Dad admits killings to reporters, blames crime on 'spirit'

[Christa]

(CNN) -- A Florida man admitted to reporters that he killed his wife and five "innocent" children, adding that he wants to be executed "right away" so he can be buried with them on Saturday.

Mesac Damas, 32, said he wanted to take his own life, but did not have the courage to go through with it, "because if you kill yourself, you're not going to heaven."

Damas made the statements to a Naples Daily News reporter as he was being led into a Haitian police vehicle in Port-au-Prince. Damas was returned to the United States late Tuesday following his capture in Haiti.

Damas faces six counts of premeditated first-degree murder in the deaths of his wife, Guerline Damas, 32; and the couple's five children -- Michzach, 9; Marven, 6; Maven, 5; Megan, 3; and Morgan, 11 months, police have said. The six bodies were found Saturday in the family's North Naples, Florida, home after relatives called police saying they had not been heard from.

Asked by the reporter in Haiti why he killed his family, Damas responded, "Only God knows." Questioned further, he blamed the crime on his mother-in-law. "Her mom pretty much made me do it -- the devil, her spirit, whatever she worships," he said.

Damas added, "When I did it, eyes closed but right now my eyes are open." He repeatedly asked the reporter, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ," and stated, "The devil exists."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/23/florida.family.dead/index.html

So easy to blame the devil; he won't be the last one.

[Sinti]

1. What kind of horrible mental illness drives a man to kill his own children?

Blaming the devil is just a symptom of some other horrible underlying disease.

"This is a family tragedy and we want the community to realize that domestic violence is a serious issue," said the statement from the family. "If you have friends or family who are in an abusive relationship, please try to get them help. And to those women who are being abused, please love yourself enough to get help."

This is true, there must have been warning signs.

[cliffordu]

2. Grandiose Religionist Complex

[struggle4progress]

5. How original! How insightful! And how witty! Your detailed scientific examination

of the facts of the case, combined with your profound psychological expertise and exhaustive detective work, leads you to a hilarious diagnosis! What a fun case!

[cliffordu]

7. Yep - the sooner the dominionists exterminate

themselves the sooner I get to laugh at someone else.

You, perhaps.

[struggle4progress]

8. Snicker, snicker! Right? Do you have a link the Dominionists are behind this, or are you just

enjoying the hell out of the fact that a mentally ill man with a history of domestic violence offed his family? What could possibly be funnier, right?

[cliffordu]

9. I'm a mentally ill man and I have never run amok anywhere,

as the vast, vast majority of us have not.

It would be the religionist blabbering at the reporters and the police and the 'knowledge' that suicides cannot get into heaven...Standard Dominionist pap that moron was spewing that made me think of religionist psychosis.

Fuck him. I hope they give his sick ass life without parole.

[rd_kent]

14. He is mentally ill because he has been brainwashed by religion.

[struggle4progress]

15. More unsupported snark! Multiple murders sure are belly-load of fun, aren't they?

[darkstar3]

18. I don't know if you noticed,

but no one here is actually laughing at multiple murders. There is a difference between mockery, and blame.

[struggle4progress]

20. Riiiiight

[darkstar3]

21. You know,

if you want to get pissed at people for blaming this multi-murder on religion, go ahead. But there's no reason to simply make up a reason to be pissed at the people posting in this thread.

Oh wait, if you make it seem like they're laughing at a multiple murder, you can make it seem like they're simply heartless pricks and therefore dismiss everything they have to say...now I get it.

Make up whatever you like in an attempt to lay the smack down, but I see no laughter or glee in this thread, only sadness, anger, and disgust.

[struggle4progress]

22. You know: neither you nor anyone else provides any evidence this is connected to any religion

Nothing. Zip. Nada. Zilch. Then you lecture me about making things up

You've decided to that this crime provides a great opportunity for some merriment! Such fun!

[darkstar3]

23. Oh FFS

Look down and smell what you're shoveling for a second.

I didn't say anything one way or the other about the murders, I simply think that your accusation that people in this forum are laughing about this is baseless, tasteless, and frankly so easily identified as bullshit that I can't believe you keep repeating it.

You wanna get pissed at somebody, get pissed about what they do, not what you make up about them. Your laughter argument is nothing but a baseless flame-shot at straw.

[struggle4progress]

28. We've two threads on this. Both were started so people could snark. Ha ha ha!

There's no serious thinking here: nobody is posting links to provide insight or to support arguments

So the posts are for entertainment only -- a fun jumping off point for insulting generalizations and stereotypes! Such delightful wits! A little wade through the gore so we can have enjoy our bigotry!

[darkstar3]

31. That's a false dichotomy,

and you know it. There are plenty of reasons other than entertainment why people would post in this thread without providing a link. Venting comes to mind.

But of course, you don't care, since your false dichotomy lets you demonize the people who disagree with you. :eyes:

[struggle4progress]

33. You can look at the other thread. There's nothing but snark there either

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=214&topic_id=221881&mesg_id=221881

OK. I'll stop my mirthful chortling for a moment here and ask: are you merely joining in the glee, or do you actually have something substantive to say about the OP?

[darkstar3]

34. Another false dichotomy

This is a tragic situation that I really have nothing to say about one way or another, and I certainly don't find it gleeful. I posted in this thread because I was sickened by your attempt to demonize other posters here by falsely accusing them of enjoying the murder of an entire family.

That kind of ad hom and intellectual dishonesty belongs on another board, not here in the middle of progressive discussion.

[struggle4progress]

42. So you have nothing substantive to say, and neither apparently do most posters in this thread,

which is merely serving as a delightful opportunity to make vague claims, unsupported for any evidence, for the mere fun of it

A horrid story! Ha ha ha! It's another great opportunity for me to spout unsupported broadbrush insults and to indulge my bigotries without consequence! Ha ha ha! What fun!

[darkstar3]

43. There you go again,

ad homming by making up motives. :crazy:

[struggle4progress]

44. Give it your best shot: point out to me any posts in this thread you find informative or insightful

or any that even raise interesting questions. Did you learn anything from any posts in this thread? If so, please share! I hope I haven't overlooked something!

[darkstar3]

45. What anyone else has said in this thread

has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that you are flat-out making shit up about why people post here.

You have ascribed false motives to the other posters here, and when called on it all you can do is splutter, and then repeat your accusations to others downthread. You should apologize to everyone here.

[struggle4progress]

46. Translation: nobody in this thread is saying anything substantive. What are they posting then?

They are posting gleeful snark, the general content of which is: Ha ha ha! Idiot motivated by religion kills family! -- without any interest whatsoever about the actual facts

Do you have any substantive comments about the OP? Apparently not: you are however insulted that I complain I'm the only one posting any facts about the case here. Ha ha ha! It's so funny!

[rd_kent]

27. WTF are you talking about, its right there in the OP.

I know, he changed his story later.

[struggle4progress]

29. What's right there in the OP?

[rd_kent]

35. You can be as obtuse as you want. Religion played a major role in this tragedy.

I'm done with you. Buh-bye

[struggle4progress]

39. No link. No evidence. No argument. Just asinine repetition.

[rd_kent]

26. You can continue to try and move away from the topic, but I refuse to do that.

The murder of the family IS tragic and sad, no doubt. On that we agree. I think this this may have been prevented if he had not been brainwashed by religion.

[struggle4progress]

38. What fun! And not a link from you yet! May I humbly inquire how you decide what was involved here?

In the OP, the man blames his mother-in-law. But his confession rather strangely indicates he didn't want to lose his kids if his wife left. Other reports indicate he wasn't taking his insulin, a neglect sometimes considered to elevate the risk of violent behavior

So I ask: what actual evidence leads to you assertions? I realize you are chortling and snickering here, but if you actually have anything to say (beyond mere asinine repetition of unsupported assertions) do try to put aside all your merriment and make your case clearly. What fun! Ha ha ha!

UPDATE: Damas Confession Details
By WINK News
By Max Turnier
Story Created: Oct 10, 2009 at 5:30 PM EDT
Story Updated: Oct 14, 2009 at 12:56 PM EDT
http://www.winknews.com/news/local/63935052.html

Jail health services seek judge's OK to force Damas to take meds
By Naples Daily News staff report
Posted September 29, 2009 at 8:47 p.m.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/sep/29/medical-court-order-requesting-forced-medication-s/

[rd_kent]

13. Its simple, actually. Religion IS the embodiment insanity. Some are just more insane than others.

[struggle4progress]

16. Guy kills family! Great opportunity to engage in hilarious broad-brush stereotyping, eh?

Here's the church connection:

Funeral for slain Damas family: Four white coffins, fond memories for victims, and tears
... The funeral service lasted until about 2:15 p.m., with much of the three-plus hour service featuring family members giving eulogies to their loved ones ... During the service, family members struggled to understand what many in the community still don’t: Why? Why the whole family? Why the children? A pastor spoke about the tragedy’s effects on Southwest Florida. “In this quiet city of Naples, a great injustice happened to one family that greatly impacted our whole human family. We all grieve and identify with your loss and make it our own,’’ Pastor Josue Innocent said. “The lives of a mother and five young children cut short by domestic violence. We never thought such cruelty would happen in our back yard” ... http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/oct/03/funeral-slain-damas-family-four-white-coffins-fond/

I almost hate to notice how much fun this is for you and the gang!

[rd_kent]

25. Its not a broad brush stereotype, its the truth.

Believing in something without basis and against all rational thought is insane. Some are just more insane than others. I attribute it to the brainwashing received as a child.

[struggle4progress]

30. Only reference to a church I've found so far is the funeral. I provided a link upthread.

Do read that and tell me where anyone says murder is OK

[rd_kent]

36. You can continue to be obtuse, but religion DID play a major role in this.

C-ya....

[struggle4progress]

40. No link. No evidence. No argument. Just asinine repetition.

[rd_kent]

47. Just like the religious sheep, you refuse to open your eyes.

[struggle4progress]

48. Multiple murder! Yay! A perfect excuse for lobbing insults! Whee! What fun!

Any actual evidence from you about the supposed relation between this crime and religion? Of course not! Ha ha ha! Not a single link from you. Not a single fact. Not a single cogent argument. Not any interest whatsoever in actual details. Just your joy in the fact that a multiple murder gives you an opportunity to sneer at "religious sheep"!

[rd_kent]

49. What is it about the original CNN story in OP that does not include the religion link?

[darkstar3]

50. Don't bother pointing that out

you're talking to a wall. He's only interested in demonizing everyone who disagrees with him on this topic, and he's willing to ignore any truth he has to in order to do it.

[struggle4progress]

51. Go ahead. Give it your best shot. Don't weasle. I'm very interested to see your argument

that religion somehow created this horror show. Let's have details! What religion? Let's see some connections carefully and convincingly exposed! Rule out alternative explanations! Make your case clearly!

[rd_kent]

11. Its called religion.

[struggle4progress]

17. ... Collier County .. Det. Andrew Henchesmoore said .. Damas killed his family after Guerline told

him she wanted a divorce and was going to leave him ...

Friends, co-workers have mixed memories of accused North Naples killer
By Chris Umpierre • [e-mail] • October 15, 2009
http://www.news-press.com/article/20091015/CRIME/910150342/1075

Such a cute sense of humor you have!

[struggle4progress]

3. Couldn't you have at least posted this in the existing thread? You could party there with other

folk who regularly comb the news for sad stories like this and have fun making hilarious comments

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=214&topic_id=221881

Psychologist appointed to evaluate Damas in jail
Attorneys to consider an insanity defense
By DENES HUSTY • [e-mail] • September 29, 2009
A judge has appointed a Fort Myers psychologist to evaluate a man charged with murdering his wife and five young children in North Naples ... Because he is on suicide watch, the only visitors Damas is allowed to see are his attorneys and those who are helping them prepare his defense ...
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090929/NEWS01/909290353

Jail health services seek judge's OK to force Damas to take meds
* By Naples Daily News staff report
* Posted September 29, 2009 at 8:47 p.m.
NAPLES — Mesac Damas, the North Naples man charged with murdering his wife and five children, is not taking his medications and jail health officials are asking a judge for an emergency order to force him to take his prescriptions ... Police officials in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, said Damas had his medication with him when he was arrested there. Damas, who left the country after his family was killed between Sept. 17 and 18, has publicly said he hopes to be executed ...
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/sep/29/medical-court-order-requesting-forced-medication-s/

[Christa]

4. My apologies

I did not see the original post.

[rd_kent]

12. Youre right, it IS sad that religion is the crutch weak minded people use

as their excuse. Sad indeed.

[struggle4progress]

19. You've wandered rather far from the topic of the OP and seem primarily interested laughing at people

Given the tragic nature of the events, that seems rather inappropriate to me

[rd_kent]

24. Well I am glad you are not the decider then.

I think it is very appropriate, especially when one uses religion as an excuse. I know, he ALSO said he was mad his wife wanted a divorce.

[struggle4progress]

32. You blame his mother in law's religion? "Her mom .. made me do it -- .. whatever she worships"

[rd_kent]

37. As stated, you can continue to be obtuse if you want, but religion was central to this.

and again, Im finished here. later.

[struggle4progress]

41. No link. No evidence. No argument. Just asinine repetition.

[Boojatta]

6. Spirit problem? Someone has an attitude problem...

#1 If you want to get into heaven, then suicide is a better bet than murder. The rule against suicide was developed by organized religion before religious institutions could be named as beneficiaries in life insurance policies.

#2 "Questioned further, he blamed the crime on his mother-in-law."

[Dorian Gray]

10. Funny....

if you kill yourself, you can't go to Heaven. But kill your wife and kids.... no problem?

[NotTheist]

52. Dangerous

Religion is dangerous and disgusting