need to add title here

Private Needham's War

June 26, 2012 7:45 PM

A young soldier is accused of killing the woman he loves. Was she a casualty of war? Troy Roberts reports.

War damaged vet kills girlfriend; Is PTSD to blame?
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by lilowillo June 17, 2013 9:12 AM EDT
the results of PTS.i wish him all the best.
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by loby818 May 31, 2013 1:15 PM EDT
They both suffered mental illnes and is a relationship that should never have developed. However, two people that suffered on the inside, now they no longer suffer!
I worked with wounded warriors as a civilian, and so many suffer. However, after the diagnosis of mental illness, they are put out of the military and back into cvilian life, and they cant adjust!
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by loby818 May 31, 2013 1:04 PM EDT
They both suffered mental illnes and is a relationship that should never have developed. However, two people that suffered on the inside, now they no longer suffer!
I worked with wounded warriors as a civilian, and so many suffer. However, after the diagnosis of mental illness, they are put out of the military and back into cvilian life, and they cant adjust!
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by PapaMoses April 18, 2013 7:59 PM EDT
This is John's fault. Jackie a female not near as strong as John. John should have walked away! Jackie would still be alive. John knew something wasn't right upstairs and what does he do he drinks! John should spend time for killing Jackie. End of story!!!!!!!!!!!
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by missnicj April 7, 2013 7:27 PM EDT
As a regular watcher, and big fan, of 48 Hours I must say I personally was very disappointed in this piece. Watching this for the first time I was shocked at the way this story unfolded. I understand the background of the soldier played into his problems and mental health issues but it's as if he was being excused for murdering this girl, the real victim here. And frankly I believe it is because she does not have a "family" fighting for her. I know the family that took her in was indeed a family to her, but most of the time when someone is murdered at the hands of another their family has a lot to do with making sure a fair amount of justice is dealt out on behalf of their lost loved one. A family can get a case reopened, media attention and make the police push harder. Or hell, even just a determined as hell friend who annoys the police to no end to make sure their loved one is never forgotten about. Obviously, this was not a case of "who done it" but it seems to me that no one was really in Jackie's corner fighting like crazy for the innocent life that was taken at the hands of this man!

I can feel for this guy and his family, I truly can. He went through hell. I get it and am not dismissing nor debating that.

However, how exactly does that make him any different from many, many other people who have murdered another human being and have been held fully and 100% accountable for their actions. People who have murdered someone while high out of their minds and drunk off their butts do not get to use addiction as their defense to excuse away the fact that they've killed. Throughout this piece it was as if Jacque had been forgotten and the soldier was the real, true victim. Well I am sorry but this girl died one hell of a death at the hands of this man. Was she an angel, obviously not, and so what! Yes, she started the fight and attacked the girl and likely attacked him as well and he certainly had the right to defend himself. He's a trained soldier, he knew how to restrain her or defend himself in a way that did not result in beating her to death. And frankly from the sound of their relationship I would bet this was not their first physical fight, and he didn't kill her any of those times.

I do not doubt he "snapped" or blacked out or whatever, but again it's as if because he was a soldier his family and the journalists want the sympathy and understanding to all go his way. It's not as if he murdered a fellow soldier or officer or someone who contributed to what happened to him while in service. I am sympathetic to mental health issues and I do believe our government has a lot of work to do on the treatments of soldiers once returning to an everyday life.

But let's keep in mind that when a man gets out of prison he is given no assistance with returning to an everyday life. I know people will see this as a ridiculous comparison, however it really isn't. Think about it, if a first time non-violent offender (let's say a first time drug offense) gets sent away he can end up in a war like atmosphere where people get beaten and killed in front of him and he learns to adapt by becoming violent and full of paranoia and rage. He can be raped and held in solitary confinement and can fear for his life on a daily basis. If that man commits any crime, especially a violent one, he is going back into the exact same place that helped turn him into the man that is capable of such things. They don't take into account the kind of environment he may have been in while locked up and his actions do not get diminished because of it. But this guy's should because he's a soldier, right? Hmmm...
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by imaboopfan1 March 11, 2013 12:22 AM EDT
tragic all around for all the families...very sad. but yes, i think if john had proper help, they would both be alive today
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by DestinyIsCreated March 7, 2013 12:53 PM EST
You know... Being in the military is NO EXCUSE to kill someone! I have read some of you guys comments and it saddens me. HE KILLED SOMEONE, BEAT THEM TO DEATH, so badly his hands were swollen...
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by jo---Anne February 1, 2013 10:25 PM EST
They teach them to kill..., men, women, children, then expect them to return home and turn off the kill button. Is that a possibility without intensive help from all avenues. We owe our freedom to them. Bless them all! P.S. I will take the soldiers over the policemen every time. Drop their ***** in Iraq then talk to them.
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by EM1970 January 29, 2013 7:25 AM EST
This is such a sad story, I don't know what to think. Killing another human being, who was defenseless is wrong in so many ways. It's also sad that so many kids enlists in the military to fight for our freedom and when they return they have absolutely no help for what they have gone through. My uncle served in the Army about 40 years ago and came back so screwed up it was sad. I forgot who the guy was that was interviewed, who is now I believe a Sargent, but I don't believe a word he said. I feel he was just saying what he was told to say if he wanted to keep his job. Either way, this was such a tragedy for both families. I am sure if she knows that her best friends still love and think of her.
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by hananchibi December 23, 2012 10:41 AM EST
This is why you should not join the military! All they do is killing other human in foreign countries, including women and children under the name of justice.
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