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Loading ...Suspect in NY reporter’s stabbing pleads not guilty
03.26.2009 5:31pm EDT
(New York) A 16-year-old has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and weapons charges in the stabbing death of a New York City newsman.
John Katehis (KAY’-tis) is being held without bail. He was arraigned Wednesday night in Brooklyn.Police say Katehis told them he was answering an online ad offering $60 for rough sex. The victim, George Weber, was stabbed at least 50 times.
Katehis’ lawyer, Herbert Moses, says his client was being used by an older man. He says details about their relationship will emerge later.
Weber worked 12 years as an on-air reporter at WABC in New York. He also had worked at stations in California, Denver and Pennsylvania.
“Katehis’ lawyer, Herbert Moses, says details about their relationship will emerge later.”
Yup. Once they’ve had time to make some up.
One hopes that the assailant will not get away with interposing the so-called “gay panic” defense, which certainly wouldn’t “fly” in a city as sophisticated as New York. Where I am from (South Texas), defense lawyers trot out a so-called “expert” (in a memorable case, an ex-coroner with an extreme case of homophobia) to tell the jury that the “poor young man couldn’t help himself. He had mixed emotions; although he wanted to have deviate sex with the victim, he panicked at the last minute and went temporarily insane.”
Juries in the boonies buy this b.s. and often find either that the perp is guilty of a “lesser included offense” (typically involuntary manslaughter) or else the jury simply gives the guy a lighter sentence, some of them no doubt thinking, “After all, the victim was just a fag.” Until defense lawyers wake up to the fact that saying “he was just a fag” is the functional equivalent to saying “he was just a n****r” or “just a street bum,” or the like, this defense will go on working in bucolic venues.
I hope New York has a hate crimes law and that there is a finding of its applicability in this case. It sounds to me that the perp was out to kill, not make money for sex. I mean, FIFTY TIMES?!?!
Good man; tragic end. Now the lawyers will try to besmirch his memory. Sad.
The kid is 16 years old…. why is that reporter have sex with a 16 year old!
THAT IS WRONG!
Why is a 16 year old answering an add such as that….where were his parents.
The fact that the kid stabbed him 50 times indicates a mental disoreder.
May this be a wake up call to our community to remember internet hook ups are dangerous and that we are not imune to being victomized by our victoms!
That young man / boy WAS a victom… that news person was a preditor and the end result is a sad embarrasing mess!
Bruce, am I hearing you say that if he had been stabbed only 49 times would indicate he had no mental disorder?
IMHO, regardless of any supposed mental disorder, we are all responsible for our actions. We will reap either the consequences or rewards for those actions. Having a ‘mental disorder’ doesn’t relieve someone of their responsibilities.
Neil
Neil,
If that is what you hear or read, then your perceptions are scewed!
That 16 yr old boy was victomised by an adult, the predetor got his due and the young man will have the memory and the record forever. Neither of them are in the right…. two wrongs make a disaster.
The gay community must own their predators as they do their victoms.
I’m glad I was not as dumb at 16 as you are now with your stupid comment. It is victimised not victomised – your spelling is a sign of your intelligence.
I am glad that I wasn’t as dumb at 16 years old as you are now. It is victimised not victomised. Does spelling equal intelligence?