Coping with School Shootings

I think Mark becker should go to a mental institution for the rest of his life or until at least 5 compentent doctors can fully agree that he is cured and can function in society again

First, I am so sorry for the family of the coach and I will pray for him and his family. I do want to say that in this case,though, I do not think the prosecutor understands schizophrenia at all because unless you have a family member that has schizophrenic, it is hard to understand how this disease works. When a schizophrenic does not take the right medication, or in many cases when they simply go into denial concerning their medication, they become delusional, and paranoid. They don't see things as they are, and it it is almost impossible for family members to help them. Such a difficult situation. God Bless

I have been watching the becker v iowa case, and I am curios if they have actually considered that this coach may have actually raped or attempted to have some sort of a sexual relationship with this becker kid causing him to go into this psychotic episode? Because the more I watch the more I am convinced of this or something similiar to this happening.

There is no question that society needs to be protected from persons with severe mental illness like Mark Becker. However, I don't believe that he belongs in prison. There are secure facilities in all states to care for forensic patients – those who have committed serious criminal acts. I understand that treatment in the prison system is minimal. It is my belief that it is a matter of treatment, not punishment. I might also mention the John Hinkley case. He shot former President Reagan based on delusional beliefs, and was diagnosed as schizophrenic. He was found to be Not
Guilty By Reason of Insanity, and has spent many years in a mental hospital. I am not sure if he has been discharged at this time. In my opinion, the finding of Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity is not a "get out of free card"

As a person who suffered symptoms of Paranoid Schizophrenia for 3 Years of my life, you need to understand that for Mark he is living in HELL. He feels things and sees things that unless you have suffered from this disease you will NEVER be able to understand what he is going through. It feels SO REAL to him because it is REAL in his mind. It took me heavy doses of zyperxa and years of therapy but I am 100% over my paranoia, I have my life back and can laugh about it now, but back a few years ago I was living in Hell. He needs a nursing home, Jail he will never recover. He WOULDN'T have done it if he wasn't sick. Leave the poor kid alone!

I have a 24 yr. old son who was diagnosed with Panoid Schizophrenia/Bi-Poliar at the age of 19. And as a parent I can totally relate to the parewnt's of Martk Becker. It is the worst experience in the world to have you child believe the delusions and hallucinations that thier minds have created about you as their parient. Finally, I have listened and watched the trial since day one, and I feel Mark Becker was truly insane when he committed this crime.
Nonie, (Ohio)

Mark Becker deserves to be found Guilty. I don't believe in the Insanity Defense. I blame his parents for not doing anything sooner. Once Mark was released from the Psych Ward, he should have returned to live with his parents, so they could make sure he took his medicine daily and not to have rented an apartment, where he went once released from the hospital. His parents had all of the evidence that Mark wasn't right and needed help and because they didn't do anything, the coach is dead. Seeing that Mark was manipulative, I cannot believe that his parents thought he was okay to live alone in an apartment and that they would trust he would take his medicine daily.
One reason I know Mark was manipulating the doctors, was that he told the doctors he was feeling better and wanted to be released from the hospital and they followed his wishes! Those doctors and staff, that released Becker the day before he shot the coach, should be fired!!! They have a huge lawsuit coming, from the coaches family.

I think the DA and State should drop charges against Mark and or the Defense should seek an acquital based on the fact he is totally insane and was insane at the time of the murder. I also think it would be in everyone's best interest to have this young man committed for life under direct care and be kept medicated. I think this trail is a sad state of affairs for all concern.

After listening to experts in Schizophrenia and Paranoid Schizophrenia, doctors Resnick and Rogers, Psychiatrist, and Clinical Psychologist, respectively, I understand a little more about this horrific disease. Allusionations, dilusions, treatments and different types of tests to evaluate this disease. The medical and psiquiatric teams and staff involved in these treatments should educate the public on this and other brain diseases so that we can evaluate and be alert on what we are dealing with. Instead we are kept unaware of who are these individuals and exposed to their irresponsible insanity.
In my personal opinion, doctors involved in Mark's last treatment are also responsible for this murder for releasing him from the hospital after only three days, when his medications had not reached the necessary results, he needed at least one week in the hospital, being a paranoid schizophrenic who needed further treatment.

Mark Becker is mentally ill, and was insane @ the time of the shooting, thats what i believe. I think the hosp. that let him go 2 days after the police chase are to really blame here! There's no way he was alittle bit stable when they let him go, the Dr. didn't even talk to him herself! Thats the problem w/ the doctors today, they care more about the almighty dollar then the patient. I really think the family of the coach should look into that.Although the family had to lose such a great person and now has to go on without him and deal w/ such pain, i truly believe that Mark was insane when he killed him and the punshment i think should be, life in an mental place were they can monitor his medications and make sure he takes it. Or give him the meds. by a shot every so often to make sure he has it. The question here is is or will he ever be able to live in socity as a stable humanbeing or not?

I totally agree w/ Ryan H. he is living in hell and has been for years. I hope one day he can live in peace inside his mind. Anyone can look @ him and see he's mentally unstable. I wonder what meds. they have him on to be able to sit there calm for all those hours, something heavy i bet?

Mark Becker was insane when he shot the coach. This trial shouldn't even be going on based upon the history of this kid, Mark should be institutionalized. It is the law of Iowa "insanity definition" versus Mark Becker. I am worried that 12 people that don't understand the complexity of paranoid schizophrenia will find him guilty and send him to jail. Which will not help Mark or have him get the help he needs. Doctor Resnick explained Mark's illness so well, that any human can understand what he is going through. However, the Prosecution's cross tried to make Dr Resnick's definition unbelievable. I hope the jury understands and allows Mark the help he needs.

If ever a case demonstrated the need for a "guilty but mentally ill" verdict, this is it.

There is no question whatsoever that Mark Becker shot and killed his former coach - and there is also no question whatsoever that he has a long undisputed history of mental illness.

Clearly, when Mark Becker shot the coach, he believed that what is was doing was morally right because, in his mind, the coach personified evil and would continue to hurt innocent people until somebody stopped him.

Clearly those beliefs were irrational which is why Becker belongs in a mental hospital - probably for the rest of his life.

But he does not belong in a prison, where people are sent for doing things they know darned well are legally and morally wrong, and I can think of no reasonable motive for any prosecutor to try to put him in one.

If Mark Becker is found not guilty because he is insane, what will happen to him? Also, can the hospital be held responsible because they let him out that late in the day without meds? I think he is guilty and I think the hospital is also guilty! No one should be let out with no meds! The hospital should have waited until the next day to let him out when the Pharmacies are open so his parents or a responsible guardian could get the meds for him and make sure he takes them. Am I wrong for thinking this way?

I have children with mental illness who have both been hospitalized. Something I have not heard in this trial, is anything about the other factors that limit a persons stay in a mental health facility. Limited beds available, insurance that wants them out as soon as the person appears to be no longer a threat to themselves or others, etc. On top of this, the prosecution seems to totally disregard the nature of the illness. We still have a long way to go to fully understand these illnesses and the court system is really behind in how we deal with these individuals. The person is ill, they can't remain hospitalized, something happens and they don't fit the legal definition of insane, so they're locked up where proper treatment is not readily available. Its a sad situation.

People with serious mental problems like Mark Becker, seem to have been normal until they started using drugs, like cocaine etc.
which affects their brain, and in some cases become psychotic.
I have been watching court tv & in session for a long time, and see a big increase of young people committing murder, and most of them were on legal or illegal drugs. Stop the drugs and protect the brain!

I think the defense's psychiatrist and psychologist did a much better job than the state's psychiatric expert which helped the defense prove their case. Mark Becker should not go to prison but should go to a psychiatric facility for as long as his prison term would be.

I believe that when Mark Becker arrived at his home after the muder of his coach and he saw the police car behind him he held out his gun....tells me he knew what he was doing and that it was wrong. He also was asked why he had left the scene and he said it was because he knew the cops where coming. Also, while killing the coach he called him "old man...." ......he knew what he had done was wrong. He may have mental illness but he knew he was going to jail.....These folks are so dangerous and it is so sad that we are not keeping them in hospitals. Even after they are home and if they stop taking their meds, it will happen again.

If he believed Ed Thomas was the devil and needed to kill him then when he thought the neighbor had put a hex on him why wouldn't he want to kill him, what made him choose one and not the other?

I have worked in psychiatry for years. I feel that if medical staff took more responsibility for outcomes there would be far less suicides and homicides. If a person has suicidal or homicidal ideations or command hallucinations it would be important to find out if he has the means to carry out the plan (gun/ pills). It would have been a good idea to have had him stabalized on meds before discharge. There are long acting injections (that last a month) for people who have trouble with compliance.

Mark Becker was cleary insane at the time of his killing Ed Thomas.
His reasoning was distorted because of the delusions. He truly was out of his mind during this hoorible action. First the hospital releases him with a prescription instead of providing him with the meds.
Secondly he is sent to live alone. Just like the Yates trial in Texas where the mother of five was convicted of the murder of her children and then the conviction was overturned so to should this trial never have happened. Mark belongs in the hospital for a very long time.
May Ed Thomas's family find peace with their loss.