There is no where in the story where you can naturally come to the conclussion that this was a "junkie" family. This was a mentally ill guy who should have been properly evaluated and remanded to a mental facility for as long as it took. That did not happen and this is the outcome. The same thing happened in Seattle a few months back with a white guy that killed 5 people for no apparent reason.

We need to properly evaluate these people that have these defects and get them the treatment they need or remove them from society!!!

URQ - Who cares what the beliefs of this family were? They were slaughtered in a horrible way. Does being an atheist means you have no respect for that?

starfox - sorry this SCUM BAG is a MURDER, this is another case were Capital Punishment needs to be carried out swifty.....

This murder did not have a gun and I bet his parents did not believe in guns either. There are multiple more stabbings than fire arms abuses.

BAN KNIVES! They kill more people than guns! We don't need them, we can all eat Government rations in REMs. All other needs out weight the fact that they are used to kill humans! We don't need law biding citizens to have the right to secertly carrying a knife to protect their family.

Here is proof, if they did not sell that knife, those 2 adults would have never been killed!

LMAO...

I personally don't care if he is mentally ill or not. The fact of the matter is that sometimes people do things that normal people like me and you don't understand. That doesn't mean their crazy.

@SpcTorres

Ummm you made no sense. "the fact of the matter" where did that come from. Who said he's not normal, he's normal for who he is. And you're right he isn't crazy he's mentally ill. Maybe you should think before you type, because what you just said obviously wasn't well thought out. ijs

This was a mentally ill guy who should have been properly evaluated and remanded to a mental facility for as long as it took. That did not happen and this is the outcome.

And it probably did not happen because some sleazy defense attorney used the 'mental illness' defense to get him off with a slap on the wrist. Mental illness has become a catch-all excuse and while I am not saying they don't need help, the court system needs to be more emphatic that just because a person is mentally ill does not make them any less dangerous, even while medicated or in treatment.

I personally don't care if he is mentally ill or not.

I have to agree. Murder is murder. I think I may be in the minority, but having a diagnosed mental illness has made me LESS sympathetic when people use it as an excuse for crime, as many criminals do. If I go off my meds and kill someone, I should go to jail... I know there is a possibility of bad things happening if I am not medicated (granted I am much more likely to hurt myself than hurt someone else), and if I choose to discontinue my meds and then commit a crime I am still responsible since my choice caused the results. If this guy was already diagnosed he knew he had a problem and was not getting help; that's a choice. And it is available even to low income; I get my meds from a free clinic.

Just my opinion, but I think this guy may just be mean, or evil, or whatever you want to call it. Regardless of what his problems are, he obviously has no problem hurting and killling so he just needs to be locked up for good. With his crimes, hopefully 'for good' won't be longer than mandatory appeals require.

Did u guys miss this part of the article?

Records show that Antonio Whitlow claimed to be mentally ill in 2007 before he pleaded guilty to assaulting a family or household member, The Associated Press reported. He was found fit to stand trial after a psychiatric evaluation and changed his plea to guilty. He was sentenced to a five-year probation ending in October.

Why is it that for EVERY crime that is committed in this country, the "mentally ill" defense is used? Seriously? Whatever happened to accountability for one's actions? You do the crime, you do the time. Period.

Liberal press will ignore this knifing and keep on the "gun" attacks !!

He had past Felonies, he couldn't get gun legally.

He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. Proverbs 13:24.

Yet somehow the son who had not been spared had a different take on the whole beat-down for your own good stuff.....go figure....

Sounds like a hero who saved the new adopted whipping post from what he had experienced.....

Lawrence, I think that even ex-criminals should have the right to own guns. Most of them are only in there for drug related charges anyways. Let's say however that someone with rape on their record wants a gun, as much as I HATE rapists, they too should have every right to defend themselves. It's ridiculous to say that only SOME people have a second ammendent right and others don't.

Also, I'm a Liberal before anyone follows my comment up with an personal attack on Liberals.

Conservatives say the stupidist things.

So if deadly crimes are only about the bad guy that commits them, and the weapon has nothing to do with it ('cause right winger illogic says they'll kill anyways) why don't we just make weapons of mass destruction legal?

After all, an angry man is going to find a way to kill whether he has a nuke or not.

Liberal press will ignore this knifing and keep on the "gun" attacks

Incorrect.

I hope the little girl is in contact with a really good counselor who specializes in work with traumatized children. She already lost one family since she was adopted, and now to lose another family in such a horrible way has to leave huge scars within her. Hopefully she'll learn how to accept what happened, realize its not her fault in any way, and learn to deal with it without this destroying her too.

As to the guy who did this, mentally ill or not, he slaughtered two people with malice and without mercy. He needs to be held responsible for his decisions and actions. Mental illness is not an excuse for murder, he was aware he had a problem. He had been given a second chance already and now we all see what he did with it, committing murder on the two people who loved him the most. No third chance at freedom and increasing his body count.

Idk, sounds to me like his abusers had been given a second chance to let him settle the score.....and on the heels of one more stupid religious justification for beating his kids, the man said, "Enough is enough......" Could be the girl is grateful.....

JimmySD1

Conservatives say the stupidist things.

So um, I assume you're a conservative for that stupid comment.

" I think that even ex-criminals should have the right to own guns."

There is no such thing as an ex-criminal. There are only convicted criminals. So no, they don't have the right to own guns.

"as much as I HATE rapists, they too should have every right to defend themselves"

Well then take self-defense classes.........Convicted rapist should lose just about every rights known to menkind.

thepunisher-2054749 Well hey, I think that only some people should have freedom of speech! You guys shouldn't have it because you've said some stupid things in the past!

I lol @ anyone who wants to pick and choose who gets what rights, it's as unpatriotic and dictatorship-like as it gets...

So if deadly crimes are only about the bad guy that commits them, and the weapon has nothing to do with it why don't we just make weapons of mass destruction legal? After all, an angry man is going to find a way to kill whether he has a nuke or not.

I asked my quasi-conservative girlfriend this exact question not even two days ago. Her answer was that no weapons should be banned. Not assault rifles, RPG’s, not grenades. You might call her crazy (and on the surface so might I), but this position represents a very deep philosophical and ethical debate and her position is a very valid one. I wish I could agree with her, and wish that ALL people were overall "good" enough to make it work, but like she will admit, there will always be bad apples and we must protect ourelves from them. One person can destroy all easily, but building takes a society

No doubt you also think spouses who are abused 'til they snap should also be 'shot dead on the spot'.

So, jkatze, don't you know that form of response does nothing? It's like me assuming then that all wives have the right to shoot their husbands, as long as you think they might have been abused.... even when proven they weren't?

The fact that this individual, from obvious reported facts above, meets all the criteria. I mean seriously, if this were a white boy, and aethist parents, who didn't have a diem to their name, the liberals would be lining up to whip the boy....

Nice to know that liberals are fair, in their views of justice.

Waaaaa Waaaaa. It must just suck to be you Larry, all those meanie freaking liberals and their horrible attitudes.....waaaaaa

the liberals would be lining up to whip the boy....

Maybe I read your comment wrong, and I am not a liberal at all, but I also don't exactly see them lining up to defend this kid.

Yet it still is not justification for murdering his parents. He is an adult now, not a child being beaten and defending himself. My siblings and I were whipped until we had welts all up and down our legs and arms and none of us murdered our parents. Once you're an adult, it's all on you.

Unless he got tired of watching them beat the devil out of his little sister. Then he was defending her.

I know what you speak of all to well F Walsh.

Lynsey I see your point, but there is other ways to take care of the parents like reporting them to the state or calling the police. I understand defending siblings because I had to when mine were kids.. I took the strap for my siblings by admitting to something they did so that way they wouldn't be beat to blood. However we grew up resentful and bitter, but one of my siblings and I have a stronger bond because of the abuse we had endured and we loathe our drug addict "parents".. The proudest moment a month ago was when my "mother" made the busted website for illegal gun possession and meth cooking in a school zone. <sarcasm- not really proud more like disgusted>

We can't say why he snapped, it could have been something beyond what we see in this article. Maybe he killed the parents to take the adopted sister to molest her. Who knows til something more comes out about what happened but I doubt MSN will do a follow up article.

jkatze

Come on now JK... I got my butt whipped many times when I was a kid and ya know there was not one of them that I can remember I did not deserve it.

50 Plus years here and I NEVER once (outside of my Military Life) have I ever Picked up a weapon in anger against ANYONE...

Don't blame it on the ROD... Hell if more kids got it I got the feeling there would be a lot less "Troubled Youths" running around killing each other.

jkatze, you may be on to something; the son MAY have been abused by the parents (got the "wisdom" of the rod.) And he MAY have also witnessed the daughter undergo the same treatment. It's curious the son killed the parents and then took the girl away. So far, it appears no harm was done to her by her brother. Was he trying to "rescue" her?? Pure speculation but an interesting perspective. I just feel sorry for the girl: 12 yrs old and under the care of the state. What are the chances she'll be adopted at that age? And, more importantly, adopted into a loving home?

The brother MAY have been mentally ill, but that seems rather unclear from this article. Although he claimed to be mentally ill in 2007, he was "found fit to stand trial after a psychiatric evaluation." So who truly knows his mental status?

Crap! My dad never spared the rod! Nor the belt, switch, hand, pistolbelt, or knuckles. Till the day he died, I loved & respected him. I now have a 91/2 year old daughter. Though I have given her on rare occasions open palm accross her deriair, I have never used anything stronger on her. Usually taking away favorite toys works. As I said, though I loved & respected my dad, I realise he was excessive. That's why I am careful not to follow in his footsteps. Though I turned out ok. I also did not ever feel the need to harm either of my parents. Spare the rod, you spoil the child.

So curious, how does the previous criminal activity play into the "story" your spinning?

Are you going to suggest that this person, who has demonstrated no regard for lawfulness, was defending abuse by killing, not just his father in one room, but also killing his mother in a totally seperate part of the house?

And not one call to 911 by the other parent? No history of abuse? Not signs or symptoms of anything... But we do have the sons history, not only his conviction record, but his attempt to take advantage of the situation, to get off.

The parents now are members of the church, no mention of how long they have been members, and no mention of the son's involvment in church.

Let's try to not assume...

After all, more kids that have been sparred the rod have done just as bad, if not worse.

Come on now JK... I got my butt whipped many times when I was a kid and ya know there was not one of them that I can remember I did not deserve it.

50 Plus years here and I NEVER once (outside of my Military Life) have I ever Picked up a weapon in anger against ANYONE...

Don't blame it on the ROD... Hell if more kids got it I got the feeling there would be a lot less "Troubled Youths" running around killing each other.

Just like me (minus the military service). I don't think many people agree with spanking kids anymore... for now. Fortunately, that may change soon. My generation grew up with spankings, including myself, and we believe in real and reasonable discipline when necessary. We also know the difference between spanking and beating, and that spanking is not always the best way to punish a child.

I think it even helped with school behavior when we knew if we got a spanking at school there was another one waiting.

To koyd27: If you read the first few lines in the article, you'd know he is in custody.

@koyd; too late, the first paragraph stated he is "in custody".

Sure hope the girl has a better life after this.

BTW: to all you folks that think you are a "better person" cause you were whupped...how the hell do you know what kind of person you MIGHT have been? I sure as hell did NOT enjoy the beatings I got. Still have no idea what some of them were for, as when I cried "what is this whuppin for"? The answer often wes "YOU KNOW".

There might be some that judge by the actions of some but I can guarantee they are a minority! I'm republican like my huge family and none of us are agains blacks or gays so I always worry that these people claiming all republicans are racist but were not! I am wondering where some of these people are getting the idea that this man was beat and killed his parents because of it? I didn't get that out of this story! The bible reference did not make me think that at all! It sounded like he thought they should have given him some disaplin and didn't! I might be wrong! I would like to know what the little girl says! I'm sure once they talk to her we will know what happened and why! Don't worry sir, you are not being judged by the majority!!! There are plenty of retards that post on hear that say all kinds of strange things and there are white power freaks but we all hate them! They are far fewer than they seem. When you think that there are 300 million people in this country and the number of crazies is pretty small. They will die off with there crazy ideas like all the rest if we just teach our own children to love all and not judge all on the actions of so few!

Also, Olddude... no one says they are a better person because they were whipped they are saying it didn't turn them into crazed, murdering lunatics! I too was whipped when I was growing up and my mother would come to my room after and say she was sorry and it hurt her more than it hurt me! My dad was scary and didn't have to whip you. I don't know what was worse the way he would talk to your or tha actual spanking? I was called stupid and every cuss word in the book was used. How would you like to be a little girl that accidently woke your dad up by laughing too loud and told he wanted to break your neck or break your back? Not good words to hear but I'm no looney!

"As a mid30s black man with multiple college degrees I'm tired of ignorant thugs giving the majority of the black community bad names"

You may not be an ignorant thug, but certainly and painfully obviously ignorant. With that claim to multiple college degrees, at least one would assume you'd be able to read past the headline. So you should be tired of people like yourself as well for giving the black community a bad name.

" I sure as hell did NOT enjoy the beatings I got. Still have no idea what some of them were for, as when I cried "what is this whuppin for"? The answer often wes "YOU KNOW"."

No one enjoyed the beatings they got, otherwise you'd be a lunatic. If you did not know why you got a whupping, it's because of one of these reasons, a) Have no idea of personal responsibility and accountability and passes blame b) Don't know the difference between right or wrong c) Think you are special and above any type of punishment d) Had very abusive and psycho parents

@thepunisher; seems obvious that you are a Psychiatrist who has all the answers. BTW: a) I was a little kid and still DID know when I really did something wrong and I truthfully do not remember "passing blame". b) even without all the ultra-religious trainig beat into me, I knew/know right from wrong. c) My belief is that we are ALL "special" and that NO ONE should beat-up (whup) little kids as there are many, more loving ways to instruct them. d) Still way too much of that going around. Anyway, thanks for your lofty opinions.

I agree

Double edged sword there... sure, this criminal MIGHT have used a gun if he could get one. But, if Mom and Dad had had a gun, they MIGHT still be alive.

Hey Mike, it's too bad we have such a large number of mentally ill posting on this page! OOPS! Did I say that????

Wonder why we don't start using stimulus money to build mental hospitals? Wouldn't that create jobs and put loonies off the street? Seems like win-win.

if they don't want to go, you can't force them unless they hurt someone, and if they want to leave, you can't keep them. The problem is most crazy people don't know they're crazy.

You can't have more hospitals unless you have the doctors, and we have a shortage of doctors, so what good would building more hospitals do?

The dead father was the one who said he was a Vietnam Vet. Bobby Lawrence is the murdered father. Antonio Lawrence is the one who was captured.

Might want to read more carefully next time.

R.Wood-3355027:

Please read what was written and not what someone told you or what you wanted to read. The Man was Old enough.

1. Bobby and Annette Whitlow, who were in their mid-60s

2. According to his Twitter page, Bobby Lawrence Whitlow was a Vietnam veteran.

Do you even have an Idea when the Vietnam war was?

To Proud2BaVet: Thankyou for serving Brother!!!

pained1, what gives Christians the right to claim specific "values". History shows that hundreds of religious groups practiced certain values prior to Christianity's existence. They observed the values of respect for humanity, laws against murder, theft, etc. Ancient religions practiced these values thousands of years before "Christians" adopted them as part of the christian religion. In fact, although most Christians deny it, most christian holidays and celebrations have been adopted from the Pagan practices from Europe over 3,000 year ago.

Hey,did you know they call soccer football in europe?You are awash in our culture for better or worse.Or were you part of hundreds of religious groups over thousands of years?

If he was sentenced to 5 years, he would have done half of that, making his release date 2 1/2 years prior to this October.

He was either mentally ill and misdiagnosed (perhaps just under the threshold of meeting the criteria), or he falsely claimed he was mentally ill as a defense. There are a lot of unknowns in this story for sure.

wtf101

Our Government does nt need evidence to put you away

OK al-28911335, White guy is accused of murder, and he is automatically guilty. Black guy is accused of murder and he's a fine young black man being persecuted. Sorry I don't quite follow your logic.

Len: Al was kidding.

We should have a G Zimmerman Holiday

JJ... now I know why your career is in the toilet... Please consult a writer.

Because he was busy taking out the other piece of @!$%# that was banging his head on the concrete; duh.

Don't worry, he will be back.

al you are a ass and another evil racist.Piss off

That was my take on it also.... but who could ever know for sure?

A wise man once said that we are the only species that allows our sick to survive...

When these institutions were closed these people became a big part of the homeless, and the rest went to prison. In prison when it s time for medication it looks like the MACY S Day Parade !!!!!!

The problem existed before the institutions closed, but by their closing there is a greater number on the streets and in the jails. You cannot force someone into treatment programs or to take their medications, even if they are in prison. We as a society have forgotten that with rights come responsibilities, and our rights are contingent of the rights of others.

al

did you ever see one of those institutions? I did way back in high school and I still have nightmares. Lots of people who were in those places didn't belong there but instead had disabilities like blindness, deafness, mental retardation and what would later be identified as autism. Treatment sometimes consisted of being tied to a urine soaked bed for most of the day.

I keep hearing various presidents blamed for closing these institutions and throwing people out on the street, but in some cases, they were better off, believe it or not.

I bet you are a priest now and molest little boys.

Do you spank them on their bare rear?

Only twice did I get a whipping that I didn't deserve. The rest? Well, let's just say I was really good at doing wrong, but I was also really really good at getting caught!!! LOL