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He Had Been Sleepwalking All His Life

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To read cases where guys got off for killing in their sleep, see this article: 7 Criminal Cases That Invoked the 'Sleepwalking Defense'

https://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/sleep/articles/2009/05/08/7-criminal-cases-that-invoked-the-sleepwalking-defense

They said he was guiltless of sin. He’d been sleepwalking all his life! And this was the state he was in when he murdered his “precious” wife. His defense with big holes seemed rife. For instance, his spouse he’d abused. He’d been sleepwalking all his life was the argument they still used. To prison he didn’t get sent though twenty times he’d plunged that knife! Stupid jury said “Innocent” - (he’d been sleepwalking all his life). July 28, 2018 for John Hamilton's Sleepwalking Contest Now used for Carolyn Devonshire's 'Justice -- Word of the Year, Old or New' Poetry Contest

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Sandra L. Weiss

Date: 12/20/2018 7:16:00 PM

Congrats Andrea on a well deserved win. Great configuration. That defense appears more and more in the media. Unbelievable! And so is the defense!

Gershon Wolf

Date: 12/20/2018 6:02:00 PM

Your poem is a textbook commentary on everything wrong with our insane asylum of a society, a world turned upside down. Nicely done, Andrea, and congrats on your win in the "Justice" contest. Season's best, Gershon

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 12/20/2018 5:05:00 PM

There was a TV movie about a "sleepwalking defense," Andrea, and I was perplexed as to whether justice had been served or not. There is always a question in one's mind when dealing with cases like the one you described so eloquently in your poem. Congratulations on a great second-place win in a contest with very strong competition! Best wishes for the holidays, Carolyn

Darlene De Beaulieu

Date: 8/4/2018 12:25:00 PM

Hello Andrea, sleeep walkers do not know what they do in their sleep. My sister use to sleep walk to the mirror and take one ear ring out then put it into the other ear. When she awoke, she found she had two ear rings in one ear.Have a nice day my friend.

Jennifer Walker

Date: 8/3/2018 8:35:00 PM

Sad state of humanity. Sounds like the jury were also sleepwalking during the trial.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 8/3/2018 4:02:00 PM

Sign of the times, I suppose … Reminds me of the old one about the boy who killed his parents and threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan! … Congrats on your win! ~ Gershon

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 8/1/2018 9:34:00 PM

The 20 times makes me think of the musical Chicago :)

Susan Gentry

Date: 8/1/2018 8:18:00 PM

Congratulations on your win. Interesting.

Fauxcroft Wade

Date: 8/1/2018 3:29:00 AM

A sad yet honest piece and well penned and with so much care. Congrats on your win. Faux

Subimal Sinha-Roy

Date: 8/1/2018 2:38:00 AM

Congratulations, Andrea on your win. Sleepwalking can do strange things.

John Hamilton

Date: 7/31/2018 9:51:00 AM

Well done Andrea, hard to believe this is a true story, congrats on a fine placement!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 7/31/2018 12:22:00 PM

John, I took liberties with this one. I have seen shows about this kind of thing but this is not based on one specific case.

Joseph May

Date: 7/31/2018 9:51:00 AM

Dropping back with my Congrats

Charles Messina

Date: 7/30/2018 8:43:00 PM

It's ludicrous, sleepwalking or not. Someone has to be pretty wacky to even dream of murder...and if this person knows he has sleepwalking issues, he should still be held accountable...Sorry murder is murder...just my thoughts. BTW... Andrea, great write! Charlie

Alexis Y.

Date: 7/30/2018 10:04:00 AM

Cont- I apologize for the rant but in my opinion a"sleep walking" crime and a "plea of insanity" crime are very similar. As always excellent job. I wish you the best of luck in the contest:-) Alexis

Alexis Y.

Date: 7/30/2018 10:02:00 AM

Hi Andrea, I found this write to be devastating and sad. It always seems to boggle my mind when some one seems to get off for a crime when they plead insanity. Although I get it one snapped and they didn't know what were doing at the time. However does that mean they shouldn't be held accountable for their actions?After all wheather they know or don't know their body is the one that committed the crime.

Faraz Ajmal

Date: 7/29/2018 8:29:00 AM

Coming to your comment on my poem, about reincarnation and faith, you see that if there are two warriors, both are promising to save you but they are not willing to work together, you have to trust one, one can save you, while other is telling a lie, similarly here there are two schenarios, both are promising reward, in this life we have to decide that which one we trust, and which one we can't, so we have to choose one, I choose heaven but the idea of reincarnation also cross my mind,

Faraz Ajmal

Date: 7/29/2018 8:26:00 AM

This is a realy deep and interesting poem, you have taken this topic to a whole new level, even if he has been sleepwalking, in our dreams, our subconscious is always awake, it is less but there, like in our sleep we can't detect a small voice, but a shouting wakes us,similarly I believe that if he is doing these things, he has imagine them, in his dream, or when he was awake, this idea has cross his mind and in his sleep, he only fulfills it, anyway I wish you best of luck in the contest

Arthur Vaso

Date: 7/28/2018 10:22:00 PM

LOL isn't that called "sleep stabbing" Loved the poem!

Joseph May

Date: 7/28/2018 9:53:00 PM

It's very sad that they walk free, do women sleepwalkers do this too?

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 7/29/2018 1:58:00 PM

Anyway, I think most sleepwalking defenses are just excuses, but I guess we can never know for sure!

Andrea Dietrich
Date: 7/29/2018 1:57:00 PM

As in "waking life" women are not nearly as violent as men, so as far as I know, there are not women killing in their sleep! (but maybe there is a case of one that I have not heard of yet)

Janice Canerdy

Date: 7/28/2018 9:06:00 PM

YES, there are such cases. Murderers go free often. This is VERY well- written, Andrea! Janice

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 7/28/2018 5:46:00 PM

I remember seeing this case on TV I believe. You would think stabbing someone 20 times you would wake up. Ridiculous that he got off. You worded this very well Andrea. I bet it will be on the winning list! ; )

Harry Horsman

Date: 7/28/2018 3:37:00 PM

Oh, Andrea, someone once said, 'The law is an ass' You've just proved it..excellent poetry, I'm in that contest too, but i'm totally out of favour it seems lately,,so good luck with your entry..Harry

Richard Lamoureux

Date: 7/28/2018 9:02:00 AM

Wow, that is rather disturbing. Well done Andrea.

Vijay Pandit

Date: 7/28/2018 7:02:00 AM

He was guilty for sure--but wonder if we understand all that happens in our brain. You highlighted this well, Andrea.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 7/28/2018 4:46:00 AM

Wow, I've never heard of that one but if there was medical evidence to prove it was possible, but then if there was a history of abuse in the relationship ? , glad I wasn't on the jury.