DA: Dorchester murder suspect claims victim 'ran into' knife in her hand
Cherry Clinton, 29, was arraigned today on charges she stabbed Lancelot Reid, 23, to death after he had allegedly assaulted her earlier in the day in her Franklin Field apartment.
Dorchester District Court Judge Kenneth Desmond ordered that Clinton be held without bail, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.
According to the DA's office, Clinton told police that Reid had attacked her earlier in the day and that when he returned to her apartment, she grabbed a knife with which to protect herself:
She allegedly stated that Reid "ran into" the knife that she held in her hand.
[Assistant DA Ian] Polumbaum said that Clinton's version of events contradicted preliminary evidence, including the apparent force used to plunge a knife blade through several layers of the victim’s clothing and into his heart.
Innocent, etc.
Comments
He ran into her knife. He ran
He ran into her knife.
He ran into her knife ten times.
Cellblock Tango
This was the first thing that popped into my head, too.
Reminds me of a story in
Reminds me of a story in David Simon's 1988 book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets where this woman stabbed her husband to death and she claimed that he routinely asked her to attack him with steak knives so that he could display his martial arts prowess.
Ok, this one sure sounds like b.s.
Maybe time to switch to an insanity defense?
Let's see how it turns out.
Not insanity but self defense
She told police he had attacked her earlier in the day, so when he showed back up at her apartment ...
I know- I'm just agreeing with the DA
that it doesn't strike me as particularly credible that the guy "ran into" the knife. I assume the guy had keys to the apartment- otherwise why not keep the door locked and call the police when he showed up? Also, if she was in terror of her life, why didn't she call the police earlier to report the previous attack? I think that being innocent by virtue of acting in self defense, as opposed to being guilty of involuntary manslaughter, should mean that the person was in imminent fear of serious harm, and that the harm was unavoidable short of killing someone. Just as when two people get in a fistfight in a bar or on the street and one pulls out a knife and stabs the other, like Pring-Wilson a few years back.
Where have I heard this before?
Bart: I'm going to do this: (windmills arms) And if you get hit, it's your own fault!
Lisa: Okay, then I'm going to start kicking air like this. (kicks) And if any part of you should fill that air, it's YOUR own fault!
Homer: All right, pie, I'm just going to do this. (chomps at the air) And if you get eaten, it's your own fault!