An ordinary murder-
This editorial was published in The Current on March 28, 2007
It may have been just an “ordinary murder” except for the fact that a teacher admired by her family, friends and colleagues had the presence of mind to record the events leading up to her death.
Therefore, in death, she probably reached more people than she would have in a lifetime of classroom teaching. And although the young man did not listen to her pleas for sparing her life, she did save his life. Her words, recorded, led to her murderer's apprehension. Without being captured, one can only imagine where he may have ended up had he not been stopped.
Who knows how many more people he may have killed or if he would have been killed himself. He is in prison, but there are worse places than that to spend one’s life. He is still a young man who may never see freedom again, but he can change his heart which was something Kathleen Weinstein tried to convince him to do.
Mrs. Weinstein’s colleagues can learn something from her last words and actions also. The fact that Mrs. Weinstein recorded the conversation indicates that she wanted someone to hear it. One of her former colleagues stated in The Press (AC) article "and I believe that she wouldn’t have told on him. She would have probably tried to help him. She was the kind of person that when she gave her word, she meant it.”
No one can help another human being by hiding the crime committed. Mrs. Weinstein would have told. Her recordings prove that. And in that recording is also proof of her commitment to being kind. For there is nothing kind about letting people get away with murder. We can all learn a lesson from Mrs. Weinstein.
Marian R. Carlino
Published in The Current March 28, 2007.
A high school student wanted her car and abducted her and killed her. It happened in 1996. It made the news again in 2007.
The principal of the killer said he was a high school sophomore and “described as average” and “not known for disciplinary problems.”
He went to plead guilty in 1997 per the article, but in 2007 he retracted his statement and had a new trial. His first attorney had an affair with the mother. He tried to argue it was not his voice on the tape.
