Posted on 09/15/2006 10:10:33 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
The estranged husband of a woman who strangled an intruder with her bare hands last week has been accused of hiring the intruder as part of a murder plot, Portland police said.
Michael James Kuhnhausen, 58, was charged Thursday with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
Detectives said he helped disarm the security alarm at his wife's home on Sept. 6 and let Edward Haffey in. Haffey, armed with a claw hammer, then waited for Susan Kuhnhausen to arrive home from her nursing job.
Haffey struck her several times in the head, but Kuhnhausen managed to take the hammer away, according to a court affidavit obtained by The Oregonian newspaper. Kuhnhausen lost her grip on the weapon, and wrestled with Haffey. The intruder bit Kuhnhausen several times, and she bit back.
Finally, the 51-year-old woman was able to get on top of Haffey, and place him in a choke hold. She eventually choked the life out of him.
Portland police found the 59-year-old Haffey dead on the hallway floor.
Susan Kuhnhausen told homicide detectives that she believed her husband was involved, saying he was the only other person who knew the security code to the house alarm and there was no sign of forced entry. She also knew her husband had stopped by the house earlier that day because he left a note that said he was going to the beach.
Inside a backpack Haffey left at the scene was a day planner with "Call Mike, Get letter," scribbled on the week of Sept. 4, the affidavit said. Michael Kuhnhausen's cell phone number was jotted on the inside of a folder.
Detectives checked Haffey's background, discovering his lengthy prison terms for conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, and convictions for robbery and burglary. They also learned that he had worked as a custodian for the Fantasy Adult Video stores. Detectives talked to the company and found out that Michael Kuhnhausen was the supervisor for custodians, and had hired Haffey.
Kuhnhausen, who had no criminal record in Oregon, told detectives he had nothing to do with the attack against his wife. He was booked into jail early Thursday, and his next court date is Sept. 21.
Original story: Nurse strangled intruder with bare hands
Susan Kuhnhausen, who has been out of town attending a national Emergency Nurses Association conference, left the following message on her home voice mail: "I'm not able to answer all the calls that I've received. I'm being comforted by your concern and your support. I want you to know that our lives are all at risk for random acts, but more likely random acts of love will come your way than random acts of violence."
LOLOLOL! Exactly!
The husband could not be convicted of felony murder in this case because there was no murder, which is an UNLAWFUL killing.
The wife's killing of her attacker was lawful because she was acting in self defense. Accordingly, there was no murder, and the husband cannot be convicted of felony murder. Or at least I think that's how it works.
No mention of where the late Mr. Haffey procured his chosen weapon from, stolen perhaps. Is a hammer buy back program in the works, Cash For Claws? What about mandatory registrations? I shudder to think how many hammers are out there. I see no reason for the average person to possess a hammer. I'm pretty sure the stats are on my side considering the number of self inflicted hammer injuries per year. One doesn't have to look far to see a purple thumb nail and without doubt for every purple thumb there are a few young ears that were exposed to vulgar expletives.
I say it's time for some hammer control and let the hammering be left to the professionals.
Can he be charged (in some way) with the death of the intruder, since he set the plot in motion?
The felony murder statute here includes any death caused by the underlying felony, regardless of the status of the homicide. It's the felony that makes it a murder, it doesn't have to be a murder under any other definition.
I love the way this lady took matters into her own hands and refused to give up without a fight.Her coward husband and his dead accomplice made the fatal mistake of underestimating her strength.
. . . and I do wonder what kind of woman would be married to a janitor at a porn shop. Maybe that's why he was "estranged."
As I understand the law a criminal can be charged with murder for the death of one of their accomplices during the commission of a crime even if they didn't do it themselves.
For example, Say two guys try to rob a bank. The security gaurd shoots and kills one of them while the other gets away in the car. When caught later the one who ran can be charged with murder because it would not have happened had he not committed the crime.
Any lawyers out there who can explain it better?
Your uncle was a wise man. Good thing this nurse was strong.
That's the formula for a movie script in today's Hollywood.
It's called the savior complex. We think we can fix them or save them. It rarely works.
I smell a "Law and Order" episode
Ten to one the husband is a pschizoid personality who managed to hide his evil twin everytime she started to catch on. Don't ask how I know.
I witnessed it too many times to count when I worked in a hospital, but I didn't remember the name for it. Of course, nurses are just lovable. How can we resist? ;-)
I love nurses. You do such an admirable job. Two of my friends have just completed nurses' training and they're two of the best folks for the job ever. I almost went into nurses training when I graduated from high school. I was going to go into the service to do that but the program stopped in 1957 for some reason. I then went to secretarial school instead and had a good job for 28 years. So I guess I was where I was meant to be (with all those liberals and peace weenies). Oh well, I hope I influenced them a bit.
I'm not a nurse, but I too almost went to nursing school years ago, but life took me in another direction. I still love nurses and look on them as angels.
Yes, they really are. At least MOST of them are. Mine have all been very good. And God knows I've had enough of them in the last 6 years. My doctors have been fine, too. But I just wish they would talk more about diet and supplements. Most don't. None of mine do except the vascular surgeon. We talked a lot about supplements. He's a dear. Love, Mxxx
LOL! Now that's a sticky question.
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