Comments on: Life sentence for homophobic Texan killer

By: Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:41:13 +0000

This is just typical of the USA. The Americans are stupid and senseless. I have never supported the death penalty, but people who kill others [based on any circumstances; such as disability, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc] should get a minimum of a life sentence. I live in Australia – Were people respect others, unlike the silly outdated USA!

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By: Glenda

Glenda — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:46:30 +0000

As a gay christian (lapsed) I hate it when people misquote the bible. The worst sin is MURDER as stated in the ten commandments. Sexual perversion (Man should not lay with another man) is not mentioned until the new testament in the gospels. As for this supposed insane man let the law deal deal with in the best way. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth

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By: drbehavior

drbehavior — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:48:44 +0000

The sentence is just another reason why one ought not put too much faith in a barely functioning and barely equitable justice system. Those that are require to have vision and to see cognitively beyond their noses either can't or won't. This murdering piece of scum was obviously gay and suffering from a psychotic form of internalized homophobia whereby he generalized his self-hatred to those whom he much rather have had sex with. The issue; however, is that despite the fact that he overplayed his insanity defense to penultimate degree, those who were adjudicating his story are sufficiently haters themselves that they bought into his story just enough to spare him the real punishment that he deserved. Don't hold your breath waiting for the day of equitable justice to spring forth in places likes Texas or, for that matter, any of the other states.

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By: Daniel

Daniel — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:07:16 +0000

I hope those who constantly defend the right of the religious to 'express their views' on sexuality in public take note of this awful event. There's a point at which free speech turns into a justification for hate and murder. Enough.

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By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:03:43 +0000

Mmm – he met him at a bar in Houston and then again later at a club. Any chance that they were gay venues? Any chance that Mangum himself might be gay and freaked out after going back with his victim because he couldn't accept who he was and what he had done?

If only the religious bigots would give up their pointless and needless crusade to stigmatise gays and lesbians Then maybe people like Mangum would find it easier to accept themselves and atrocities like this wouldn't happen.

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By: J Mathews

J Mathews — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:32:47 +0000

And here's to you, IRIS ROBINSON, Jesus loves you more than you will know….

Can you religious freaks maybe see the garbage your hate talk creates. What about you Iris, you witch??

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By: AndySam

AndySam — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:35:53 +0000

Good Old Texas – they managed to disregard a warning from the International Court of Justice NOT to execute a Mexican [I think] who had been denied his legal rights when charged, but the gay killer gets only a life sentence! An interesting concept of equal justice under the law for everyone!!!

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By: apYrs

apYrs — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:30:07 +0000

interesting that for such a violent murder, in Texas (the execution capital of the US), he wasn't sentenced to death (not that I support this penalty). Had his victim been other than gay, I wonder whether he'd now be on death row?

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By: J Geetas

J Geetas — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:37:33 +0000

—-"Going by the names of biblical characters during interviews with the reporter and police, he believed he was “anointed and appointed by God” to commit the murder, the psychologists testified."—- "Mangum told the reporter, who testified during the weeklong trial, that God had called on him to “carry out a code of retribution” by killing a gay man because “sexual perversion” is “the worst sin.”

This is why those religous people who preach against homosexuals must not be let off the hook, as thier hatefull pronouncements encourage people like this guy.

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