Subscribe via email

Grab our RSS Feed

Fallen Angels

by Bill Dusty

So many times when folks are caught committing crimes – whether heinous or bizarre – their friends and family are quick to react with shock and denial, insisting that the “person they know” would never do such a thing. Or if they did do such a thing, they would never mean to hurt anybody. Or if they did do such a thing and did hurt somebody, they must have been extremely depressed or otherwise unable to understand the consequences of their actions.

“Not my Johnny. He would never do such a thing.”

Below are some quick clips from three stories found in the Boston Globe over a two-day period, with the first two pieces coming out on the same day (April 21) and being about the same suspect. (Intruder emphasis added in bold). Think the Globe has a sympathy issue here?

Fiancée: Markoff ‘could not hurt a fly!’
By Globe Staff

The fiancée of the Boston University medical student accused of using Craigslist to target and attack women in hotels defended him today in an e-mail she sent to ABC News.
“Unfortunately you were given wrong information as was the public,” McAllister wrote in the e-mail, which is posted on ABC’s website. “All I have to say to you is Philip is a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly! A police officer in Boston (or many) is trying to make big bucks by selling this false story to the TV stations.” [see story here]

Markoff grandfather: ‘He’s a wonderful boy’
By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff

The grandfather of Philip Markoff described his grandson today as a “wonderful boy,” saying he was taken aback by allegations that the young Boston University medical student attacked women he met on Craigslist.

“I’m shocked,” said the grandfather, Jerome Markoff, a lawyer in Maryland. “This is not my grandson. I know my grandson. I hate to see a rush to judgment. I hate to see it. He’s a wonderful boy, just absolutely wonderful, and couldn’t be better. I’m proud of him and proud of his abilities as a medical student. He always wanted to be a doctor.” [see story here]

Mother: Accused Marine has ‘heart of gold’
By Peter Schworm, Globe Staff

The mother of a US Marine arrested at Logan International Airport for allegedly smuggling weapons in checked luggage described her son today as a dedicated patriot and loving husband.

“I guarantee you he didn’t mean anyone any harm,” the mother, Sandra Reed, said today in a telephone interview from her home in Winfield, Mo. “This is just a big misunderstanding. I know I’m his mother, but he’s got a heart of gold.”

Police arrested Marine Corporal Justin W. Reed during a layover Sunday when federal baggage screeners discovered undeclared semiautomatic weapons, ammunition, and bomb-making materials in his checked baggage. Sandra Reed speculated today that her son must have inadvertently packed the weapons, noting that he works with explosives in his military training. The Marine Corps confirmed today that Reed worked with explosives in his position training infantrymen at Twentynine Palms military base in California. [see story here]

* *

Posted by Bill Dusty on Apr 21st, 2009 and filed under Opinion, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.