Blaming The Victim…Will It Work?

      Blaming the victim…will it work in the case of the husband originally from England who is accused of murdering his American wife Rachael Entwistle and his infant daughter Lillian? Neil Entwistle’s case has had world wide media coverage since he “discovered” his wife and daughter in bed with fatal gun shot wounds; and, instead of reporting this “discovery” to the authorities…he did some very strange things. 

        It was alleged that Neil did not just discover his wife and daughter; but in fact, killed them.  Before the murders, it was alleged that Neil was doing online searches about escorts, as well as killing people.  Then, after Neil discovered his wife and daughter’s bodies, he allegedly returns a gun, that has his DNA as well as Rachel’s DNA, secretly to his father-in-law’s gun cabinet in his home.  Then, he hops a flight to London.  Why murder, if in fact it was murder; why not get a divorce if he was so unhappy?  So many questions with very little answers. 

        He doesn’t deny knowing that they are dead…just that when he left his home…his wife and child were in bed…then, two hours later when he returned…he finds them dead and covers them with a blanket.  Then, he allegedly says that he was trancelike and that he wanted to kill himself with a knife but, couldn’t do it so he fled to London.

        Defense of Neil Entwistle in the court room has raised the spector of suicide of Rachel and the murder of 9 month old Lillian…allegedly brought about by the very real condition of post partum depression that some women experience after giving birth.  All defense has to do, is create room for reasonable doubt regarding their client Neil in relation to murdering his wife and child; to set him free.

       Will it work to throw out the possiblity of suicide to the jury?  I don’t think so myself.  I guess it all depends on how that jury is made up and what their life experiences are…but, i think most people will see it as too pat of an answer.  Post partum is a very real condition alot of women go through…but, baby Lillian was already 9 months old.  Surely, by that time…others would have “noticed” the condition in Rachel, had it been in fact, been something that she was dealing with.  A doctor, nurse or family member would have seen the signs or had a conversation with Rachel, as this was her first child; wouldn’t she have sought advice from someone close to her about whether what she was going through was normal?

       Furthermore, with the internet searches he was doing…the timing is too co-incidental.  Neil was an out of work man.  He was supposedly unhappy with his sex life.  He was looking for escorts and ways to kill someone.  He and Rachel had just moved to this home in Hopkinton, Massachutes only 10 days before the murder.  He disappears without notifying the police when he finds his wife and child dead in his new home.  These are all very telling signs.  Not to mention…women think differently then men.  I think if Rachel was truly depressed and suicidal; i don’t think she would have chosen a gun to commit murder upon her child and herself.  There was no note.  No one else was noticing signs of post partum depression. 

        Blaming the victim in this case seems like a desperate defense to me; will it work…i would be highly shocked if it did.  I think people have too much common sense to buy into such a theory.  See update:  https://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/neil-entwistle-is-guilty-of-murder/

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