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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 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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by SurelyUJest November 26, 2012 1:41 PM EST
What a sad story all the way around. It does sound like very little was done. I don't know why people are judging him for joining the military and then slapping labels like coward and bored.. whack job. He tried his best and it wasn't good enough. How many broken young people join the military trying to get somewhere in life? Many. Why fault him for trying? We all start life out with various wounds from childhood and some of us have tendencies that makes us more vulnerable to extremes. Some innate. He clearly committed a brutal murder, I think it may have been more an act of utter rage, than a feeling of protecting himself from a threat. Sounds like the young girl was locked in a bit of a battle herself, walking into the flame rather than out. Tragic all the way around. He should have gotten more help.
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by ava19147 September 16, 2012 9:49 PM EDT
I am the child of a vietnam veteran that still has severe ptsd. I think what happened to John is an example of what happened to our soldiers and their inability to adapt from not getting proper treatment after serving our country. How i remember growing up and blaming my father for the hell he put us through. I left for ten years,emancipated myself from my family. Then I was in a car accident and suffered mild brain damage and ptsd and I realized it was time to step back and forgive my dad on a certain level for what happened. I then blamed the military for a lack of well...everything. I even went to vietnam and saw a ravaged country still dealing with the war. I went to a small village where some children were deformed from agent orange. I have forgiven my dad but i still remember the rage in those eyes. It was as though he didnt see anything. With this all being said, yes he killed her. No i do not believe it was on purpose. Yes the military is one group to blame. No they will never admit it, because the ones that do not suffer or show they suffer are in charge and its a secret no one wants to let out, as thats not how they are trained.
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by rockieboy2002 August 5, 2012 11:14 AM EDT
The father could see the signs .But the girl friend did not want to leave probably had a good thing .Sounds like he was spoiled . And she was blinded by love not to see him for what he was .I have no pity for him only contempt.For her sad .She should have kept walking .
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