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Letters link Son of Sam and victims' advocate
guardian ^ | June 27 2009 | MONICA RHOR

Posted on 06/27/2009 2:09:59 PM PDT by JoeProBono

The letters are unfailingly polite, the carefully crafted correspondence of a man with too much time on his hands. There is no hint of aggression, nothing to suggest that they were penned by the same writer who once terrorized New York City with his missives filled with blood and darkness and death. In these letters, sent from a prison cell in upstate New York to an office in Houston's city hall annex, there is an effort to prove contrition for the homicides back then, an eagerness to put distance between the monster he once was and the person he says he has become. "The past is such a painful memory ...

It was all a terrible nightmare. I got into something so evil," one letter reads. "I would give my life if I could go back into the past to have prevented this from happening."

And there is the realization that many will never forget the chilling image of a round-faced, wild-haired man with an eerie grin, photographed after his arrest in six stalker killings. "Everytime I do something that is decent and good, I usually get accused of doing things with bad motives," another letter says. "There is nothing I can do about this because people are biased and prejudiced toward me, and I do understand. After all, there is no way they can know my heart."

He signs off: "I will keep you in my prayers. Sincerely yours, David Berkowitz." The Son of Sam.

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: History; Miscellaneous; Religion
KEYWORDS: berkowitz; bornagain; christians; serialkiller; sonofsam

1 posted on 06/27/2009 2:09:59 PM PDT by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono
Here, if you read the full story from the Guardian, is a man whom I believe is sincere in his regret and contrition. HOWEVER, as Mr. Berkowitz says himself, for the horrible crimes he has committed, he truly deserves to be in prison for the rest of his life - IMO, he should have been executed for his crimes.
2 posted on 06/27/2009 2:21:49 PM PDT by Spacetrucker (I know who John Galt is...)
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To: Spacetrucker

For the most part I agree with you. Yet, I cannot help but rejoice that he has lived long enough to become a Christian. His repentance does appear genuine.


3 posted on 06/27/2009 2:25:21 PM PDT by Jemian
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To: Spacetrucker

Son of Sam, David Berkowitz, claimed he heard the devil's voice speaking to him through the next door neighbors dog. Rifkin also claimed to hear voices telling him whether or not to strangle his next victim. A woman named Ameenah Abdus-Salaam had dreams and heard voices' telling her that judgment day was at hand. Dennis Sweeney is another person that lost touch with reality. He suffered from hallucinations, paranoid beliefs, and delusions. Out of the four people I have named only two were acquitted due to reason of insanity. What one jury might consider actions of an insane person, another jury will not.


4 posted on 06/27/2009 2:25:40 PM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

Now why would you post a picture of him in uniform? Back in those days everybody served who was was “alive in 65”. Even those who later would be labeled as crazy.


5 posted on 06/27/2009 2:32:40 PM PDT by RVN Airplane Driver ("To be born into freedom is an accident; to die in freedom is an obligation..)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

Maybe he was wearing a uniform at the time?


6 posted on 06/27/2009 2:50:32 PM PDT by Minnehaha ("God is Alive - Magic is Afoot" Buffy Sainte Marie)
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To: Minnehaha

Well Gee Whiz that was apparent....but most of his life he wore civilian clothes...and I think he without doubt didn’t wear the uniform of the US Military when he committed those horrendous crimes. That was my point!


7 posted on 06/27/2009 3:32:28 PM PDT by RVN Airplane Driver ("To be born into freedom is an accident; to die in freedom is an obligation..)
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To: RVN Airplane Driver

Yeah OK.


8 posted on 06/27/2009 3:40:40 PM PDT by Minnehaha ("God is Alive - Magic is Afoot" Buffy Sainte Marie)
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To: JoeProBono

9 posted on 06/27/2009 3:57:04 PM PDT by tflabo (Truth or Tyranny)
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To: Minnehaha
During the summer of 1977, many "discos" in the NYC area almost went out of business because fathers were keeping their daughters home. The young men of NYC were probably the happiest when this guy was caught because they could start getting girls to go on "dates" again.

Discos were big that year. That was right before the "Saturday Night Fever" craze that brought disco to a point of oversaturation. Then The Knack came out with "My Sharona" and all went back to normal again.

10 posted on 01/15/2015 6:57:40 PM PST by SamAdams76
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