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[Zoe]

I get that. But it's ridiculously obvious he is the killer. And she is trying to reduce his bail money? I am not a lawyer but if I took on a client who is obviously guilty I would tone down my zealousness tbh.

That's how you get an undeniably guilty person to walk free for the rest of their lives.

 

[hobozero]

The incident will give them enough for a warrant to search the guy's person and probably his house. In addition, the hammer used will likely have some traces of previous assaults if he used it before. Or the pizza bag, his coat etc.

Likely they'll also be able to get a judge to order a psych evaluation, and, let's face it, a guy who allegedly goes around caving in skulls for kicks is probably not all there. That alone will let them hold him for a while.

 

[F0rneus]

I don't see any way this dude can explain why he was out at 3AM, with a concealed sledgehammer, in the exact place where someone has been hammering homeless men to death. What a piece of shit, and what a great example of fine police work right there.

 

[Johnny Cage In The Shower]

I hope I don't get banned for saying this but...

They should've just booby trapped a small explosive inside the mannequin's head that required a powerful blow of a hammer to go off and gotten over the whole thing, save a lot of court time and taxpayer's money... The dude's truly a sick bastard.

"exploding-sledge-hammer.gif"

 

[PrimaNocta]

Amazing police work. now lock this psycho behind bars for years.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Then please educate me sensei. What are the general principles of the justice system? (I'll assume you're talking about Western justice systems)

You've already demonstrated you are not interested in a serious conversation about the legal system because you took terms that were being used in that specific context and generalized them to mean whatever you happen to think they mean.

Not trolling. I know circumstantial and direct evidence have specific meanings as trial terms but in common speech (in my experience) circumstantial evidence just means weak evidence. The point I was trying to make was that even strong evidence can be framed as weak -- thus the guy covered in blood example

You're talking about "common speech (in my experience)", which is a totally different subject than actual legal terminology, process and standards - which are what actually apply here. You might as well be talking about fishing instead.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

They should have used a undercover officer and support + surveillance. Then it would have been a hate crime against the officer and all those other charges. Maybe they should have deputized the mannequin.

I don't see him going down for this.

That's what I was thinking: undercover officer + stakeout = guy can't claim he knew it was a mannequin. Get the officer a helmet or something to avoid damage in case there's no quick enough reaction. That doesn't count as entrapment, right? Not unless the undercover cop has a "hit my head with a sledgehammer" sign, right?

But this incident should be enough to at least be able to get a search warrant for the guys' place/work/car/etc, right? Perhaps the cops can find something there. Hopefully they catch whoever is doing this shit, what a terrible thing to do.

Or he cracks and confesses.

This is also good, if they keep him under watch he may eventually succumb to the urge to kill and slip up, get caught, etc.

 

[Hazelhurst]

In my opinion, they got the right guy. Now they just need some forensic evidence to make their case stronger. There's a good chance they got the murder weapon.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

You can't charge a guy with a "hate crime against an officer" if the entire point is that you are concealing that he is an officer. Having an actual person sitting there waiting for their brains to be bashed in is fucking ludicrous and honestly doesn't accomplish anything that this dummy doesn't. The goal was to nab the guy who they suspect was doing it, and then tying him to the previous two murders, not get an office potentially killed/hurt. That's like some serious Police Academy the Movie type shit.

 

[TheSeks]

I mean, does this make it any easier to charge him with the murders?

Unless he left fiber or DNA evidence: Hardly.

 

[FunkyPajamas]

You can't charge a guy with a "hate crime against an officer" if the entire point is that you are concealing that he is an officer. Having an actual person sitting there waiting for their brains to be bashed in is fucking ludicrous and honestly doesn't accomplish anything that this dummy doesn't. The goal was to nab the guy who they suspect was doing it, and then tying him to the previous two murders, not get an office potentially killed/hurt. That's like some serious Police Academy the Movie type shit.

but a helmet.

 

[jeffram]

Whatever the outcome of his trial, the most important thing is they've likely stopped him from killing again.

 

[Afrikan]

Don't know how it works in the US but in the UK I think he could be charged with attempted murder for this.

They should have had an undercover officer with a helmet on... then quickly flash the lights on him when he was about to swing.

I know after the fact and easier said than done... but when you get a chance to catch a legit murderer...gotta go all out to make something stick.

They should've known a mannequin wouldn't be enough to charge him with anything serious long term.

Either way still a good job of them to get him off the streets.. hopefully like someone else said, they can some how go through his stuff at home and find evidence for those past crimes or something else he might have brewing.

 

[texasairhead101]

Probably because this is a discussion forum. Where people can discuss. Since I'll never be selected to be on a jury since I'm not in the same state, my opinion has fuck all influence on the process of this trial.

So, to re-iterate, my non binding armchair opinion on all the evidence thus far is that he's very likely to be the killer.
....

good reply post.
and wow at how messed up this case is.
Also, good on the ingenuity of that local police investigators.

 

[lenovox1]

They should've known a mannequin wouldn't be enough to charge him with anything serious long term.

It should certainly be enough to get a warrant to search his property.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

They should have had an undercover officer with a helmet on... then quickly flash the lights on him when he was about to swing.

I know after the fact and easier said than done... but when you get a chance to catch a legit murderer...gotta go all out to make something stick.

They should've known a mannequin wouldn't be enough to charge him with anything serious long term.

Either way still a good job of them to get him off the streets.. hopefully like someone else said, they can some how go through his stuff at home and find evidence for those past crimes or something else he might have brewing.

Wonder what the reactions would have been to the inevitable "Undercover Officer Suffers Severe Brain Damage in Sting Operations Gone Horribly Wrong" thread.

 

[Johnny Cage In The Shower]

I hope I don't get banned for saying this but...

They should've just booby trapped a small explosive inside the mannequin's head that required a powerful blow of a hammer to go off and gotten over the whole thing, save a lot of court time and taxpayer's money... The dude's truly a sick bastard.

"exploding-sledge-hammer.gif"

I am just gonna quote myself again, because i think I had the best idea...

The mannequin should've been packed with explosives!!

Could've easily explained to this psychopath's mother or family (if he had one) what happened.

 

[LyleLanley]

Getting an undercover cop to take a hammer to the head is a brilliant idea guys.

I am just gonna quote myself again, because i think I had the best idea...

The mannequin should've been packed with explosives!!

Could've easily explained to this psychopath's mother or family (if he had one) what happened.

Yes, I agree, the guy vandalizing a mannequin should be killed.

 

[Johnny Cage In The Shower]

Yes, I agree, the guy vandalizing a mannequin should be killed.

Uhhm, do you always drive by post on GAF without reading articles in the OP?

”The decoy mannequin was staged in a manner which would have made it impossible for Schindler to have determined the mannequin was not a human being before he struck," police said in the arrest report, according to the Review Journal.

Maybe he was just "vandalizing" a sleeping human being with a 4 pound hammer to the head at 3:00am in the morning?

 

[Greddleok]

They should have just disguised a cop as the hammer.

 

[Sheroking]

Thrill killers and serial killers are the hardest to catch because they have no direct motive. Once a suspect is actually identified, often the case comes together because they now have somewhere to look.

I'm guessing they'll find some other evidence.

 

[LyleLanley]

Uhhm, do you always drive by post on GAF without reading articles in the OP?



Maybe he was just "vandalizing" a sleeping human being with a 4 pound hammer?

During questioning by police, Schindler admitted that he kicked the decoy and struck it with his hammer but told investigators he “knew it was a mannequin” before he attacked it, according to the report.

Maybe he could feel it wasn't a person when he kicked it. Either way he didn't hit a person, it's ridiculous to think he should be killed based on this alone.

 

[Johnny Cage In The Shower]

Maybe he could feel it wasn't a person when he kicked it. Either way he didn't hit a person, it's ridiculous to think he should be killed based on this alone.

Even though I'm being kinda facetious with my Acme bomb trap, Wille E. Coyote methods of catching real life serial killers, you kinda have to admit it would've been a bad ass way to get this deranged mofo!

And I'm only calling him "deranged" because no normal person will harmlessly vandalize mannequins bundled on the side of the street, with thier engineer's hammer that they carry in a pizza bag at 3:00 am In the morning.

 

[Chittagong]

I would be pretty sure a search of his home and online interactions will bring up further evidence supporting his guilt. Sick psychopath fucks will brag, take mementos, relive the experience.