Offer to Kill Woman During Sex Ends in Arrest

Reuters ^ | Mon, Jun 30, 2003

[presidio9]

A Texas man got 10 years' probation for offering to strangle a suicidal Wisconsin woman whom he met over the Internet, lawyers said on Friday.

Frank Manuel, 55, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, and was ordered by State District Judge Carol Davies on Thursday to submit to a psychiatric evaluation and stay away from the Internet.

Houston police arrested Manuel in January, after a woman he met in a suicide chat group reported his offer to strangle her during sex, then bury her in a grave in a state forest with a rose on her chest.

The woman, with investigators watching, traveled to Houston on Manuel's instructions. He was captured at a Houston bus station, awaiting her arrival with a strangling device and yellow roses in his car.

Attorney Chris Tritico said Manuel took the plea deal to avoid subjecting his wife and child to a trial's publicity.

[Laura Earl]

"suicide chat group"

You've gotta be kidding!

[Just another Joe]

after a woman he met in a suicide chat group reported his offer to strangle her during sex, then bury her in a grave in a state forest with a rose on her chest.

He was REALLY hard up, huh?

[johniegrad]

offering to strangle a suicidal Wisconsin woman

The whole thing is obviously disgusting but it this a crime?

[johniegrad]

it=is

[ladyjane]

well good for her, she is now directing her anger outward instead of toward herself.

[Laura Earl]

Yep, I'm seeing his finger and thumb in the shape of an "L" on his forehead!

[ClearCase_guy]

This is what happens when a society loses its moral rudder. I'm sure the guy thought he was doing something OK. Maybe not "OK" in the eyes of the government (he knew he'd have to bury her in a state forest) -- but OK because he was "helping" a woman who was suicidal. He was doing her a favor. Hey, why is it wrong to help people?

Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. Weird sexual desires also help smooth the road.

[Sabertooth]

He should take this case to the Supreme Court. I think he's got a decent shot at having the verdict nullified, on the basis of Lawrence v Texas.

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

I Love You....I'll Kill You
Performed by Enigma

I see love, I can see passion
I feel danger, I feel obsession
Don't play games
With the ones who love you
Cause I hear a voice who says
I love you...I'll kill you...

Loneliness, Ifeel loneliness in my room...

Look into the mirror of your soul
Love and hate are one in all
Sacrifice turns to revenge and believe me
You'll see the face who'll say
I love you...I'll kill you
But I'll love you forever

Loneliness, I feel loneliness in my room...

[Sabertooth]

Houston police arrested Manuel in January, after a woman he met in a suicide chat group reported his offer to strangle her during sex, then bury her in a grave in a state forest with a rose on her chest.

Hold muh bier alert.

[A Vast RightWing Conspirator]

Love Kills Lyrics
Freddie Mercury
The Freddie Mercury Album
Love don't give no compensation
Love don't pay no bills
Love don't give no indication
Love just won't stand still

Love kills - drills you through your heart
Love kills - scars you from the start
It's just a living pastime
Ruining your heartline
Stays for a lifetime won't let you go
Cause love (love) love (love) love won't leave you alone

Love won't take no reservations
Love is no square deal
Hey love don't give no justification
It strikes like cold steel

Love kills - drills you through your heart
Love kills - scars you from the start
It's just a living pastime
Burning your lifeline
Gives you as hard time won't let you go
Cause love (love) love (love) love won't leave you alone

Hey love can play with your emotions
Open invitation to your heart
Hey love kills
Play with your emotions
Open invitation to your heart to your heart
Love kills love kills
Hey hey

Love kills (love kills)
Love kills (kills kills kills)

Love can play with your emotions
Open invitation

Love kills - hey - drills you through your heart
Love kills - scars you from the start
It's just a living pastime
Ruining your heartline
Won't let you go

Love kills - hey - drills you through your heart
Love kills - tears you right apart
It won't let go it won't let go

Love kills - yeah

[Callahan]

Just a private act between consenting adults! What's the problem here? </Supreme Court Sarcasm>

[Catspaw]

I believe Dr. Kevorkian is doing time for assisted suicide. In this case, the perp would be actually killing the woman. That's called "murder."

[Baseballguy]

Did not Scalia say this would happen?????

[Pest]

I don't get it. Why did they arrest him for attempted murder? Did he actually attempt murder? Is it illegal to have a "strangling device" and roses?

Don't get me wrong. I think the dude is sick. However, it sounds like this is some kind of sting operation.

Guilty of Pre-crime!

[El Sordo]

"Hold muh bier alert."

There are bad puns, and then there are really bad puns....

[Sabertooth]

Just a private act between consenting adults! What's the problem here?

None at all.

Lawrence reaffirmed that "at the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life. Beliefs about these matters could not define the attributes of personhood were they formed under compulsion of the State. "
LINK

This poor guy just thought he was helping an internet friend exercise her rights, right at the heart of liberty.

[johniegrad]

That's called "murder."

It would be except no one was murdered. Whatever he's been convicted of it certainly not murder since he's simply on probation. "Conspiracy to commit murder" might make some sense but how does one really know if he was going to follow through on it? I'm not saying I know, I'm just not sure what he's been charged with.

[ChemistCat]

Houston police arrested Manuel in January, after a woman he met in a suicide chat group reported his offer to strangle her during sex, then bury her in a grave in a state forest with a rose on her chest.

Okay, this is freaky weird. She is suicidal, so suicidal that she's in a chat group. He offers to do this, and she calls investigators in and then....

The woman, with investigators watching, traveled to Houston on Manuel's instructions. He was captured at a Houston bus station, awaiting her arrival with a strangling device and yellow roses in his car.

Double entrapment? She travelled to Houston. Can you imagine what that bus ride was like for her? It was all set up as if she was going to go through with it. Do you suppose she'll ever really be suicidal again?

Attorney Chris Tritico said Manuel took the plea deal to avoid subjecting his wife and child to a trial's publicity.

That's the most amazing part. He took such a huge risk with his family. He was actually going to have sex with another woman and kill her...but his feelings were so tender he wanted to spare them a trial's publicity?

A plea deal with the likes of theses is a horror to me, all the more so since he'll be free. How has he lost? What punishment has really happened here? NOTHING! He's FREE! "Stay away from the internet?" Ha! Could anyone keep you away from the internet if you were determined to FReep? No!

He's free! Free to what? ...See his wife and child? Can you IMAGINE ever having to look at a man who did such a thing to you, who was going to do such a thing to another woman, who made such a bargain online? Do you suppose he'll get unsupervised visitation? I wouldn't doubt at all anymore that this agreement won't be grounds to sever his parental rights.