February 19, 2010
Bishop Defense: Elitist Entitlement Syndrome
Like we didn't all see this coming:
Roy W. Miller, the court-appointed attorney for Amy Bishop, told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that his client has severe mental problems that appear to be paranoid schizophrenia. Miller discussed the case hours after hundreds of mourners attended the first funeral and memorial services for Bishop's slain co-workers.Authorities said three more people were hurt when Bishop pulled out a handgun and started shooting during the routine meeting with colleagues last Friday. Charged with capital murder and attempted murder, she is being held without bond.
Miller said Bishop's failure to obtain tenure at the University of Alabama in Huntsville was likely a key to the shootings. Bishop, who has a doctorate from Harvard University and has taught at the University of Alabama in Huntsville since 2003, apparently was incensed that a lesser-known school rejected her for what amounted to a lifetime job.
"Obviously she was very distraught and concerned over that tenure," Miller said. "It insulted her and slapped her in the face, and it's probably tied in with the Harvard mentality. She brooded and brooded and brooded over it, and then, 'bingo.'"
So Bishop's defense is going to claim paranoid schizophrenia, even as it admits that the real trigger wasn't mental illness, but the arrogance and sense of entitlement Bishop acquired along with her Harvard degree.
It's the "I'm better than you" defense.
I somehow doubt that is going to win her freedom.
I don't know what the specifics are for the "insanity" defense is in Alabama, but in NY, they explicitly (by statute) exclude those who are psychopaths or sociopaths from asserting a "not guity by reason of insanity" defense.
Can't wait for the prosecutors psych expert to get a chance to poke around in her head. She is not a paranoid schizophrenic, she's a psychopath, she knew what she was doing was wrong but still did it. She took the steps to acquire a handgun, go to a range to practice shooting it, and waited for an oppportune moment to assassinate her boss and co-workers because things did not go her way.
No, but it certainly entitles her to free membership in the Democrat party
Posted by: henry green at February 19, 2010 10:16 AMThis looks more like HDS, Harvard Derangement Syndrome, it the most extreme form. I've only seen lesser cases. That's where someone who's been out of school for three decades can't dropping that they went to Harvard in almost every conversation. It almost always means they haven't done anything of note since then.
Posted by: NC Mountain Girl at February 19, 2010 11:08 AMThe HDS (Harvard Derangement Syndrome) defense ought to play real well to an Alabama jury -- what could possibly go wrong with that???
just where is her court-appointed lawyer from? Harvard?
Posted by: MtnGote at February 19, 2010 11:29 AMIt won't win HER freedom... it just sets up the next one down the line.
Posted by: Todd at February 19, 2010 11:57 AMsolomonia has an anecdotal story of what it was like to live near this creepy women
www.solomonia.com
Posted by: rumcrook at February 19, 2010 12:43 PMid give the exact link but it was rejected as questionable content...
Posted by: rumcrook at February 19, 2010 12:48 PMI recommend months of electro-shock
Posted by: Neo at February 19, 2010 01:29 PMSort of like the San Francisco Chronicle blogger Zennie Abraham who said Bishop killed the people because the evil white rednecks of Alabama drove her to it.
Posted by: Federale at February 19, 2010 01:38 PMWell, it might get her freedom. After all, it could win her a ride in Old Sparky, and the end of that is a freedom of sorts...
Posted by: Laughing Wolf at February 19, 2010 02:00 PMNotwithstanding the fact that Amy dearest was a big O BOW MA supporter, that in itself should qualify her for an insanity plea!
Posted by: Navyman at February 20, 2010 04:24 PM
