where the line was nor, presumably did he have the skills to cope. Sad for his family but I feel nothing for him.

gail

(I asked that this be moved to The Lounge)

Fra_Diavolo

The man was a coldblooded murderer. No sympathy here.

Inakauaidavidababy

Perhaps he couldn't handle the guilt of being acquitted and a chance of appeal that opened for his guilty verdict. God help his baby girl to have a better life, although the likelihood is she will grow up damaged.

Inakauaidavidababy

It would have been nice if he manned up and owned it before leaving.

John

Saved the state lots of money.

bankbabe

I am also thinking of his baby girl and her mother today. What an incredible story of one who threw it all away. And for what? Just never made sense to me. Yes, his dad died in 2006 and that affected him, but so did a lot of other people's dads.

crefloors

I feel bad for the waste of his life, the taking of another life, not taking advantage of his talent and his opportunities, for his family and friends, for his four year old daughter, for the family and friends of the man he killed. It's not the same as feeling sympathy for him.

I found this article, it's long but I found it to be a good read, and takes a look at Aaron from a kid through where he is today and the damage he left behind him. The article is from Sports Illustrated.

https://www.si.com/longform/2016/aar...-dj-hernandez/

An interesting coincidence that he is found dead when the team is being feted at the White House.

dcd

crefloors, maybe not a coincidence.

gail, the mysteries of life continue....

MmePerdu

There's no up side to this story, except that his wife and child may have another chance with him now gone-gone.

crefloors

I know dcd, I should have used quotes.

curiousgeo

Agree with crefloors, what an absolute waste of life, talent and opportunity. No sympathy from me for Hernandez but I feel sorry for his victims, their families and his now fatherless child.

tom42

>

I do not believe people are born good or evil. I believe that life circumstances plays a large role in shaping people but that genetics or biology can influence how people react to bad life circumstances. I think some people are better equipped to handle adverse circumstances than others.


<Can murderers become decent people?>

I believe so.

<Are some people just wired wrong, fully responsible or some combination.>

I think in most instances, there is some combination of factors that lead people to become murderers.


<And what goes on in the mind of someone who can commit such crimes.>

I have no idea.

I share your confusion over how someone with the world at his feet, who reaches the pinnacle of professional sports success, who signs a multi year multi million dollar contract to play football throws it all away.

gmoney

Here's a guy that was handed a dream ticket for life and he pissed it away. Just goes to show you what bad choices can do to a persons life.

No sympathy.

tom42

>

For sure. But what leads to those bad choices is what is interesting. I don't have any particular sympathy for him. But it is a tragic situation all around.

newtome

I believe that some people are unredeemable in this lifetime due to a constellation of factors including genetics, early life experiences, and other stressors. So yes murders can be rehabilitated, criminals can turn over a new leaf and become upstanding citizens etc. But I don't think it's possible for every single criminal – somewhere just to damage to early on and the damage kept occurring so that they're actually not redeemable. Does it mean they should be put to death in my opinion, but it means they're probably never going to be able to live outside of her facility.

Barbara

I read that he was passed over by several teams because of his behavior in college and the type of people with whom he mixed. His problem was not that he was stupid, quite the opposite. He was very intelligent and played things close to the line. Perhaps his college coaches could have made a difference, but I think it was too late by the time he got to the NFL.

I think it's all very sad.