The Freedom Bulletin

There are some stories that make me think, “Why on earth would someone do that?”

This is one of them:

“The New Jersey attorney general’s office is reviewing the case of a Rutgers University freshman who jumped from the George Washington Bridge last week after images of him having sex with another man were broadcast on the Internet, and will decide whether to prosecute the incident as a bias crime, a spokesman said Thursday.”

“A body pulled from the Hudson River was identified Thursday as that of Tyler Clementi, 18, of Ridgewood, N.J. His death was ruled a suicide. Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, and a friend of Ravi’s, Molly Wei, have each been charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for using a webcam to film and transmit footage of Clementi having sex in his dorm room.”

I cannot, for the life of me, comprehend why someone would decide to tape their roommate having sex and put it on the Internet.

I don’t necessarily agree with the idea that this (alleged) crime was homophobic or a hate crime. The accused students may not have been motivated by hatred for gay people, and even if they were, I don’t think that would be any worse than if they were just motivated by hatred for Tyler as an individual.

Taping someone having sex and putting it on the Internet is cruel, wrong, and violates their rights regardless of whether they are gay or straight. It’s a shame that the maximum penalty for this is five years in prison (10 if it is a hate crime), considering that people can get more than that for victimless crimes like gun possession and drug use. If they are indeed guilty, the two suspects’ actions directly caused the victim’s death, so I certainly don’t think it would be inappropriate to charge them with homicide.

Some of the comments that people have posted about this case (here for example) are horrific. While most commenters actually have brains and hearts, some have posted that being gay is vile and despicable, that Tyler committed suicide because he knew that what he did was wrong, that anyone who commits suicide must have something wrong with them, that Ravi was the real victim because he had a gay roommate, and that he had a constitutional right to secretly tape Tyler having sex and put it on the Internet.

Although it must be annoying when your roommate has sex in your room, Ravi and Wei seem to have done the taping not out of frustration but because they thought it would be funny to humiliate a fellow student. Ravi did not seem at all threatened, upset, or even inconvenienced, happily tweeting things like “”I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.” and “Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it’s happening again.” Tyler did not commit suicide because he had “issues;” he committed suicide because two people decided to violate his rights and humiliate him, something that no one should have to deal with. As for the claim that Ravi had a right to do what he allegedly did, ask yourself this question: What is more important, the right to secretly tape people and put it on the Internet, or the right not to have people secretly tape you and put it on the Internet? I think the latter.

The bottom line is that the two suspects in this case, if guilty, are bullies. Tyler’s sexual orientation is irrelevant; the case would be just as tragic, and the alleged crime just as evil, had he been straight. Humiliating another person – whether gay, straight, bi, or asexual - is not funny, and in this case it cost a young man his life.

Photo courtesy of Jon Markoff via Facebook.

Alleged Craigslist Killer Philip Markoff committed suicide a little over a week ago, on August 15. Although I never knew him personally, and although he is an accused murderer, I am still a little sad about his death.

I went to both of Markoff’s arraignments and was planning to attend his trial in March. It is disappointing that he won’t have a trial, but of course that is not the only reason why his death is sad. No matter what crimes he may have committed, he is a human being and a unique individual.

The way Markoff died must have been extremely painful. From what I pieced together from various news reports, it seems that he killed himself sometime between 1:59 a.m. when he turned out his light and 10:06 a.m. when jail staff found his body. He cut his wrists, arms, ankles, and throat with a makeshift scalpel made of a pen and a sharpened piece of metal, severing his carotid artery and several veins. At some point, he wrote two words on the wall above the door, presumably in his own blood: “Megan,” his ex-fiancee’s name, and “pocket,” which seems to be a word he and Megan used for each other. He stuffed toilet paper down his throat to prevent attempts to revive him. He used gauze to tie a clear plastic bag over his head to suffocate himself and another one around his feet to hide the blood. Then he lay down and covered himself with a blanket.

Many people say that suicide is the coward’s way out, but what Markoff did takes a strange kind of courage. Clearly, he wanted to die, and he used his medical training to ensure that this would happen. Markoff’s life belongs to him, and I believe that he had the right to do what he wanted with his own life, including ending it. I don’t believe in encouraging inmates to kill themselves, as some people have suggested, but neither do I support taking away their freedom and privacy to keep them alive against their wishes.

The other day I was reading the comments on the Facebook group supporting Markoff, and it was interesting to read the positive comments about him. Some people expressed sadness at his death and condolences to his family, some emphasized that he was never proven guilty and the world never got to know what evidence his defense team might have presented, and others criticized Suffolk County D.A. Dan Conley for promising to present evidence to the public without Markoff having any opportunity to defend himself. Despite the seemingly strong evidence against Markoff, I admire his family and friends for sticking by him. His brother Jon wrote:

“He was a great guy, and a lot of people are really going to miss him. Thanks for everyone’s support through this difficult time. RIP Phil I will always love you.”

His Facebook picture is the one above of him and Phil together.

Questions still remain, such as:

• Why did Markoff commit suicide? Was it out of guilt, to avoid a trial, or simply because there would be nothing to look forward to if he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison?
• Why did he write Megan’s name on the wall, display her pictures on the table in his cell, and choose to die on the day after his would-be wedding anniversary? Did he love and miss her, or did he feel angry and betrayed? Or both?
• How exactly is Conley going to present his evidence against Markoff? Could his family sue to stop this? Will they sue the Nashua Street Jail for wrongful death? Can Julissa Brisman’s family sue anyone for her death?

We will eventually learn the answers to some of these, but others we may never know the answers to.

He will forever be 24 years old, unmarried, and the alleged Craigslist Killer.

Rest in peace, Phil Markoff.

Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley held a press conference today about Philip Markoff’s suicide, and he also e-mailed out the following press release (I bolded the most important parts):

“At 10:06 am this past Sunday, Aug. 15, a corrections officer making routine rounds at the Nashua Street Jail discovered Phillip Markoff unresponsive in his jail cell.  Staff at Nashua Street immediately administered CPR and notified 911.  Within minutes, members of Boston Emergency Medical Services responded to Mr. Markoff’s cell.  Efforts to revive Mr. Markoff were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 10:17 am.  Mr. Markoff died at his own hand.

“This death should not divert attention from what really happened here. It should not obscure the overwhelming evidence against Mr. Markoff or the brutality of his crimes. It is, in no small way, the ultimate indicator of consciousness of guilt.

“As the District Attorney, I am designated by statute to direct all death investigations within Suffolk County.  Mr. Markoff’s death is no different.  I have assigned Assistant District Attorney Mark Lee, deputy chief of our Homicide Unit, to lead this investigation with the Boston Police Homicide Unit squad led by Sgt. Det. Mark Sullivan.

“The investigation into Mr. Markoff’s death has been active since the moment of its discovery.  It remains active even at this hour and as a result there are still some pieces of information that cannot yet be released.  Nonetheless, the public deserves updated and accurate information about Mr. Markoff’s death.

“The following information is based on the recovery of physical evidence, key witness interviews, examination of video surveillance footage, an autopsy of Mr. Markoff’s body by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and initial observations of the condition of Mr. Markoff’s body and his cell at the time he was discovered. 

“Mr. Markoff was the sole occupant of cell #24 at Nashua Street Jail.

“At 1:59 am on Sunday, August 15, he was alone in his locked cell and turned out his light.

“A review of surveillance footage reveals that no one entered Mr. Markoff’s cell until the time he was discovered some eight hours later at 10:06 a.m.

“Mr. Markoff took several measures to harm himself and ensure his own death.  Using a primitive scalpel made from a pen and a sharp piece of metal, he inflicted a series of small punctures and incisions on his body, including his neck, arms, wrists, and ankles.  He hit several veins and the carotid artery in his neck.  All of the wounds were consistent with suicide.

“Mr. Markoff fastened a plastic bag around his head with a length of gauze. He fastened a second plastic bag around his feet.  These were large, clear bags available to inmates at the jail.

“After autopsy, the Medical Examiner determined that this series of actions resulted in air loss and blood loss and combined to cause his death.  We’re currently awaiting toxicology reports to determine what medications, if any, were in his system and whether they contributed to his death.

“Many of you are also curious as to what effect Mr. Markoff’s death has on the criminal case against him.  His death effectively terminates our pending prosecution, and we will file a nolle prosequi closing the case at the next scheduled court date of Sept. 16.

“The evidence assembled against this defendant was overwhelming in quantity and substance.  All of it was developed by the men and women of the Suffolk DA’s office and the Boston Police Homicide Unit who left no stone unturned in their efforts to bring Philip Markoff to justice for the murder of Julissa Brisman.

“With Philip Markoff’s final actions, the Brisman family has been deprived of an opportunity to hear a verdict rendered, to see justice pronounced, and even the chance to tell the court and Mr. Markoff – face to face – what Julissa meant to them and the immeasurable pain and loss he inflicted upon them.  These are important moments for victims of this type of violence and, as we did from the very beginning, I ask you all again to keep Julissa Brisman and her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

“I want to extend a final word of thanks to Comissioner Ed Davis for his leadership throughout this case and to the men and women of the Boston Police Homicide, Special Investigations and Fugitive Units.  I also want to recognize the Massachusetts State Police, the FBI, Secret Service, Warwick , Rhode Island police department, the Rhose Island Attorney General’s Office, and the New York City Police Department for their outstanding contributions into the investigation of Philip Markoff’s crimes.”

For more details about Markoff’s dramatic death, see the following news articles:

• Boston Globe – Craigslist suspect Markoff scrawled messages in blood
• Boston Globe – ‘Nothing remarkable’ about Markoff while he awaited trial
• Boston Globe – Markoff fashioned ‘primitive scalpel’ to kill himself
• Boston Globe – James Fox: Denied justice or just us?
• Boston Herald – Suicide dashes hopes for truth
• Boston Herald – Markoff was ‘hell bent’ on killing self
• Boston Herald – NH gun shop cleared in sale of gun to Markoff
• Boston Herald – Margery Eagan: Cowardly act spared Brismans lifetime of pain
• Boston Herald – Autopsy results show Markoff bled, suffocated to death
• ABC – ‘Craigslist Killer’ Philip Markoff died among his fiancee’s photos
• Right Juris – Accused ‘Craigslist Killer’ committed suicide
• New York Post: Final Craigslist chiller

Update as of August 18: Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral gave a press conference, where she defended the jail’s policies and said that it is impossible to prevent 100% of suicides. She also said that Markoff had been dead for some time before he was found at 10:06 a.m. Additionally, Fox 25 obtained a few exclusive pictures of the bloody words Markoff wrote on the wall of his cell and the makeshift scalpel and plastic bag that he allegedly used.

Photo courtesy of Bizuayehu Tesfaye/AP

Philip Markoff, the 24-year-old former Boston University medical student accused of being the “Craigslist Killer,” was found dead today at 10:17 a.m. in his cell at the Nashua Street Jail. He had a plastic bag tied around his head, and according to some sources also cut an artery in his leg. All signs indicate that he killed himself. It was a year and a day after he would have married his ex-fiancee, Megan McAllister. His trial was set to begin in March.

Markoff has been considered a suicide risk in the past, but this news is still shocking. The Massachusetts prison system has been criticized recently for a relatively high number of inmate suicides, but this is certainly the highest profile one in a long time. I wonder how he got hold of a plastic bag.

Although he is an accused murderer, I still find Markoff’s death sad. He must have decided that death was better than facing a trial and most likely life in prison. It was his life and his right to end it, as he apparently chose to do.

RIP Philip Haynes Markoff, February 12, 1986 – August 15, 2010.

Statement by the Suffolk County D.A.’s Office and Boston Police Department:

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office and Boston Police Department Homicide Unit, with the assistance of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, are investigating the apparent suicide of Philip Markoff at the Nashua Street Jail this morning. Markoff was found unresponsive inside his cell and pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m.

The investigative steps currently under way are taken in all unattended or unnatural deaths within the City of Boston. Markoff was alone in his cell and all evidence collected thus far indicates that he took his own life. Nonetheless, as with all such cases, a comprehensive investigation will be conducted to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding his death.

Various news articles:

• Fox 25 – Accused ‘Craigslist Killer’ Philip Markoff commits suicide in jail
• Boston Globe – Accused ‘Craigslist killer’ Philip Markoff commits suicide in Boston jail
• Boston Globe – Two other suicides at Suffolk County jails in last decade
• Boston Globe – Family of victim reacts to Markoff suicide
• Boston Globe – James Fox: Markoff’s suicide no surprise
• Boston Herald – Sources say accused Craigslist Killer suffocated in apparent jail suicide
• NECN – Craigslist killing suspect Philip Markoff commits suicide in jail
• WCBV – Accused Craigslist Killer Commits Suicide
• Yahoo/AP – Craigslist killing suspect dead in Mass. suicide
• CNN – Police: Accused Craigslist killer dead of apparent suicide
• Fox News – Official: ‘Craigslist Killer’ Commits Suicide in Jail Cell
• Sentencing Law and Policy – Should we be pleased or frustrated?
• New York Daily News – Alleged ‘Craigslist Killer’ Philip Markoff found dead in jail
• ABC – ‘Craigslist Killer’ Philip Markoff commits suicide
• Boston Herald – Sources: Suspected Craigslist killer used bag, pen in suicide
• Boston Herald – Sheriff: Markoff showed no signs of being suicidal
• CNN – Cause of death for alleged Craigslist killer withheld

Update as of August 16: An autopsy was conducted on Markoff’s body, according to the Suffolk County D.A.’s office, but the medical examiner is not yet releasing the cause of death. Depending on the source (see links above), in addition to suffocating himself with a bag, Markoff used either a pen or a razor blade to cut his femoral artery in his leg and possibly his neck and wrists . It seems like he died a painful death but knew what he was doing, not surprising given his medical training. Also, according to the Herald, no one checked on Markoff all night, and Boston City Councillor Stephen J. Murphy is calling for an independent investigation into his death.

Second update as of August 16: WCVB is reporting that Markoff wrote his ex-fiancee’s name, Megan, in blood on the wall of his cell (according to Michele McPhee, who cites unnamed sources). She also says that guards checked on him twice before knowing (or caring) that anything was wrong, and that he wrapped his wounds in plastic bags so that no one would see the blood until it was too late. Wow, you just can’t make this stuff up.