Scott Peterson’s fishing boat, which was entered as evidence during his trial, has been moved from one courthouse to another without his lawyers’ consent, potentially strengthening his chance of getting his conviction overturned on appeal. San Mateo County, where Peterson’s trial was held, gave the boat back to Stanislaus County, where he allegedly murdered his wife (but where it was ruled he would be unable to receive a fair trial). Because Scott’s lawyers did not get to argue about the boat’s move beforehand, this gives them another nitpicky point to bring up when the appeals begin.
Also in Peterson news, Scott’s ex-girlfriend, Amber Frey, has given a radio interview to ABC 30, a California news outlet, in which she gives relationship advice and talks about her new marriage.
Finally, for anyone who missed it, Scott’s old house has been sold again, this time to a couple who wants to keep their identity a secret. Check out KTVU for more on this story, as well as numerous older Peterson articles, pictures, and more.
Thanks to the Boston Herald, new details have emerged about Eben Sewall Howard, the man who tried to attack Neil Entwistle on December 20 in the Middlesex Jail. Howard is 33 years old and suffers from schizophrenia. Like Entwistle, he is on trial for murder and was being housed in the jail’s medical wing so that he would be isolated from other inmates. Allegedly, Howard killed his ex-wife’s boyfriend and, while out on bail, assaulted a black hospital worker while yelling racial epithets. His father, Rick, explained his erratic behavior: “He’s unfortunately suffering from schizophrenia, which may have had something to do with him lunging at Mr. Entwistle.”
Now Howard is in Bridgewater State Hospital with Entwistle. He was sent there immediately after the attempted attack and is now on medication. “He’s certainly better,” said his father, “I talked to him today, as a matter of fact.”
Neil, meanwhile, will stay at Bridgewater for thirty days in total (he’s been there for about half that time so far). Then the psychologists who are now evaluating him will tell the court whether he can return to jail or whether he must stay at the hospital. According to the Boston Globe, Neil’s next hearing has been moved to January 26, probably to give him a few days to adjust to whatever the psychologists decide. It seems like he will, indeed, attend this hearing, which is good news.
I am looking forward to the psychologists’ verdict. Neil’s mind and personality seem quite similar to those of other notable wife-killers, such as Scott Peterson, Justin Barber, Christian Longo, and Charles Stuart. As far as I know, none of these guys have ever been psychologically evaluated, so whatever the shrinks decide about Neil will shed some light on the others as well.
The circumstances of Howard’s attack are also interesting. I wonder if he knew about Neil’s crimes and tried to assault him out of rage, or if the attack was merely a result of Howard’s schizophrenic delusions. Most inmates hate baby killers and are eager to punish them for their crimes, so it’s quite a coincidence that the first guy to attack Entwistle was most likely insane and possibly didn’t even know who Neil was.
Sadly, Harriet Miers has resigned her position as a legal counsel to President Bush. Miers is a courageous, hardworking woman, a true conservative, and one of the relatively few unmarried famous politicians in the world. She has always been among my favorite politicians, and I wish her well in her future endeavors!
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Poor Neil Entwistle has expressed suicidal thoughts in a letter to his parents. In a letter discovered in his cell on Dec. 20th, two days after he learned that he would not be allowed to await his trial in England, Entwistle wrote:
“This may be my last letter. I have nothing to look forward to.”
He also wrote that he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes spread over the graves of his wife and baby. Neil is now at Bridgewater State Hospital, where psychiatrists are evaluating him. Middlesex Sheriff James DiPaola described Neil’s letter this way:
“There were some key words that caught the attention of the officers. It included burial instructions. It wasn’t, per se, ‘I’m going to hang myself, I’m going to harm myself.’ It was more of a conversation about he being depressed.”
It was also learned that an inmate named Eben Howard tried to attack Neil shortly before guards discovered the letter. He’s certainly had a rough holiday season. Although Mr. Entwistle may be a murderer, I can’t help but feel bad for the guy. Neil has two more hearings scheduled: one for January 21 and one for April 23. I’m not sure if he will appear at either of them, but I will post again as soon as I know.
Democracy lives! The Massachusetts legislature has finally decided to listen to the voice of the people and advance a ballot question on gay marriage. Now an opportunity to ban gay marriage has a chance of going before the people. See the full story at the Herald.
